Cheat days

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itsshadowwithane
itsshadowwithane Posts: 114 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Will one cheat day help me lose weight?
Or two?
Idk so please help

Replies

  • H_Factor
    H_Factor Posts: 1,722 Member
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    you will lose weight if you take in fewer calories than your body uses in a week. so, the answer to your question depends on how much of a cheat day you have and what you're doing on the other days of the week. personally, I think you're better off with one or two cheat meals a week and if they happen to be on the same day, that's fine. The cheat meal(s) should not be binges or gorges as that's not going to help you create a caloric deficit for the week.

    if you want to do something really fun to fire up your metabolism, have a cheat day followed by a 24 hour fast, and then resume eating according to MFP daily caloric goals. if you do this once per week I bet you like the results.
  • stephenatl09
    stephenatl09 Posts: 186 Member
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    Yes, especially if you are keeping to a strict diet. Your body gets used to your diet just like it does to the same exercise, so a "cheat" meal will actually help you burn fat and lose weight. I would not do a whole day of eating whatever you like, but blow it out for a meal is fine. When I do it, I feel guilty so I work even harder in the gym afterwards. :happy:
  • doornumber03
    doornumber03 Posts: 221 Member
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    my cheat meals (usually 2/week) really helped me. For one it does shake up the calorie count (kinda like the zig zag), but more importantly it stops the cravings for something and controls any binge eating you might do (at least it does for me). I do try to do a killer work out on the day i do a cheat meal. good luck!
  • mcmahonclan5
    mcmahonclan5 Posts: 12
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    I cheated for 3 days over the holiday with my eating & only worked out once. I gained a pound & ran it off the next day back to the gym. A cheat day won't kill you & if it helps you from saying screw this diet & quitting completely then it's a must... just kick the exercise up a notch during that time... and always cut yourself a little slack!
  • JamesonsMommy
    JamesonsMommy Posts: 771 Member
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    I never give myself a whole cheat day.. usually it's a cheat meal or snack. It's really easy to get off track by allowing whole days.
  • acstansell
    acstansell Posts: 567 Member
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    I have a cheat day once every two weeks. I find that not only does it seem to help my metabolism, it helps my mind. I eat the things I often won't allow myself to eat, which motivates me to keep doing well. It also satisfies any cravings I've been having which prevents me from binging on whatever it is I want.
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    I'm pregnant now, so I'm not trying to lose weight. But when I was losing I would take two days off from counting calories. I didn't go completely crazy but I didn't worry about it either. I never had a problem losing.

    Going over on calories one or two days a week actually helps your metabolism to keep burning fat. If you eat at a calorie deficit every single day eventually your body will assume you don't have access to enough food and it will slow it's fat burning and will actually start storing some fat. If you go over on your calories now and then your body will see that you do have access to enough food and it will keep your metabolism from slowing.
  • AngieM76
    AngieM76 Posts: 622 Member
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    I will no longer have cheat days. I will allow myself a cheat meal here and there though. Anytime I have a cheat day, it turns into a week so no more!
  • hellotina
    hellotina Posts: 147 Member
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    i'm gonna go with no just because i cheated sat /sun & at my weigh in this morning i didn't gain but i didn't lose. lol so i'm not doin that anymore
  • snarkysharky
    snarkysharky Posts: 6
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    I usually eat about 1200 calories a day unless I'm starving - the least a small framed woman should eat without exercising (I'd add more if I'd actually exercise). That way, if I have a function to go to (or whatever), I eat as light as I can the rest of the day and just try not to overdo it at the function. If there's something high calorie that I really want, that's fine, but if it just turns out only OK, I leave it on my plate. I've lost weight 5 out of the past 6 weeks this way. Sometimes I eat out twice in one week, but only if I need to.
  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
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    every week, i have a cheat day where i eat a meal consisting of ANYTHING (chili dog, hamburger, etc.) and it has really helped me to lose weight. in the past 2 weeks, i've not had a cheat day, and i only lost 1/2 pound. i swear by them. in fact, i had to get a huge double cheeseburger and fries yesterday so i can try to get a few more pounds off in the next week. i know it will work. always does! about 2 - 3 days after my cheat day, i'm down about 2 lbs.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    Will one cheat day help me lose weight?
    Or two?
    Idk so please help

    It depends on a number of factors in my opinion.

    If the cheat day helps to offset the decrease in hormones that can occur from prolonged deficit then yes it will help.
    If the cheat day helps you stay diligent for the rest of the week or it helps you stay on track long term then yes it will help.
    And if you're cheating to the point that you're offsetting your full weeks deficit, then this would pretty much screw you.

    Just my initial thoughts.
  • stubbysticks
    stubbysticks Posts: 1,275 Member
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    I have had almost 60 days in excess of 3,000 calories since 30 lbs ago, all of them on purpose & each one delightful in its own special way. I shoot for a minimum of 3,600 calories one day a week to create a surplus. It can be a very effective weight loss tool for the reasons Sidesteal mentioned,

    1) A high-calorie day triggers a leptin response that reduces hunger - leptin is a protein hormone that regulates appetite, & after extended periods in a deficit, leptin levels drop & you're more prone to being hungry. Lowered leptin can also signal your body to hang on to your fat stores because you're starving.
    2) Working out your cravings during 1 "cheat" day makes it much easier to be diligent the other 6 days.
    3) Trying to stay around 2 x your RMR is optimal, so for larger people with higher RMRs, obviously there's more room to splurge.

    It is definitely NOT for people who have had issues with binging or EDs. And 2 days a week will not help you lose weight, though you'd probably maintain assuming you were "good" the other 5 days. I generally limit my spike days to a 24 hour period & it works great.

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