Cheat days?

Its_Haleeyy
Its_Haleeyy Posts: 53 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone have cheat days? If so is it easy for you to get back on track the next day?

Replies

  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
    A lot of people on MFP have cheat days or cheat meals. It really comes down to what works best for you, both short term and long term. I personally don't have cheat days or cheat meals, and try to stay within my calorie goals every day while still eating what I want, only in moderation.
  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    Its_Haleeyy wrote: »
    Does anyone have cheat days? If so is it easy for you to get back on track the next day?

    Getting back on track is never easy, for anyone.

    Any other questions?
  • Squirrel698
    Squirrel698 Posts: 127 Member
    edited February 2016
    Speak for yourself. It's actually easy for me to get back on track after a cheat day because I feel bloated and gross and eager to eat clean and in moderation again.

    I have cheat days every week and it's worked just fine for me so far. It's nice to go out with friends and not have to worry about every mouthful. It's relaxes everyone, honestly and they are not afraid to order dessert, worrying it would be too tempting for me.
  • AverageJoeFit
    AverageJoeFit Posts: 251 Member
    If you are going to have a chat day just keep it a meal. Be good for two meals then eat a cheat meal, dessert and drinks.

    Then log the meal. Then you arn't getting out of the habit
  • glennhawes
    glennhawes Posts: 1 Member
    i'm doing low calories and under 25 carbs a day. what seems to work for me. 5 days on and one day off where i don't overdo the calories about 2500-3000, but i will add the carbs back for a day. this seems to work for me
  • positivepowers
    positivepowers Posts: 902 Member
    edited February 2016
    I don't call them cheat days because that word has a negative connotation for me and sounds like I'm doing something bad. I am trying to avoid those labels. Having said that, I have a "flex" day once a week. I don't go crazy, but some of those little things that I can't fit into my macros the rest of the week (mashed potatoes and gravy, biscuits and gravy, sushi with rice, mac and cheese, carrot cake, chocolate - but only a few of them in the same day) fit nicely into my flex day. I didn't think I would be able to do this because I do have an eating disorder. I thought if I went off the rails I'd never come back but it hasn't worked out that way. Instead, I control the eating by promising myself I can have it my next flex day then the next day I go back to my eating plan.

    I know this wouldn't work for everyone because we're all different, but this works for me. I haven't noticed any consequences from this. I'm still losing weight and my fasting blood sugars have been good. I haven't been using the cheat days for very long, though.
  • positivepowers
    positivepowers Posts: 902 Member
    Squirrel698 wrote: »
    Speak for yourself. It's actually easy for me to get back on track after a cheat day because I feel bloated and gross and eager to eat clean and in moderation again.

    I have cheat days every week and it's worked just fine for me so far. It's nice to go out with friends and not have to worry about every mouthful. It's relaxes everyone, honestly and they are not afraid to order dessert, worrying it would be too tempting for me.

    I began my flex days because my family and I get together once a month for a meal. Sometimes we eat out and sometimes I cook (which includes dessert, of course), but trying to log every mouthful would just be overwhelming. Like you, I'm ready to get back to my eating plan the next day.
  • MelaniaTrump
    MelaniaTrump Posts: 2,694 Member
    Cheat days = the most horrible thing I ever tried.
    Waste of 6 months.
  • m27un
    m27un Posts: 217 Member
    Its_Haleeyy wrote: »
    Does anyone have cheat days? If so is it easy for you to get back on track the next day?

    I feel like it's easier to not do cheat days! :)
  • Wynterbourne
    Wynterbourne Posts: 2,225 Member
    JanetYellen wrote: »
    Cheat days = the most horrible thing I ever tried.
    Waste of 6 months.

    And everyone needs to find what works for them. I've been doing "cheat" meals weekly since I started my diet in July. 60 pounds later I don't feel I've wasted anything. Everyone is different.
  • Vanessalookingood
    Vanessalookingood Posts: 135 Member
    Every Saturday I eat normally until supper when I have what ever meal I want along with 1 bowl of chips and I chocolate bar/ice cream. I do not have anything in the house the next day so it is business as usual. This seems to be working so far.
  • kalynbreann357
    kalynbreann357 Posts: 56 Member
    I have a cheat meal 3 or 4 times a month but I try to stay mindful of the calories so its a small indulgence but its satisfying and I think it works fine for me. I never have a problem getting back on track, its one meal and then back to the regular which I don't mind.
  • Kaelan1995
    Kaelan1995 Posts: 20 Member
    Yes! I certainly do. I have to allow myself cheat days sometimes because my lifestyle was so accustom to eating delicious yet unhealthy food, that i can't just cut out everything in my life for good. I always eat and drink whatever i want to 2 or 3 times a month. I've lost 27 pounds in a month and a half doing it that way. Would i have lost more weight had i not splurged? Probably. Do i regret it? Not at all. In fact, i am going to keep doing the same thing i am doing each month. It is actually a lot easier for me to get back on track after splurging than i thought it would be. As someone mentioned, i literally feel so bloated and disgusting at the end of the day of binging, that i look forward to get my diet started again the next day. I actually just splurged yesterday and today i have easily stayed under my calories and exercised more than i usually do. But hey, that's just me.. and what works for me might not work for someone else. Do what feels right to you and good luck!
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    I'm on a "cheat day" right now! I'm at 3000 calories for the day, but I was on a bigger deficit all week so I could have this day. Without these kinds of days I would not have kept this weight off.
  • kgirlhart
    kgirlhart Posts: 5,142 Member
    I don't have cheat days. I find it hard to get back on track. I just eat things I like and fit them into my goals. I may go over on a special occasion, but I still try to watch my portions. I don't like to think of eating certain foods as cheating. If I'm going to stick to this I have to be able to like what I'm eating. My philosophy is that I can eat whatever I want. I just can't eat as much of it as I used to.
  • Liftng4Lis
    Liftng4Lis Posts: 15,151 Member
    Cheating implies doing something wrong. I'm not. If I eat more on a day, I log it and move on.
  • philimyri
    philimyri Posts: 16 Member
    I have treat meals, usually something home-made. Like Jasmine rice a oppose to brown. but when i do cheat, i treat myself to a cheesy homemade Nachos.
  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
    NEVER! I call it a bonus meal and look forward to having one every week or so. With that as part of my meal plan I never have to say "I can never have that (BBQ, fried chicken, pizza, chocolate cake, whateva) again!" and go into "poor pitiful me I'm on a diet" mode.

    My lifestyle includes all foods. I just have to modify portion and timing. So I never worry about getting off track or having to get back on track with my impossibly perfect/clean/healthy diet.
  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
    Liftng4Lis wrote: »
    Cheating implies doing something wrong. I'm not. If I eat more on a day, I log it and move on.

    I could've just said what this guy said.
  • serenityfrye
    serenityfrye Posts: 360 Member
    I try to work in little indulgences every day (chocolate, a few chips with my taco salad etc) but also don't feel guilty if I enjoy a holiday, party or other decadent meal now and then. I do however make sure that I savor the 'cheat' foods and really enjoy them and that helps me feel satisfied and get back on track more easily than mindless or guilty eating.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    Its_Haleeyy wrote: »
    Does anyone have cheat days? If so is it easy for you to get back on track the next day?

    For me, it's very difficult to get back on track after a whole day of reckless food abandon. I try to incorporate treats into my everyday plan. And on the weekends if I go out I may eat a bit more at one MEAL. But never a whole day of it.
  • rankinsect
    rankinsect Posts: 2,238 Member
    The only days I don't have a calorie goal are special occasions and holidays, and there my goal is just to eat in moderation. That is still typically less than maintenance, these aren't licenses to binge.

    Apart from that, I do no regular cheat days nor meals. I also excluded zero foods from my diet, so if I want cookies or cake or pizza or whatever, I'll just plan for it and do it.
  • mankars
    mankars Posts: 115 Member
    Its_Haleeyy wrote: »
    Does anyone have cheat days? If so is it easy for you to get back on track the next day?

    "To Err Is Human." - the saying goes.
    I do have a couple of 'cheat meals' a week, but I don't go overboard by eating everything in sight. So, I eat sugary/carbs heavy foods... as I don't eat them during my normal days.
    Yes, it does increase the number on my scale after a cheat meal, but it sure helps me 'reset' my resolve to eat healthy the remaining meals during the week.

    All the best.
  • texasf1ght
    texasf1ght Posts: 70 Member
    Like others have said, cheat meals usually work out better, and you end up consuming less calories in a full week than if you had an entire cheat day. That also makes it more flexible in case something pops up on a day that's not your designated cheat day.
  • seayemily100
    seayemily100 Posts: 12 Member
    Sort of, but I still stay in my calorie goal. If I do have a cheat day it's so hard to make up for it
  • Disasterology919
    Disasterology919 Posts: 4 Member
    I don't believe in cheat days. You should be able to have a cheat food whenever you want in accordance to your diet so you don't feel deprived and don't use a cheat day as an excuse to binge. But if it works for you that's ok.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    I have refeed days (like today) or call it a carb load day. I go lower/moderate carb remainder of week.

    All day cheats are never a good thing for me, so like today I had one gigantic meal (except the fruit I ate for breakfast) but it was planned.

    I plan the "treat" so it is not a cheat.
  • MamaMc3
    MamaMc3 Posts: 213 Member
    I don't consider them cheat days, but there are days I make a choice not to stay within my calories because of a special day, meal, etc. I always log whatever I eat, though, and I just carry on with my regular eating the next time I eat. So far, it hasn't impacted my weight loss much. For me, I need those days to stick with this. If I try to be "perfect" all the time, I am setting myself up for failure.
  • booksandchocolate12
    booksandchocolate12 Posts: 1,741 Member
    gia07 wrote: »
    I have refeed days

    I read this as "I have reefer days" and thought "Well, that's interesting. But wouldn't the subsequent munchies make this counterproductive? :D

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