Cheat days (calling all successful people) lol

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BrittaniDirks
BrittaniDirks Posts: 113 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
For those who have list 30 pounds or more. I'd like to know how often do you cheat/go over calories/have a day that you don't count? What rules do you stick to. This us my second time around the first time I list 18 in three months . I'm currently a list one week down again. Anyhoo I have always had one day a week where I don't count. What do you think?
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  • BrittaniDirks
    BrittaniDirks Posts: 113 Member
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    Dunno what's up with my spelling lol. "Lost" not list. Lol
  • Sued0nim
    Sued0nim Posts: 17,456 Member
    edited August 2015
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    BrittaniDirks wrote: »
    For those who have list 30 pounds or more. I'd like to know how often do you cheat/go over calories/have a day that you don't count? What rules do you stick to. This us my second time around the first time I list 18 in three months . I'm currently a list one week down again. Anyhoo I have always had one day a week where I don't count. What do you think?

    56lbs and maintaining (for 6 months)

    I don't cheat

    Every day I eat basically what I want if I can make it fit my calories...generally includes an ice cream stick and a packet of chips at least...some times I save calories for a specific meal or cocktails later in the week.

    I think not counting for 1 day can absolutely blow your commitment for the other 6 days and teaches you that you are on a short term restrictive diet whereas what you need is to learn a whole new you who eats differently and moves more than the you who got fat

    I believe if you need to cheat you're doing it wrong
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    edited August 2015
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    60 pounds lost with 50 to go. No cheat days. I might go over like 2-3 times a month, but other than special occasions it's by less than 150 calories. I prefer to work the foods I love into my goal.

    The only times I haven't counted were when I took diet breaks: the week of Christmas, and then when I went on vacation in May. Not counting can be detrimental if you aren't careful.
  • harlequin0318
    harlequin0318 Posts: 415 Member
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    My "cheat" meals are calculated, if I go out then I estimate. The only time I did not count was my camping weekend, because I had no cell signal...but I came home and backlogged all 3 days (and I was waaaayyy over)
  • BrittaniDirks
    BrittaniDirks Posts: 113 Member
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    Thanks ladies. Also what do you do if a place is not in the database? I love a local Mexican place it us authentic and not a chain, I thought about comparing / just putting in the same item from a diff restraunt. Do u do buffets at all? My husband loves the Chinese buffets, not saying that as an excuse I know I could just eat salad, but it's tough. Ok I'm thinking no more cheat days then I will try my darnedest to count everyday of the week.
  • middlehaitch
    middlehaitch Posts: 8,483 Member
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    I have been maintaining for a long time now, and count a couple of months every now and again.
    When I do count, and when I was losing, I didn't have cheat days; rather I looked at my diary as a whole week. So long as my calories added up for the week, I didn't worry how or when they were spent ( so long as I wasn't too far under on a day, and of course making sure I was well nourished).

    As far as logging meals in restaurants, be honest with what you ate, how you think it was cooked, then log from a restaurant that you know serves a similar style food. Always err on the side of over estimating.

    Cheers, h.
  • Damien_Scott
    Damien_Scott Posts: 108 Member
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    I've lost 23lbs so far in three weeks and my girlfriend has lost 13. We don't have cheat days either. If I go to my grandma's and she cooks for us then we might consider that a cheat day. Occasionally we will eat out at places where we can't know exactly how many calories we are ingesting so we estimate and then try to eat light the rest of the day.

    Today for instance we went out to a sushi place and got some teriyaki salmon, steamed rice, grilled veggies, and a sushi roll to split. We just estimated via info already in MFP and online and then added 300 calories. With my 3rd shift, 10 hour day work schedule I tend to just eat dinner when I get up and then something light when i get home.
  • chrystal1779
    chrystal1779 Posts: 2 Member
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    I'm a new starter here and love the topic question. I agree this is a life style change and not a day to day diet. I wish I could have a cheat day, but problem is I'll lose the good habits and self control I'm trying to instill now. I agree w most of what's said here. Eat what you want allow your self to have what you want every now and then . But track the calories and maybe even find a better way of making that item. For instance. I love apple pie.. Love love love it. Eat an entire pie in a sitting and oh yes I have. Reasons like those r why I'm here now. But did you know a couple of cubed up raw peeled zucchini a box of low cal cake mix and a can of diet sprite mixed and baked together make for an awesome apple pie. With 1/16 the calories and ram up the protein and fiber. HEAVEN!!!! Finding recipes like those r what make life so much easier when counting calories.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    rabbitjb wrote: »
    BrittaniDirks wrote: »
    For those who have list 30 pounds or more. I'd like to know how often do you cheat/go over calories/have a day that you don't count? What rules do you stick to. This us my second time around the first time I list 18 in three months . I'm currently a list one week down again. Anyhoo I have always had one day a week where I don't count. What do you think?

    56lbs and maintaining (for 6 months)

    I don't cheat

    Every day I eat basically what I want if I can make it fit my calories...generally includes an ice cream stick and a packet of chips at least...some times I save calories for a specific meal or cocktails later in the week.

    I think not counting for 1 day can absolutely blow your commitment for the other 6 days and teaches you that you are on a short term restrictive diet whereas what you need is to learn a whole new you who eats differently and moves more than the you who got fat

    I believe if you need to cheat you're doing it wrong

    I've lost 35 lbs and agree with all of the above.

    Why would I want to cheat myself?
  • Merkavar
    Merkavar Posts: 3,082 Member
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    Lost 100+
    I don't really do cheat days. Last time i was over was mid july because I was sick and had a little more to eat and another time because i was taste testing for a wedding.

    normally I exercise more if i eat more so i remain under.

    They were the only two times i was over in the past like 3-4 mounts.

    I guess my rule is special occassions are ok to go over. Like parties, etc im not very social so it works out.
  • Pinnacle_IAO
    Pinnacle_IAO Posts: 608 Member
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    I lost 100 pounds over 2 years with a weekly cheat day.
    At 12:01 midnight, KATIE BAR THE DOOR!
    Anything goes... >:)

    And I maintained my results while making earnest efforts toward fat loss.
    As I progressed in this journey, my cheat days became less and less of a food binge. I finally stopped, because a cheat day inhibited my new goals of maintaining weight and reducing body fat.

    I no longer have a cheat day, but I don't think I would have been able to lose weight without one.
    Others seem to be much better at moderation.

    Hope this helped...
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,626 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I'm not going with "successful" for at least ten years after I'm done losing, lol. In 2025 (or 2026), I'll say I did it successfully. But I did lose more than 30 pounds.

    I follow my hunger, so I eat more on days where I'm hungrier and less on days that I'm not. But I don't think of eating more food as cheating. I don't pig out. I don't eat food that isn't normally part of my diet. I just eat a little more. Some days, when I'm not as hungry, I eat a little less. I don't let the tail wag the dog, KWIM? Not a slave to the numbers, force feeding myself on Tuesday and going to bed hungry on Friday because the numbers say that's how much I should eat. For me, personally, logging and eating the calories every single day...it's just not a long-term kind of plan.

    I eat healthy and to my hunger every day. The plan doesn't change, just the amount of food. No cheating.

    But lots of people have cheat days and it works for them. My way isn't the way for everyone. :)
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
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    It all depends on what your definition of a cheat day is. I always log my cheat days and rarely go over maintanence but, if I d. I go right back to my diet the next day. Not everyone had the will to do that and if you don't I do not recommend a cheat day. I generally cheat once a week. Down 38 lbs.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    I stayed within my goal for the first 11 months or something.

    After that, as long as I'm at a deficit for the week (or the month sometimes, honestly, but I'm maintaining), it's fine. And I log everything.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
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    When I had a chunk of weight to lose-no cheat days. When I got close to goal and understood calorie counting better, I would bank some calories during the week so I could have drinks/dessert on the weekends.

  • jms5137
    jms5137 Posts: 26 Member
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    When I attempted calorie counting before, I had a whole cheat day where I didn't count. It was a big mistake. One of the best things I've learned reading these forums is to log everything, even if it's a "cheat" day or meal. I've been holding myself to that, and it really helps. If I'm going to splurge on something, I save the calories from other days, so then it's not really cheating at all
  • Lourdesong
    Lourdesong Posts: 1,492 Member
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    I bank/budget and (very infrequently) borrow my calories for indulging.

    Your calories are yours to spend on whatever you see fit. Calories you consume will always count regardless of whether you choose to count them and pay attetion to them or not.

    A good reason to count everything you consume, though, is for data. For pinpointing your tdee, in particular.
  • Azurite27
    Azurite27 Posts: 554 Member
    edited August 2015
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    I don't believe in cheat days. Once in a while I'll not log a meal for a special occasion/work lunch etc where I can't estimate the calories. Otherwise I always log and make sure to at least hit my macros if not my calories. Overall though unless it's an event I'm obligated to go to I don't feel a need to cheat. I changed the way I thought about food and learned to fit yummy foods into my calories and macros. Sometimes in maintenance I do plan an "over" day to gain back a little or just enjoy something. But even then I always try to log it.

    As for my success, just hit 1 year of maintaining a 140lb loss.
  • eileen35pups
    eileen35pups Posts: 2 Member
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    What I try to do on cheat days is get extra exercise in earlier in the day so I have some extra calories to eat later in the day, but log everything. I will only do one a week at most.
  • meulf6f
    meulf6f Posts: 32 Member
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    55lbs lost. I am one of those that avoid certain foods. Pizza, ice cream, candies, etc.
    I set short term goals for myself, lose 10lbs for example. I also set a cheat/Reward meal for achieving that goal, papa john's pizza for example.
    I don't go crazy with it, but I celebrate my successfully reaching my goal. It keeps me focused.
    Then, I set the next goal/reward. Simple and effective for me.
    I always count though. I want to know what goes in even on a cheat meal. It doesn't matter, but I want to know.
    Good luck Op and reward yourself every now and again.

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