What's the point of cheat meals?

Options
2»

Replies

  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    Options
    Some people say cheat days or cheat meals 'mess' with your metabolism and help with weight loss. I don't quite buy that - but I could be convinced with some solid evidence. I think going over one day a week isn't going to harm your weight loss though, provided that you're still in a caloric deficit overall. I do think it's a good tool psychologically for some, because it gives them that flexibility. Also there are days when you will just go over your target, or even your maintenance, because you've eaten something quite high in calories (such as Indian food) .. it can happen more easily than you think
  • steffiejoe
    steffiejoe Posts: 313 Member
    Options
    I started doing cheat meals in November. I was way to strict with my food intake and my weight loss had slowed down. So I researched it and gave it a shot. When I started my BF was at 28%. Now my BF is at 24.7%. So the cheat meals are helping me to acheive my goal of getting to 20%BF. I have only loss a few pounds but to me lowering my BF is more important. When I started with the cheat meals I weighed 142.2. Today I weigh 138.6. Looking at it over 3 pounds is not bad. By the way my goal weight is 135.

    Threw trail and error I have figured out it is best for me to only have 1 cheat meal once a week. Not a cheat day or cheat weekend.

    Oh and my cheat meals are planned in advanced. I don't just make it a cheat meal after a coworker offers me cake or something. For me planning is key.
  • pfeiferfit
    pfeiferfit Posts: 138 Member
    Options
    I have a cheat day (usually Saturday) to enhance my social life (so i'm not the girl eating tuna, or bacon, or eggs, or salads ALL the time). It helps me relax around friends and family. And I find it helps me to keep losing. When my body gets toooo low on calories (easy with low carbing) I can add an extra 600-1000 calories to a Saturday. Satiating.

    I am still careful, because now that I eat better, bad stuff tastes BAD.
  • mnwalkingqueen
    mnwalkingqueen Posts: 1,299 Member
    Options
    I have a cheat day every Sunday when watching football. It lets me enjoy the foods I still like kind of like a reward for doing good all week. I do however still hit the gym on my cheat day and I still log what I eat that day.
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    Options
    for many, a cheat meal, or even a cheat day is a psychological tool they use to justify counting calories the other 90% or the time.

    i don't plan my cheat meals or calorie spike days, but it happens, and its ok. i limit my junk food, so if i cheat, its usually with pizza. i always log everything. on a rest day when i'm going to have a big work out the next day, i'll have a big cheat dinner, like 1000 calories of pasta, meat, sauce, salad, etc. i'll work out like a beat the next morning.

    just like intermitten fasting, or eating 6 meals a day, its another tool to help you lose weight. you may or may not respond well to them, but the only way to find out is to try. every body is different, and you need to find out what combination of things works for you.

    Oh okay thanks for the info! I probably won't have cheat days because I'm scared to go over and feel extremely guilty if I eat anything bad. However, is intermittent fasting any good?

    I personally love IF, it's not any magic bullet or anything, but it's more convenient for me and i like eating larger meals.

    Being obsessed about only eating good foods and feeling guilty about eating "bad" things is heading down the path of an unhealthly relationship with food imo. You should be able to enjoy foods you like and not feel guilty about it
  • skinnydreams165
    skinnydreams165 Posts: 101 Member
    Options
    I have a splurge meal every Friday night. My boyfriend and I traditionally go out for dinner that evening. I behave the rest of the week, but I know that on Friday night, I can have whatever I want. I've changed my eating habits so much though, that I am usually pretty careful even during my splurge meal. My splurge meal may take me 500-700 calories over for the entire day, but I don't worry about it, or try to make up for it with exercise, etc.

    For me its about moderation. My splurge meals are fun, guilt free, and help keep me on track the rest of the week.

    this
  • theprettyone1010
    theprettyone1010 Posts: 408 Member
    Options
    I don't have planned cheat days. With me, whatever happens is what happens. I usually have my three meals and 2 snacks planned for the day. But sometimes if I have a date or if someone wants to get dinner, then I may end up going over.

    Also, I agree that having an occasional cheat day, maybe once or twice a month, helps your metabolism stay up. I've noticed that I lose weight a lot easier the week after having a cheat day.
  • Sd0510
    Sd0510 Posts: 295 Member
    Options
    My "cheat day" is when I eat something I wouldn't, but I still don't go over my calories. For example, I normally don't go out to eat, but on my cheat day, I will. That day, I usually eat less before hand, or less calories to save up for my "cheat meal" or work out more that day.
  • jatorres92
    jatorres92 Posts: 5
    Options
    from what ive read and things ive done cheat days are are not needed but at the same time are.. it depends on the person .. genetic..etc i personally have 1 cheat day a week which is usually Saturday.. from what ive read from other forums and things like that... people have cheat days in order to avoid a stress hormone called cortisol.. its release into the body when you are physically or mentally stressing.. stress also comes from not eating specific foods you crave.. lets so hypothetically you and your friends go out and there eating pizza .. the average person will crave it and either a. cheat and eat it or b not eat it and crave it.. the cheat day pretty much is to avoid stressing over food and risking the chance to cheat through out the week.. its better to plan to cheat then it is to cheat on your plan... when i cheat it wasnt an all out buffet.. when i was above 21% body fat i only allowed 1 cheat meal break fast or lunch... once i reached 17% body fat i went to 2 cheat meals... and now im 13.5% body fat and i do 3 cheat meals on saturday... take into consideration im up at 8 am cus i go running early in the morning so i have the entire day to burn everything off... and usually since my cheats are planned load on carbs drop protein a tad bit to make up for the low amount i eat through out the week.. and i dont drink my calories on the cheat day i eat it.. i consider drinking calories a waist to be honest..
    well im talking to much i hope this helped a little and please anyone that reads this if im off on the info feel free to correct me im always willing to learn and never want to give false information.. thanks alot and good luck :)
    o and one more thing for thoughs who dont know cortisol is a hormone that inhibits muscle growth and cause's fat gains usually around the love handle area's
  • paulyarwooduk
    paulyarwooduk Posts: 109
    Options
    "Quote:

    Being obsessed about only eating good foods and feeling guilty about eating "bad" things is heading down the path of an unhealthly relationship with food imo. You should be able to enjoy foods you like and not feel guilty about it"

    Absolutely, I'm so glad someone mentioned this. I'm not on whate everyone calls 'a diet' even though I would ideally like to lose another 20lbs or so. I don't allow food to rule my life and if I want to eat pizza I will and I'm not going to give myself a hard time over it. It's not as though I always eat junk food and I exercise as much as I can every day and I try and eat sensibly. For me this is life long and not just once I've reached a certain weight.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
    Options
    I actually am not a fan of 'cheat days' or 'cheat meals'. I think 'cheating' has negative connotations and implies that you're dieting/restricting/denying, rather than making a permanent, sustainable lifestyle change.

    I eat whatever I like, every single day - provided it stays within my calorie goals. I'm pretty tall, very active and am only trying to lose a half pound per week, so I typically get to eat between 1800-2500 calories a day. You can enjoy *a lot* of food with that kind of calorie goal! :-)

    I don't feel any guilt when I eat a few pieces of pizza or a slice of cake, because it fits into my overall healthy diet. I think if I had tried to follow a 1200 calorie plan with all clean eating, I would have fallen off the wagon a long time ago!

    Of course... different things work for different people. Moderation is just what works best for me.
  • smcwllms
    smcwllms Posts: 27 Member
    Options
    If I have given 100% in the gym all week, and if I have very strictly eaten what I should in the amounts I should, I let myself have a cheat meal on Friday night. I can eat/drink anything I like, as much as I like. As I have lost weight, this has turned less and less from a gorging into just a pleasant departure, allowing a few things I don't normally consume, including my favorite libation, Jameson Irish Whiskey. I just can't eat or drink nearly as much as I could before. I don't feel a bit guilty, as this keeps me from feeling that I can't have any variety. It's worked well for me, and I really enjoy it. I very much look forward in the gym on Friday to putting in extra effort, as it seems I'm earning a reward.
  • jovz10
    jovz10 Posts: 531 Member
    Options
    to me, cheat days is when i go over my sugar/carb limit... being filipino, can't help it but i stay under my calories... christmas is one example.... my mom made me sweet rice dessert and i had it for two days... :) can't resist my mom's cooking... sorry!
  • sbeisel1
    sbeisel1 Posts: 181
    Options
    Being obsessed about only eating good foods and feeling guilty about eating "bad" things is heading down the path of an unhealthly relationship with food imo. You should be able to enjoy foods you like and not feel guilty about it

    VERY good point.
  • raevynn
    raevynn Posts: 666 Member
    Options
    "Celebration foods" should become a normal part of one's life -- occasional, eaten mindfully, maybe a slightly smaller portion than one used to eat... but enjoyed.

    "Free days" are the occasional day to say "f__ logging, I'm just taking the day off"... which I did for two holidays, and might occasionally do (once a month?), just as a way to give it a break. I don't generally eat "bad" on free days... I just don't log it.

    Over calorie days balance under calorie days. If I'm over, you might notice that my diary shows that I'm often under, too.

    Trigger foods, however... those are what I really watch out for. I cannot eat tortilla chips. If we are out to dinner at a mexican restaurant, the chip basket "does not exist"... I might, once in awhile, go get some baked chips, and splurge on those, but I cannot do that more than once a month - because I know me.

    I used to have a "splurge" meal of a dozen vegan tacos. Now, my splurge is 6 vegan tacos... and, I'm starting to think it's time to dial it back to 4 tacos. This is progress that I can see. :happy:

    We all have to figure out for ourselves how to make this a lifestyle, and not a "diet".. how to live as a thinner person with a healthy relationship to food. How to get all the pleasure from eating that we should, without having to be "stuffed", and being able to make choices about it, rather than finding ourselves bingeing when we do have occasions to celebrate.

    Maybe seeing a "cheat" day as a "practice eating like naturally thin people" day? *grin*
  • kekl
    kekl Posts: 382 Member
    Options
    To me this is a lifestyle, not a diet. And what is life without some dirrrrty junk food every once in a while? ;)

    Everything in moderation!
  • Boring2Fit
    Boring2Fit Posts: 182
    Options
    Thanks everyone, the information has been very helpful. Also, I've been feeling guilty after eating for many years now so I think it's quite normal but thanks for the concern. For those who asked, my daily calorie goal is 1350 calories but it used to be 1200 until a few days ago when someone advice me not to.
  • FJHutch
    FJHutch Posts: 34
    Options
    To me this is a lifestyle, not a diet. And what is life without some dirrrrty junk food every once in a while? ;)

    Everything in moderation!
    Amen to that!
    I find it helps me feel much more in control if I accept there will be days when I go over my goal calorie limit. It is my daughters birthday in a couple of weeks. There will be cake and sweets and I will have some of them. I am finding that planning and accepting is stopping me trying not to have some of the less healthy food, cracking, binging and then feeling really rubbish like I have ruined everything and so might as well eat everything in sight.
  • Boring2Fit
    Boring2Fit Posts: 182
    Options
    To me this is a lifestyle, not a diet. And what is life without some dirrrrty junk food every once in a while? ;)

    Everything in moderation!
    Amen to that!
    I find it helps me feel much more in control if I accept there will be days when I go over my goal calorie limit. It is my daughters birthday in a couple of weeks. There will be cake and sweets and I will have some of them. I am finding that planning and accepting is stopping me trying not to have some of the less healthy food, cracking, binging and then feeling really rubbish like I have ruined everything and so might as well eat everything in sight.

    I forgot to mention that I hate fast food and most junk food so I don't think I'll binge plus when I go out with friends and family I don't eat much. This isn't because of the 'diet' or whatever, I have genuinely despised most fatty foods for almost all my life. My body doesn't take it in very well (I get food poisoning from simply eating out) but a part of me doesn't like it because it means I'm eating fat.
  • Elf_Princess1210
    Elf_Princess1210 Posts: 895 Member
    Options
    I don't like the term cheat meal. I call them treat meals. I try to allow myself a treat meal once or twice a month, where I can eat something I really like. For example, I love Chinese food. I let myself have Chinese food and use portion control. This way even if I go over my calorie limit I practiced portion control. I'm trying to change my lifestyle.

Categories