is this logical? cheat day

Trex5009
Trex5009 Posts: 171 Member
edited November 2024 in Food and Nutrition
My estimated Calories to maintain my weight are 2000 calories. That’s 12,000 Kcals a week. (Let’s say 6 days a week) (keep reading)

My daily average intake is 1450 to lose weight. (What I’ve been doing for a month). That’s 8700 Kcals per weeks.

Count what I burn from cardio five days a week that’s total of 7200 weekly intake. Huge deficit. Now say I indulge in a cheat day with an intake of 3000 calories on that day.

That’s still a total of 10200 calories a week hence under my maintenance calories thus still putting me at a deficit.

Is this accurate? Should I be okay doing this? My question is Can I have that cheat day of 3000 calories and still be able to SLOWLY lose weight?

Replies

  • serindipte
    serindipte Posts: 1,557 Member
    I use my weekly average, not daily. As long a your in a deficit fit the week, you're good to go.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,321 Member
    I wouldn't label it a cheat day - but yes, you can have 6 lower calorie days and one relatively high calorie day and you will progress fine as long as weekly calories are within your limit
  • Trex5009
    Trex5009 Posts: 171 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I wouldn't label it a cheat day - but yes, you can have 6 lower calorie days and one relatively high calorie day and you will progress fine as long as weekly calories are within your limit
    serindipte wrote: »
    I use my weekly average, not daily. As long a your in a deficit fit the week, you're good to go.

    Okay cool. Btw I’m no rush to lose weight, I’m just slowly cutting.
    Thank you
  • VUA21
    VUA21 Posts: 2,072 Member
    Your body doesn't magically reset at midnight. Weekly averages are just fine.
  • Trex5009
    Trex5009 Posts: 171 Member
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I wouldn't label it a cheat day - but yes, you can have 6 lower calorie days and one relatively high calorie day and you will progress fine as long as weekly calories are within your limit

    I call it a cheat day because I’ve never consumed that many calories on one day. Plus I’ve been eating healthy foods for so long, and I plan to eat 3000 calories of not so healthy foods, that’s why it feels like a cheat to me
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    If you're logging correctly and your cardio estimate is close, yes, this should work. You can do all sorts of number manipulations with your calories. That's not exactly cheating, that's just shifting your calories around. I do it all the time.

    Some people keep a weekly budget, I go as extreme as keeping a monthly budget with some days way over and others way under, but it all averages to about a 1.2 pounds a week lost which is my goal. Works every month like a charm if you don't count the scale number after higher calorie days (non-fat weight fluctuations).

    You'll do fine.
  • Trex5009
    Trex5009 Posts: 171 Member
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    If you're logging correctly and your cardio estimate is close, yes, this should work. You can do all sorts of number manipulations with your calories. That's not exactly cheating, that's just shifting your calories around. I do it all the time.

    Some people keep a weekly budget, I go as extreme as keeping a monthly budget with some days way over and others way under, but it all averages to about a 1.2 pounds a week lost which is my goal. Works every month like a charm if you don't count the scale number after higher calorie days (non-fat weight fluctuations).

    You'll do fine.

    Great, thank you! Also I do 5 days of weight lifting, so that’s more calories I’m burning that I cannot estimate or record
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 9,321 Member
    Trex5009 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I wouldn't label it a cheat day - but yes, you can have 6 lower calorie days and one relatively high calorie day and you will progress fine as long as weekly calories are within your limit

    I call it a cheat day because I’ve never consumed that many calories on one day. Plus I’ve been eating healthy foods for so long, and I plan to eat 3000 calories of not so healthy foods, that’s why it feels like a cheat to me


    yes that's fine.

    if that terminology works for you, no problems.

    just isnt what i would call it.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    I call it an allowance day because I saved up my spare calories to spend during it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Trex5009 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I wouldn't label it a cheat day - but yes, you can have 6 lower calorie days and one relatively high calorie day and you will progress fine as long as weekly calories are within your limit

    I call it a cheat day because I’ve never consumed that many calories on one day. Plus I’ve been eating healthy foods for so long, and I plan to eat 3000 calories of not so healthy foods, that’s why it feels like a cheat to me

    just don't weigh yourself the next day. :laugh:
  • CarvedTones
    CarvedTones Posts: 2,340 Member
    TavistockToad wrote: »
    Trex5009 wrote: »
    paperpudding wrote: »
    I wouldn't label it a cheat day - but yes, you can have 6 lower calorie days and one relatively high calorie day and you will progress fine as long as weekly calories are within your limit

    I call it a cheat day because I’ve never consumed that many calories on one day. Plus I’ve been eating healthy foods for so long, and I plan to eat 3000 calories of not so healthy foods, that’s why it feels like a cheat to me

    just don't weigh yourself the next day. :laugh:

    If you understand and believe in the process, it is an interesting data point to try to measure your biggest spikes.
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