Cheat meal vs. Cheat day?

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Ataliaron
Ataliaron Posts: 1 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I've been cutting for 4 weeks now and still have 6 weeks left. I've had just 1 cheat meal since I started but I've been noticing alot of fitness people on youtube/instagram who are opting for cheat days instead of cheat meals. They allow themselves one entire day with no calorie or macro restrictions. Some do this once a week, others once a month, and some stay away from cheat days because they say it can completely offset your nutrition balance/program and is just not healthy.
I've only ever done cheat meals (usually 1 per 10-20 days) but I'm contemplating trying a cheat day.
Is it worth doing an entire cheat day or is it better to stick with just 1 meal at a time?

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  • Hope228
    Hope228 Posts: 340 Member
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    I have some issues (eating) If I decide I'm just going to have a "cheat Meal," I always end up binging the whole day/night. For me the best thing is to not cheat at all.
  • neldabg
    neldabg Posts: 1,452 Member
    edited May 2017
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    It's all an individual choice. Personally, I don't cheat or anything. I just log and plan ahead to fit in all sorts of foods. Some people do a cheat day and wipe out their deficit for the week, or even the month, but some people don't go overboard and still maintain a deficit by the end of the week. If your cheat meals suit you fine, there's no need to start cheat days.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,027 Member
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    not quite sure I get the logic behind cheat days - I have some days when I eat more nutritiously than others and some days that are higher calories than others - life does vary, after all

    But i dont consider any of it cheating and I do make sure my weekly calories are still around the target.

    The main thing is to make sure your cheat meals/days, whatever that means to you, don't take your weekly calories over target - if they do, you will not lose (or maintain if that is your aim)

  • joemac1988
    joemac1988 Posts: 1,021 Member
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    Ataliaron wrote: »
    I've been cutting for 4 weeks now and still have 6 weeks left. I've had just 1 cheat meal since I started but I've been noticing alot of fitness people on youtube/instagram who are opting for cheat days instead of cheat meals. They allow themselves one entire day with no calorie or macro restrictions. Some do this once a week, others once a month, and some stay away from cheat days because they say it can completely offset your nutrition balance/program and is just not healthy.
    I've only ever done cheat meals (usually 1 per 10-20 days) but I'm contemplating trying a cheat day.
    Is it worth doing an entire cheat day or is it better to stick with just 1 meal at a time?

    Replace "cheat" with "refeed". It serves a purpose; to trick your body into thinking calories are readily available. I think it depends on how big a deficit you're in. The worry is your total deficit for 6 days could be wiped out if your refeed surplus is greater.
  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,751 Member
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    joemac1988 wrote: »
    Ataliaron wrote: »
    I've been cutting for 4 weeks now and still have 6 weeks left. I've had just 1 cheat meal since I started but I've been noticing alot of fitness people on youtube/instagram who are opting for cheat days instead of cheat meals. They allow themselves one entire day with no calorie or macro restrictions. Some do this once a week, others once a month, and some stay away from cheat days because they say it can completely offset your nutrition balance/program and is just not healthy.
    I've only ever done cheat meals (usually 1 per 10-20 days) but I'm contemplating trying a cheat day.
    Is it worth doing an entire cheat day or is it better to stick with just 1 meal at a time?

    Replace "cheat" with "refeed". It serves a purpose; to trick your body into thinking calories are readily available. I think it depends on how big a deficit you're in. The worry is your total deficit for 6 days could be wiped out if your refeed surplus is greater.

    Unless you're smart about it and calculate your refeed day in to your calories for the week. I have a "high" day with more carbs/cals that gives me the opportunity to enjoy a whole lot of "fun" food, give me a refeed, but still eat to suit my goals. I have "low" days during the week to compensate.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
    edited May 2017
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    I just do planned over calories. I decide I'm going over X cals and it doesn't matter what you call it. It's a caloric surplus for THAT DAY. Whether you eat over all day or in one meal makes no difference but I highly suggest knowing and tracking your overage so your data is sound.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    joemac1988 wrote: »
    Ataliaron wrote: »
    I've been cutting for 4 weeks now and still have 6 weeks left. I've had just 1 cheat meal since I started but I've been noticing alot of fitness people on youtube/instagram who are opting for cheat days instead of cheat meals. They allow themselves one entire day with no calorie or macro restrictions. Some do this once a week, others once a month, and some stay away from cheat days because they say it can completely offset your nutrition balance/program and is just not healthy.
    I've only ever done cheat meals (usually 1 per 10-20 days) but I'm contemplating trying a cheat day.
    Is it worth doing an entire cheat day or is it better to stick with just 1 meal at a time?

    Replace "cheat" with "refeed". It serves a purpose; to trick your body into thinking calories are readily available. I think it depends on how big a deficit you're in. The worry is your total deficit for 6 days could be wiped out if your refeed surplus is greater.

    Also refeeds should be high in carbs but lower in fat, no regard for macros isn't exactly the same thing but I agree, would still serve a purpose haha
  • TheCupcakeCounter
    TheCupcakeCounter Posts: 606 Member
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    I will do a cheat meal and it is usually dinner. What I try to do is plan those around days I know I can get a lot of exercise in (usually a Saturday or Sunday).
  • EricExtreme
    EricExtreme Posts: 95 Member
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    I don't cheat. I have a manogomous relationship with my nutritional plan. I am in it for the long haul. I vowed to not cheat on her and I have and will keep my word. I couldn't tell you when the last time was that I had any type of junk food, went over on calories, or had any carb that wasn't a complex carb. 100% adherence to my nutritional plan has allowed me amazing results. That alone is more motivation and happiness that I ever got by having junk food. I weigh my long term goals and motivation vs the 5 minutes of cheap happiness that comes from junk food or a meal that doesn't match my goals... there isn't a comparison for me so I neither want nor feel any need to go off of my nutritional plan. I have dropped 30lbs in two months and am packing on muscle at the same time. IMHO going off plan just isn't worth the short burst of endorphins from doing so... but that's just me :)
  • dre_710
    dre_710 Posts: 20 Member
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    I would just pick a cheat meal if anything. I'll eat as usual until dinner time, then maybe I'll have a beer and a slice of pizza. However, I do workout the next morning a little longer to make up for the cheating. :D
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
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    I am not a fan of "cheat" anything. Although I have used them in the past, it seems that it's not a good way to view eating and dieting. I prefer to just eat, stick to what you need to be doing and if you set yourself up for a long term sustainable way of eating you can indulge guilt free on occasion. To me it's a much healthier mindset than obsessing with cheat meals/days.
  • tmpecus78
    tmpecus78 Posts: 1,206 Member
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    A so called "cheat day" is pure stupidity. You're bound to consume anything and everything you see on that day. I see people eating themselves sick. Not wise nor a healthy mentality. Why not be a little more lack day to day (IIFYM) and then do a so called "cheat meal" on a friday or saturday night? This is the time you're most likely in a social setting with family and friends and you can enjoy yourself. But gorging on massive amounts of foods for an entire day is not wise and can often lead so some serious binging in your future.
  • tmpecus78
    tmpecus78 Posts: 1,206 Member
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    For example, tomorrow is my higher cal/carb day because it is leg day. So I know I'm going to be burning a lot more cals then on a typical day, so I plan to have a lot more calories and carbs. This allows me to eat a lot of carbs (so called "treats") that I normally don't eat during the week and also give me flexibility for eating out for dinner etc. My macros weekday macros are: 200p | 120f | 50c while my Saturday macros are: 170p | 50f | 400c.
  • Hypsibius
    Hypsibius Posts: 207 Member
    edited May 2017
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    I guess it depends on what a "Cheat Day" looks like?

    If it's a wild, unhealthy binge for the sake of eating all the sweets and fast foods you've missed -- that sounds like a bad path to be on and it could punish your body and make you sick (it would me. My digestive system would be a mess).

    For me, after a strong week of eating on my usual Whole30-adapted diet, I'll allow a nice dinner out and eat things I wouldn't normally eat during the week.

    For instance, last weekend for dinner I had 2 strong IPAs and a full rack of ribs w/ cheddar potatoes & an ice cream dessert. It was glorious -- it was definitely a reward, because I don't let myself eat like that on the regular. I recognized it was easily a 2,000+ calorie meal, and it didn't throw me off track in the slightest. Next morning, I had a healthy breakfast and got back on program.
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    I think the definition of "cheat" depends really- does it refer to the nutrition/macros of the food, or those on restrictive diets (Whole30, etc), or going over allotted calories (CICO peeps)? And if you are going over calories, how much is okay? 500? 1000?

    Every so often I have days I eat at maintenance (+500 from my MFP calories) when I am sick or its a special occasion or something. But this isn't a regular thing.

    Every week or so I get Taco Bell for dinner and binge-watch TV after work, but I account for it in my calories. Some may consider fast food "cheating" but for others (like me), that is just part of CICO management.

    I know Dwayne Johnson loves to IG about his cheat days- those look insane to me as a regular old person (also the amount he has to consume on a regular day seems crazy to me but he IS the Rock).

    If you find something that works for you and you are happy with your progress and results, keep doing it. It won't be the same for everyone.
  • tmpecus78
    tmpecus78 Posts: 1,206 Member
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    Penthesilea514 wrote: »
    Every week or so I get Taco Bell for dinner and binge-watch TV after work, but I account for it in my calories. Some may consider fast food "cheating" but for others (like me), that is just part of CICO management.

    Personally I hate when people refer or call certain foods as a "cheat". It puts a negative connotation towards certain foods/food groups. often making people feel guilt when they consume them. This is how eating disorders develop.

    At the end of the day food is food. It's a means of an energy source and some just provides our bodies with more or less energy and you will def feel the difference. For example: If you fill up a porsche with low grade unleaded fuel it won't run as efficiently as it would compared to using premium fuel like it was engineered to run. Same happens with our bodies.

  • Mycophilia
    Mycophilia Posts: 1,225 Member
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    I can scarf down my maintenance calories in a single meal without breaking a sweat. A whole cheat day would set me back months lol.
  • Penthesilea514
    Penthesilea514 Posts: 1,189 Member
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    tmpecus78 wrote: »
    Penthesilea514 wrote: »
    Every week or so I get Taco Bell for dinner and binge-watch TV after work, but I account for it in my calories. Some may consider fast food "cheating" but for others (like me), that is just part of CICO management.

    Personally I hate when people refer or call certain foods as a "cheat". It puts a negative connotation towards certain foods/food groups. often making people feel guilt when they consume them.

    I agree and that's why I like CICO and it fits my lifestyle well. I don't have anything that is off limits- that is not a healthy or sustainable frame of mind for me to adapt into my lifestyle. Rather, over time, I have found I like a lot more new foods I never tried before and I am learning how certain foods make me feel better or worse- like your fuel/car analogy.

    I don't consider myself as cheating for going over calories or eating fast food- those are just days that are going to happen throughout my life and I need to learn how to respond/deal with them, not beat myself up for it.
  • yskaldir
    yskaldir Posts: 202 Member
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    Cheat days tend to turn into cheat week(s), it's much better to have one high calorie meal then eat "clean" the rest of the day.

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