When you have a "cheat" day...

lilsassymom
lilsassymom Posts: 407 Member
edited October 7 in Food and Nutrition
When you have a "cheat day" do you still log your food? The reason I ask is because I have been stuck at this weight since the beginning of December. I have been thinking about having a "cheat day" to confuse my body to see if it will help. I have decided to have this cheat day 2 or 3 times BUT then I chicken out and log my calories. Then I start to panic when I see how many calories I am eating so I end up not having a cheat day.....

I have my settings to lose .5 a lb a week so MFP set my calories to 1430. I have never gone over my calories since joining in November (well maybe once---when I wasn't home and didn't have access to MFP). However, I really want to have a cheat day to get my body some much needed food that I feel it's missing from being on here since November with no cheat days.

Just curious for those who do have cheat days do you still log? Does it make you nervous about having a cheat day? Does it really help break a plateau? Thanks for any advice:smile: .
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Replies

  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    There's nothing wrong with eating. If eating a lot of calories in one day scares you, that's a problem you may need to work on, honestly. Yes, I log everything, from my 1500 calorie low days, to my 4000 calorie high days. It's just a number, and it's all about an average. One individual day doesn't make or break anything.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    I have logged my cheat/spike day's in the past but now I don't. I've been doing it now for so long that I'm always between my 5-6K calories.
    I think it would be good for you just starting out to log calories. In my experience more people don't eat enough to spike up leptin, than eat so much they gain any fat.

    Yes it works wonderfully.

    A surplus of calories allows leptin to rebound killing cravings and spiking metabolism.

    I lost 100+ pounds several years ago and this wouldn't have been possible without spiking weekly.
  • realhousewife_windsor
    realhousewife_windsor Posts: 63 Member
    I had a cheat day last night and i feel extemely guilty, but another part of me thinks its ok to have one becasue its reality, there is going to be celebrations and holidays. i need to work on the all and none thinking. In the past i would throw off the diet and totally gave up. I need to work on thinking ok so i ate chips last night and now today is a new day. This is my challange is reprogramming my thinking process.
  • Mrs_ALM
    Mrs_ALM Posts: 39 Member
    From FB Page -- Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred DVD:
    "CHEAT DAYS... you need one a week. If you don't, you are going to struggle in weight loss goals eventually.
    Cheat days (and I'm talking full on with pizza and hamburgers - whatever you want) help boost lepton levels that drop down when you eat a healthier lifestyle. They also create confusion for your body so it doesn't "adjust" to a set caloric intake. Try it - you will thank me."

    Have cheat days. Log them. Don't feel guilty. It's all about moderation.
  • tigersword
    tigersword Posts: 8,059 Member
    I had a cheat day last night and i feel extemely guilty, but another part of me thinks its ok to have one becasue its reality, there is going to be celebrations and holidays. i need to work on the all and none thinking. In the past i would throw off the diet and totally gave up. I need to work on thinking ok so i ate chips last night and now today is a new day. This is my challange is reprogramming my thinking process.

    Best way to reprogram that thinking. Instead of "OH NO, I ATE CHIPS!" think "Those chips were a fantastic treat. Nice to have one occasionally." Because in truth, it is nice to treat yourself on occasion, once a week, once a month, however often you choose, just not every day, of course. :drinker:
  • Reinventing_Me
    Reinventing_Me Posts: 1,053 Member
    I hate the term "cheat day". I mean I understand the logic behind what it does physiologically, but I feel like cheating is normally associated with such negativity so I refuse to have that connotation associated with any of my meals. In my opnion, the "negativity" associated with it can cause us to feel guilty about what we've chosen to eat. Do I feel like there is anything wrong with having pizza or beer or cake, etc.? No. But I won't call it cheating. It's simply eating. Healthy eating habits are so much more than that 1400 calorie limit. It's about knowing that you can have the food mentioned provided you're sensible about it. My fear is that people use the "cheat day" to eat without restraint - to hit the fast food joints and chain restaurant all in the name of a cheat day. We still need to be mindful that the body needs healthy nutrients and if we feed ourselves a bunch of processed crap with no real nutritional value, then we've done ourselves a disservice. Take the time to make your own "cheat" meals. Then you won't feel like you need to "cheat" at all. Most times you can eat as much as you would at a restaurant for a fraction of the calories, fat, sodium and sugar. It's all about making your food count...making it work for you.
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    I log even if I eat bad.
  • FitnessDoll87
    FitnessDoll87 Posts: 45 Member
    TOMORROW!!! Yay, I've had 2 days this week where I seriously considered breaking my diet, but I held out! So now I'm most definitely looking forward to tomorrow. This is my 1st cheat day since I started taking my diet seriously, I just started this year. I still plan on logging everything....I was pigging out in dec when i first found mpf, and for a solid 2 weeks I ate like crap but still logged everything just get into the habit. So I don't want to break the habit even though I'm afraid to see tomorrow's number.

    At the same time, I've worked out hard this week so I feel its deserved. Plus I still plan on doing 30-60min of cardio tomorrow, so I shouldn't feel too guilty...I think if ur afraid of feeling guilty, then just workout harder that day. Don't make cheat day a complete rest day.

    I plan on having a cheat day every Sunday...I need it! I love food way too much that if I deprive myself, I'm afraid I'll have an out of.control binge day and then feel like crap about myself. Then it snowballs and I keep eating like crap for a while until I snap out of it. So I would rather have it planned, so I'm prepared for it, and it is controlled.

    GOOD LUCK!
  • Crystal_Pistol
    Crystal_Pistol Posts: 750 Member
    I don't do cheat days, I just eat what I want within my caloric limits. Some days veggies, some days Caramello bars. I log EVERYTHING that I put into my mouth.
  • mandycasey
    mandycasey Posts: 274 Member
    Hi i have a 'treat' day every saturday i do not log anything. I have found it works for me, but everyone is different so i'd say give it a try. Good luck xx
  • alikat5544
    alikat5544 Posts: 86 Member
    The one thing I used to do on a "diet" is beat myself up for eating what I wanted. Now, if I want pizza I am going to eat it, but know I will have to adjust my other days. If you deprive yourself of all foods you are setting yourself up for failure.
  • TigersFanHoosierMama
    TigersFanHoosierMama Posts: 44
    Even though I eat everything in moderation everyday (I eat chocolate, candy, whatever) on a daily basis I do really find that the "cheat day" works for me. I don't call it that - I call it my no-track day. I have 2 a month. I do try to save them for something special - we don't hardly ever go out to eat so I tend to use them for that. I've found that those lead to my biggest losses. If I don't lose for a few weeks I'll just go over one day and not log, not worry about it and the next day I'm down 3+ lbs (and I'm by no means "starving myself normally as I consumed 2000+ calories daily depending on my burn - I wear a bodymedia fit). I don't log it because it's just a pain in the bootie to log it when I'm eating so outside of my norm and c'mon I know its' bad so its' not like I'd learn anything from logging it :)

    So yes, 2 days a month my log will be empty. Or perhaps just the dinner section as on my no-log days I do tend to still eat my normal breakfast, lunch and snacks. However, I don't have to - I just do!
  • cherbapp
    cherbapp Posts: 322
    I log my cheat days...because I want to make sure that if I don't lose for a while, it's not because I ate back every single calorie in my weekly deficit.

    It does help when you know how many calories you burned that day too...I cheat within that limit...I won't eat more than I burned the entire day so it's just a day lost rather than a day I have to earn back later.
  • TigersFanHoosierMama
    TigersFanHoosierMama Posts: 44
    Hi i have a 'treat' day every saturday i do not log anything. I have found it works for me, but everyone is different so i'd say give it a try. Good luck xx

    this is what I think works best for me too :)
  • pupcamper
    pupcamper Posts: 410 Member
    I log everything good or bad! I logged on Christmas day and was surprised that it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be, where as other days are worse than I though they would be! It's o.k to eat more than you would normally every once in a while it's called life and you aren't cheating on yourself! For me not logging is the cheat because the reality is you are saying to yourself if I don't log it it doesn't count!!!
  • loveliisa
    loveliisa Posts: 47
    I just had a cheat day last night! Since it wasn't planned, I had already started logging everything so I just estimated what I ate at the restaurant I went to too! I think for cheat days people shouldn't log but I don't think they should go hog-wild too with gorging themselves either! Treats should be included during the day! :) Moderation, moderation, moderation!
    (...except holidays haha, all bets are off for those days for me!) :drinker:
  • Nicola0000
    Nicola0000 Posts: 531 Member
    Instead of a cheat day, why not zig zag your calories instead eg 2000 cals one day, 1200 another day. Work out what you have to eat for the whole week calorie wise, then split the calories up into uneven days. This way you can have a so called "cheat day" but will still lose weight as you just pull it back another day. As long as you dont go over your week limit, you'll be fine. But I would say always log, so you know what youve eaten just to make sure you dont go over for the week.
  • misty8parker
    misty8parker Posts: 45 Member
    I log it ALL in. It makes me think about how all of my days used to be and what Im eating.
  • Ceebee37
    Ceebee37 Posts: 49
    I ate chinese the other day ( my cheat food) for the week and logged it in, not sure if was correct though.
  • MummyOfSeven
    MummyOfSeven Posts: 314 Member
    I allow myself one cheat day every week. I don'y always use it, but I know it's there if I want to.
    Yes, I do log it. I'm fully aware that my calories will be higher on that day so why should I feel guilty?
    The real cheating would be NOT logging it surely?
  • kimbly71
    kimbly71 Posts: 188
    I have a cheat day once a week and love every minute of it! I track (estimate) what I eat on my cheat days. It gives me something to look forward to and I have more time to get ready that morning because I do not pack any meals for work. There is nothing wrong with treating yourself if you are otherwise giving it your all on all the other days in regards to eating healthy and exercise.
  • jjteddy1982
    jjteddy1982 Posts: 107
    As some one said it before its all about MODERATION, a "CHEAT DAY" it's ok and allowed it once at week, i do a "cheat meal" once or twice at week and still works very well for me, just make sure the "CHEAT DAY DOESN"T BECOME A CHEAT WEEK" everything with moderation it's "OK"..........PS and I log it in MFP for sure!!!!!!
  • BuildABetterMe
    BuildABetterMe Posts: 39
    I don't like the term "cheat." It's negative, and we are all trying to avoid negative things, right?

    I prefer "free day" instead. It's a day where I'm free to eat what I want, and free from having to log it. I don't log them because it would only tempt me to beat myself up later, which again, I want to avoid.

    The amazing thing is that I've had planned "free days" where I've thought about a food all week, and when the day comes, I don't want the greasy meal, and I eat healthy.

    Another interesting thing are the foods/meals that sound SO good before I eat them, and how terrible I feel (physically) after having them.

    So I have a "free day" option if I wish to take it. If not, I don't. It keeps me from thinking I can NEVER have something again, the rest of my life.
  • TheFitHooker
    TheFitHooker Posts: 3,357 Member
    I track everything every day, it helps me to see what caused me to go up when and what is helping me. It also helps pushing me. I don't normally "Cheat" I have a day when I splurge once in awhile, but right now I'm in a contest to lose at least 20lbs by March 30th, 3.5 lbs down so these next few months are going to be focusing and not veering off.

    What also helps me is to write about my day in my blog every day. It helps me to examine my day.
  • thefifthvalue
    thefifthvalue Posts: 93 Member
    You could also potentially just quick add calories at the beginning of the day and estimate 1800-2000 cals. That way you've logged for the day, but you don't need to sit down and log every single item. Maybe that way you can relax about the cals adding up throughout the day.
  • bcampbell54
    bcampbell54 Posts: 932 Member
    Bump for later
  • Tropical_Turtle
    Tropical_Turtle Posts: 2,236 Member
    I personally dont use the word "cheat" because then I feel as if I am doing something wrong, which then would lead me to feel guilty and then beat myself up over it. I refuse to do that, so I treat myself to something I may want, log it and keep myself accountable, but satiated because I did not deny myself.
  • AlbaAngel25
    AlbaAngel25 Posts: 484 Member
    I also log my cheat meals/cheat days.... It's okay to do that, its life and it's being realistic....most important thing is since its logged in,i can see my downfall and pick myself up the next day and not let that happen all the time! good luck
  • BarbWhite09
    BarbWhite09 Posts: 1,128 Member
    Cheat days are very beneficial sometimes. There's no reason not to log your food really. You may panic a little bit, at the amount you ate, but it gives you a reference point to look back to. Like in case you decide to have another cheat day, you can compare the days & whatnot. If you have some unsupportive friends on here or something that may make snarky remarks about the amount you ate or something, just remove those people. No need for them. :)
  • Maria_t02
    Maria_t02 Posts: 73
    I try not to have cheat days, because I tend to go overboard, so I’ve limited it to a cheat meal in moderation! Like 2 slices of pizza with a coke. But I really don't like to do cheat days or meals, because it just sets me back personally!
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