Cheat day: Yay or nay?

rararicey
rararicey Posts: 6 Member
edited November 30 in Food and Nutrition
Hi, i'm just wondering what food to eat on a cheat day? I'm afraid I might ruin my diet if I start eating "tempting" dishes again. Any ideas? :)
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Replies

  • pinggolfer96
    pinggolfer96 Posts: 2,248 Member
    Iifym. Or if you're scared it's going to lead to a binge then don't do one. Moderation
  • Dominicj569
    Dominicj569 Posts: 30 Member
    I dont get the point
    I really dont

    But it depends what you mean my cheat day I suppose.

    I'm on an awful deprivation diet for 9 weeks to get to my target, why would I drag that out for 18 weeks by eating half my weekly losses every seventh day? I'd much rather have a small 150 calorie bar of chocolate everyday rather than 5 boxes of chocolates one day.
  • anthony150paolucci
    anthony150paolucci Posts: 85 Member
    In my opinion, a cheat day once a week won't ruin a diet as long as you stay disciplined during the rest of the week.
  • rararicey
    rararicey Posts: 6 Member
    I see. Great insight! Thank you!
  • N0easyway0ut
    N0easyway0ut Posts: 193 Member
    I would go for a cheat meal - not a cheat day! one meal per week is not going to harm your progress.
  • DanialBadron
    DanialBadron Posts: 2 Member
    I'm doing intermittent fasting coupled with regular workout just so I can have cheat meals everyday. It's quite difficult for me to prepare a proper meal due to the nature of my job. Given a choice though, I'd pick a well cooked nutritious meal over a cheat meal any day cos it helps to sustain the mind and body way longer.
  • rararicey
    rararicey Posts: 6 Member
    A cheat meal instead of a cheat day sounds a good idea! Thank you Nicks10x :)
  • gothomson
    gothomson Posts: 215 Member
    Nicks10x wrote: »
    I would go for a cheat meal - not a cheat day! one meal per week is not going to harm your progress.

    This!
  • rararicey
    rararicey Posts: 6 Member
    I agree DanialBadron. A nutritious meal is always a better choice! But some people say that a cheat meal/day once in a while is also good as it will ignite the body's fat burning metabolism? I'm not sure though, that's why i'm asking around. :) Thank you for the insights! :)
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    NEVER do a cheat DAY! Only do a weekly cheat MEAL. :)
  • Jams009
    Jams009 Posts: 345 Member
    Looking at the maths, if you are on a -500 calorie deficit for 6 days of the week, that's -3000 calories. So as long as you don't go over your TDEE + 3000 calories (which would be very difficult to do imo) you will still be in a deficit. So if they help you mentally, go for it. But they aren't neccesary if you don't feel the benefit.

    As for the metabolism thing, there's a method people used called refeeding. A refeed is where you eat at maintenance for 1 day every now and then to help keep your metabolism up. It's different to a cheat day, which is more a mental/motivation based thing; where you take a break and just eat whatever you like so you don't feel so deprived/have something to look forward to. But there's a crossover between the two, obivously.

    Personally I don't plan any cheat days, when I do they always turn into an epic binge, and I feel more motivated/determined without them. Instead I just see them as a kind of get out of jail free card when it isn't possible to track. E.g. It's my Dad's birthday meal tonight; it won't be measured, probably wont fit my macros, and might make me go over my calorie limit for today, so that's my cheat meal. It's been 5 days since my last cheat (and it was 7 before that one; 12:2 ratio ain't bad), so unless I eat over 3400 calories in one meal (unlikely) I'm still losing. No cheats would be better, but it's not going to kill my progress.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    I save "cheat days" for those days I am feeling tired and possibly poorly fuelled. Or when it's an unusually stressful day. Or I'm sick. Or I got no sleep the night before. But I call it "switching to maintenance".
  • Ws2016
    Ws2016 Posts: 432 Member
    Nay. Just work a little junk food into you calorie counting. Win-win.
  • 6AMGANG
    6AMGANG Posts: 14 Member
    why would you have a cheat day? its totally opposite to what you want to do... seems pointless imo... Like mentioned, have a smaller dinner portion on a normal day an have a peice of choclate if you need it...
  • N0easyway0ut
    N0easyway0ut Posts: 193 Member
    I once read that cheat meals are actually good for you - as it keeps your body guess. When you have a cheat meal, your body goes into shock and works harder to digest and process the fats and carbs! anyone else heard this? for me, a cheat meal is something I look forward to... its kind of like a reward for being 'healthy' for the week! :)
  • jrline
    jrline Posts: 2,353 Member
    Don't deprive yourself of foods you enjoy and you will not need a cheat day. Good Luck on your Journey
  • llbrixon
    llbrixon Posts: 964 Member
    I called them maintenance days
    I try to have at least 1x week
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Nicks10x wrote: »
    I once read that cheat meals are actually good for you - as it keeps your body guess. When you have a cheat meal, your body goes into shock and works harder to digest and process the fats and carbs! anyone else heard this? for me, a cheat meal is something I look forward to... its kind of like a reward for being 'healthy' for the week! :)

    This is not true.

    The human body does not work like this.

    Also, unicorns do not exist.
  • callsitlikeiseeit
    callsitlikeiseeit Posts: 8,626 Member
    a cheat day could wipe out my deficit for the week.... and in some cases, thats totally okay,but not frequently.

    i work what i want into my daily goals, or eat at maintenance if i want 'extra'. i eat chocolate, alcohol, chips, whatever on a very regular basis.

    no cheating required.
  • heatherheyns
    heatherheyns Posts: 144 Member
    I don't like the idea. Now, there are times I may go over my calories. Perhaps it's a birthday, or a special outting or family meal, but I think being honest about it is important for me. The reason I gained so much weight was because I ignored what I ate. I think it's important for me to own what I eat now. Mostly I fit things I want into my calories for the day, but if I choose to go over, I make the choice on purpose and still calculate it the best I can.
  • Mavrick_RN
    Mavrick_RN Posts: 439 Member
    I guess it depends on your definition of "cheat". I call it a Bonus Meal. It keeps me on track because I can always promise myself that if I want something I just have to wait for my Bonus Meal to have it. No food is off limits. I just limit that food to the Bonus Meal. Pizza, fried chicken, BBQ ribs, chocolate cake, anything.

    Some weeks I don't even need the Bonus Meal because I have had the food I desired as part of my regular calorie goal.

    Using a meal to "boost your metabolism" or "confuse your body" is woo-science.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
    jrline wrote: »
    Don't deprive yourself of foods you enjoy and you will not need a cheat day.

    Exactly.

    I eat whatever I most want, within my calorie limit. I have chocolate every day, and alcohol most days, because that's what I like. I also like seafood, Greek salad and pasta.

    I've lost 70 lbs since April, and haven't cheated once.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    I cheat most weekends, but I work my butt off hard all week.
  • Kelly9405
    Kelly9405 Posts: 14 Member
    I don't do a cheat day, I just eat "bad" things every so often but don't binge or anything.
  • rararicey
    rararicey Posts: 6 Member
    Thank you all, I appreciate the tips and encouragement! :)
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    If I plan on a "cheat meal" on a certain day I'll usually make up for it the rest of the day by either eating less/working out more/both so I'm still at a deficit for the day. So I don't know if that counts, but that's how I usually manage it.
  • extra_medium
    extra_medium Posts: 1,525 Member
    Nicks10x wrote: »
    I once read that cheat meals are actually good for you - as it keeps your body guess. When you have a cheat meal, your body goes into shock and works harder to digest and process the fats and carbs! anyone else heard this? for me, a cheat meal is something I look forward to... its kind of like a reward for being 'healthy' for the week! :)

    Your body doesn't guess, nor does it go into shock.. it just processes what you give it every day.
  • N0easyway0ut
    N0easyway0ut Posts: 193 Member
    That's good to know! I guess what you read on bodybuilding.com is not always true! I'm no expert, but hearing unicorns don't exist has slightly disappointed me!
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    llbrixon wrote: »
    I called them maintenance days
    I try to have at least 1x week

    Yep, no damage done this way.

  • King_Spicy
    King_Spicy Posts: 821 Member
    Or be me and make everyday a cheat day :-D
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