Do you give yourselves "cheat days" as a reward?

No. For me food is fuel, it's not a reward. Before anyone says that so boring, who said food that is fuel has to be not tasty.
I do have refuel/maintaince days. These are part of my new lifestyle so when I lose the weight, I'll already know what I'm doing.

Nope. I bank calories so I can eat what I want within my goals. If I'm in a deficit, and I go over one day-I might try to fix it up a bit with some low days or exercise, or just expect to lose less that week. In maintenance, I save calories everyday so I can have a high day over the weekend.

Mgtei wrote: »

No, but for me that 's more because I feel like I've had my share of cheat days this lifetime. However, I do sometimes celebrate with food because for me that's a part of normal eating. I just plan for it as best I can. And sometimes for no special reason I'll plan to have a cookie at lunch, like I did just now. Because chocolate.

Congratulations on doing well on your test!

I'll be the person in the thread that says *kitten* YES, I DO. I'd go crazy without. Then again, my diet I use is a lil weird.

Meatless on weekdays, meat free-for-all on weekend [in moderation for calories, you see]. In addition to eating meat again on weekends, I allow myself some leeway on calories. I try to eat around my 1200, but I'll splurge and go just a bit below my maintenance some days. Such as Friday... BBQ festival in the town over. Iatesomuch. xD; Regreeeet, but still below my maintenance.

A bag of chips or some sweets is not a cheat day.

Frankly, I don't like the whole concept of a "cheat day" or "cheat meal". It implies that I'd be doing something wrong or against the rules and my personal relationship with food is better than that. If I want some chips or sweets, I have them in a modest portion and build them into my calories for the day. Of course, I don't have an end goal for my weight loss, either. I know this is for the rest of my life so my outlook may be a bit different than yours.

I don't think using food as a reward is a good idea, in any event. If you want to reward yourself for your accomplishment (and you should!) do it but pick something other than food. Buy yourself a piece of clothing you've been wanting or get a pedicure or a massage. If you've been dying for some chips or sweets, buy yourself a small bag and get past the craving.

I don't do conscious cheat days, I just go over my calories sometimes for special occasions and don't worry about it too much (will try to do really well the next few days to sort of make up for it). Some people who get into "cheat day" mindset go so crazy with food on that day that they undo all of their work for the previous week. I don't think the odd treat will derail you - and it is easier to maintain that long term than being super strict.

No. I dont have that kind of relationship with food and l don't want to develop it. Food is fuel for me- not entertainment

I personally don't but I don't see a problem with a cheat day. I try to eat healthily most of the time but if I want something 'cheatsy' I'll eat it and just log it in my calories to keep an eye on things.

No... but only because I fit chips or sweets or whatever into my daily calories.

No. I eat sweets or indulgent foods when I want them enough to go out and get them, which is rare enough, and don't dub it a cheat day or dub it a reward. It's just a day where I have to eat a little less or work a little harder.

I used to think cheat days were a good enough idea, without having tried them. But the implication behind them (in most cases) seems to say that you eat whatever you want, all day, and I've done that, and simply felt sick, self-conscience, tired and very fat. It's one way to say "here, binge, because you can't have these things any other day".

Cheat meals? Sure, call them that. But I know that days where I eat whatever I want don't work for me. It's better to nudge those foods in where your calories allow when you actually really want them, instead of scheduling for them, as many people seem to do. A day where you have some chocolate isn't a cheat day. And I wouldn't dub a day a cheat day just because you had chips.

This is all just my opinion on the general subject. The whole concept is actually kind of strange now that I think about it.

I'm trying to maintain without losing anymore weight as I have been so far this summer. Therefore I eat whatever I want and don't consider it cheating.

I do my best to never use food as a reward. Food as comfort is what got me here to begin with. For me seeing the number on the scale go down is the reward. I allow myself some sweets or chips every day, they are just a part of my everyday eating. In fact there is nothing off limits as far as I a concerned. I just budget my calories to be able to "afford" the foods I want. Sometimes the budget says I need to wait a day or two to have some things. But when I do enjoy them I don't see them as any kind of a reward. As an adult I don't need bribes to get myself to do what I know is right.

When I want to do something nice for myself I go to a movie or to the museum or the botanical garden that I love. I ride my horse, go to an aikido seminar, buy some flowers for my home.... Even these things are just something I do on a regular basis. I don't have to earn them. I deserve to be loved by me every day, just for being me. I deserve to have a happy and comfortable life filled with the things I enjoy, within my budget, and I deserve to live in a healthy body that I am proud of while I do all of that.

As a reward? No.

Sometimes life happens and you deal with it....but no, I don't do cheat meals as a "reward"...

No, I eat what I want that is within my allowed calories. If I want to splurge, I exercise more to allow myself to eat it.

Yes I love food, and it's the best motivator/reward for me xD I love food too much I eat for the pleasure of my tastebuds, not my body. HAHA! That's bad, I don't care. Food is delicious