Cheat days

ECB2011
ECB2011 Posts: 17
edited October 1 in Food and Nutrition
Just curious. I've seen some diets assign cheat days where you are allowed to go crazy.

Do you go crazy, eat anything and everything you want with no limits?

or

Do you set boundaries for yourself? What boundaries might those be?

Edit: I'm asking what YOU do personally. I know what cheat days are or what they should be :)
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Replies

  • portexploit
    portexploit Posts: 378 Member
    My free days where, all out of whatever i wanted as much as I wanted, beer, ice cream, chinese food, etc... Now it's starting to change, it's not a 100% as much as i wanted type of day. Yes it's 100% of "what i want" but it's not in "unlimited amounts"

    I have lost 35lbs in 3 months with a free day, it's good for weight loss to have a free day.
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
    everyone is different. I have deicded that cheat day method simple doesn't work for me. LOL
  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
    the way a cheat day should work if you want to lose weight is that you determine the daily calories you should consume to lose weight. you go under that number for 6 days and use the deficit on the 7th day. sooooo, if your daily number should be 1,300 calories. you eat 1,100 calories 6 days/week and 2,500 calories on the 7th day. another option would be to eat 1,200 calories 6 days/week and 1,900 on the 7th day.

    you don't go crazy and gorge yourself, but you do have a nice "feed" day....all whilst having a nice average caloric deficit for the week.
  • brooke_92606
    brooke_92606 Posts: 54
    Cheat days for me I only allow myself to go like 200 over on my calories.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    I don't "go crazy". i just eat what i want on a free day. usually that means, my same typical breakfast, snack, and lunch, and then some kind of wildcard later in the day, like pizza.
  • pippyrlz23
    pippyrlz23 Posts: 40 Member
    I use a cheat day when I'm not logging my caloric intake but instead just eating. For example this Sunday is my birthday BBQ...it will be my cheat day. I'm not going to gorge myself, but I'm going to have a piece of cake, eat fruit salad and potato salad and have a cheeseburger! I wouldn't "go crazy" as some people say because that's just not healthy.
  • melizerd
    melizerd Posts: 870 Member
    I found that allowing my self "free reign" on one MEAL is better than a whole day. Even when I choose "bad" options now I'm more mindful of portion size and choose healthier options overall because I FEEL better when I eat well, a crap meal makes me feel like crap so it's just not worth it.

    I haven't gone over maintenance calories on any day since I've been here though either. So even a "free meal" I still fit into maintenance calories with working out and the rest of my meals that day.

    Edit: I also realized that I couldn't allow ANY cheating in the first 6-8 weeks because I hadn't formed enough new habits to ensure I'd go back to being good.
  • red01angel
    red01angel Posts: 806 Member
    I usually do cheat meals, rather than cheat days. It's just easier for me to handle mentally.
  • Apryl546
    Apryl546 Posts: 909 Member
    I don't even really do cheat days at all.

    I pretty much have something chocolate 5/7 days a week.
  • ChitownFoodie
    ChitownFoodie Posts: 1,562 Member
    I now give myself a desginated high calorie day, just to throw my body off. I don't eat terribly on that day with processed foods or go on binges, I just eat more calories of healthy things...like fruit! My last 'bad day', i had froyo! LOL!
  • whateverdamnit
    whateverdamnit Posts: 130
    I allow myself cheat days, but only when I'm at my goal weight, so that I can continue to maintain. I don't cheat when I'm trying to lose weight.
  • rwd5046
    rwd5046 Posts: 302
    Just curious. I've seen some diets assign cheat days where you are allowed to go crazy.

    Do you go crazy, eat anything and everything you want with no limits?

    or

    Do you set boundaries for yourself? What boundaries might those be?

    It's not about getting to go crazy without limits but about relaxing and not worrying if you have an extra serving of something. Also, still keep your food diary and even though you might go over your calories you want to still eat with moderation and some control. Resting the mind and spirit from watching everything you eat and drink and relaxing some with giving your focus to say your family or to friends, whatever. you'll find yourself staying within some boundry even though its not the strict calorie count you normally do. Relax and chill......
  • mamamia05
    mamamia05 Posts: 82 Member
    what I recently started is on a particular day a week that I set aside and look forward to, I have the 3 bite rule(yup 3 normal bites of what I'm craving)..sounds super silly but for me it works lol and as it turns out, I end up really not "cheating". .. it seems since loosing weight my cravings have really changed :-)
  • MichelleLydia
    MichelleLydia Posts: 224 Member
    I try to stay with my calories at all times, and when there is a special occassion, I allow myself to eat what I would like, without going overly crazy.
  • CindyWarner
    CindyWarner Posts: 138
    I'm new at this but I'm planning to eat as much to my diet as possible. Now when I'm on vacation, I'm going to eat whatever I want!!!!! I think 15 days a year is not going to make a difference if I stick to the program the other times.
  • Apryl546
    Apryl546 Posts: 909 Member
    I'm new at this but I'm planning to eat as much to my diet as possible. Now when I'm on vacation, I'm going to eat whatever I want!!!!! I think 15 days a year is not going to make a difference if I stick to the program the other times.
    You will learn.. You will learn.
  • IAmTheAwesomest
    IAmTheAwesomest Posts: 61
    my cheat days suck I start off good but then the peanut butter in the cabinet or the ice cream my hubby got from dairy queen starts calling my name and I give up and just eat whatever.
    Also, the first two days of my TOM I say screw it all. lol
    It's better to set a limit, mine (when I actually do it!) 200-500.
  • whateverdamnit
    whateverdamnit Posts: 130
    I'm new at this but I'm planning to eat as much to my diet as possible. Now when I'm on vacation, I'm going to eat whatever I want!!!!! I think 15 days a year is not going to make a difference if I stick to the program the other times.

    hahaha.. trust me.. you will gain weight and you'll regret it!
  • Maxbjd
    Maxbjd Posts: 14
    Let's call them "Treat Days" shall we :)

    I used to do this but have found a better solution for me.

    I now go to Healthydiningfinder.com pick a place eat a good healthy meal and stay within my limits still.

    My B-Day was Wednesday and I went to Red Lobster and chowed down! But stayed under my limit it was a great break from the norm.
  • Fat_2_Fit_Mommy
    Fat_2_Fit_Mommy Posts: 569 Member
    Well on my cheat day I still eat healthy but I will indulge in some thing that I really want so I won't have to crave it. But I will nit go crazy like I used to be. I have learned lastnight about my portions when I went to a chinese restaurant. I ate healthy the whole time I have been there.
  • tauny78
    tauny78 Posts: 180 Member
    If I have a cheat day, it usually turns into more of a cheat meal....where I eat healthy all day but have whatever greasy fatty food I may be craving for dinner. I started doing this once a week, but have gone to only maybe every other week now, as my cravings for those foods have decreased. If I'm craving something and deprive myself for too long, it just gets ugly. So I've learned to eat what I want in moderation, with an occasional over my calorie limit day if I feel I need it. And I've read that changing your calories up from time to time can help with weight loss....it keeps your body guessing and will help keep you from going into starvation mode.
  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
    An alcoholic can't cheat. A X smoker can't cheat. Trust me I know. These foods that make you fat pull you in the with addiction. Granted they are not a physically addicting, but psychologically addicting. That is why 50% of America is Obese and some other reasons.

    To me cheating is reminding you of the way you used to be. Do you want to be the way you used to be.

    Invest wisely into yourr health. It's the most valuable possession you will ever own.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
    An alcoholic can't cheat. A X smoker can't cheat. Trust me I know. These foods that make you fat pull you in the with addiction. Granted they are not a physically addicting, but psychologically addicting. That is why 50% of America is Obese and some other reasons.

    To me cheating is reminding you of the way you used to be. Do you want to be the way you used to be.

    Invest wisely into yourr health. It's the most valuable possession you will ever own.

    I'm an ex-smoker, and on a rare occasion I have a smoke. I don't call it cheating. I call it having a smoke.
    I'm an ex fat guy, and around once a week I have a free day. I don't call it cheating. I call it my free day.
    I'm not an alcoholic so I can't speak to that.

    Maybe there's such thing as Food Addict disease, where one single french fry will spin the person into a month long "feeding bender" and makes the person fat again. I don't know. But for most people, one free day a week isn't going to harm them. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that it may help. Arguing that a free day will reverse one's progress is like arguing that an obese fast-food-guzzling pig who eats clean once a week will suddenly become lean.
  • fudgebudget
    fudgebudget Posts: 198 Member
    Ditto to what some of the other posters have said - I try to limit myself to the occasional cheat meal, about once a week or so, which will usually put me over my calories for the day (though I haven't gone over 2000 calories/day in a really long time).

    However, last weekend I cheated both Friday and Saturday and at my weigh in on Monday I broke my plateau without a workout in the meantime, so I think the occasional calorie boost can be good for the metabolism.
  • doughnutwretch
    doughnutwretch Posts: 498 Member
    I don't agree with the concept of a cheat day, however, I do believe that a cheat meal is in order every now and then. Some people need one at least once a week to stay on track, some people can do once a month, etc. Your body will recover much quicker from one bad meal than it would a whole day.
  • k2quiere
    k2quiere Posts: 4,151 Member
    I'm an ex-smoker, and on a rare occasion I have a smoke. I don't call it cheating. I call it having a smoke.
    I'm an ex fat guy, and around once a week I have a free day. I don't call it cheating. I call it my free day.
    I'm not an alcoholic so I can't speak to that.

    Maybe there's such thing as Food Addict disease, where one single french fry will spin the person into a month long "feeding bender" and makes the person fat again. I don't know. But for most people, one free day a week isn't going to harm them. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that it may help. Arguing that a free day will reverse one's progress is like arguing that an obese fast-food-guzzling pig who eats clean once a week will suddenly become lean.

    What Taso said.

    In my way of thinking, I am not dieting; I am changing my life. Therefore, no day is a cheat day because you can't cheat at life. I try to eat healthy, but if I want something, I will have it. I may have to work my buns off at the gym, but I will have it. I have tried all of the deprivation type diets, and none of them have helped me keep it off, but I feel better now than I ever felt on any of them. I'm getting physically, mentally, and emotionally stronger by changing my relationship with food. I choose; I decide when, where, and how much. If anything, my cheat days are the days I don't go to the gym and then have to think about staying within my calorie limit.
  • _eislek_
    _eislek_ Posts: 198 Member
    I don't do designated cheat days. I try to stay within my calorie goals every day. But today I did go over by about 500. I just feel like I deserve it, I rarely do it, and I really really wanted some naughty food!!
  • adross3
    adross3 Posts: 606 Member
    An alcoholic can't cheat. A X smoker can't cheat. Trust me I know. These foods that make you fat pull you in the with addiction. Granted they are not a physically addicting, but psychologically addicting. That is why 50% of America is Obese and some other reasons.

    To me cheating is reminding you of the way you used to be. Do you want to be the way you used to be.

    Invest wisely into yourr health. It's the most valuable possession you will ever own.

    I'm an ex-smoker, and on a rare occasion I have a smoke. I don't call it cheating. I call it having a smoke.
    I'm an ex fat guy, and around once a week I have a free day. I don't call it cheating. I call it my free day.
    I'm not an alcoholic so I can't speak to that.

    Maybe there's such thing as Food Addict disease, where one single french fry will spin the person into a month long "feeding bender" and makes the person fat again. I don't know. But for most people, one free day a week isn't going to harm them. In fact, there is evidence to suggest that it may help. Arguing that a free day will reverse one's progress is like arguing that an obese fast-food-guzzling pig who eats clean once a week will suddenly become lean.
    Well said. Your will power has overcame your psychological addiction.
  • dHowe4406
    dHowe4406 Posts: 114
    I don't go crazy on my cheats days. I go out to eat for lunch and dinner most of the time. Fast food for lunch, and some restaurant for dinner.
  • Autumn15
    Autumn15 Posts: 213
    I think you have to try things and see what works for you but as I've been learning more about plateaus and metabolisum I think giving your self a cheat day / cheat meal is a good choice for lots of people. You want to keep your body guessing so it doesn't get stuck in a rut and you don't want cravings building so that you tail spin into a binge. I usually use my weigh in day each week to do a little splurge if there is something I've been craving or wanna step out of the norm a bit. Just keep it in perspective don't go over board all day on every meal. Have something you love in moderation.
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