How often do you cheat?

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Brittypop
Brittypop Posts: 67
in Health and Weight Loss
MFP friends and members,

How often do you cheat and go over your calories / nutrition for the day?
Is it just one meal or do you cheat the whole day?

How does it affect your overall progress?

I strongly believe that you need at least one cheat meal a week. Back in the day when I did the Body For Life program, we were allowed one entire "free" day as long as the other six days were strict within the program. It worked!

I'm curious to hear everyone's thoughts on this controversial topic.

Thanks!
Britty
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Replies

  • missikay1970
    missikay1970 Posts: 588 Member
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    one day per week, usually only one meal. it's helped me so much, i can't imagine i would have done as well as i have w/o allowing myself a few things that i love. it also helps me stay on track all week...if i see a cupcake, i think, "wait 6 more days and you can have one!" if i thought i could NEVER have one again, i would probably go nuts! typically i take sundays off completely, no gym, no MFP, no logging-in food and no counting calories.
  • swilkie1961
    swilkie1961 Posts: 107 Member
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    I usually have 1 cheat meal per week. It wasn't planned this way. I cook mostly Monday through Friday and don't cook on the weekend. Depending on what is going on, I seem to have one cheat meal. My cheat meal usually means couple of drinks when we go out, but still eat healthy. And I don't eat the regular 3 meals per day on the weekend either. Knock on wood, so far it seems to be working.
  • rockerbabyy
    rockerbabyy Posts: 2,258 Member
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    once a week at least - sometimes its a meal, sometimes its all day depending on cravings.
  • megaron01
    megaron01 Posts: 37 Member
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    What's cheating? When I know that a calorie bomb of a meal is coming along, I make plans to get some exercise in to get more calories so that I can fully enjoy the 'cheat' meal.............also this meal has to be done in moderation as well..............
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
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    I never cheat. Cheating is negative.

    I manage my eating, my workouts, and my spike day. Everything fits within my planned weekly deficit. Red numbers are fine; the end of the day is not the end of the journey. Look at the big picture; balance it out with a workout.

    Positive thinking = success.

    blessings.
  • ebahde
    ebahde Posts: 89 Member
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    I personally don't have a set amount of cheat day(s) within the week or month. I really try to save them for when I really want them (special occasions, going out to dinner, or something along those lines). I had more in the month of December (4-5 days) because of holidays than I usually have (1-3 days a month typically). But I think its really about your personal lifestyle. If you need 1 a week than take it, if you need 1 a month than do that. I do know that I always have 1 day during that TOM, but thats the only one I bank on during the month!
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
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    I came from Body for Life as well, and have always embraced the free day concept. I also prefer his terminology of "free day" as opposed to "cheat".
  • msjamartin
    msjamartin Posts: 148
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    I don't believe in cheat days at all. It is simply life. Everything can fit in your day, even cupcakes. I do not look at any food as off limits and find it unrealistic to try an live with these type of rules. Once I hit my goal the only thing about my food that will change is the calorie amount. I still eat cake on birthdays. I eat pie at holidays. I have popcorn at movies. I even go to Coldstone if I'm in the mood. I have pasta. I have potatoes. I have red meat. I eat everything I like, I just keep the portion in control and within my calorie range for the day.

    I know this doesn't work for everyone but I really feel that if this is a true lifestyle change for life that you can't restrict and elminate the foods you love. Rather you have to learn to incorporate them in a healthy way to your life everyday.

    This is my opinion.
  • clairer2282
    clairer2282 Posts: 28
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    I don't ever plan to cheat, in the past I have fallen off the wagon a few times and got back on though if that counts, so far so good! :wink:
  • Speedtrap
    Speedtrap Posts: 216
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    If I go over it is usually because I have gone out for dinner.
    I do not do it very often so I try not to worry about it.
    If I do go over and I know I will, I do not give up on the whole day. Just keep going and it has been working so far.
  • dictations
    dictations Posts: 199
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    About once a week.
  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
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    I also incorporate foods that I enjoy into my diet, daily.

    When I was eating at a deficit I would cheat on average once per week. I find it can be very beneficial, but it's not for everyone. There are physiological benefits and psychological ones, but again, not a strategy that everyone can or should utilize successfully.

    At a surplus (my intake is at 3200 currently) I don't really cheat. I'll occasionally not track food just to give myself a break, but on those days I'm probably ending between maintenance and 3200.
  • skywa
    skywa Posts: 901 Member
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    i eat a little bit of what im craving as the cravings come.
    so like 3 times a week.
  • grapenutSF
    grapenutSF Posts: 648 Member
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    I don't have a specific structure in place, but do think having treats periodically is important so I don't feel deprived and can eat healthy long term. It probably averages to having a special dessert or going over planned cals (1500-1800 cals, depending on if I worked out that day) 1x week. One thing that's important to me is that I log all those foods. So the treat is indulging in the special item rather than mindlessly eating. THAT could get me in trouble.
  • cnotefwb
    cnotefwb Posts: 43 Member
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    I have what I call a Treat Day once a week - Sundays. If I've stayed on course all week and have gotten all my exercise in - I won't be as vigilant on Sunday's and have a little more of what I want. But I still log it so I don't go overboard.
  • flisafakto
    flisafakto Posts: 143 Member
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    About once a week, depending on the week. Over the holidays it was much more frequent, but in my regular life, it usually happens on weekends when I go out with my friends. I dont stress much over it, I'm usually within my weekly goal anyway. Sometimes its a cheat meal, sometimes a whole cheat day.
  • ngags
    ngags Posts: 9
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    My husband and I like to go out to dinner so we take one meal on the weekend (usually Saturday night) and we go out to dinner. Years ago after I had my son I went to a weight doctor. He told me to take one day a week to eat something I really want. It works and keeps me from cheating the rest of the week. I do not pic out though. I like seafood so I usually have shrimp or lobster. Don't forget to exercise!
  • rayleansout
    rayleansout Posts: 234
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    I never cheat. Cheating is negative.

    I manage my eating, my workouts, and my spike day. Everything fits within my planned weekly deficit. Red numbers are fine; the end of the day is not the end of the journey. Look at the big picture; balance it out with a workout.

    Positive thinking = success.

    blessings.

    ^^^^^ YEP!
  • Jocelyn0415
    Jocelyn0415 Posts: 14 Member
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    Usually once a week and just one cheat meal.
  • fitjunk
    fitjunk Posts: 160 Member
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    I eat what ever I want but in moderation. I never feel as though Im denied anything or Im cheating this way. It may be just one bite of something "bad" or a cheat meal, but I will make up for it sometime in the week and burn it off. A spike day is usually a good thing once and awhile. :)

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