Planned cheat days
Rashawnab
Posts: 24 Member
Hi guys! When you have a planned cheat day, how many calories over maintenance do you consume? I'm 5 ft 2, 123 lbs and my maintenance is 1720 if anyone asks.
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Replies
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If it's planned and accounted for, it's not a cheat?7
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I don't really plan on going over my calories but if I have a day of 'sod it, I'm eating the damned cake' then I will try to stay within maintenance.2
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If I have a day where I know I'm going to eat higher calories, I cut back on the days around it to balance it out. I usually follow a weekly balance anyway.6
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kommodevaran wrote: »If it's planned and accounted for, it's not a cheat?
When I say planned, I mean every week and a half or two weeks I will plan to eat whatever I've been wanting and craving and go above my tdee and even maintenance. Just curious how much above people are taking it.0 -
I just eat what I want and don't log it. It makes me feel less guilty when I go back to calorie deficit. Mine is at least 25003
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ramshackles wrote: »I just eat what I want and don't log it. It makes me feel less guilty when I go back to calorie deficit. Mine is at least 2500
I need to log it because of weekly totals and weight trends. You can have a cheat day and still be under your weekly goal for weight loss. For example, yesterday I had around 2100 calories and I logged it and found that because I was so good the rest of the days, I will still lose weight this week. Also logging it is important because you can see how much you need to cut back on subsequent days to still lose weight or add exercise. I have to log!6 -
I bank my calories so I can indulge and eat more on weekends and still stay in a deficit for the week. I am not sure how much I go over since I don't track, but I keep things reasonable, so either I eat at maintenance or just over.
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I usually have a more relaxed day every Saturday where I eat out or order in Chinese food with the boyfriend and have dessert. I am maintaining my weight however and usually leave some exercise calories over during the week.1
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You have it right about religiously logging whether to plan to go above calories or below. What's important is your weekly/monthly deficits and if you go on a mindless binge you could easily negate a weeks worth of deficit in one day.
That being said, if your diet is so restrictive you feel the need to binge or eat "unhealthy" foods, perhaps that's not a sustainable formula? What happens when you ultimately stop tracking? Will the cheat days become the norm? I think it's important to try to find something sustainable. I know I'm someone who has gained 50 pounds immediately after losing 30 pounds so I'm sensitive to this.8 -
I have a planned cheat day on Friday, and Friday morning is my weekly weigh in. Cheat day for me is, I don't log. I don't go crazy. I don't have junk food all day. I'm just a bit more lax with food. Right now, I really want that Ben and Jerry's ice cream in the freezer. But I just spoiled myself yesterday with Arby's curly fries. But forcing myself to eat healthy during the week, and holding off my cravings until my cheat day. My cheats have been getting less horrible. I got a medium curly fry at Arby's. But I barely ate half of them, because it was heavier, more filling than I thought. Once I get into the habit of healthier eating, I don't think I'll have cheat days, but I'll be able to decide if the cheat is worth the extra exercise. ALWAYS exercise same or more on cheat days.0
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LoserRivera wrote: »I have a planned cheat day on Friday, and Friday morning is my weekly weigh in. Cheat day for me is, I don't log. I don't go crazy. I don't have junk food all day. I'm just a bit more lax with food. Right now, I really want that Ben and Jerry's ice cream in the freezer. But I just spoiled myself yesterday with Arby's curly fries. But forcing myself to eat healthy during the week, and holding off my cravings until my cheat day. My cheats have been getting less horrible. I got a medium curly fry at Arby's. But I barely ate half of them, because it was heavier, more filling than I thought. Once I get into the habit of healthier eating, I don't think I'll have cheat days, but I'll be able to decide if the cheat is worth the extra exercise. ALWAYS exercise same or more on cheat days.
Lol, half a thing of fries is not a cheat to me. If that's all you're having you're doing way better than me and have way more self control! Kudos!2 -
kommodevaran wrote: »If it's planned and accounted for, it's not a cheat?
When I say planned, I mean every week and a half or two weeks I will plan to eat whatever I've been wanting and craving and go above my tdee and even maintenance. Just curious how much above people are taking it.
I'm still aiming to lose a few more lbs, but I have planned days, eating above my deficit calorie target. As they are planned, I'll save a few calories during the week, as I go by a weekly allowance, rather than a daily target. But I do stay at or close to my maintenance calorie limit, to stay in control. Logging accurately on these days also helps me keep control and not excessively binge.1 -
My goal is generally to hit a deficit five days, maintenance one day, and go over no more than once a week. My TDEE is about 2500 and I try not to go over by more than 1000. I've been managing about a pound a week loss at roughly those numbers.1
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When I was losing weight, I typically ate maintenance at least one day on the weekend, if not two...but I didn't go over maintenance often...usually only when it was an occasion or holiday or something...2
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I had a cheat day yesterday and ate right at maintenance. I rarely go above maintenance just because I'm so used to eating less. But when I do, I just make sure to balance it out over the week. Good on you for letting yourself have a cheat day! Sometimes that's what kept me sane!1
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Thanks for the info, everyone!0
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I don't have a planned cheat day, but sometimes I just fancy a beer or 2 after work so that kinda becomes my cheat day. The only time I plan it is when I know I'm going to a gig/sports match etc and know I will have a beer or 2 and maybe a poor food choice or 2. I just eat/drink until I am full and then stop.0
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