Cheat meals / days

bpatriquin24 · December 2020

Wondering what everyone’s thoughts on cheat meals or cheat days?

I think it is unrealistic to stick within my calorie limit everyday. Eating a meal prepared by a loved one or eating out.
For me a cheat day would likely lead to a “free for all” but I also think it is important (mentally) to allow myself days or meals to just enjoy and not hyper focus on calorie counting

Nony_Mouse · December 2020

'Cheat day/meal' is a terrible term. Think about all the negative connotations of that.

It's perfectly okay to have days at maintenance, or even higher, but if you plan for them, and allow them without any guilt attached, you are far less likely to go overboard, and far more likely to get straight back to deficit the next day.

Many people like to 'bank' some calories throughout the week (exercise cals can be handy for this) so they have a bit more at the weekends when they're more likely to be socialising. Some people choose to just have an overall lower deficit and weight loss.

You are quite right though, it is very important mentally to give yourself a break from time to time. And actually, longer structured diet breaks (eating at maintenance, not a free for all) of a couple of weeks also have physiological benefits.

AnnPT77 · December 2020

Food and eating are not some kind of epic battle of good and evil, IMO. Eat more sometimes, eat less other times, enjoy as much of it as possible. Have an eye to health (which includes sensible body weight, and decent nutrition, overall & on overage) in a long-term sense.

The "cheat day" thing is like Santa Claus (now that I'm in adulthood): Heart-warming in theory, but basically mythical/metaphorical. Or maybe, like smokin' in the li'l girls room, in junior high. A naughty little treat, getting away with something.

Nah. To me, it's just food. We need some. Lots of different foods are tasty. Combine them properly, on average, over time, and life will be good. No "cheating" required. Pleasure is a legit thing to want.

If "cheating" works for you, that's swell. It's optional, to me.

AshHeartsJesus · December 2020

To me it is a splurge. It can be a good or bad thing. Like with money sometimes we splurge a little sometimes a lot, but if we are consistent and don't live the splurges it will be alright in the long run.

BUT binges are another issue that is different person to person. So my question would be are you splurging or going bankrupt?

MsCzar · December 2020

Hate the term 'cheat' related to food. But after months of fairly strict calorie deficit, I recently allowed myself to enjoy the pleasures of more. At first, I thought that it might lead to a complete binge-fest, or at least a lapse of resolve from which I wouldn't recover. But just the opposite happened.

I didn't like the sluggish feeling that came with too many carbs and sugars. Although I was consuming more than twice my deficit target of 1200 calories, I didn't feel satisfied. Those coveted high-calorie goodies didn't taste all THAT good. My acid reflux returned; I constantly felt thirsty, and had tummy cramps followed by unpleasant mornings in the bathroom. By the third day of over-indulgence, I was OVER IT. I couldn't wait to return to eating fewer calories and better food choices.

I'm glad I had those 'cheat' days - if nothing else, just to remind myself that I wasn't missing anything.

nooshi713 · December 2020

If you have a lot of weight to lose, you may be able to get away with a cheat day or meal. For those with less to lose, one free for all meal can easily wipe out a week’s deficit. What about eating at maintenance one or two days a week?

missysippy930 · December 2020

It’s up to you. Eat foods you like, in reasonable serving sizes, staying in a calorie deficit, or eat what, and how much you want. You are only cheating yourself and possibly prolonging, or for some people, sabotaging, your weight loss journey.

Planning cheat meals would be counterproductive for me. The term itself,“cheat”, is a negative thing to me. Weigh measure, log, (to the best of my ability) everything consumed. If I go over, I’ll just move on the next day. It’s life. Never perfect.

bpatriquin24 · December 2020

Yes!
You all were able to put into words what I wasn’t. The term ‘cheat’ in itself can set you up for a horrible head space.
Being able to enjoy and maintain is very important.
Thank you for these good tips to allow me to continue on this journey and enjoy it

Dogmom1978 · December 2020

So sometimes I save calories during the week so I can splurge on the weekend.

Sometimes I take full out maintenance week breaks during my weight loss journey. I think it makes me lose weight faster when I start the deficit again, but I acknowledge that could just be wishful thinking 😜

I have a maintenance week right now and I’m enjoying it immensely!

ninerbuff · December 2020

If it was deemed that, then I CHEAT everyday. I don't focus on anything being "bad" in my diet. All I'm really concerned with is that I get my essential macro/micronutrients and stay within my calorie limits.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

foreverblissful · December 2020

I felt like that for half of my health journey. It sucked though because when I would "cheat" I would overdo it and feel guilty! But then I realized the beauty of cooking/baking said foods that you crave REGULARLY using alternative healthier methods.

For instance. I have a tendency to experience blood sugar spikes if I am not careful and eat a moderate amount sugary foods or high carb high fat foods such cake, cookies, fruit, basically most greasy fast foods etc. But you know what? I've found sugar free cookie, cake, etc recipes to "replace" the ones I like to eat regularly. For the fruit or things you "can't" replace? I just eat them in a small/moderate portion. If it's something I don't have a sensitivity to, I will do something closer to a "mini fast" that day, and eat my normal high protein breakfast later in the day than normal since it will hold me for a good 4-5 hours. I might get some light cardio in like some casual walking, so that when I do go out to let's say taco bell(like I am doing tonight), it really won't matter.

If I can, I preplan what I am going to order so that I maximize my nutrition without sacrificing taste(also doing that tonight with taco bell). I honestly "forget" sometimes I even have food sensitivies and limitations until I'm in a situation let's say where I'm not preparing most of my own meals for the day. It's really only when other people cook the majority of my meals using all the things I typically sub in "typical cooking"(oil, butter, sugar, flour, lots of salt, low protein foods) that I notice. Like I said again, in those instances, I simply modify my portion sizes, and adjust my selection of foods: instead of filling my plate with fried chicken wings, I'm going to take maybe 2-3 smaller pieces with 2-3 pieces of corn, and deny the Mac and cheese side that's being offered to me.

I think the "cheat day" mindset can be very toxic if you're not careful, and make you feel constantly "on edge" the days you aren't "cheating." It takes a lot of will power, which takes away from you being able to push yourself in other parts in your life since willpower is finite. I honestly think it's unnecessary.

With the way I eat, I eat yummy (protein) muffins everyday, cookies whenever I want, at one point I ate pizza everyday because I prepare them in healthy meals. I barely eat out because I don't feel the need. But when I do I use the above methods to keep me satisfied nutritionally and mentally.

lemurcat2 · December 2020

I think thinking of it as "cheating" can be harmful (and, yes, lead to overdoing it in the sense that it's one day off restrictive eating). I try to make my everyday eating something I enjoy, so it doesn't feel restrictive. When I was focused on weight loss, and had a lower cal budget, I did often have a maintenance day during the week (covered by exercise cals over the week, but no harm if that isn't the case), and I'd use it to have a more splurge-like dinner (often to go out, since before covid my social life included the interesting restaurant scene in my town). I figured that at maintenance such days would be part of my norm, so good to practice with them, and anyway it made me never feel like I was giving things up.

janejellyroll · December 2020

Sometimes I decide to go over my calories, but I know that they all still count. Your body doesn't really recognize a cheat day, but there's no reason one has to be in a deficit every single day if one is losing weight (or exactly at goal every single day if one is trying to maintain).

Cheat meals / days

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