Cheat days... Your experience

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Lindsay1084
Lindsay1084 Posts: 18 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I have the mindset like many others that you can eat what you want while on your journey, but also believe in cheat days. Days where you don't count calories and just let loose a little bit. I would love to hear others thoughts on allowing a cheat day a few days a month and how that has impacted your journey.
I have a girls weekend coming up where I will be drinking beer and eating whatever everyone brings.
I know it may stall my weightloss next week, but I'm not willing to give up these rare opportunities.
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Replies

  • ajnb88
    ajnb88 Posts: 339 Member
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    My cheat days are enforced by my wife suggesting we get pizza. Happens about once a month, and I can't resist pizza. :)

    Other than that, I don't really do them. I'll have days when I go over my targets, but I don't have certain days where I just decide to eat crap.
  • Init_to_winit
    Init_to_winit Posts: 258 Member
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    I think it's important to live your life and still go out and do things. However, maybe try and change your lifestyle some. For example, when I go out now, I drink a light beer instead of a full flavor one to save on calories and I drink plenty of water in between. I also try and limit my snacking and try and fill my plate with more of the healthy stuff. I don't count calories and portion everything out and say no to dessert, I just try and eat the green things and ask for a small slice :wink:

    I think the other key is not to let a "cheat day" turn into a cheat week. You ate, you drank, you partied, now get back in the gym you!
  • Winterlover123
    Winterlover123 Posts: 352 Member
    edited July 2015
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    In the beginning, I could not have a cheat meal or cheat day because I didn't have the control yet to stop after that day.
    Now being 170 days in and have lost 25 pounds (At the beginning, I had given up a lot but still logged, now I'm about 2 months in being serious about it) I'm finding it much easier to go "yea, I can have a cheat meal" and be able to recover and continue on within my calories the next day. I don't have a cheat day every week, I have them only on special occasions :)
    Edit: please keep in mind I only eat within my calories, not exactly watching what I eat; which means I don't exactly choose the healthiest all of the time lol
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    Whatever you choose to call them, days where I eat more than I burn are a part of life for me. Sometimes WAY more than I burn. They always have been and hopefully always will be. I can't imagine a life where I ate the same way every day.
  • Woodspoon
    Woodspoon Posts: 223 Member
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    Yup I do cheat days, one day a week every week, Fridays are my day.
    Probably not a good thing to do really and no doubt many will say it's not good but it's something to look forward to.
    It makes the constant counting during the week worthwhile, as long as the digits on the scale keep going down then I'll still allow myself to have them, if the scale starts going up then I'll stop them.
    I'm not going to cut back on the few pleasures I have left just so I can lose a little bit more a tiny bit quicker.
    Nothing is worth losing my chocolate, cheese and beer on a Friday night :D
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I don't like the word "cheating" because I don't think I am. There are days where I exceed the calorie allotment, but there are days I'm under, too. It all balances out in the end.

    I used to check weekly, now I check monthly to see how I'm doing.

    I don't allow days to eat things I shouldn't because I'm truly happy with my diet the way it is. Once in a blue moon, I eat something I really shouldn't, but I have my reasons for that and really don't consider it cheating.
  • SingRunTing
    SingRunTing Posts: 2,604 Member
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    I have cheat days for special occasions.

    Normally, I work treats into my calorie allowance, so I don't feel the need for regularly schedule cheat days. But I have several days a year that I just don't track calories. I could be over or under, I don't know. But I just relax and enjoy myself. Those days are major holidays (Easter, Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas) and life events (my birthday, my anniversary, family weddings, vacations). It works out to less than one day a month if you average it out. I don't take a day off for every holiday - I tracked on July 4th, Memorial Day, Valentine's Day, etc. And I don't take off for everyone's birthday. Only my own.

    I need to stay focused to lose the weight, so I don't cheat regularly. But I also don't want to not enjoy special occasions by worrying about food. It's all in what you do most of the time that counts.
  • allbarrett
    allbarrett Posts: 159 Member
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    I don't schedule days that I got over my targets, and I don't consider any day (or meal) a "cheat". Sometimes I do go over my targets (Saturday there is a family birthday, between the Belgian beer and the birthday cake, I'll probably go over unless I get my long run in that morning, which I'm going to try to do!). I figure there are as many days I'm below target as I'm above, and as long as I'm sticking to my targets in the long run, living life to the fullest, AND being healthy, I don't sweat it.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    In the past, I considered a cheat to be a food that I believed is not good for me, such as Dr Pepper or Swedish Berries. When I would eat those, I found it was a trigger food for me and I ended up eating more (unless something stopped me like staying at someone's home). A cheat day would turn into a cheat week or month. It didn't work for me.

    Right now I would consider a cheat something that would take me out of my macros. Right now, I won't cheat because it would throw me out of ketosis, and I don't want to face the discomfort of getting back into it.

    I have had days where I eat more calories than my goal, but I don't consider that a cheat since it all evens out over time.
  • crystalewhite
    crystalewhite Posts: 422 Member
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    Mine go downhill quickly. I do better if I incorporate proper portions of "junk" food into my day.
  • rosebarnalice
    rosebarnalice Posts: 3,488 Member
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    I don't cheat on logging. I have days (usually Fri or Sat) that I eat more than my target, but I still log it.
  • theawill519
    theawill519 Posts: 242 Member
    edited July 2015
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    I do cheat meals, not cheat days. I've only had one cheat day and it went downhill FAST. One meal is enough for me. :)
  • lianachu13
    lianachu13 Posts: 15 Member
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    Cheat days work for me. I'd rather have one "bad" day and be on track for the rest of the time than spread the treats out over a period time. So I don't lose weight for a week or two? No big deal. I just keep said days reasonably spaced.
  • Katzedernacht
    Katzedernacht Posts: 266 Member
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    I have a cheat meal once a week, a whole cheat day seems a bit too much for me .

  • slaite1
    slaite1 Posts: 1,307 Member
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    I don't plan cheat meals anymore because I think it can cause an unhealthy mindset around food. I basically eat what I want and still hit my goals. When i know I'm going to splurge-I bank up some calories during the week and add a little extra exercise.

    If some big event I was excited about came up-I just wouldn't worry about it and I would enjoy myself. One day here and there is basically a drop in the bucket. It doesn't have to be a "cheat". This is your life, your diet is just one small part of it. Have fun!
  • cindyangotti
    cindyangotti Posts: 294 Member
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    I hope you have a great time and enjoy your friends and everything you eat and drink!!! It wont necessarily slow your weight loss for the following week. I would add in some extra cardio and get right back on track the following day.
  • handeye
    handeye Posts: 52 Member
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    like someone else said, i find it easier to incorporate "treats" into my daily or weekly calorie allotments than to necessarily have a designated cheat day. on special occasions (holidays, birthday) i let myself enjoy and eat what i'd like knowing i'll have to pay stricter attention to what i'm eating the next few days. i've tried to adopt the infamous french approach of "everything in moderation" and i literally haven't felt like i've been dieting at all though i've lost almost 30 pounds. :)
  • gummybears700
    gummybears700 Posts: 7 Member
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    i use a social event as a cheat meal, but i just consciously cut back on portion sizes and make sure im only eating enough so that im not full, whether that be two three bites of a rich chocolate dessert or a quarter of a burger. and oh yes, even though its the worse thing ever for me, i drink diet coke or coke zero because it fills me up really well and its extremely low in calories
  • kwtilbury
    kwtilbury Posts: 1,234 Member
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    I usually organize cheat days/meals around holidays and special events - Thanksgiving, Christmas, Super Bowl. It's so much easier to just relax and enjoy the day without worrying about what I'm eating.

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