Cheat day or meal?

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multiplatformx
multiplatformx Posts: 28 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
What are your opinions for a cheat day or meal. I am having a bit of a problem figuring out which one to implement in my diet. Any advice or even suggestions are welcome thanks in advance.
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  • Malzbell
    Malzbell Posts: 19 Member
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    Well my cheat day is Friday and Its not a all day cheat day. the only meal i eat on my cheat day is dinner on Friday. I eat pizza and whatever I want in A still healthy amount. Its really up to you how you do it and what you want to eat. :)
  • GothyFaery
    GothyFaery Posts: 762 Member
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    The problem with a cheat day (and sometimes even a cheat meal) is that you can easily wipe out your whole deficit. Are you planning on logging or just going hog wild?
  • Brynne_Kathryn
    Brynne_Kathryn Posts: 11 Member
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    I kind of have a cheat day, but it isn't so much all crazy bad food, as it's me eating without my usual restrictions. So I'll have a veggie omlette but I won't weigh and measure everything. If I want extra cheese, I have it. If I want more carbs, I just eat some carbs. I don't go crazy, I just don't strictly log
  • jennkaufer89
    jennkaufer89 Posts: 69 Member
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    multiplatformx wrote: »
    What are your opinions for a cheat day or meal. I am having a bit of a problem figuring out which one to implement in my diet. Any advice or even suggestions are welcome thanks in advance.

    I always go with a treat meal, rather than an entire day. By making the "cheat" a single treat meal you can limit negative impacts while still really enjoying yourself so you can refuel your willpower to continue your calorie cutting in the future.

    I do a small treat (no more than 600 calories) once a week to keep me going and plan what that treat will be well in advance. Last week it was a pint of Halo Top ice cream, this week it's going to be a Crunch Wrap Supreme from Taco bell.

    Hope that helps!
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    cheat day or meal doesn't mean go crazy and eat anything ... it means you did well enough during your week that you have a bit of wiggle room to eat something with slightly higher cal. and it wont offset your week.

    Check your math. always check your in vs your out .. if you can add another 200 cals that day and still have a deficit for that week. you are green to go. If not, you may want to either up your workouts by a lot to create that deficit or skip on the cheat meal/day.

  • MeanderingMammal
    MeanderingMammal Posts: 7,866 Member
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    multiplatformx wrote: »
    What are your opinions for a cheat day or meal.

    Pointless semantics.

    Sometimes I go over, sometimes I go under.

    The main thing is self awareness, not denying myself and making life difficult to achieve in the long term.

    I'd also observe that calling it a cheat is negative terminology. You're not cheating, you're making a conscious decision to go over your calorie allowance. Take ownership of the decision.

  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    My husband and I have a monthly "cheat day." Weekly would be bad for us, because we go all out and consume an insane amount of calories in that day. Go big or go home for this girl. :smile:

    It's personal choice, but you have to be willing to deal with the repercussions if you go crazy once a week. Doing what we do once a week would surely stall my weight loss, but monthly I haven't seen any negative effects once the water weight is gone. It's all about maintaining a deficit when averaged over the week. If your idea of a cheat day is eating 2500 calories, I doubt you'll have any issues doing that weekly. But if you ask me, that's the saddest cheat day ever. To each his own, though.

    Everything in moderation. Including moderation.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
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    I live. Sometimes life includes indulging. Indulging fits my lifestyle.
    I don't really understand "cheating" on your life.
  • majigurl
    majigurl Posts: 660 Member
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    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    I live. Sometimes life includes indulging. Indulging fits my lifestyle.
    I don't really understand "cheating" on your life.

    I agree with this only so far. If you are attending a party and there is cake and you aren't pigging out.... eat a small piece of cake! It's yummy!

    But if you use the line " yolo " constantly while trying to shed the weight, just wont happen lol

    I do see the allure to dropping the word "cheating".. Just makes it sound like you shouldn't be doing it when, especially if you are doing it responsibility, it is more than fine.



  • rbfdac
    rbfdac Posts: 1,057 Member
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    You're probably going to get some slack for mentioning "cheats" around here, as it seems like the majority of MFPers believe in everything in moderation, no "cheats", etc., just an FYI.

    However, I am a huge fan of "cheat" meals- it's something that works for me. As mentioned, a cheat meal or day can wipe out an entire week's worth of work, so it's something you actually have to be careful with. I get one cheat meal, including dessert, once a week. I usually do it on Saturdays. This is not an opportunity for me to eat everything in sight and feel better about calling it a cheat meal. I actually attempt to stay around my TDEE or just a few calories above and I always bounce right back to "normal" eating the next day (and hit the gym).

    I am not a person who does very well with eating anything and everything in moderation, as I struggle with binge eating disorder. So during the week, I tend to avoid sweets or any sort of junk food, even in moderation. If I am still wanting some chips or a cookie when the weekend comes around, I incorporate them into my cheat meal.

    I also have tried not incorporating cheat meals into my routine and I actually do not drop weight as quickly and hit more plateaus.

    Everybody is different, so just try to find what works for you.
  • multiplatformx
    multiplatformx Posts: 28 Member
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    GothyFaery wrote: »
    The problem with a cheat day (and sometimes even a cheat meal) is that you can easily wipe out your whole deficit. Are you planning on logging or just going hog wild?

    I've tried logging but sometimes I don't think I quite get the nutrition details right.
  • multiplatformx
    multiplatformx Posts: 28 Member
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    Wow thank you for all of the great advice I'm new here and love it.
  • sylkates
    sylkates Posts: 173 Member
    edited March 2016
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    I save cheat days for social occasions. If there is one party in a week that I know there will be lots of junk food at, I log all of the food for the week other than at that party. (I don't do it more than once a week though, so sometimes, if a few things are happening that week, I am that awkward person in the corner drinking Coke Zero, eating exactly 3 Hershey's Kisses and only 2 buffalo wings, and saying that I had a big lunch earlier. I think I worry about looking weird like this more than I actually do look weird.)

    But being able to go to a restaurant or a party with people and eating like a normal human once a week really makes logging everything the rest of the time easier. I also have never been one to go hog-wild with anything, even at parties- If I'm eating pizza, I won't also eat the garlic bread, for instance. I haven't sabotaged my weight loss strategy with this weekly allowance yet.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    multiplatformx wrote: »
    What are your opinions for a cheat day or meal.

    Pointless semantics.

    Sometimes I go over, sometimes I go under.

    The main thing is self awareness, not denying myself and making life difficult to achieve in the long term.

    I'd also observe that calling it a cheat is negative terminology. You're not cheating, you're making a conscious decision to go over your calorie allowance. Take ownership of the decision.

    I basically agree.

    The only thing that really matters is a long-term deficit. What you do for one meal or 1 day doesn't matter if over the long term you maintain a deficit. However, like Gothy eluded to... the frequency and size of the cheat can and will negate some of your progress. How much will vary, but it's something to consider.

    IMO, accept that not every day is going to be perfect. Accept that some days, some occasions are worth indulging. Accept that this is a long and variable process. Find ways to set yourself up for success, be happy in those successes, and don't beat yourself up over the occasional miss.
  • briscogun
    briscogun Posts: 1,135 Member
    edited March 2016
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    multiplatformx wrote: »
    What are your opinions for a cheat day or meal. I am having a bit of a problem figuring out which one to implement in my diet. Any advice or even suggestions are welcome thanks in advance.

    I think it depends on where you are in your journey and how much leeway you are comfortable giving yourself.

    When I first start my weight loss plan, I stay very strict for a good month. No deviation, no allowances, no cheating. It's just what I have to do mentally and emotionally to get the job done. Once I get to a comfortable place, I would start to allow myself a "cheat meal", which for me was Saturday night, but I would still build it into my calorie goal for the day and I still planned it out. So if I knew we were going out to dinner on Saturday night, I would try to research the restaurant and plan out what I was going to eat before we left so I could build that meal into my plan, including any drinks like beer.

    Now that I'm in maintenance, I don't worry about it so much. We came back from an overnight trip on Saturday evening, stopped and got pizzas on the way home. I had four small squares of cheese pizza and a light beer. No problems, fit into my daily goal just fine. Difference is in the past I would've had a half-pizza! Now I just eat a sensible amount and move on guilt free!

    I learned that if I denied myself for too long of any "fun foods" or "bad foods", it made it much more likely I'd fall off the wagon and binge. But if I know that I'm going to have a meal at the end of the week to reward myself, a fun yet sensible option, I stick to my guns during the week better and then enjoy it on Saturday without feeling guilty on Sunday.

    Calories are calories. Just fit them into your plan and you'll be fine. And remember: a pound gained or lost is about 3,500 calories, so one cheat meal of even a 1,000 calories isn't going to blow you up one way or the other!
  • bbop10
    bbop10 Posts: 59 Member
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    My fiancé and I used to do cheat days every week, then we switched to every other week, but I didn't see much progress once we did that. We now are trying one cheat meal/month. So far, I think it has been great and I can see a huge difference just from making this change.
  • emdeesea
    emdeesea Posts: 1,823 Member
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    I figure my calories by the week so I leave myself one big meal usually on Saturday night. It's not actually "cheating" because it's figured in to the total weekly calories, but it sure does feel like a cheat. :)
  • faramelee
    faramelee Posts: 163 Member
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    MeanderingMammal wrote: »
    multiplatformx wrote: »
    What are your opinions for a cheat day or meal.
    Pointless semantics.
    Sometimes I go over, sometimes I go under.
    The main thing is self awareness, not denying myself and making life difficult to achieve in the long term.
    I'd also observe that calling it a cheat is negative terminology. You're not cheating, you're making a conscious decision to go over your calorie allowance. Take ownership of the decision.
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    I live. Sometimes life includes indulging. Indulging fits my lifestyle.
    I don't really understand "cheating" on your life.
    majigurl wrote: »
    Sabine_Stroehm wrote: »
    I live. Sometimes life includes indulging. Indulging fits my lifestyle.
    I don't really understand "cheating" on your life.
    I agree with this only so far. If you are attending a party and there is cake and you aren't pigging out.... eat a small piece of cake! It's yummy!
    But if you use the line " yolo " constantly while trying to shed the weight, just wont happen lol
    I do see the allure to dropping the word "cheating".. Just makes it sound like you shouldn't be doing it when, especially if you are doing it responsibility, it is more than fine.
    rbfdac wrote: »
    You're probably going to get some slack for mentioning "cheats" around here, as it seems like the majority of MFPers believe in everything in moderation, no "cheats", etc., just an FYI.
    However, I am a huge fan of "cheat" meals- it's something that works for me. As mentioned, a cheat meal or day can wipe out an entire week's worth of work, so it's something you actually have to be careful with. I get one cheat meal, including dessert, once a week. I usually do it on Saturdays. This is not an opportunity for me to eat everything in sight and feel better about calling it a cheat meal. I actually attempt to stay around my TDEE or just a few calories above and I always bounce right back to "normal" eating the next day (and hit the gym).
    I am not a person who does very well with eating anything and everything in moderation, as I struggle with binge eating disorder. So during the week, I tend to avoid sweets or any sort of junk food, even in moderation. If I am still wanting some chips or a cookie when the weekend comes around, I incorporate them into my cheat meal.
    I also have tried not incorporating cheat meals into my routine and I actually do not drop weight as quickly and hit more plateaus.
    Everybody is different, so just try to find what works for you.

    Who are you cheating? I prefer to call it living which is why I integrate a little of what I fancy ;) into every day. Try and take my Malbec or Sauvignon away at the weekend I will take you down :p This has been working for me although as @rbfdac said, everyone is different. Why not prepare and eat food you enjoy anyway so that you don't need a 'blowout' meal, it doesn't all have to be high carb, high fat and high calorie, there are some awesome nutritious meals out there ready for the making.....

    Good luck in whatever you decide :)
  • trinty425
    trinty425 Posts: 108 Member
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    I think a cheat meal is best. A cheat meal can easily be made up for....healthier meals and snacks for the day...some more exercise, etc. BUT be careful, a cheat meal can very easily turn into a cheat day.

    I go for cheat meals...because I tend to go way overboard if I give myself a WHOLE day to cheat!

    Either way, never feel bad about indulging yourself from time to time. It helps in the long run. Just don't let a meal turn into a day which turns into a week...etc.
  • jacksonpt
    jacksonpt Posts: 10,413 Member
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    Also, just to add...

    It's important to be clear on what a cheat meal/day means to you. For some, it's about "quality" of food. i.e. they usually eat clean, so their cheat may be restaurant or fast food, prepackaged stuff, etc... but cals remain in check. For others, it's more calorie related, where they allow themselves to go over their calorie goal. For some, it can be a set amount (i.e. they eat 500 cals over, or they eat at maintenance instead of deficit) or something similar. For some it's an all-out free-for-all.

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