Cheat Day

makenawebber
makenawebber Posts: 4 Member
in Motivation and Support
So is it okay to eat bad once a week after doing decent during the week?

Replies

  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    What do you mean by "bad"?
  • makenawebber
    makenawebber Posts: 4 Member
    Like a bad meal. Pizza and all of that.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    Go for it. I had pizza last night, within my calories. It isn't "good" or "bad". It's food. It may be less nutritious than other items, but I made sure to get the things I was missing out on in my breakfast/lunch.
  • DebLaBounty
    DebLaBounty Posts: 1,169 Member
    Pizza: it's what's for dinner.

    Just log the calories as best you can. If you find that you are consistently not losing weight, then you'll know why! Be aware, and don't panic, when you see the scale numbers the next day. Pizza has a lot of sodium and you'll probably retain some water weight, which you'll lose later on in the week. Have fun!
  • chellycakes
    chellycakes Posts: 347 Member
    Make sure you log it! Even if you go over your calories a little Saturday, as long as you have a deficiet the rest of the week you’ll be OK. That is why sometimes I’ll save a couple hundred calories through the week for a special meal or drinks. Drink LOADS of water, too! Don’t be discouraged if you gain a few pounds the next day, (1 lb=3500 Calories) it’s water retention.
  • 88olds
    88olds Posts: 4,532 Member
    No.

    Ok. Kidding, sorta. Maybe drop the cheat mindset. Cheating is for folks who think they are here for a self imposed austerity program.

    Now there are a lot of different people in the world. There’s a fitness model at my gym. She counts every crumb and macros for every crumb. During competitions she measures water intake by the 1/4 cup. But that’s how she has chosen to live. Seems to thrive on it.

    As others have noted, if you plan for pizza and count it, it’s just part of your program. You can plan for and count anything. It’s one of the great things about tracking. Track that pizza and see how it impacts your program. Adjust accordingly. Maybe adding some calories 1 day or 2 days changes nothing. Maybe bank some calories for pizza later in the week. Experiment.

    Live your life.
  • HarveysBud
    HarveysBud Posts: 421 Member
    chellycakes wrote: »
    Make sure you log it! Even if you go over your calories a little Saturday, as long as you have a deficiet the rest of the week you’ll be OK. That is why sometimes I’ll save a couple hundred calories through the week for a special meal or drinks. Drink LOADS of water, too! Don’t be discouraged if you gain a few pounds the next day, (1 lb=3500 Calories) it’s water retention.
    ??
    Is that a thing? Bank a few hundred calories throughout the week and save them for another day???
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
    There is nothing wrong with pizza in itself, however it is typically calorie dense and can possibly wipe out your calorie goal depending on your intake and how much you eat.

    You can eat a bit of pizza that fits into your calorie goal or make your own calorie wise version. That won't set you back (unless it triggers you to overeat other foods as a result).
    You can plan to eat lots of pizza and eat a little less during the week before (calorie bank) so still won't set you back.
    You can not plan to eat lots of pizza, but eat lots of pizza then take some calories away from the following week (sometimes this can backfire as people cut too much then feel deprived and overeat and the cycle starts again).

    What you do depends on you and your goals.
  • gamerbabe14
    gamerbabe14 Posts: 876 Member
    HarveysBud wrote: »
    chellycakes wrote: »
    Make sure you log it! Even if you go over your calories a little Saturday, as long as you have a deficiet the rest of the week you’ll be OK. That is why sometimes I’ll save a couple hundred calories through the week for a special meal or drinks. Drink LOADS of water, too! Don’t be discouraged if you gain a few pounds the next day, (1 lb=3500 Calories) it’s water retention.
    ??
    Is that a thing? Bank a few hundred calories throughout the week and save them for another day???

    Yes, I do this frequently!!
  • gamesandgains
    gamesandgains Posts: 640 Member
    I'm currently on week 13 of my cut. Down about 25 lbs. I started implementing cheat meals on a biweekly basis. Not a cheat day; a cheat meal. It's done wonders for my physically and more importantly, mentally. If you're adhering to your diet plan when you're suppose to and seeing changes, balancing things out with a good meal here and there actually does a lot of good for most when it's properly scheduled/planned. You just have to know what you're doing and be on top of your business.
  • amgreenwell
    amgreenwell Posts: 1,267 Member
    This is why I don't do "cheat meals, days, etc." I eat what I want any time I want as long as it is within my macros and calories. I don't call anything BAD or cheat. I just try to eat nutritious meals...and when I don't I make sure I can fit it in. If not, I work out longer that day.
    If you plan on doing the "cheat" thing just know that this can become a habit of once a week or more, then you might sabotage your own success. Just eat what you want every day, don't deprive yourself of anything then you won't feel the need to "cheat".

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