Cheat Days

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darwinian_chick
darwinian_chick Posts: 4
in Food and Nutrition
I wanted to see what people's opinions of cheat days were on here? Do you think they are bad or good in general. I was thinking about giving myself a cheat day once every two weeks or a cheat meal once a week. Do you think this is a good idea and if so which one would be better? It is just hard to not say for example eat some brownies with vitamin d milk every now and then! I think cheat days are good for my soul lol, but maybe not so good for my diet? I don't know. Advice please and thank you. :)
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Replies

  • maura1110
    maura1110 Posts: 171 Member
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    I personally think that if you look at this as a lifestyle change instead of a "diet", then you'll never need a cheat day. If you're craving something, have it! Just have it in moderation so you can sustain it. And realistically we all have days where we eat too much and go over our limits, so I guess you could call that a cheat day but it's just life! Also, if I really want to eat something that I know is going to put me over my limit, I'll workout extra that day. Hope this helps!
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
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    Cheat days have screwed me over before. Cheat days begone.
  • Ashley121205
    Ashley121205 Posts: 131 Member
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    I don't have a cheat day. If we go somewhere or have something in the house that I really want I'll have it within moderation. But usually I have a mental battle with myself for about an hour and by that time I really don't want what I was contemplating. lol.
  • LaurieEReid
    LaurieEReid Posts: 273
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    I personally think that if you look at this as a lifestyle change instead of a "diet", then you'll never need a cheat day. If you're craving something, have it! Just have it in moderation so you can sustain it. And realistically we all have days where we eat too much and go over our limits, so I guess you could call that a cheat day but it's just life! Also, if I really want to eat something that I know is going to put me over my limit, I'll workout extra that day. Hope this helps!

    This. Personally, I'm usually over on Friday since that's the day I hang out with friends and drink a little wine. So maybe the day before, I don't eat all my exercise calories so that the week balances out (fingers crossed).
  • AnneGenevieveS
    AnneGenevieveS Posts: 441 Member
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    ONE cheat meal hasn't hurt me.... BUT if I totally over do it all day, then the next day i can't get back on track, and it turns into a cheat week... then I gain, and feel like I'm starting all over again. haha

    Yeah, let yourself have brownies once per week if that's what you need. Just be careful if you have a problem with binging like I do, sometimes those brownies are the start of me losing control!!


    Also, something that has really worked for me is planning to exercise those calories off ahead of time if I know we are going out to eat. Then no harm done because they are burned off.
  • daves160
    daves160 Posts: 600
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    Personally, I think a cheat day is good for the soul. I think it help you to keep from binging. One thing you have to be careful of though is to not over do it.
    I would say a cheat day consists of mostly sticking to the diet, but having a splurge on one meal, or maybe a really good dessert.
    Try to stay around your daily calries that you would normally use if not dieting. Mine is about 2200.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/blog/daves160
  • jakecan4sure
    jakecan4sure Posts: 36
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    I stopped cheat day. If I have a cheat meal, I have it early in the day, so my body can break down the carbs. I try to limit my cheat meal to one every eight days.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    The term "cheat day" is lame. Anything is better - free day, splurge day, spike day. "Cheat" implies not following the plan, whereas the others are planned in. It's a somewhat subtle distinction. For me, having the free day is an integral part of my routine, and it keeps me succeeding. Others claim that if they have a free day, they can't go back to normal. This is a problem of discipline. Some claim that a free day can undo your week's worth of progress. This is just incorrect and naive.
  • meeperoon
    meeperoon Posts: 270 Member
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    I don't have a cheat day but once a month me and the bf will go to a restaurant (includes pizza hut) and have a nice meal and if we go over cals we go over cals. We used to eat out all the time and that's what got us in this situation so it's a once a month thing now!
  • blue4myeyes
    blue4myeyes Posts: 93 Member
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    I personally think that if you look at this as a lifestyle change instead of a "diet", then you'll never need a cheat day. If you're craving something, have it! Just have it in moderation so you can sustain it. And realistically we all have days where we eat too much and go over our limits, so I guess you could call that a cheat day but it's just life! Also, if I really want to eat something that I know is going to put me over my limit, I'll workout extra that day. Hope this helps!

    totally agree!

    i don't view anything as "cheating" anymore. i do try to make smart choices with food and to compensate when i don't. but i think that will be life long for me. if i want french fries at lunch, well, i will have to do without wine at dinner or chocolate for dessert. or will have to do an extra workout. whatever it is. it is best to plan and/or compensate rather than viewing anything as off limits.

    i don't, however, designate cheat days, say every friday or something. if i am going out with friends, i will plan for it as best i can and then just enjoy myself. if i happen to be in by myself, though, i won't order out for pizza just cuz it's "cheat day friday." it's all about making deliberate choices!! good luck whatever you decide! :)
  • achampionsheart
    achampionsheart Posts: 1,020 Member
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    i think that cheat days are necessary....i spoke with my personal trainer yesterday and he often tells his clients to take three weeks off a year from exercising, not all at once mind you....that way it allows a little "breathing room" and relaxation.....then when the days are over, hop back onto the wagon and get your footing again in your routine...it allows yourself freedom to enjoy yourself in your journey and not be so serious all the time...its not healthy to deprive yourself of things you want....youll hate yourself for it in the end and that will only sabotage your progress and growth
  • aa1440
    aa1440 Posts: 956 Member
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    I don't believe in cheat days but I do go over on calories once in a while. I don't worry about it. And if I know I will have a big meal, out for dinner or cookout, I get a really good workout before I go.
  • pa_jorg
    pa_jorg Posts: 4,404 Member
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    I personally think that if you look at this as a lifestyle change instead of a "diet", then you'll never need a cheat day. If you're craving something, have it! Just have it in moderation so you can sustain it. And realistically we all have days where we eat too much and go over our limits, so I guess you could call that a cheat day but it's just life! Also, if I really want to eat something that I know is going to put me over my limit, I'll workout extra that day. Hope this helps!

    THIS!
  • martinh78
    martinh78 Posts: 601
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    I think how hard I have to work to loose xx number of calories...a cheat is only cheating myself and I have to work damned hard to neutralise it.

    For every calorie you burn off to eliminate your cheat, that's one less calorie you've burned off towards your weight loss.

    "Cheat day" is a nice way of calling an excuse for poor eating.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    I think how hard I have to work to loose xx number of calories...a cheat is only cheating myself and I have to work damned hard to neutralise it.

    For every calorie you burn off to eliminate your cheat, that's one less calorie you've burned off towards your weight loss.

    "Cheat day" is a nice way of calling an excuse for poor eating.

    and being overly strict is the fastest way to burn out, being flexible with your diet is better for both your sanity and adherence
  • cowboydan43
    cowboydan43 Posts: 306 Member
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    Cheat days are a bad idea IMO. Food is fuel- especially on a reduced calorie plan, I want the most bang for my buck. Is a piece of pie going to get me through a work out as well as an ounce of almonds? Probably not. If I do want something junk-y, I just have to plan the rest of my week accordingly.
  • sandislim
    sandislim Posts: 264
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    Cheat days totally messed me up for days at a time. I think I will limit it to 2 free meals a week and see how I get on - having free meals is a little more flexible since you can have it at any time. You go out and decide to eat out that can be one free meal. But I'll see how it goes anyway - personally as much as I would like to think of myself as strict, I think realistically you need a little freedom occasionally if only to keep sanity.
  • curvykent
    curvykent Posts: 140 Member
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    I'm going to try to regurgitate what someone just explained to me. We all need "cheats" otherwise we set ourselves up for failure at one point or another. Life is to be lived, food is to be eaten and enjoyed ( in moderation). So if you can limit your cheats to a 10% ratio you should be okay. So for example, if you eat 3 x a day you eat 21 meals a week, 10% would be 2 meals. So you could potentially eat 2 cheat meals a week.

    I'm not sure if you can get away with eating a double double cheeseburger with fries 2x a week. I'm not sure how much of a cheat you can do but play with it.

    Or you can do what I do and add a high intensity work out and use some of those calories to treat yourself :bigsmile:
  • peacestar84
    peacestar84 Posts: 100
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    I think a cheat meal is ok if there is a special occasion like a birthday, Thanksgiving etc. I do not think it should be a regular thing though because your making a lifestyle change. In effect if you have cheat days or meals you are creating a binge type behaviour and as with any repeated pleasurable activity you will likely start having increased cravings for those types of meals. Plus remember that a pound is 3500 calorie deficit. If you have a cheat day you could easily gain a pound. One cheat meal every once in a while shouldn't affect your calorie deficit.
  • laneybird
    laneybird Posts: 532 Member
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    I have a cheat meal once, maybe (but rarely) twice a month. Usually it is on the weekend. To be honest, I've lost more the week following every time... I think it's because I work extra hard that week for it. Don't completely deprive yourself. I was having overwhelming cravings for chocolate the other day (thanks to being a girl lol) and I bought a small candy bar enjoyed every bite of it... I also had the calories left over and worked extra hard the next day.

    I think some people have problems with cheat days, because they go overboard... then they don't lose, they get discouraged and sometimes don't work as hard. Best of luck on your weight loss journey!! :)

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