Cheat Day , Cheat meal, or none?

Everyone will probably say one of the latter two. For me personally, none. If I want something, I work it into my calorie/macro goal.

I used to work up to one cheat day every 60 days. But for me I found that I looked at that one cheat day as a reward and I would plan to eat all these foods like I was deprived. Finally I'm realizing that for me I need to learn to eat in moderation and fit in those foods into my calorie goals. I won't say it's easy for me but I think it takes time to change lifelong bad habits.

It depends on your definition of "cheat." If "cheat" means eat whatever you want and don't count the calories or log, then never - I don't recommend it for a day, I don't reccomend it for a meal.

Sometimes I'll have a "cheat" day but for me that's a day where I eat at maintenance. I don't really ever have a day where I intentionally go over maintenance and I never have a day where I just eat whatever I want with no regards to the calories. For me, I sort of consider it a cheat meal if it's something I can't log very accurately like a restaurant meal, but even then I try to order something low calorie and log it the best I can. For the traditional definition of a cheat meal - eating pizza or ice cream or donuts, I do that all the time I just make it fit my calorie goal.

I never look at any of my meals as cheats. When I know I'll be going to a restaurant I eat at maintenance. I stopped purposely overeating it's stupid

For me there is no "cheat day", or "cheat meal". To me it defeats the purpose of developing healthy lifestyle and eating habits. I watch what I eat, and if I expect to have a large meal, I either workout enough to compensate for it, or reduce my caloric intake prior to, or after the big meal to maintain caloric daily goals.

I just work on my weekly calories and have some days higher than others - and if the occasional week is over (within reason) , thats ok too

If cheat implies no weighting and logging of the food - none. Otherwise sure, but why call it cheating instead of eating more? It's not a bad thing to eat more from time to time. That's what all people do in general including those with constant weight.

I just posted this in another thread but I think it works here too: my Mother's Day plan

I have one every 21 days, i eat very clean otherwise, but on the 22nd day i eat whatever i like, and i don't track or count. It keeps me sane and it stops my metabolism from adapting. the one day doesn't impede my progress and i can focus on fuelling myself. I've always been an all or nothing person anyway.

I log everything because everything counts. That doesn't mean I never go (really far) over my calorie goal, I just stay honest.

anditshannah wrote: »

Which is best?

None. I aim to stay under my target each and every day and those days I go over are just part of the general learning now to eat better. I don't "cheat". I relax my standards on special occasions like holidays or weddings. I sometimes overeat because I crave more food. I just log it and move on. This is life.