Cheat Day Solutions

dobbywocky
dobbywocky Posts: 4 Member
edited November 23 in Health and Weight Loss
Here is how I handle cheat days, and how to make them work for you. At the beginning of the diet, determine at what interval you might want to give yourself a break. It may be after you lose every five lbs, every three percent of body fat, at the end of the month, etc. Make it a personal decision that you can stick with, because it has to work for you. At this point reset your goal to maintain current weight. It increases your caloric intake without putting you over into weight-gain mode. Stay within the calorie count! Leave it here for a few days, but no more than a week. The re-weigh, and get back on the horse. After a week, it's harder (for me, anyway) to get motivated to reduce calories again. This works great for the holidays, vacations- special occasions we may want to indulge just a bit more without feeling guilty, makes us less likley to binge than if all we have is one day, and keeps us healthy. It also gives us a mental break and allows us to enjoy more during the daily grind so diets don't feel so much like punishment all the time. Take the time to mentally celebrate the success you've made so far, so that when it's time to get back to it, you maintain that motivation. The trick is to not abuse it. It's always great to talk about it to a doctor, especially if you're seeing one for weight loss or other similar issues. Hope it works fo you like it does me.

Replies

  • lucyleigh4
    lucyleigh4 Posts: 33 Member
    Great idea! Especially for vacation and holidays! Thanks!
  • snickerscharlie
    snickerscharlie Posts: 8,578 Member
    I handle cheat days by not having them. Who am I cheating but myself, anyway?

    If I want something extra caloric, I either plan for it by working it into my budget for the day, or just log it and move on. I find for me making cheat days something to look forward to is counterproductive, since that makes the non-cheat days sad. I no longer attach emotion or good and bad labels to food. It's just food. :)
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    I handle cheat days by not having them. Who am I cheating but myself, anyway?

    If I want something extra caloric, I either plan for it by working it into my budget for the day, or just log it and move on. I find for me making cheat days something to look forward to is counterproductive, since that makes the non-cheat days sad. I no longer attach emotion or good and bad labels to food. It's just food. :)

    +1

  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
    edited August 2015
    Cheat days...
    In my journey, I always looked forward to my weekly food binge. It kept me sane and on track 6 days out of the week, and my average weekly weight loss was .73 pounds after that initial fast 25 pound drop.
    In just over 2 years, I lost 100 pounds and reached my goals.

    Cheat days worked for me, and they're fun!
    In weight maintenance, my new goals became body fat loss, so I discovered quickly that my weekly cheat days hurt my progress - no, they stifled my progress!
    :o
    My body fat was stalled at around 23%, and to sharpen this saw, I had to let go of my weekly cheat day.
    Over the last 3 years, my body fat dropped to around 15%...and no free day is as good as these results look and feel.

    You must decide for yourself, knowing a cheat day will set you back, but I would not have lost my initial weight otherwise. Maybe this helps...
  • Lasmartchika
    Lasmartchika Posts: 3,440 Member
    dobbywocky wrote: »
    Here is how I handle cheat days, and how to make them work for you. At the beginning of the diet, determine at what interval you might want to give yourself a break. It may be after you lose every five lbs, every three percent of body fat, at the end of the month, etc. Make it a personal decision that you can stick with, because it has to work for you. At this point reset your goal to maintain current weight. It increases your caloric intake without putting you over into weight-gain mode. Stay within the calorie count! Leave it here for a few days, but no more than a week. The re-weigh, and get back on the horse. After a week, it's harder (for me, anyway) to get motivated to reduce calories again. This works great for the holidays, vacations- special occasions we may want to indulge just a bit more without feeling guilty, makes us less likley to binge than if all we have is one day, and keeps us healthy. It also gives us a mental break and allows us to enjoy more during the daily grind so diets don't feel so much like punishment all the time. Take the time to mentally celebrate the success you've made so far, so that when it's time to get back to it, you maintain that motivation. The trick is to not abuse it. It's always great to talk about it to a doctor, especially if you're seeing one for weight loss or other similar issues. Hope it works fo you like it does me.

    Wait... I'm confused now... You say that cheat days are for a mental break.... yet I still have to count calories? Isn't a cheat day supposed to be like a free for all day? That's what others say in other threads.

    No... no... it's too confusing and I don't need to be re-gaining what I'm losing every cheat day.

    I'd rather just enjoy all kinds of foods and making sure they fit into my day everyday and lose weight like that. Thanks though!! :flowerforyou:
  • dobbywocky
    dobbywocky Posts: 4 Member
    It's a break from reduced calories. Not everyone can always budget everything in, or compensate with enough exercise everyday.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    This just sounds like a diet break rather than "cheating"
  • zira91
    zira91 Posts: 670 Member
    snickerscharlie wrote: »
    I handle cheat days by not having them. Who am I cheating but myself, anyway?

    If I want something extra caloric, I either plan for it by working it into my budget for the day, or just log it and move on. I find for me making cheat days something to look forward to is counterproductive, since that makes the non-cheat days sad. I no longer attach emotion or good and bad labels to food. It's just food. :)

    this!
  • looney9708
    looney9708 Posts: 174 Member
    Pinnacle_IAO wrote: »
    Cheat days...
    In my journey, I always looked forward to my weekly food binge. It kept me sane and on track 6 days out of the week, and my average weekly weight loss was .73 pounds after that initial fast 25 pound drop.
    In just over 2 years, I lost 100 pounds and reached my goals.

    Cheat days worked for me, and they're fun!
    In weight maintenance, my new goals became body fat loss, so I discovered quickly that my weekly cheat days hurt my progress - no, they stifled my progress!
    :o
    My body fat was stalled at around 23%, and to sharpen this saw, I had to let go of my weekly cheat day.
    Over the last 3 years, my body fat dropped to around 15%...and no free day is as good as these results look and feel.

    You must decide for yourself, knowing a cheat day will set you back, but I would not have lost my initial weight otherwise. Maybe this helps...

    How long did it take you to get from 23% to 15%? I'm stalled at 23% myself. I usually don't cheat but am surprised how slow it had become. Curious of your journey. And congrats!
  • looney9708
    looney9708 Posts: 174 Member
    Is there anything specific you would suggest doing the day after a cheat day? I had wine as my cheat and a few carbs. Scale is up 3 lbs, I know water, but curious how to counterbalance the next day or just get back on the normal wagon and wait it out.
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