Day off / Cheat day

emmamolly
emmamolly Posts: 17
edited September 28 in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone have a day off/cheat day?

I am not strict at weekends and never record calories but seeing as i am gaining and not losing as much i think i need to rethink this and maybe just have the 1 day off and be more strict at the weekends?

Thoughts??
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Replies

  • AngieM76
    AngieM76 Posts: 622 Member
    I am trying my best to not have any cheat days. Maybe a cheat meal but still in moderation. I am only 2 weeks in and havent had any cheats so far but I have a feeling this weekend, the carnival food will get the best of me.
  • AngieM76
    AngieM76 Posts: 622 Member
    And I think having a cheat meal here and there helps you because you arent denying your body the cravings its having. I think moderation and portion control is the key.
  • lucky1ns
    lucky1ns Posts: 358 Member
    I just had a cheat 3 months.
  • beccala18
    beccala18 Posts: 293 Member
    I don't take a day off from logging, even when I don't stay within my calories. I would start by tracking your "day off" just to see - it might be that you are consuming a ton of sodium or going over by more than you think and that could be hindering your weight loss.
  • Scarlett_S
    Scarlett_S Posts: 467 Member
    For me, its best two have two cheat "occasions" and not days. Like, Friday night (dinner out, usually and a drink) and Saturday night - we might bbq or go out with friends. I still try to eat healthy all day long prior and minimize my calories during the day for the night out.
  • mckshowie
    mckshowie Posts: 210 Member
    this just made me laugh out loud. no to laugh at your misfortunes or anything...
    I just had a cheat 3 months.
  • iamMaLisa
    iamMaLisa Posts: 278 Member
    i dont allow myself a cheat day, i would go overboards. So i try to have a small portion of something i totaly love every once in awhile, so that i dont feel deprived of my favorites.
  • Teeladog
    Teeladog Posts: 157 Member
    I don't have a cheat day because I know that it is entirely possible for me to eat my entire week's calorie deficit in one day. However, my family does mexican food every Sunday night and I make myself a big plate of nachos and eat it without guilt that night. I always go over on my calorie goal that day but I try to keep it within what maintenance levels would be. So far, so good.
  • Sharont213
    Sharont213 Posts: 323 Member
    I don't take a day off from logging, even when I don't stay within my calories. I would start by tracking your "day off" just to see - it might be that you are consuming a ton of sodium or going over by more than you think and that could be hindering your weight loss.

    I agree.. I log everyday - if I go over, at least it is with awareness. That is what makes this a lifestyle change and not a diet.
  • sesecat
    sesecat Posts: 124 Member
    I don't have full cheats. I just rearrange my day or add more exercise. For example, every other Friday is donut day at work. I already have my donut entered, as well as a bagel for lunch. Now I know what my goals are for the remaining food I consume.
  • Lizshouse88
    Lizshouse88 Posts: 81
    I don't have cheat days or meals because I don't keep myself from the foods I like. If I want to go out and have pizza, I go out and have pizza. If I want a big lunch, I have a big lunch. I have found that this keeps me from WANTING to cheat and pig out because i'm not depriving myself. On days I eat my fav. foods I make up for it by not eating as much the rest of the day and eating healthier meals the rest of the day. I've lost 14lbs so far so I guess it's working!
  • thisismynewmindset
    thisismynewmindset Posts: 273 Member
    There are some studies that say a cheat day is good for your metabolism and getting out of plateaus!
  • melsinct
    melsinct Posts: 3,512 Member
    Never a whole day. A meal? Yes. Kind of.

    I log everything, the good, bad and ugly. While some meals I let myself eat/drink and get loose with the calories (see my Saturday night), I still don't go too crazy. Allowing yourself to eat unlimited food all day is a slippery slope, for me anyway. You can only do so much damage in one meal. But a whole day? Yikes. I am not willing to undo what I did all week.
  • Mekob25
    Mekob25 Posts: 88 Member
    I've been doing the MFP since January and no, I don't allow myself a "cheat day". I feel like I'm trying to make this a lifestyle change and not just a diet. I think if I gave myself a "cheat day", it would be as if I'm on a diet and I probably would go hog-wild on that day! I do allow myself 2 days a week that I don't workout, but I still stay under my calories on those days.
  • Kristhin
    Kristhin Posts: 442 Member
    Sometimes I have a 'cheat day' as in I go over my calories because I was hungry and got a little out of control of myself and ate too much. Never a planned cheat day or never the mentality of, "oh this day is ________ i'll just eat whatever" I think its importan not to give yourself those allowances or you'll just end up regularly making up for any good you did on the days where you did watch your diet.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    I just had a cheat 3 months.
    too funny. can't help it...
  • ubabe1
    ubabe1 Posts: 144 Member
    I don't have cheat days but if I want to eat something "bad" like a slice of Oreo cookies ice cream cake, I will make sure I stay low on other meals. And I don't feel guilty. I won't do an entire day of "crazy". You should treat yourself once in awhile so you won't binge on stuff.
  • rowdymcrowdy
    rowdymcrowdy Posts: 34
    Good luck with that--lol Personally, I am a strict routine person and I can't have a cheat day or a no exercise day because if I do I find it too too easy to fall into some bad habits---so I try not to think about it. I envy those that can get off the horse for one day.
  • 27strange
    27strange Posts: 837 Member
    I don't take a specific day off. I have found over the last few years of roller coaster dieting/exercising (this time its a lifestyle change and its working! :-) that if I take a specific day off each week, say Sunday, then my Mondays are so much harder to stick to my plan and goals. One full day off ruins my mental progress and eats at my motivation. Rather, here or there I will treat myself to something sporadically (i.e. this weekend we will have an anniversary dinner, but I will increase my work-out that same day)
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    From what I have heard and read, a day off once in a while could actually estimulate the system and speed up the weight loss. But I still haven't found out what the tricks are and how to cheat to make it work on my benefit. :( every time I cheat, my scale becomes so disagreeable. :(
  • Schraudt814
    Schraudt814 Posts: 496 Member
    I don't take a day off from logging- you can do a lot mroe damage than you realize just by not watching what you eat! I don't really take a cheat day...I might have a day or two a week where I'm not as stringent with my calories and maybe go over a little bit but I wouldn't consider it a full cheat day. Plus that makes it feel toooo much like a diet...I'm not on a diet I'm on my way to revamping my choices to be the healthiest I can!
  • twerps4jesusjo
    twerps4jesusjo Posts: 34 Member
    I spent last weekend with family: two graduations and a birthday. Had lots of cake to say the least. I took about a mile walk for every piece of cake I ate, but still gained 4 pounds. It only took 3 days to loose it though and now I'm back to my pre- "weekend with family" weight. I think it helps me to stay on track if I know I can give myself the flexibility of taking a day off here and there. Although I didn't track the calories or exercise during the weekend, I usually do because it helps me to keep everything in perspective.
  • NicLiving
    NicLiving Posts: 261 Member
    I used to have cheat days when I first started. I don't recommend it!!! I exercise 4x a week and Friday's I would eat out with my kids...big mistake! All the calories I would take in on my cheat day would erase all the lose(s) from the previous days meals and exercise. Log everything =)
  • cranmuffin
    cranmuffin Posts: 25 Member
    I log EVERYTHING! Even when I go on vacation. I find that I tend to go over on the weekends (thanks to my husband), but I can make up the excess calories during the week and balance out. When I go away, I log everything knowing that I'm going WAY over my goals, but I don't let it bother me. I figure it just means that it'll take me that much longer to reach my ultimate goal. What's a few more weeks or so? I'd rather enjoy life.
  • imnotyourpal
    imnotyourpal Posts: 162 Member
    I'm about to have a piece of cheat chocolate. :)

    I usually don't do cheat days. If I'm going to have a burger or something, I just make sure that I worked out and/or adjust the rest of my day's menu in such a way that it allows for it. HTH.
  • aeagles
    aeagles Posts: 13 Member
    I have been at this for 10 months and I have stuck to my 1200 calories VERY strictly for 5 days a week and on Saturday and Sunday I eat whatever I want. I've lost a lot of weight this way. Sure, I probably could have lost more if I had done 1 cheat day, or 1 cheat meal like apparently most of the people on MFP do, but this keeps me in it for the long haul. I treat it as if it's not a diet, it's a lifestyle change that I hope to keep up for a long time! But people work differently, just try to figure out what works for you well enough that you can keep it up until you achieve your goals! :-D
  • heatherutopia
    heatherutopia Posts: 78 Member
    I just had a cheat 3 months.

    Brilliant! Me too!! I can't have one cheat day, maybe a little cheat meal here and there, but a full day it pushes me right off track and I find it so difficult to get back on.
  • thedreamhazer
    thedreamhazer Posts: 1,156 Member
    I have "cheat weekends" in that I don't log. However, I try to remain aware and make healthy decisions about food and movement, even though I'm not recording numbers.
  • joreddaway
    joreddaway Posts: 7
    I have a cheat day on friday, when i eat plenty of what i fancy and on the weekends i dont feel guilty if i go over a little. i always record with mental estimates and log at the end of the day to give myself perspective. if i didnt treat myself i wouldnt stick to it very long, or i would but i would be unhappy and it wouldnt be a realistic lifestyle change for me ( i am an active person, but i slipped into the trap of feeling comfortable and happy with my boyfriend and had a wake up call in May 11!) Also, i went out to dinner last night ( a curry) i would usually have it as my friday treat, but i cant this week as i had my wisdom teeth out today. I had:Poppadoms, Chicken Tikka Starter, Chicken Korai(tomato based hot curry with veg) , chickpea masala side dish, boiled rice and a plain chappati. WOW! amazing, that is what i would usually have without caring about the size of my bum....BUT, i worked in the gym during that day and made sensible choices. ok so i did three sessions: 3 and half mile run at lunch, 30 mins med effort on step machine, 30 min weights and taught a spinning class, which sounds like a hell of a lot for people, but i kinda promised i would take the class so couldnt back out of it. even if i had only done an hour cardio and weights, i would have been green on all allowances and below on calories. as i had the spinning class, i had a buffer of......wait for it.......956 calories!!!! just in case i fancied finishing everyone elses off.

    even a long walk would give you enough to have treats if you eat sensibly for lunch and breakfast and stay active.

    i have a calorie goal of 1200, and have lost 10 lbs since i started about a month ago. i am not starving myself and i am happy. having a cheat day and being relaxed on weekends works for me!

    Good luck, and sorry for the huge post!
  • chrisyoung0422
    chrisyoung0422 Posts: 426 Member
    I dont really have a day off where I go bat *kitten* insane and eat like a mad man.

    I have found that if I break down what makes a cheat day for me (sugary drinks, greasy food, lots of salt) I can treat my self multiple times over the week just on a smaller scale.

    This would be like having pizza but not an insane greasy thick crust but still hearty and good. Also feels like I cheated. Then a day or two later have an ice cream and so on till I have used up the calories I figured for my average cheat day. This has helped me stay focused and not drool all week looking forward to a cheat day. :drinker:
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