how many calories do you eat a day/ on your cheat day/weekend?

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jackidoll
jackidoll Posts: 8 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I aim for 1200 a day m-f but on the weekend i allow myself a little more. what is everyones take on cheatdays
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  • Hornsby
    Hornsby Posts: 10,322 Member
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    I don't have cheat days cause my TDEE is pretty high so really no need. A day where I might go over my calories is usually around 4-5K. I don't consider anything a cheat day though as it implies I am doing something wrong. That being said, if you aren't active which would be about the only reason be on a 1200 calorie diet, I could see the need to "cheat".

  • melissabrindley1
    melissabrindley1 Posts: 21 Member
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    I also aim for 1200 calories a day. I don't allow myself whole cheat days, but instead I just do one cheat meal. And I take those calories into account for the rest of my day.
  • kissedbythesunshine
    kissedbythesunshine Posts: 416 Member
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    I do 1350 a day. I don't do cheat days per say, but since I power walk everyday I have "banked" calories that I use if I want to. For instance, I was able to eat a 500 calorie slice of chocolate cheese cake one evening and didn't bat an eye about it. In fact, I don't like the concept of a cheat day. I stay within my calorie goal, I workout, and if I want something bad enough I eat it. This works for me.
  • My_Butt
    My_Butt Posts: 2,300 Member
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    When my calorie count was low (1,400) my cheat day was between 4,000-5,000 calories since I was so hungry. I figured out my TDEE (2,200) and I don't feel the need for a cheat day anymore since I can fit small portions of my favorite foods during the week.
  • segacs
    segacs Posts: 4,599 Member
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    I think the entire concept of a cheat day is flawed. I don't "cheat". I may choose to eat more on some days and less on others, but it's all still part of the plan.

    If you're aiming for 1200 on your weekdays, you're probably eating too low. What are your stats (height/weight/age/goal weight)? Sometimes being overly restrictive on some days leads to overcompensation via bingeing on others. Better to find a reasonable calorie deficit that you can stick to every day without feeling deprived.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,988 Member
    edited December 2015
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    segacs wrote: »
    I think the entire concept of a cheat day is flawed. I don't "cheat". I may choose to eat more on some days and less on others, but it's all still part of the plan.

    If you're aiming for 1200 on your weekdays, you're probably eating too low. What are your stats (height/weight/age/goal weight)? Sometimes being overly restrictive on some days leads to overcompensation via bingeing on others. Better to find a reasonable calorie deficit that you can stick to every day without feeling deprived.

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  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
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    Hornsby wrote: »
    I don't have cheat days cause my TDEE is pretty high so really no need. A day where I might go over my calories is usually around 4-5K. I don't consider anything a cheat day though as it implies I am doing something wrong. That being said, if you aren't active which would be about the only reason be on a 1200 calorie diet, I could see the need to "cheat".
    This is my goal :D
  • shrcpr
    shrcpr Posts: 885 Member
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    I don't have cheat days either. There are a few days where I'll go over but I usually know when those will be (some social occasion or work function) so will try to minimize with extra workouts. I'm at 1,370 calories but I work out most days so it's been pretty easy to hit that and I don't really feel the need to have anything that will put me over. I'm fairly new though, just a few months in, so we'll see how I feel down the road.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    No cheat days for me but plenty of days when I eat higher, especially the weekends. Generally, during the week I try to stick to 2000-2300. Weekends, easily at least 3000 each day because I tend to eat out for a lot of my meals.
  • allygory
    allygory Posts: 6 Member
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    I do 1400-1700 on regular days depending on whether its an exercise day normally. On bigger eating days I go up to 2400-2700. If i have more than one of those a week I try to build a couple of 1200s into the next week. i've been losing around 1lb a week and not feeling hungry this way.
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,107 Member
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    Roughly 1250 cals a day + a portion of my exercise calories.

    No cheat days.

    If I want to eat more, I exercise more.

    That said, I have taken a 3-week diet break at the 4-month point + a 3-day diet break at the 8-month point ... and I'm planning a 2-week diet break over Christmas, which will be at the 10-month point. I'm also currently kind of toying with the idea of going into maintenance so I'm not quite as strict as I have been.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,150 Member
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    Cheating implies doing something wrong. I'm not, therefore I don't. On days I go over, I eat whatever I'm eating, log it and move on.
  • savageman69
    savageman69 Posts: 339 Member
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    cutting at 3800 right now no cardio...was bulking 4000+ but shoulder injury has me resting. Weight is dropping slowly and i will not go below 3000 calories period
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
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    I save up my calories if I want to have something big on weekends. Just use "banking calories" under daily exercise to "save up" your calories for that day.
  • nvmomketo
    nvmomketo Posts: 12,019 Member
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    My days vary a lot. Most days are around 1400-1600 kcals but some days I go as low as 500 kcals when "fasting" or well over 2000 kcals if I'm hungry.

    I always stay in my WOE though so I don't consider a higher calorie day a cheat.
  • nutmegoreo
    nutmegoreo Posts: 15,532 Member
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    No cheat days, I fit things in when I want them, and if they don't fit, I'll go over a bit. I am losing about 2lb/week on 1600/day. I will be increasing that in the new year to slow my losses. I feel like my workouts are suffering. I'm 5'2" and 42y/o
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
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    Getty59 wrote: »
    Why does everyone alway put in their 2 cents about terminology? U know what she means just answer the question or don't post know one wants to hear why u don't call them cheat days and how it's bad to call them cheat days and so on..... rant over

    Because cheating means you are doing something wrong. You need to learn how to eat in moderation for the rest of your life. If you think of foods as bad and good you may never find success. Change your mindset is all that is being said. Rant over.
  • Lucille4444
    Lucille4444 Posts: 284 Member
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    I've eaten at maintenance instead of deficit if I feel hungrier. I don't 'cheat' because if I didn't have some structure I could easily destroy a weeks worth of deficit eating.
  • richardgavel
    richardgavel Posts: 1,001 Member
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    I have 2 methods of cheating. First is that I normally don't eat my exercise calories. So if I want a little more, I have calories to spend from exercise and still keep to goal. Second, I might eat to maintenance instead of my loss goal. With that, I'm at worst making the day no loss, no gain. That may not be enough to go for broke for the whole day, but certainly for one meal.

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