How exactly do cheat days work?
leobrah
Posts: 124 Member
So e.g. if I eat a crapload of junk food on a cheat day do I need to make up for it throughout the rest of the week? If I have a cheat day aren't I going to cancel out like 5-6 days of exercise and dieting just like that? Can somebody explain if there's any benefits apart the morale ones?
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Replies
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unless its a carb re-feed then its generally just for adherence.3
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I think you're asking the right questions. Your overall calorie intake over time determines your weightloss, so how you choose to eat, can only make it easier or harder to stick to an appropriate amount of calories.4
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Calorie counters don't usually need cheat days because we dont deprive ourselves like people who go on a 'diet'. But if you feel you need one then you should just go like 500 cals over your deficit and then get back on track like normal. Dont see it as a day to totally pig out because then you might undo your progress9
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First, I despise the term 'cheat day'. If it's something you've planned into your diet, it's not cheating.
Now, potential benefits:
- It can give you a psychological break, and allow you to eat some foods you're otherwise not because they don't fit your calories.
- Easier if you have a social event
- Eating at maintenance in the form of a structured refeed (quite different to eating a crapload of junk food, but you can potentially fit in some things you wouldn't normally, maybe) for two to three days has some physiological benefit in terms of bringing hormones that get out of whack with prolonged deficit back in line to some extent. There's a whole thread about those and diet breaks here (you only really need to read the first post and watch the video): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks#latest
Potential drawbacks:
- Yes, you can very easily undo an entire week's progress, and then some, especially if you're eating whatever and however much you want over an entire day
- Some people find it hard to go back to their calorie deficit
If you want to have a 'day/meal off' once a week, that's fine, just plan for it. Either save up some calories during the week towards it, eat at maintenance that day and accept a slightly lower weekly weight loss, or a combination of the two if you really want to eat above maintenance. So long as you are at an overall deficit and your weight is trending down, you're good.10 -
Don't know ... I don't do "cheat days" when I'm actively on a mission to lose weight.4
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Nony_Mouse wrote: »First, I despise the term 'cheat day'. If it's something you've planned into your diet, it's not cheating.
Now, potential benefits:
- It can give you a psychological break, and allow you to eat some foods you're otherwise not because they don't fit your calories.
- Easier if you have a social event
- Eating at maintenance in the form of a structured refeed (quite different to eating a crapload of junk food, but you can potentially fit in some things you wouldn't normally, maybe) for two to three days has some physiological benefit in terms of bringing hormones that get out of whack with prolonged deficit back in line to some extent. There's a whole thread about those and diet breaks here (you only really need to read the first post and watch the video): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks#latest
Potential drawbacks:
- Yes, you can very easily undo an entire week's progress, and then some, especially if you're eating whatever and however much you want over an entire day
- Some people find it hard to go back to their calorie deficit
If you want to have a 'day/meal off' once a week, that's fine, just plan for it. Either save up some calories during the week towards it, eat at maintenance that day and accept a slightly lower weekly weight loss, or a combination of the two if you really want to eat above maintenance. So long as you are at an overall deficit and your weight is trending down, you're good.
another con is that people tend to freak out when they weigh themselves after a cheat day... and then start a 'i gained 5lbs after my cheat day, whhhhhhhhhhhhhy' thread.11 -
TavistockToad wrote: »Nony_Mouse wrote: »First, I despise the term 'cheat day'. If it's something you've planned into your diet, it's not cheating.
Now, potential benefits:
- It can give you a psychological break, and allow you to eat some foods you're otherwise not because they don't fit your calories.
- Easier if you have a social event
- Eating at maintenance in the form of a structured refeed (quite different to eating a crapload of junk food, but you can potentially fit in some things you wouldn't normally, maybe) for two to three days has some physiological benefit in terms of bringing hormones that get out of whack with prolonged deficit back in line to some extent. There's a whole thread about those and diet breaks here (you only really need to read the first post and watch the video): https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10604863/of-refeeds-and-diet-breaks#latest
Potential drawbacks:
- Yes, you can very easily undo an entire week's progress, and then some, especially if you're eating whatever and however much you want over an entire day
- Some people find it hard to go back to their calorie deficit
If you want to have a 'day/meal off' once a week, that's fine, just plan for it. Either save up some calories during the week towards it, eat at maintenance that day and accept a slightly lower weekly weight loss, or a combination of the two if you really want to eat above maintenance. So long as you are at an overall deficit and your weight is trending down, you're good.
another con is that people tend to freak out when they weigh themselves after a cheat day... and then start a 'i gained 5lbs after my cheat day, whhhhhhhhhhhhhy' thread.
Oh yes! Meant to include that (it's almost bedtime and I'm sleepy). OP, even just eating at maintenance for a day, particularly if the foods are higher carb and/or higher sodium can cause a significant jump on the scale. It's just water weight and extra food in your system, and will be gone in a few days.4 -
Are you going to track everything you eat on that 'cheat day'? hate that term btw. Many people find that one day of over eating will undo all their weeks calorie deficit.0
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LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Are you going to track everything you eat on that 'cheat day'? hate that term btw. Many people find that one day of over eating will undo all their weeks calorie deficit.
I'm not even planning it yet. Just considering maybe having one sometime over the next month. I've just started dieting and exercising two weeks ago so I am still feeling fine eating the healthy stuff. I don't particularly have bad cravings for pizza or booze.2 -
LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Are you going to track everything you eat on that 'cheat day'? hate that term btw. Many people find that one day of over eating will undo all their weeks calorie deficit.
I'm not even planning it yet. Just considering maybe having one sometime over the next month. I've just started dieting and exercising two weeks ago so I am still feeling fine eating the healthy stuff. I don't particularly have bad cravings for pizza or booze.
just fit pizza or booze in your weekly calories when you fancy it...21 -
If you want to have particular foods, just make it fit into your weekly calorie goal. You'll be healthier in mind if you don't consider certain meals or foods as "cheats".16
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I think it is much easier to look at calories on a weekly rather than daily limit - then you can plan for higher calorie days - ones when you are going out for a special meal or to a party or having a pizza and beer in front of tellie thing - then if you eat, say 100 calories less than your allowance on the other days you have 600 to splurge on things like this.
Still log your foods as usual and dont go over your 'splurge allowance'
So it isnt a crazy go completely overboard thing - but a planned higher thing as part of your overall plan5 -
LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »Are you going to track everything you eat on that 'cheat day'? hate that term btw. Many people find that one day of over eating will undo all their weeks calorie deficit.
I'm not even planning it yet. Just considering maybe having one sometime over the next month. I've just started dieting and exercising two weeks ago so I am still feeling fine eating the healthy stuff. I don't particularly have bad cravings for pizza or booze.
I do my best to stay out in front of my cravings instead of letting them get bad. I am actually kind of sick of pizza because I was eating it on Friday for about 7 weeks straight. I eat all of my normal craving foods in planned situations on a regular basis. I can fit some in a normal day and some I eat for Sunday lunch because I bank calories all week.
There are also some foods I am satisfied with if I just get enough to have the flavor. When I do want something sweet, which is rare, I can be perfectly satisfied eating a bite or two. That might be a hardship for someone who loves sweets and would feel deprived with so little though.
Keeping yourself happy and satisfied is very important if you want a long term sustainable plan. There is no right or wrong way to get there if you can mostly stay within your weekly calories.3 -
You didn't gain excess weight because of only one day of excessive eating. Its the cumulative that counts. If u want to overindulge one day, go ahead. Just get back to tracking the next day. Also a little extra activity won't hurt. This is how I have lost and maintained 50 pounds off.3
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I don't plan a day. more a meal. Because at 1300 calories (which I have since upped as I need to slow down weigh loss) there wasn't much room to "fit in" a fun dinner out. So one day every 6-8 weeks I may eat a few hundred calories over to get a "normal" meal out (as in, not just getting the stinking salad which I hate) OR to fit in a regular size piece of cake at 500 calories. Or two have two fancy drinks. They key was not letting it become ALL of that on the same day and to log as best I can (and as honestly).
Beside that very occasional meal, I fit things in. skip snacks on the weekend to get a beer. Or a slightly bigger dessert. Or have a light lunch and no snacks to have a larger dinner.
Others will "keep" save some calories daily (50-100) for 5-6 days to then have an extra 250-500 calories on the weekeend. But at 1300 calories i couldn't do that without starving.0 -
Cheat days seem to be mainly common among restrictive dieters. People who deprive themselves of certain foods (or food groups) or excessively restrict calories. They have cheat days to keep their sanity during their torturous weight loss journey. And cheat days are often regretted because they're more like a binge than anything else, resulting in stomach pain, bloating and way too many calories.
You'll find that many people around here abide by the idea that no food is off limits. Simply fit it into your calorie goal. Want a slice of cake? Maybe spend a little extra time at the gym to earn the calories or have a smaller lunch or skip breakfast the next day. Plan ahead and make your indulgences fit into your goal.
Personally, I count any day where I eat at or below my TDEE as a success. Maintenance days are fine, if you want to enjoy more calories at a restaurant or for a special occasion.3 -
So e.g. if I eat a crapload of junk food on a cheat day do I need to make up for it throughout the rest of the week? If I have a cheat day aren't I going to cancel out like 5-6 days of exercise and dieting just like that? Can somebody explain if there's any benefits apart the morale ones?
Good job pointing out the pitfalls of cheat days! This is why I don't do them myself.
When I want to eat more, I exercise more.
Some people bank calories for the weekends.2 -
Cheat meal is another option2
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My impression for most folks is that on "cheat days" they eat pizza, have drinks, eat fried food - whatever they have self labeled as "bad". My advice is stop thinking that way.
Have the pizza when you want it - just don't eat the whole thing. Have fried chicken, mashed potatoes and gravy - just not the whole dang chicken.
I've lost 65 pounds so far and I eat what I like - just less of it. Don't demonize a food so that you have to "cheat" to eat it. Just eat what you want and meet your calorie goal.13 -
I'm probably just repeating everyone else here, but I'm of the mind that the best approach is to learn moderation. Losing weight and/or getting healthy does not have to be an all or nothing type thing. You can still eat the things that you love. Everything in moderation. Don't label foods as good or bad. They are all just food, and the combination of those things is what is unhealthy or healthy, not any one particular thing.0
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Who would you be cheating on if not yourself?
If I know in advance that we're going out for dinner or ordering in a pizza, I plan the rest of my day accordingly.
On those occasions where spontaneous life happens, I log it honestly and completely and try to cut back somewhat the next day to at least partially compensate for it. And if that doesn't happen either, no biggie. It's just one day, just one meal.
Tl;dr? This is a marathon and not a sprint. You don't have to go full-tilt all the time in order to cross the finish line first.
I'd rather be in second place and still be smiling.
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They don't work, at least for me. My deficit (1/2 pound per week at this point) is small enough that I can EASILY demolish it with abandon. Some days I eat more than others, but I always log it. Some weeks I have no deficit and don't feel like I really ever went that 'crazy.' Which is exactly why I have to log it all
No point in lying to myself. 3 -
Cheat day for me usually mean I eat a burger and drink a beer...Then its back to normal...Life just isn't worth living without the occasional burger and beer lol3
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Yes, one cheat day can wipe out your weekly deficit. It just depends on how many extra calories you ate that day compared to your weekly deficit. It’s not that hard to eat an extra few thousand calories with a huge breakfast platter, big sandwich & chips for lunch, pizza, beer, and ice cream for dinner, if you’re not closely watching your portions. Easy to wipe out a 1-2 lbs deficit for the week!3
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What you described is more so binging then restricting.....bad mindset to have3
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I don't schedule cheat days, but if I feel like I need it (hunger level, energy level) I eat either maintenance or smaller deficit for a day. It doesn't ruin previous days, and I don't make up for it. I just consider it a break.1
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To me a cheat day implies that you are not logging or concerning yourself with your calorie intake. Your eating and drinking is not planned. It is food or drink you avoid or severely restrict otherwise usually. It would be possible to eat or drink enough calories in such a day to wipe out your calorie deficit for the week. It is possible to overdo things because you restrict so much the rest of the week. I don't view this as a healthy way to approach weight los personally.
You could have a maintenance calorie day where you eat or drink up to your current maintenance level. This involves some tracking/planning. It is an extra 250-1,000 calories to work with depending on what rate of loss you chose. If you have too many maintence days a week then your rate of loss can slow or stop obviously.
You could plan to have a higher calorie day and reduce your calories through the rest of the week to accomadate that. Look at your weekly calorie intake. If you are not dipping below 1,200 calories most days of the week just so you can use the calories on alcohol on the weekend it probably is fine. If your calorie goal is already the minimum recommended you might not want to do this kind of thing.1 -
cheat days are so your metabolism doesn't adjust to eating lower calories stalling weight loss. i make sure to have regular cheat days weekly. (weekends are basically a free for all within reason of course) and it seems to be working for me.11
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alicebhsia1 wrote: »cheat days are so your metabolism doesn't adjust to eating lower calories stalling weight loss. i make sure to have regular cheat days weekly. (weekends are basically a free for all within reason of course) and it seems to be working for me.
ya......dont listen to this at all LOL2 -
If you look at this "dieting" as a lifestyle change and not a sentence (with an end date) then it is easier to look at your eating habits in the long term, big picture, and not in the short term ("Oh my God I am going to gain it all back!) Relax!
It's all about the calories. Burn more, eat more to maintain your weight. Burn less, eat less to lose weight.
To gain a pound you have to eat 3,500 extra calories over what you burn per day.
To lose a pound you have to eat 3,500 less calories less than you burn a day.
To get an idea about what I am talking about, you have to know your your resting metabolic rate (or RMR), (the amount of calories that your body burns while you are at complete rest (i.e. reclining with muscles relaxed) to keep itself alive and digest food, but nothing else. More specifically, resting metabolic rate calories are burned to digest, absorb, and store the nutrients in the food you've eaten.
To raise that RMR (burn more calories) you have to exercise!
Calculator Formulas
Male (metric): RMR = [(13.75 x WKG) + (5 x HC) - (6.76 x age) + 66] x 1.1
Male (imperial): RMR = [(6.25 x WP) + (12.7 x HI) - (6.76 x age) + 66] x 1.1
Female (metric): RMR = [(9.56 x WKG) + (1.85 x HC) - 4.68 x age) + 655] x 1.1
Female (imperial): RMR = [(4.35 x WP) + (4.7 x HI) - 4.68 x age) + 655] x 1.1
where
HC = Height in Centimetres
HI = Height in Inches
WKG = Weight in Kilograms
WP = Weight in Pounds
If you suck at math, see this link:
http://www.shapesense.com/fitness-exercise/calculators/resting-metabolic-rate-rmr-calculator.shtml
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All that said, are you eating a calorie deficit / exercising just to lose weight (and are craving a cheat day)?
If that is the case, what would your maintenance calories be for your ideal weight? Would they be higher? If they are way higher (like more than 350 calories, then you are not eating enough for the exercising you are doing).
My experience has been that when I am vigorously exercising that there is a difference between anaerobic and aerobic exercise and they each do different things.
When we exercise aerobically our bodies use glycogen and fat as fuel. (I feel less hungry because my body is using stored fat as fuel).
When we exercise anaerobically glycogen is used as fuel. (I crave carbs because once all the glycogen has been depleted I hit a wall).
You may want to think about your macros also, depending on the type of exercising you are doing.
I tend to do better on less sugar and carbs, but that's me.
A book that I really like is by Covert Bailey, Fit or Fat, which is based on the exercise formula of Frequency, Intensity and Time - it's super cheap used and it goes over a lot of this stuff in very easy to understand language.
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