Cheat days?
brittlb07
Posts: 313 Member
I am on a 1,200 calorie diet. I am current 143 and want to get to 120. How often do you have a cheat day? And is it basically a day without counting calories at all? Or just a bit over your calorie goals? I would hate to ruin all the work I’ve done in one day! I’m on day six day of 1,200 calories. Down 2.5 pounds.
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Replies
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Never. Because a cheat day inevitably turns into a cheat week and then, lo and behold, it’s a month later and I’ve gained 5 pounds. 😂
If I bite it, I write it: the good, the bad, and the ugly.
There are some days when I don’t eat all of my exercise calories, and then I’ll have a higher calorie day later in the week. I monitor my average calories per day over the course of the week and make sure they roughly net out to my goals.4 -
never cuz i could easily blow my entire week’s deficit that way.
i have a cheat MEAL once every 2-3mts. where i go over cals.
mostly i work in fancy stuff by saving cals over the week and not snacking the day of. get an extra workout in.
it is very possible 1200 calories is too low a goal for you. did mfp recommend that? how tall? what rate of loss did you pick? it is the min a female should eat to get all their nutrients. and for very shory verrry sedentary women. and don’t forget to eat back your exercise calories.4 -
I wouldn't consider what I do a cheat, but I eat lighter during the week and bank calories to indulge more on the weekends. Sometimes it is foods I don't have during the week, sometimes it's just larger portions. But it's still very controlled and in the end I remain in a deficit over the week. I also have a lot of calories to play with.
In your case though since you are already at 1200 cals you really can't bank as much. What are your stats, how much did you set MFP to lose per week? If you chose a more aggressive goal then you might not have room for much, some people find that can lead to a binge so just be mindful of that.4 -
never cuz i could easily blow my entire week’s deficit that way.
i have a cheat MEAL once every 2-3mts. where i go over cals.
mostly i work in fancy stuff by saving cals over the week and not snacking the day of. get an extra workout in.
it is very possible 1200 calories is too low a goal for you. did mfp recommend that? how tall? what rate of loss did you pick? it is the min a female should eat to get all their nutrients. and for very shory verrry sedentary women. and don’t forget to eat back your exercise calories.
I am only 5’4 so 1200 is acceptable. I only do like exercise such as yoga or maybe a 10 minute cardio video at max.
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never cuz i could easily blow my entire week’s deficit that way.
i have a cheat MEAL once every 2-3mts. where i go over cals.
mostly i work in fancy stuff by saving cals over the week and not snacking the day of. get an extra workout in.
it is very possible 1200 calories is too low a goal for you. did mfp recommend that? how tall? what rate of loss did you pick? it is the min a female should eat to get all their nutrients. and for very shory verrry sedentary women. and don’t forget to eat back your exercise calories.
I am only 5’4 so 1200 is acceptable. I only do like exercise such as yoga or maybe a 10 minute cardio video at max.
“Acceptable,” sure, but is it sustainable? How much did you tell the app you want to lose per week? If you’ve only been at it a few days and are already wondering about cheat days, maybe a smaller deficit would be more appropriate/manageable for you.10 -
Yeah I think you need to reevaluate your calorie intake. Like the person above stated, if your settings are very aggressive and you are finding it hard to stay within your 1200 cals even though you are eating healthy, you might need to increase your cals to a more manageable number. Better to be happy and stay in the long marathon of changing your diet then to be in a fast sprint to lose weight and be miserable starving yourself. Being miserable will be inevitable to causing you to want to have cheat days.8
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Girl I used to ask the same questions as u hoping for a cheat day. I am 228 right now since last week and on day 6 of my 2000 cal a day journey. I feel lighter already.
I would just forget about cheat days and fit the junk food u want into your daily calorie goal. Otherwise your efforts will fail. Good luck, I’m sure you will be able to reach your goal4 -
Before I started using myfitnesspal to log food and lose weight, I had maintained in the range of 270 lb-280 lb by eating at a calorie deficit Monday through Friday, at maintenance on Saturday, and in surplus on Sunday. I wasn't even aware of that until I logged my normal week for the first week. By having a weekly cheat day, I was not losing weight at all and was maintaining OBESE II. I don't even like to call them cheat days because the only person being cheated is yourself. You're supposed to treat yourself with love and respect.4
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How often do I have cheat days? Almost daily. My diet is mostly junk food lol.3
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I am on a 1,200 calorie diet. I am current 143 and want to get to 120. How often do you have a cheat day? And is it basically a day without counting calories at all? Or just a bit over your calorie goals? I would hate to ruin all the work I’ve done in one day! I’m on day six day of 1,200 calories. Down 2.5 pounds.
I don't believe in cheat days, in pretty much the same sense I don't believe in Santa Claus as an adult: It's a happy myth. Your body records everything, whether you log it or not.
Personally, while losing, I ate at goal most of the time, a little over sometimes, and a lot over on the rare special occasion (my birthday, major holidays), and logged it all as accurately as practical, even if I had to estimate . . . just as I expected to do to maintain in the long run. By logging it, you have the data to know why you're losing (or not) at the rate you're losing, and make informed choices about the impact of going over goal (because you'll know your actual weight loss rate at that accurately-as-possible-estimated calorie intake).
Now, in year 3 of maintenance, I set my daily goal a little under my maintenance calories (as calculated based on that nice, meticulously-logged weight loss history
), eat to that goal most days, and bank the extra calories for an indulgent meal once a week or so.
If you log what you eat, whether over/under/spot-on goal, you'll know (after you've collected a few weeks of data) whether you're "ruining all the work you've done" by eating over goal, or how long you're delaying reaching goal weight by choosing to eat a bit extra. Knowledge is power.
Just as an aside: I ate 1200 net (eating back all exercise) when I first started here, at 5'5", weight in mid-150s, age 59, because MFP thought that was what I needed to do to lose at a sensible rate for a shorter/old woman. For me, it was way too little. I felt great . . . until I didn't. I got weak and fatigued, I corrected as soon as I realized there was a problem, but it still took weeks to regain normal strength/energy. Be careful. I'd suggest trying not to lose more than 1% of your body weight weekly, on average. Right now, much of that 2.5 pounds in a week is likely reduced water weight and lower average digestive system contents. It will probably slow down. But it really, really should slow down: Undereating is a health risk. Please stay strong and healthy!
Best wishes!5 -
At 5’4” and 143lbs you are already at a normal, healthy weight. Any weight loss you seek ought to be achieved slowly and very carefully. You may also find that you get more of the effect you are seeking (energy level, how clothing fits, tone, etc) through increased strength training rather than weight loss.4
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ChrysalisCove wrote: »At 5’4” and 143lbs you are already at a normal, healthy weight. Any weight loss you seek ought to be achieved slowly and very carefully. You may also find that you get more of the effect you are seeking (energy level, how clothing fits, tone, etc) through increased strength training rather than weight loss.
This. Since you're already in an optimal BMI range for your height, I would recommend looking into recomp to build muscle and reduce fat, rather than focusing on weight loss.2 -
never cuz i could easily blow my entire week’s deficit that way.
i have a cheat MEAL once every 2-3mts. where i go over cals.
mostly i work in fancy stuff by saving cals over the week and not snacking the day of. get an extra workout in.
it is very possible 1200 calories is too low a goal for you. did mfp recommend that? how tall? what rate of loss did you pick? it is the min a female should eat to get all their nutrients. and for very shory verrry sedentary women. and don’t forget to eat back your exercise calories.
I am only 5’4 so 1200 is acceptable. I only do like exercise such as yoga or maybe a 10 minute cardio video at max.
I am 5'1 and lose over 1pd a week at 1300 and at least .5 at 1400 (roughly). I don't do gym or formal workouts. So I wouldn't actually consider 1200 acceptable unless you are more or less bed ridden. I am on the last 5 vanity pounds now (within my BMI but top range) and loose at 1350-1400 and will be working on slowing that down. I was losing 2/lb a week at 1300.
My full (current) stats: 5'1, middle aged female, 125pds. eating 1350-1400 calories daily and still loosing.0 -
I do it once a week and eat about 3k calories, but that's because i'm in maint. If i was trying to lose more id probably do a cheat meal once a month.0
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You aren't really "cheating" anything - your body tracks calories even if you don't.
As others have said, 1200/day is pretty low. If you want more calories on the weekend or something, you could try watching your weekly intake/deficit instead of daily.2 -
i dont have cheat days.
i make what i want fit.
as long as i am under maintenance, im okay with it.
and if im over, not a big deal.3 -
Many of you are suggesting that the 140's is "normal" for my height of 5'4. I should add that I have a very small frame (size 4 ring finger!). I have been 115-130 my whole adult life and been "normal" at these weights- never skinny. I can assure you that on my body, 140's is NOT right. I would share the pictures but my husband would be embarrassed for me haha. I have LOTS of extra weight hanging over my body in my thighs and midsection. To give perspective, my sister is 110 pounds and of the same height and that is her "normal" weight without working out or worrying about anything. We have a SMALL bone structure. So these extra pounds REALLY show sadly. I stopped nursing for the first time in almost 7 years as I nursed each of my kids until they were over 2 so I was eating like I was still nursing and I think this is what caused the rapid weight gain. I also have a family situation I am dealing with which also lead to the sudden gain as I was eating my emotions. But I am watching what I eat and really trying to make things right! I will consider more than 1,200 calories but this is what MFP recommended to lose 1-2 pounds a week for me and my activity level.3
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Keep in mind that your calorie goal is the amount to lose weight. You can eat up to maintenance sometimes without undoing your hard work, it will just slow your loss down a bit. I would suggest logging those days at least initially so you don't go off track. I personally don't call them cheat days, but I know that I eat out at least one meal and sometimes 2-3 on Fridays, so I just try to stay within maintenance and drink lots of water that day and the next to deal with the water retention from the extra sodium.2
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Keep in mind that your calorie goal is the amount to lose weight. You can eat up to maintenance sometimes without undoing your hard work, it will just slow your loss down a bit. I would suggest logging those days at least initially so you don't go off track. I personally don't call them cheat days, but I know that I eat out at least one meal and sometimes 2-3 on Fridays, so I just try to stay within maintenance and drink lots of water that day and the next to deal with the water retention from the extra sodium.
Thank you for explaining. I guess this is what I mean. We have been eating in and healthy every meal the last seven days. I was hoping for a cheese quesadillas from our local Chipotle-like Latin restaurant. This is not something I'd usually eat when eating healthy. But if the equation really does just comes down to calories, I think I hear everyone saying it is okay to eat if within my calories without calling a "cheat."5 -
Thank you for explaining. I guess this is what I mean. We have been eating in and healthy every meal the last seven days. I was hoping for a cheese quesadillas from our local Chipotle-like Latin restaurant. This is not something I'd usually eat when eating healthy. But if the equation really does just comes down to calories, I think I hear everyone saying it is okay to eat if within my calories without calling a "cheat."
Yep! Before I joined mfp, I thought I had to eat “healthy” all the time to lose weight, but it truly comes down to eating fewer calories than you burn. It’s a good idea for overall health to try to eat as healthy as you can, but treats are definitely not off-limits. It’s a lifestyle, not a crash diet.
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Keep in mind that your calorie goal is the amount to lose weight. You can eat up to maintenance sometimes without undoing your hard work, it will just slow your loss down a bit. I would suggest logging those days at least initially so you don't go off track. I personally don't call them cheat days, but I know that I eat out at least one meal and sometimes 2-3 on Fridays, so I just try to stay within maintenance and drink lots of water that day and the next to deal with the water retention from the extra sodium.
Thank you for explaining. I guess this is what I mean. We have been eating in and healthy every meal the last seven days. I was hoping for a cheese quesadillas from our local Chipotle-like Latin restaurant. This is not something I'd usually eat when eating healthy. But if the equation really does just comes down to calories, I think I hear everyone saying it is okay to eat if within my calories without calling a "cheat."
Enjoying the foods you like as part of your regular diet is the best way to adhere to your plan. It's also the best way to help ensure you maintain once you get to your goal. Often people change the way they eat as long as they're "dieting" and then go back to their old foods at goal causing them to gain the weight back. Eat the way you plan to eat for the rest of your life and it'll be a lot easier on you. Healthy is good in terms of overall diet but doesn't mean that much when you look at foods in isolation.
As long as you're eating under maintenance, you'll lose, regardless of what you're eating.4 -
One day eating a bit over isn’t going to make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things; MFP allows you to view your average weekly calorie goal which I find very helpful 😊2
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One day eating a bit over isn’t going to make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things; MFP allows you to view your average weekly calorie goal which I find very helpful 😊
^this is one of the most helpful things I did; start looking at my weekly calories. I don't like to eat the same amount daily as I'm usually super hungry on lifting days. I eat my cardio calories on lifting days and let it balance out over the week.1 -
Many of you are suggesting that the 140's is "normal" for my height of 5'4. I should add that I have a very small frame (size 4 ring finger!). I have been 115-130 my whole adult life and been "normal" at these weights- never skinny. I can assure you that on my body, 140's is NOT right. I would share the pictures but my husband would be embarrassed for me haha. I have LOTS of extra weight hanging over my body in my thighs and midsection. To give perspective, my sister is 110 pounds and of the same height and that is her "normal" weight without working out or worrying about anything. We have a SMALL bone structure. So these extra pounds REALLY show sadly. I stopped nursing for the first time in almost 7 years as I nursed each of my kids until they were over 2 so I was eating like I was still nursing and I think this is what caused the rapid weight gain. I also have a family situation I am dealing with which also lead to the sudden gain as I was eating my emotions. But I am watching what I eat and really trying to make things right! I will consider more than 1,200 calories but this is what MFP recommended to lose 1-2 pounds a week for me and my activity level.
You can be at a healthy weight for your height and still have some weight to lose (some people do look better at the lower end of their range). I don't think anyone is saying you shouldn't lose any; just that there are other options such as eating at maintenance and doing resistance training to lose some fat and build some muscle. It improves your overall body composition. Just a suggestion for now or once you've lost a few.
I do think it's a good idea to consider bumping your calories up a bit. I am 5'3" and started at 145 and 1200 was not at all sustainable. I manually bumped it up to 1350 and made sure to eat my exercise calories and it made a world of difference in adherence, mood, and progression in my lifting.1 -
Keep in mind that your calorie goal is the amount to lose weight. You can eat up to maintenance sometimes without undoing your hard work, it will just slow your loss down a bit. I would suggest logging those days at least initially so you don't go off track. I personally don't call them cheat days, but I know that I eat out at least one meal and sometimes 2-3 on Fridays, so I just try to stay within maintenance and drink lots of water that day and the next to deal with the water retention from the extra sodium.
Thank you for explaining. I guess this is what I mean. We have been eating in and healthy every meal the last seven days. I was hoping for a cheese quesadillas from our local Chipotle-like Latin restaurant. This is not something I'd usually eat when eating healthy. But if the equation really does just comes down to calories, I think I hear everyone saying it is okay to eat if within my calories without calling a "cheat."
for weight loss, a calorie is a calorie. doesn't matter how "healthy" it is. so not a cheat 1 -
Many of you are suggesting that the 140's is "normal" for my height of 5'4. I should add that I have a very small frame (size 4 ring finger!). I have been 115-130 my whole adult life and been "normal" at these weights- never skinny. I can assure you that on my body, 140's is NOT right. I would share the pictures but my husband would be embarrassed for me haha. I have LOTS of extra weight hanging over my body in my thighs and midsection. To give perspective, my sister is 110 pounds and of the same height and that is her "normal" weight without working out or worrying about anything. We have a SMALL bone structure. So these extra pounds REALLY show sadly. I stopped nursing for the first time in almost 7 years as I nursed each of my kids until they were over 2 so I was eating like I was still nursing and I think this is what caused the rapid weight gain. I also have a family situation I am dealing with which also lead to the sudden gain as I was eating my emotions. But I am watching what I eat and really trying to make things right! I will consider more than 1,200 calories but this is what MFP recommended to lose 1-2 pounds a week for me and my activity level.
I don't think your goal is unrealistic, I'm 5ft, 6in and working on some weight creep to get me back down to a maintenance range of 127lbs-130lbs. That's where I feel and look the best (to me). Already being at a normal BMI range though, I'm aiming for .5lb a week loss instead of a pound a week. Since you don't have a lot to lose and are already at a normal BMI, I'd suggest aiming for .5lb-1lb loss each week instead of 1-2lbs a week.
As for your original question-when I'm actively focused on losing weight I do not have cheat meals/days. Instead I incorporate a serving every day of a 'treat' food (right now I'm on a Wheat Thins kick for some reason lol), and work it into my calorie allotment.
eta: reading your follow-up comment, it's perfectly fine to incorporate a higher calorie meal once in a while-just account for the calories when you're planning your day (and if you go over a bit it's not a big deal-it would be a maintenance day then). When I hear the word 'cheat day' I think of someone who's going totally crazy and not tracking/being mindful of food choices. Definitely not what you're doing
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One cheat meal a week. Nothing crazy just whatever I’ve been craving for the week.0
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You should not call them cheat days because you are not on a "diet". You may have days when you CHOOSE to eat a little more depending on life's circumstances. Because the CHOICE to do so id yours alone, YOU are still in CONTROL. Log it and enjoy.1
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I've been here on MFP since 2012. I've read the message boards a lot and I've noticed that veterans here consistently agree that 1200 is pretty much too low for any human. Even though MFP suggests it, it is just a calculator in the end. The best way to find out your intake is to consult a doctor or nutritionist. There are lots of articles online that talk about how 1200 is the minimum to stay healthy...to get your nutrition in on a daily basis. So by doing 1200, your just sitting on the healthy-unhealthy line. I don't think its safe to do that. And I've done it! Like I said, I've been here since 2012, and I haven't successfully maintained. And last year I figured out why. Everyone here was right! It is because I wasn't doing a sustainable diet . I ate a ton of protein to fill me up at 1200/day and I was still hungry a lot, not sustainable at all. I looked forward to my cheat days, which you are already asking about. If you have a higher daily goal, you don't have to worry about cheat days! Like everyone has said, you can add that food you want in. Or maintain at least.
I'm now doing 1600 a day like my doctor recommends. Sure the weight is coming off slower, but I'm able to stick to this longer than I ever have before. Plus, you can always exercise to give you a higher deficit that you want.3
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