Cheat meals/ cheat days?!

MichelleNicole93
MichelleNicole93 Posts: 89 Member
edited November 30 in Health and Weight Loss
Anyone find success in letting loose once a week?! I use to eat in a surplus for the cheat meal but recently I've decided to make it mid day and still within my calorie limit for the day. If I get hungry later I'll eat an apple or something small. Anyone have suggestions to cheat meals and staying on track?! Do you do it every week or every two weeks? And what should it consist of to make sure you aren't damaging weight loss efforts!

Replies

  • LBuehrle8
    LBuehrle8 Posts: 4,044 Member
    No I do not do cheat days or meals. If I want something bad enough I'll make it fit in my calories for that day/week.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    MichelleNicole93 wrote: »
    Anyone find success in letting loose once a week?! I use to eat in a surplus for the cheat meal but recently I've decided to make it mid day and still within my calorie limit for the day. If I get hungry later I'll eat an apple or something small. Anyone have suggestions to cheat meals and staying on track?! Do you do it every week or every two weeks? And what should it consist of to make sure you aren't damaging weight loss efforts!

    I will never understand the mindset of something being within targets, but considered "cheating"...this just doesn't make any sense to me.

    In most fitness circles, a "cheat" day would be a higher calorie day to "re-feed" and re-set hormones, etc...personally I hate the term as it implies that I'm doing something oh so shameful and I think it reinforces *kitten* relationships with food. I have higher calorie days and I have lower calorie days...I eat well most of the time and enjoy some pizza now and then...I don't consider any of it "cheating".
  • xKoalaBearx
    xKoalaBearx Posts: 181 Member
    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    MichelleNicole93 wrote: »
    Anyone find success in letting loose once a week?! I use to eat in a surplus for the cheat meal but recently I've decided to make it mid day and still within my calorie limit for the day. If I get hungry later I'll eat an apple or something small. Anyone have suggestions to cheat meals and staying on track?! Do you do it every week or every two weeks? And what should it consist of to make sure you aren't damaging weight loss efforts!

    I will never understand the mindset of something being within targets, but considered "cheating"...this just doesn't make any sense to me.

    In most fitness circles, a "cheat" day would be a higher calorie day to "re-feed" and re-set hormones, etc...personally I hate the term as it implies that I'm doing something oh so shameful and I think it reinforces *kitten* relationships with food. I have higher calorie days and I have lower calorie days...I eat well most of the time and enjoy some pizza now and then...I don't consider any of it "cheating".

    I call it a "splurge" day, myself.
  • harrybananas
    harrybananas Posts: 292 Member
    What the hell is a cheat day!?!?!??!?!?!!!?!?!?!!?!??!?!!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?





    ?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!??!
  • wonderchu
    wonderchu Posts: 53 Member
    I do "cheat" days (I don't call them that, I'm not cheating). I like to eat a bunch of tasty things at once rather than fitting them in (usually at the expense of something more filling). Once a week is a bit too frequent for me but I do them every now and again. I'm down over 80lbs so they've had no significant negative impact on my weight loss.
  • gcaracciolo2
    gcaracciolo2 Posts: 130 Member
    I splurge once every two weeks eating what I want. I use this day to satisfy any cravings I have, especially sweet tooth related. I'm pretty strict the other 13 days and perform intense workouts throughout the week. One day will not kill your progress if the splurge days are spread far enough and you are consistent with your approach every other day. I've learned being consistent is by far the hardest part and the actual cheat day is pretty irrelevant.
  • Dreysander
    Dreysander Posts: 294 Member
    edited February 2016
    Yep. Every weekend. I tried the whole "fit it into my daily calories" and that just doesn't work for me. I'd rather have one day a week where I eat all the things because in my heart of hearts I'm still a fat chick.

    I've lost 115 lbs so I must be doing something right.
  • MNLittleFinn
    MNLittleFinn Posts: 4,271 Member
    I have at least one cheat meal a week. So far, my cheat meals have been within IIFYM and my calorie count.....I think I'm just not hungry as I used to be
  • Squirrel698
    Squirrel698 Posts: 127 Member
    I do 'cheat days' and I do call them that but without guilty. It's my body, and I make the rules.

    For me, it seems to set my weight. As if my body has a set number that it likes to stick too. When I have a cheat day I gain a few pounds, between two and five usually. I lose that over the next few days and then a few pounds beyond that. It seems to reset my 'set' amount and cancels away any plateaus.

    That's just my experience, with no scientific basis whatsoever, but it works for me. I've lost a bunch of weight that way. I indulge and enjoy about twice a month or so.
  • beemerphile1
    beemerphile1 Posts: 1,710 Member
    Always thought the concept of a cheat meal or day was idiotic.

    Have I gone over my calorie goal, yes? Have I cheated, NO?
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  • rockstargreatness
    rockstargreatness Posts: 23 Member
    I'll allow to matience calories once a week. Then back to restricting calories you go.

    It helps me out. And keeps me from binging. My body so my rules.

    My birthday will be a automatic cheat day (I'll splurge not giving a care.) because it's my birthday and pizza.

    So yes but I try to keep it reasonable.
  • ModernRock
    ModernRock Posts: 372 Member
    The trick is getting back on track. I can look back and see that I "need" to let loose about every 2-3 weeks. Slightly more often I'll eat at maintenance. As I've become more sensitive to my hunger signals I've found that I am not as hungry the next day. I still eat, but find it much easier to stay at my goal.
  • jmgj27
    jmgj27 Posts: 531 Member
    I have a free meal on a Saturday night. I actively try to eat at least 2000-2500 calories in total on a Saturday, with the majority of that coming from my evening meal. For me it's massively psychologically helpful and makes eating within my calorie limit the rest of the time totally doable. I usually put on 0.5-1.5lbs on a Sunday morning but it's gone and more by Tuesday and I've lost 27lbs since the beginning of January so it's working for me!
  • blues4miles
    blues4miles Posts: 1,481 Member
    My friend will ask me if I'm having a cheat day or doing cheat meals. But I always try to stay within my calories. So maybe she doesn't approve of my fast food. I don't care. Not cheating to me if it's within calories. The worst I get is going up to maintenance on a high-eating day.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member
    You can search this forum and find dozens of threads about cheat days and cheat meals. You can do it however you like so long as you don't erase your deficit in the process.

    I believe the idea of cheat meals/days/whatever originated with very restrictive diet plans as a way to improve compliance and avoid people living like hermits to stay on a diet. A less restrictive approach that helps you maintain a calorie deficit and feel satiated makes the cheat gimmick less necessary.

  • wonderchu
    wonderchu Posts: 53 Member
    Dreysander wrote: »
    Yep. Every weekend. I tried the whole "fit it into my daily calories" and that just doesn't work for me. I'd rather have one day a week where I eat all the things because in my heart of hearts I'm still a fat chick.

    I've lost 115 lbs so I must be doing something right.

    ILY. I could've written this post.

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