Cheat days

I go for three months and then have a cheat weekend. Four cheat weekends a year. I find this way doesn't sabotage my efforts... Also it requires self discipline.

I have them as and when I feel depleted. Usually once every 2-3 weeks

This weight loss process has been slow for me: 48 pounds in 18 months. The reason for this is because I used to have a cheat weekend every weekend. At first, it was fine, I still lost weight consistently every week and would lose the water weight from it in 2 days or so. Then I reached a point where I would put on 2-5 pounds over the weekend. Even though it was water weight, it began to take me the entire following week to get down to where I was at the the end of the previous week. So, I try to limit it to one or two small indulgences a week. The reason it worked out in the beginning I know was because I would be under calories by 100-300 every day and by the weekend it would add up so it didn't effect much. As my calories lowered and my exercise didn't change I had less to work with and wasn't under as much that often. So, at first it might be fine, but it catches up to you .

I don't cheat. I eat ice cream, pumpkin pie, pastries every day. Hit your macros and your calorie goal and it doesn't matter what you eat.

If you want to eat a food, fit it in your diet.

I don't do cheat days or cheat meals because I hate feeling like those meals/days are things I am waiting all week for. I hate making food something I am looking forward to or restricting only to reward myself with at a later date.

I have been cleaning up my diet and eating more fruits, veggies, lean proteins, healthy-ish fats and such. But if I want a chocolate, I eat it, if I want a cookie, I eat it. Or even fast food. Sometimes I stay right within my limit, sometimes I go a little over. It happens, it doesn't really matter and I am learning to have a healthier relationship with food.

Chieflrg wrote: »

I don't cheat. I eat ice cream, pumpkin pie, pastries every day. Hit your macros and your calorie goal and it doesn't matter what you eat.

If you want to eat a food, fit it in your diet.

I like this because telling myself no to everything I crave for the rest of my life makes me want it more. I had pizza and popcorn last week, stayed in my calorie range and still lost weight.

I don't have cheat days. Seems counter productive. I do however go on a 3-4 hour hike if I want to splurge a bit or if I know I'm going out to dinner and want to eat something besides the house salad. Mostly, I just fit it all in my daily calories. I don't focus on food that much any more, just enough to make sure my meals are healthy and I'm eating enough.

I usually eat like the night before

My cheat days consist of me going the Chinese buffets and just eating crab legs, shrimp, clams
I look forward to that every two weeks

arditarose wrote: »

Chest day? Definitely planned. Every Sunday and Thursday.

Cheat day? I don't cheat.

This.

I just don't see the point in doing a full cheat day (or days), I spread 3-4 cheat meals out during the course of a week.

I don't have cheat days - merely a cheat meal - once a week. I try to keep it within my goals, but it doesn't always work. However I don't think that 1 bad meal in 42 per week will make that much of a difference!

My last efforts in weight loss included me allowing cheat days, and too often. Since xmas I decided on a few things. 1. I don't have designated days where I can "cheat." I try to make the foods I eat varied enough that I don't get bored with them and try to find exciting recipes to try out so I'm always looking forward to the stuff I know is better for me. And 2. If I do have a day where I eat something I normally wouldnt, I don't consider it cheating. I consider it "rare and appropriate." That helped remind me to stay within my goals even if I ate less than ideally. I stole this idea from Penn Jillette and it's worked pretty well for me.