Will one cheat day mess up the entire week I worked hard?

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Replies

  • ElJefePerron
    ElJefePerron Posts: 88 Member
    There was a great article in the blogs recently about the dangers of cheat days. I started on the body-for-life program and had cheat days. I agree with someone who wrote about food hangovers. I felt like cr-p the next day. Also made me think in terms of good food vs bad food.

    Now, I try to incorporate a healthy lifestyle.i will have a couple of beers on Friday night with the boys and log them. A pound of wings... Special occasion... Log them. But then, I reduce my intake for the next week to counter balance the spike in calories. I also try to add an additional sprint to my HIIT.
  • hiyomi
    hiyomi Posts: 906 Member
    Cheat meals are fine, cheat days are a definite no-no though lol
  • theresahopeveal
    theresahopeveal Posts: 38 Member
    ElJefePerron wrote: »
    There was a great article in the blogs recently about the dangers of cheat days. I started on the body-for-life program and had cheat days. I agree with someone who wrote about food hangovers. I felt like cr-p the next day. Also made me think in terms of good food vs bad food.

    Now, I try to incorporate a healthy lifestyle.i will have a couple of beers on Friday night with the boys and log them. A pound of wings... Special occasion... Log them. But then, I reduce my intake for the next week to counter balance the spike in calories. I also try to add an additional sprint to my HIIT.

    Yeah I'm already feeling like crap now. My stomach is hurting and I have heartburn (which had went away when I was eating healthy) No more all day cheat meals for me.
  • theresahopeveal
    theresahopeveal Posts: 38 Member
    My results for the end of the cheat day was 1,105 calories over my goal calories for the day.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    edited May 2016
    I think it's good to have 1-2 days a week up to normal maintenance instead. Since maintenance calories are what your body needs, it's not cheating, it's eating normal. The eating up to normal days a day or two a week can help keep your hormones stable and prevent binging.

    It can take a few days of drinking plenty of water to clear out all the things that cause bloating, sodium and all else that may cause inflammation.
  • courtniekrebs
    courtniekrebs Posts: 79 Member
    I'd say schedule and plan for a cheat meal. Yes a whole day screws my efforts up and even has caused me to binge day or two after. Don't think of it as a bad thing or you'll want it more. I do 1 meal planned out where I know I'll still be in deficit. Good luck :)
  • catsdogsh
    catsdogsh Posts: 130 Member
    I do a cheat meal every other Friday night. I generally fast all day prior though and it doesn't bother my progress. If I cheat a whole day I gain. I only eat out when I have these meals and only my absolute favorite stuff
  • walkie_eggs
    walkie_eggs Posts: 7 Member
    Not only possible, it's easy. Dinner and a movie, go grab a few large pieces of meatlover's pizza and four beers (that takes care of your TDEE), and chase it down with a large bucket of buttered popcorn and of course a large Coke while you go watch some comic book people do comic book stuff. That'll pretty easily negate your week if you're eating at a 500cal daily deficit.
  • theresahopeveal
    theresahopeveal Posts: 38 Member
    christaylor987 wrote: »
    Not only possible, it's easy. Dinner and a movie, go grab a few large pieces of meatlover's pizza and four beers (that takes care of your TDEE), and chase it down with a large bucket of buttered popcorn and of course a large Coke while you go watch some comic book people do comic book stuff. That'll pretty easily negate your week if you're eating at a 500cal daily deficit.

    It's all very depressing to see how easy it is to mess up process in one day
  • theresahopeveal
    theresahopeveal Posts: 38 Member
    theresahopeveal wrote: »
    christaylor987 wrote: »
    Not only possible, it's easy. Dinner and a movie, go grab a few large pieces of meatlover's pizza and four beers (that takes care of your TDEE), and chase it down with a large bucket of buttered popcorn and of course a large Coke while you go watch some comic book people do comic book stuff. That'll pretty easily negate your week if you're eating at a 500cal daily deficit.

    It's all very depressing to see how easy it is to mess up process in one day

    Progress I mean
  • GMAC2016
    GMAC2016 Posts: 249 Member
    But focus on the benefits and the positives of being healthy. And of course all of the great people who are here to help.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    babyphoenix wrote: »
    I did this for about...a decade? And my weight never went down consistently. Even though I didn't think I ate that much, it was enough to halt any progress I could have made. I wanted so badly to be able to eat at least one day without caring about calories, but have finally accepted that I can't do that any longer. Plus I always felt like I had a 'food hangover' the next day, feeling sluggish and tired. Some people can have cheat days...I need to plan ahead and make sure it fits in my day's calories.

    This. So much this.
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    theresahopeveal wrote: »
    Will drinking more water help rid my body of the excess sodium I've consumed today?

    Eventually.
  • theresahopeveal
    theresahopeveal Posts: 38 Member
    GMAC2016 wrote: »
    But focus on the benefits and the positives of being healthy. And of course all of the great people who are here to help.

    Yes you have all been extremely helpful!
  • MissusMoon
    MissusMoon Posts: 1,900 Member
    edited May 2016
    theresahopeveal wrote: »
    GMAC2016 wrote: »
    Measure everything, even on cheat days as best you can. You may be surprised how many calories you take in when you aren't watching. Beer is my weakness, 2 beers nullifies my days progress but now I know that so I can compensate. Measure, then you will know, even if you don't really want to know...

    Yes I've been logging almost everything in for today even though it makes me cringe to see it. My cravings are mostly from any types of junk foods and fast food. I ate that for so long I crave it some days really bad and some days I'm fine.

    I'm going to suggest you make room for these items you crave in your daily caloric intake, and keep it at goal. You can throw in a cheeseburger, for instance, but does it have to be a double with large fries and a shake? Figure out what you're really craving, and make room for it while keeping in check every day. Burger one day, maybe fries the next, the shake after that?

    You DO NOT have to give up foods you love. I have pizza, ice cream, wine, steak whenever I want and I'm losing weight quickly. I just plan for reasonable portions in my daily calories.
  • theresahopeveal
    theresahopeveal Posts: 38 Member
    MissusMoon wrote: »
    theresahopeveal wrote: »
    GMAC2016 wrote: »
    Measure everything, even on cheat days as best you can. You may be surprised how many calories you take in when you aren't watching. Beer is my weakness, 2 beers nullifies my days progress but now I know that so I can compensate. Measure, then you will know, even if you don't really want to know...

    Yes I've been logging almost everything in for today even though it makes me cringe to see it. My cravings are mostly from any types of junk foods and fast food. I ate that for so long I crave it some days really bad and some days I'm fine.

    I'm going to suggest you make room for these items you crave in your daily caloric intake, and keep it at goal. You can throw in a cheeseburger, for instance, but does it have to be a double with large fries and a shake? Figure out what you're really craving, and make room for it while keeping in check every day. Burger one day, maybe fries the next, the shake after that?

    You DO NOT have to give up foods you love. I have pizza, ice cream, wine, steak whenever I want and I'm losing weight quickly. I just plan for reasonable portions in my daily calories.

    Yes I need to try that!
  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    Cheating is cheating. Just don't do it.

    Log it all. Data is power. Mindfully incorporate the foods you like into your diet daily, weekly, or monthly. I swear every weekend there is a food event in my life. I plan the rest of the week the best I can. I enjoy myself while trying to stay reasonable on the calories.

    I have gained and lost off and on my whole adult life. I now realize that for me, I will be logging the rest of my life if I want to maintain the loss I am working on now. The data keeps me realistic.
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    californiagirl2012 wrote: »
    I think it's good to have 1-2 days a week up to normal maintenance instead. Since maintenance calories are what your body needs, it's not cheating, it's eating normal. The eating up to normal days a day or two a week can help keep your hormones stable and prevent binging.

    It can take a few days of drinking plenty of water to clear out all the things that cause bloating, sodium and all else that may cause inflammation.

    I agree with this. Eat your maintenance calories once or twice a week. It may slow down your loss, but it won't make you gain weight.

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