Cheat day once a month?

OverweightZombie · June 2020

So I have been dieting and exercising for the last couple months with great results. I am morbidly obese and I have lost 40 pounds so far. I am on a very low carb, low calorie diet and even after 2 months I'm still craving carbs. If I have one cheat day a month where I can have unlimited carbs, would that seriously mess up my diet? This would give me something to look forward to, but I'm worried it might set me back. I am intending on working out extra the day before and the day after to hopefully offset the effects, but I don't know if that will do any good. I'm hoping for some advice. All I want is one bowl of rice lol

harper16 · June 2020

Weight loss is caused by being in a calorie deficit. As long as you are in a calorie deficit you will lose weight. There's nothing wrong with eating carbs. Why not work them into your daily calories?

xGreatWhiteNorthx · June 2020

I went from 235lbs to 156lbs while still eating my daily serving of ice cream because I worked it into my calorie budget. Just eat at a calorie deficit.

springlering62 · June 2020

Forty pounds in two months seems an awful lot, even though you are morbidly obese. Is this a prescribed diet or one you devised yourself?

You may be restricting yourself too much.

“Unlimited” anything scares me now. I’ve already been there and done that. I could easily undo several weeks of work with an unlimited cheat day, even if it were “only” one day a month. Back in the day it was nothing for me to pack down a couple of family sized bags of candy per day, M&Ms and half a box of Entemann’s donuts being my breakfast of choice, and that was just a warmup.

Try tinkering with your macros, aka the combination of foods you eat. I find when I am high protein, I don’t get as hungry. Lately I’ve been doing a lot of baking, which tends to be carbier than I’m used to, and I often find myself still a bit hungry when the calories are all used up. It varies per person. Some people report needing higher fat, or higher carbs. High protein is just what works for me.

Find an exercise you enjoy so you have some extra calories to eat.

You’re only two months into this, so you need to experiment and find what will be satisfying for you. You don’t want this to be a quick weight loss, followed by relaxing back into bad habits.

You need to learn new, lifelong habits to make this all sustainable.

Good job on the forty pounds! Be strong and see the end goal, and find a plan that will get you there and beyond.

SeanD2407 · June 2020

Have a cheat meal instead of a cheat day. I don't like the words "cheat day" because you can easily erase 2-3 weeks of hard work in one full day.

If you feel like cheating (and cant fit it into your macros) just do a cheat meal. 1000-1500 over your daily budget won't be the worst thing in the long term.

Sometimes I feel like 6-7 different types of street tacos or a full pizza. That won't fit in my daily allowance, so I just treat myself every now and then.

But cheat meals > cheat days. imo

Shortgirlrunning · June 2020

You don’t have to do low-carb to lose weight. If the way you are eating isn’t sustainable in the long term and you feel the need for “cheat days” then it’s probably a good idea to re-evaluate how you’re going about this.

If you want some carbs just eat some carbs and fit it into your calorie goal. No need for a cheat day or cheat meal.

nanastaci2020 · June 2020

You indicate you are morbidly obese. Do you have other health conditions that make carbs off limits? If not, is there any reason you can't incorporate some carbs into your daily calories?

HeidiCooksSupper · June 2020

If a cheat day works for you "mentally" then do it. Just remember that you are not really getting away with anything. Over-consumption is a choice no matter how you choose to do it. If you overeat, that is eat more calories than you plan to eat, that effects the speed at which you lose weight. Arguably, an extra 1000 calories on a "cheat day" means that 2/7 of a pound won't be lost that month. Balance the importance of the two choices, 2/7 of a pound versus a day of an extra 1000 calories TO YOU. The only thing that matters is the balance TO YOU. Make your choice accordingly.

What everyone else said about balance and determining how much under to eat still applies. You really do need some carbohydrates in your diet -- as well as fats and protein. There are many ideas about what the balances should be. None have been specifically shown to correlate with weight loss (total or speed) over the long haul so do what works for you while striving for health through balance.

lgfrie · June 2020

Sure, why not. Carbs won't impact your fat loss in any way; you could eat 70 % carbs everyday to your current calorie limit and still lose exactly the same amount of weight.

BUT ... do take note that carbs cause water retention, so you are very likely to see a bump up in your scale readings for 4-5 days after your "cheat day", not just because of the weight of the food but the higher sodium and carb content you'd presumably be consuming that day. Don't let that throw you off your game. Be ready for it, because cheat day + sudden increase in weight is a very, very dangerous combination. It can really play with your head - 'OMG I stopped losing weight. I'm plateauing. I'll get back to this tomorrow, I need one more day off..." More than a few tenacious dieters have lost the thread right at this moment in the diet journey and started a regain.

I agree with the person above who said cheat MEAL > cheat DAY. One meal, eat whatever you want. A cheat day could take a real chunk out of your efforts.

podperson1 · June 2020

One bowl of rice isn't going to set you back. A day of 'unlimited' carbs might be a bit more worrying.

Try and work them into your plan. For example, I eat pretty low carb most of the time but I allow myself one carb-heavy meal a week - so something like fries or pizza that I get cravings for. I still try and work on portion size though and listen to my body's hunger cues. Previously I could have easily scoffed the whole pizza down, now after a few slices I can feel myself being full.

I also find that the scales always go up the day after, mainly due to sodium content I think, so I try and make sure I'm drinking plenty of water to counteract that.

Lynatea · June 2020

I'm finding for myself, that on a 'cheat day' that I feel sick afterword. So, they are few and far between for me. I'll typically eat at maintenance calories or have one item that I've been craving, rather than go all out.

papayahed · June 2020

I tried low carb for bit but when I started having dreams about oranges I knew it wasn't for me. It sounds like your bowl of rice. lol. Like a few other people mentioned a cheat meal like twice a month or whatever works for you might be a better option.

Cheat day once a month?

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