Cheat days

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Are cheat days worth it? How often?

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  • MichelleSilverleaf
    MichelleSilverleaf Posts: 2,028 Member
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    I don't find cheat days worth it, it's the wrong mindset. There are ways to fit in calorie-heavy meals and treats on occasions, you can eat at maintenance if that helps or just go for it realizing that one day doesn't ruin the whole effort and that it's equally important not to let it get out of control.
  • jillianlcurtiss
    jillianlcurtiss Posts: 21 Member
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    No! I don't like cheat days because I usually find after a cheat day (which in the past has been my weigh in day) I'm up a pound or two and then I'm annoyed. I'm annoyed with myself that my hard work fell by the wayside and now I've got to work extra hard to get back to where I was before the cheat day.

    I never deny myself something. That will lead to a binge. I got whatever it is into my calories and adjust my day from there. So tomorrow is my weigh in day and I'm having pizza with my family. I will still get all my water in, I will probably go for a walk and I will be happy eating my pizza.
  • lorrpb
    lorrpb Posts: 11,464 Member
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    Please define what "you" mean by a cheat day.
  • Elijah8468
    Elijah8468 Posts: 37 Member
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    I wouldn't say cheat day but maybe cheat meal. Usually have it on your hardest workout day and try to keep it in your calorie count (key word being try) .
  • Resistive
    Resistive Posts: 212 Member
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    I love my cheat days. I work and burn hard in the week and nice to splurge on one treat meal and still continue to lose weight!

    Love it!
  • pushingoars
    pushingoars Posts: 12 Member
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    Cheat days for me have always been a slippery slope into cheat weekend, cheat week, and then I quit my diet altogether. I am definitely not doing cheat days this time and instead I am managing on fitting high calorie meals and items into my meal plans while staying within my calorie limit.
  • nkemerick12
    nkemerick12 Posts: 8 Member
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    lorrpb wrote: »
    Please define what "you" mean by a cheat day.

    I guess we would all have a differing opinion. I think of a cheat day as a day I can eat whatever I want and not count and not worry about the calories or fat or nutritional value.
  • 911Doughboy
    911Doughboy Posts: 80 Member
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    Im a fan of cheat meals, and not days. And its always better to make time to workout on that day. I noticed if its a cheat meal vs cheat day, your less likely to fall off the wagon
  • SteamPug
    SteamPug Posts: 262 Member
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    I’ll allow myself higher calorie days, but I won’t go over maintenance else I’m just actively erasing previously created deficits and undoing my hard work. I can’t get out of the mindset that if I’m okay undoing the deficit created the day before then why even bother creating it in the first place?
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,467 Member
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    I don’t like the cheat mindset. Who or what are you cheating? If you plan to do it, how is it cheating? It’s just a plan to eat more at some point.

  • Ekoth1017
    Ekoth1017 Posts: 100 Member
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    Cheat days for me have always been a slippery slope into cheat weekend, cheat week, and then I quit my diet altogether. I am definitely not doing cheat days this time and instead I am managing on fitting high calorie meals and items into my meal plans while staying within my calorie limit.

    Yep, this was me. Oh I'd be ok if I ate this today, and then the next day I'd be like well if I could do it yesterday today won't matter and so on.