Thoughts on 'cheat days/meals'

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  • Sam29a
    Sam29a Posts: 201 Member
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    I do plan to have them, they keep me going, but they are dangerous for me. Once I have one, I'm usually very tempted to have another and then another. I find the next week or two after a cheat day is the most difficult for me as I'll often feel like another one, especially as I get super hungry after them.

    I am planning on having one after 4 months, no sooner. I think for me it's what works best, too many and it's pointless. I'm losing weight very slowly as it is, one day of excessive eating can ruin 2-3 weeks of work.
  • realmelere
    realmelere Posts: 2 Member
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    I did the Slow Carb Diet for 6 months and it had mandatory cheat days every week. It was great for a while and I was able to maintain my weight loss in that period. Unfortunately it just lead to binge/restrict cycles so I decided to come off of it for my own sanity.

    It did teach me you can often get away with the occasional day of indulgence that, with proper precaution, doesn't have any lasting physical impact. I was seriously having like 4,000-5,000 calories per cheat day but due to thermogenic effect of food and other factors, most of it doesn't go straight to fat. This is demonstrated when one fitness YouTuber had a 10,000 calorie cheat day and should have gained about 2lbs of fat, but only put on .5lbs (she did DEXA scans to prove it). Plus, a sudden spike in food intake can help regulate leptin while losing weight, so it's more helpful in the long run for appetite management.

    However, it can be a really slippery slope having these cheat days and it's so easy to go overboard then find yourself in a nasty cycle of disordered eating. I still plan on having the occasional day of indulgence but nowhere near my previous level or frequency. I think it's much more sustainable to allow a treat here and there if it fits in your daily allowance, as I find I'm much less likely to do so as it doesn't seem worth it to feel hungry later as a result. For some people it works to have a cheat day or meal set up, I find it's easier to sprinkle through the day-to-day. You do you!
  • bojack3
    bojack3 Posts: 1,483 Member
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    I do not believe I labeling anything a cheat meal or day. I believe in the very simple premise, your success is defined on what you regularly do not on what you do on occasion. Stay the course the majority of the time, and if something comes up where a meal is not on your usual agenda but you want it, have it. Don't wait for special days to indulge, do it when it's called for. And then resume what is healthiest for you.
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    I like to look at weekly calories rather than daily. If I don't eat all my calories everyday I have enough for a treat meal on Sunday. I also think having a no logging day now and then is fine. I usually attempt to eat mindfully when I'm not logging rather than make it a cheat or binge day, since that can easily wipe out an entire week of hard work.
  • RamboKitty87
    RamboKitty87 Posts: 272 Member
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    I think cheat meals/day is a good idea I know some are against them but I have my cheat day most Saturdays which my and the partner call Saturday Faturday lol, I picked that day as that's when we do our food shopping so we walk to town, around for a few hours then walk home, I eat things I wouldn't normally eat in the week etc, nothing too bad to wipe out the entire week and I still log as best I can but its the day I don't worry about my macros, calories, exercise etc, I still rarely go over but its a stress free day where I don't have to worry or plan things out if that makes sense, also I do manage to indulge pretty much most days thanks to my exercise bike haha if I fancy something I can't fit into my day I either do an extra 20-30 mins on the bike or I wait till Saturday lol anyway sorry for rambling but cheat meals / day does help to stay on track in my opinion also I find it easier calling it a healthier lifestyle rather than diet as it helps with the mindset of things, Wishing you all the best on your journey x
  • fishiewishes
    fishiewishes Posts: 91 Member
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    for me if a bad day happens, it happens - I try and plan around it so if I know I'll be having a treat later in the day I'll have a lighter meal. The key is moderation, not restriction
  • staticsplit
    staticsplit Posts: 538 Member
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    I don't like thinking in terms of cheating--but sometimes I'll eat at maintenance for awhile, and eat whatever I fancy as long as I don't go too far above what I need to maintain. It gives me a preview of what it's like to eat at maintenance, since usually when I stop logging, I very slowly gain weight (stopped logging in early November until the new year, gained 4 pounds).

    And yeah, sometimes thinking in terms of weekly calories versus daily can be helpful. Find what works for you to stick it out long term :-)
  • jennybearlv
    jennybearlv Posts: 1,519 Member
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    i_squat_for_pizza wrote: »
    Avocado_Angel wrote: »
    Looking @ calories on a weekly rather than daily basis is news to me. Might give that a whirl.

    I wish I didn't see this because now I'll be starving all week just to stuff my face at the end of the week :D:D:D

    Like shave off 50-100 calories a day, don't eat 500 calories for a week and shut down the buffet on Sunday. I guess you could call it IF, but yeah, we need a disclaimer for that idea.
  • crosby17
    crosby17 Posts: 14 Member
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    My cheat day is Sunday.
  • jpudding2017
    jpudding2017 Posts: 3 Member
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    I agree with most comments in here! I don’t want to have a set cheat day because it would make food my reward and I need my mind to brake off that! I have made that mistake to many times and gained my weight back, everytime something stressful or emotional, food became my crutch, my fix everything, my feel good moments! I need to reward myself another way!

    That said, I try to watch everything I eat, log it in is what helped me the most. I try to stay under, without depriving to much of things I love. Reduce the quantity if I eat something I love ( exemple, a tobleron
  • WhereIsPJSoles
    WhereIsPJSoles Posts: 622 Member
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    i_squat_for_pizza wrote: »
    Avocado_Angel wrote: »
    i_squat_for_pizza wrote: »
    Avocado_Angel wrote: »
    Looking @ calories on a weekly rather than daily basis is news to me. Might give that a whirl.

    I wish I didn't see this because now I'll be starving all week just to stuff my face at the end of the week :D:D:D

    There's always a problem isn't there lol

    Yes :D Just think of the posibilities if we bank up 200 calories a day.

    This is what I save my exercise calories for

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