cheat days/ days off/ rest days

BastaConLaPasta
BastaConLaPasta Posts: 76
edited September 28 in Food and Nutrition
I am pretty strict with myself most of the time - I eat clean, stay within goal, exercise, have a BMI of 19.5, limit carbs, don't eat red meat ... but I had a bit of a weekend off this weekend. I'm sure I've read stuff about this actually being advisable on maybe a weekly basis, so I'm just curious - who out there does this? also - to what extent and with what effect?

thanks

Replies

  • MissWendyBird
    MissWendyBird Posts: 15 Member
    I have a cheat day every week and I take a week off from exercising every five weeks.
    It helps me curb my cravings and get me back to looking forward to exercising.
  • GaveUp
    GaveUp Posts: 308
    I would be afraid to have a whole weekend off. I will have something once in a while off plan but haven't dared to go any farther. It has taken me forever to lose weight I'm to scared LOL

    Good Luck if you do and drink tons of water.

    Lori
  • calebespnsmommie
    calebespnsmommie Posts: 111 Member
    I usually eat clan also.. never go over my calorie count and drink tons of water. I have been doing the 30 day shred and walking/running just about everyday. Today I went to a baby shower and had some food that wasnt so good for me. I feel like once and a while you have to eat stuff that might make you feel quilty for a bit, its good for your body. I think if you dont eat some "bad" stuff once in a while you are going to go off track with your plan of weight loss. When I first started loosing weight I would have a cheat day. Now I just have a cheat meal once a week, however I still usually stay under my calorie goal.
  • misscfe
    misscfe Posts: 295 Member
    According to the company I train with it should be Good 80%- Cheat 20% during a week. I also use to workout 7 days a week even though some days were just cardio and my trainer lectured me. You are supposed to take days off to rest the muscles. I have cut back to 6 days which he is still not happy with. He says it should be 3 on 1 off 2 on 1 off or vice versa but never take 2 days off in a row. I try to do stuff like extra cleaning, grocery shopping and other activities that burn calories on my day off so at least I am still burning a little extra.
  • MarieNevada
    MarieNevada Posts: 395 Member
    every 8 to 12 weeks you need to take a week off from resistance training, but continue light cardio or try some yoga for a change. A lot of people advocate a cheat meal once in a while but that doesn't mean going whole hog and having fettucino alfredo at olive garden and eating everything in the bread basket. it means maybe having a slice of pizza, not the whole pizza. some less fattening chinese food maybe, not the whole buffet. For one thing, the huge amount of calories will negate any work you've done in the past few weeks. secondly, as iv'e experienced, your body will go into shock after eating clean for so long and puking will be involved. Do i want to feel sick and lethargic for several days for a piece of cheesecake? nope. So if i cheat, i cheat wisely. Maybe a protein bar that's high in sugar but otherwise fits into my daily values. maybe some spaghetti but sticking to a sensible portion, not restaurant sizes. Think of it this way. if you do everything right 90% of the time, the other 10 % doesn't matter too much. Everything in moderation. lol
  • shopgirl192
    shopgirl192 Posts: 102
    I don't allow myself cheat days. I feel like if I did that, I'd end up in my old ways of eating. Rather than a "cheat day", I'll allow myself something I usually don't eat - cake, or pizza, or a brownie (of course, in moderation!!!).

    As far as "rest days", I usually watch my calories very closely. I know it's my day to relax a little bit with the eating and working out, but I'm at the point where if I don't work out, I kinda feel guilty, which curbs my appetite to go off my healthy eating kick.

    Everyone is different, so I don't want to steer you wrong... but it's all up to you! :)
  • katheern
    katheern Posts: 213 Member
    I have a cheat meal every 2 weeks and I have 2 days a week where I won't workout (on non-workout days I make sure I still count my calories and try to stay under). After the cheat meal my cravings are curbed and the key point is I planned for it and knew how much I would eat ahead of time. I am still in control of my food. I also notice I tend to lose the most weight the weeks after I have a cheat meal.. basically giving my metabolism a kick in the butt.
  • msech
    msech Posts: 32
    You know the funny thing is I was looking into getting weight watchers b/c it allows you to do more with your diet and even weight watchers allows you "cheat" points. It provides you with a set of daily points and than a weekly set of points that you can go into if you go over your daily points. So I don't see why you can not have a cheat day.
  • hazelnutflav
    hazelnutflav Posts: 391 Member
    my weekly goal is to workout for 40min or more monday thr friday i have done this faithfully not missing a day since changing my lifestyle, i do not workout on the weekends bec im giving my body a chance to rest in between workouts, i dont have a scheduled cheat day instead if i want something that is usually "off limits" i only have it PER SERVING only ,(all things are allowed in moderation ) for example i can have 1 slice of pizza, or 1 perpermint patty, or 1 can pepsi etc,..and that is it i put the rest away or if im out dont bring it in the house and so far this is working for me, so im not going to change a thing.

    hope this helps for you.
  • Emi_chan
    Emi_chan Posts: 105 Member
    I allow myself a cheat meal, but not a cheat day, per week. As for a rest day, I take one day of active rest where I skip the gym but still try to stay active (ex. walking home). For me, a rest day cannot be on a weekend since I tend to designate my cheat meals on Sundays. So I definitely have to workout hard especially on the weekends. I don't have a set schedule but my cheat meal day is never the same day as my rest day.
  • wendycheng
    wendycheng Posts: 26 Member
    On weekends, if I know that I am leaving town for some reason and won't be able to work out, I eat less. I try to stay busy so I don't think about food that much.
  • unmitigatedbadassery
    unmitigatedbadassery Posts: 653 Member
    I have been using Friday as kind of a cheat day. I do pretty well during the week but I like to go to lunch with my girlfriend on Friday's so I don't want to have to worry about it. I also do a radio show with some friends and we go to Denny's after the show - this may be a mistake but I am always under my calories for the day because I plan accordingly.

    I'm thinking about making Friday's a "healthier" cheat day though. Instead of going all in with a burger I might get something less fatty.
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