"Cheat" Day

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fittyfittybumbum
fittyfittybumbum Posts: 90
in Food and Nutrition
My Cheat Day doesn't consist of me just going all out completely disregarding my calorie intake goal for the day (which is 1320 btw). Really it's like a cheat meal. I eat light throughout the day, and have a nice glorious high calorie dinner.

For example. I work out regularly, sometimes twice a day like today: boot camp at 5:30am, low impact aerobics for 50min right before dinner, a total of approx 700 calories burned for the day. Ate a light breakfast, lunch, snacked on apples. For dinner I had buffalo wings and fries (900 calories), which for the day was a total of 1280 calories eaten. I did not eat my exercise calories.

My question is now that I've gotten the preliminaries out the way, how detrimental are my cheat meals to my weight loss goals.
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Replies

  • amberjschmidt
    amberjschmidt Posts: 18 Member
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    very good question, would love to hear replies!
  • JacksMom12
    JacksMom12 Posts: 1,044 Member
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    If you are hitting your calorie goal, how would that interfere with weight loss? Am I missing something here?
  • MrsKunz
    MrsKunz Posts: 151 Member
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    I've heard on many occasions that its more good for you mentally than physically but i don't see how it would harm you i will tell you the way i do it is keep a reminder of the calories i have saved all week but staying under my 1500 and that kinda gives me a guide as to what i have to "spend" i also consider what workout burns the same amount of calories!
    Hopefully this helps!
  • fittyfittybumbum
    fittyfittybumbum Posts: 90
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    If you are hitting your calorie goal, how would that interfere with weight loss? Am I missing something here?

    That's exactly my same question. I've heard different things like no it's ok...to a drawn out explanation of there's "good" calories and "bad" calories.
  • _GlaDOS_
    _GlaDOS_ Posts: 1,520 Member
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    If you are normally eating at 1320 or under, and not eating back your exercise calories, you're not doing much "cheating" by going over with one meal once in a while. In fact, I bet it's doing some good to eat back those exercise calories. But I am a little confused - are you saying that your dinner of buffalo wings and fries (the 1280 calorie day) was a cheat meal? Is that because it wasn't "healthy"? I'm not sure why it's a cheat meal or day if you're significantly under your calorie goal, unless you have some other definition.

    A "cheat" day for me is 500-1,000 calories above my maintenance calories. The actual food doesn't matter.
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    Having one splurge day a week has always worked for me. In some ways it has been an integral part of my success. But unlike you, I "eat my exercise calories", so your mileage may vary.
  • fittyfittybumbum
    fittyfittybumbum Posts: 90
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    If you are normally eating at 1320 or under, and not eating back your exercise calories, you're not doing much "cheating" by going over with one meal once in a while. In fact, I bet it's doing some good to eat back those exercise calories. But I am a little confused - are you saying that your dinner of buffalo wings and fries (the 1280 calorie day) was a cheat meal? Is that because it wasn't "healthy"? I'm not sure why it's a cheat meal or day if you're significantly under your calorie goal, unless you have some other definition.

    A "cheat" day for me is 500-1,000 calories above my maintenance calories. The actual food doesn't matter.

    Yes, The buffalo and fries were my cheat meal and it is bc I consider the meal to be unhealthy and because it's so high in calories.
  • mammafrog
    mammafrog Posts: 176
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    I need my cheat day mentally. Last week it was pizza and I didn't even go over by 100 calories. This week hubby wants red lobster. I will get a kids grilled chicken meal but I will eat SEVERAL biscuits. I just can't help it. I don't think its going to hurt you as long as you aren't doubleing and tripling your daily limit.
  • Sweetchocolategooeyness
    Sweetchocolategooeyness Posts: 8
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    My cheat meal this week was tonight's dinner. 2 vegetarian burritos. They were filled with Mexican chili beans, canned tomatoes, rice and cheese. I made them from scratch, including the flour tortillas. I was so proud of myself I ate 2 of them.. 500 calories each. BOOM.

    This will slow down my weight loss, which is annoying, but I've been craving burritos all week!
  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    according to the US dept of HHS..a calorie is a calorie when it comes to weight control..but when it comes to over-all health its not.

    meaning you can eat jelly beans all day and still lose weight (weight now, not body fat) as long as you are at a calorie deficit.
  • avesoriano
    avesoriano Posts: 74
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    I dont think its a good idea for me. I told myself a minicup of reese.. But then i ended up eating 5.

    Now i really feel cheaten ( by myself)
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    to me a cheat day is eating at, or slightly above maintenance for a day.. sometimes it comes all from one meal, sometimes it just means more snacking throughout the day. very rarely do i cheat with healthy foods, though i have found myself making some better choices on cheat days.
    however, i still eat pizza or fast food or whatever i want during the week...just make sure i stick to my 1500-ish (plus exercise) calories.
  • monkeymouse74
    monkeymouse74 Posts: 288
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    Cheat days work for some because they know they can have whatever they're craving on that day, therefore helping them not to binge on their weightloss days.And often they find when the cheat day comes arround, they dont want the unhealthy food or large quantities:happy: . But the opposite can be said for others, when they break the boundaries they've placed arround food, it's sometimes very hard to put them back in place. And therefore they go on a few days of wreckless eating:sad: .

    My definition of a cheat day is eating whatever you want and not tracking it.:drinker:
  • slicksps
    slicksps Posts: 33
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    You're keeping below your calorie limit so it will have little or no impact on your weight loss. Calories are calories, whether good or bad. The 'good'/'bad' label refers more to nutrition however this is subjective. For example a 1400 calorie burger would be classed as 'bad' calories while 1400 meals consisting of salads, fruits, fish a nuts would be called 'good' - both will have exactly the same impact on your weight, although the burger is likely to fill you up for less time, [probably] contains artery-clogging rubbish, salts and sugars which you could do without.

    What cheat days do do is help self esteem, give us a nice break from calorie counting and help us to be more determined in the week(s) that follow
  • careyharv
    careyharv Posts: 134 Member
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    I usually have a cheat meal once a week. It helps me to keep in-line with my overall fitness goals. I love food and if I feel like I cannot have a cheat meal, I might go crazy. :happy: I don't think it would hurt you that much because you are still keeping track of it. It appears as if you modified your day to account for your dinner. I think you will be fine. The only concern I would have is the sodium in the wings and fries.
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
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    Cheat on what? I'm not on some sort of diet!

    I just eat what i want, when i want, within moderation. Hit my macros and my calorie deficit, get good burn, and just enjoy this whole process! Works like a charm! :D
  • fittyfittybumbum
    fittyfittybumbum Posts: 90
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    according to the US dept of HHS..a calorie is a calorie when it comes to weight control..but when it comes to over-all health its not.

    meaning you can eat jelly beans all day and still lose weight (weight now, not body fat) as long as you are at a calorie deficit.

    THANKS A LOT FOR THIS INPUT!
  • fittyfittybumbum
    fittyfittybumbum Posts: 90
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    Cheat on what? I'm not on some sort of diet!

    I just eat what i want, when i want, within moderation. Hit my macros and my calorie deficit, get good burn, and just enjoy this whole process! Works like a charm! :D

    hahaha...LOVE!
  • fittyfittybumbum
    fittyfittybumbum Posts: 90
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    I want to thank everyone who took the time to reply to my post. I really really appreciate ALL comments. They were very insightful and informative.

    Again, thank you all. Have a good day and much success on your weight loss journey.
  • slicksps
    slicksps Posts: 33
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    I'm going on the Jelly bean diet!

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