Cheat Days?

jody664
jody664 Posts: 397 Member
edited October 30 in Food and Nutrition
Do you allow yourself "cheat days?" Or "cheat meals?" If so, how often? Does it help you keep the cravings at bay?

Thinking about this because I totally blew it today. Went out to lunch with a co-worker and we ended up at ~gasp~ a Chinese buffet. I was pretty well restrained compared to my pre-MFP days, but I'm sure I had about 1,000 calories just in that 1.5 trips through the food troughs.....if not more. But I've been doing MFP for 15 days now with zero slilp-ups. Planning on jumping back on the horse tomorrow.

Thanks in advance for your response.
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Replies

  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    cheating is cheating. unless you plan for it and exercise to account for it, you are just fooling yourself. who are you cheating? only yourself

    cheating is for the weak
  • gaylecw
    gaylecw Posts: 34 Member
    I went over today too and I am so mad at myself! Yesterday when I had lunch with a friend I did great. Today was perfect until 5pm and instead of eating a balance dinner I screwed up and had mixed nuts and 2 pop tarts!! We have to just tell ourselves that that was just today and tomorrow We Will Do Better!
    Good Luck!

    Feel free to add me as a friend if you want to. Maybe we can help each other out!
  • msech
    msech Posts: 32
    You know everybody is different so everybody is going to have a different response to this question. When I was doing this about 6 months ago I allowed myself cheat days (and those were normally the weekend because I went out with my family) and I was still losing weight. Now keep in mind unless you are me than that might not work for you. I find nothing wrong with having a cheat day every now and than.
  • seaoftears
    seaoftears Posts: 46 Member
    Just pickup where u left off ....it's ok to treat urself to something not in ur regular diet once in awhile!
  • lsjett1
    lsjett1 Posts: 20
    I think cheat days help you stay on track long term. You can't restrict yourself indefinitely. The key is not to have too many cheat days! Just get back on track tomorrow and don't beat yourself up. You can do it!
  • _xoxok
    _xoxok Posts: 152 Member
    I cheated today. & I don't feel bad at all. Nobody is perfect & I would NEVER cut out everything I enjoy. I allow myself one cheat day a week. But I still make sure I work out. It doesn't make me less of a person or weak. I enjoy it, & start over the next day.
  • KatherineVictoria
    KatherineVictoria Posts: 68
    It's actually proven that you are supposed to have 1 meal a week that is 1500 cals... It helps keep your metabolism in check ( it's worked for me, I'm not a doctor or nutrionist or dietician, but I read it in a health magazine) I typically don't eat a meal so high in cal, but I allow myself a cheat meal as opposed to a whole day. Eat right the rest of the day, workout, or don't ( I typically don't because I make that day my off day)

    Utimately it's up to you. You risk binging if you cut out everything you love that isn't healthy. I'm a firm believer that you can eat anything in moderation. Change your lifestyle to eating better and overall being a better person to your body, but don't deny yourself things that you like. It's ok to be "bad" once in a while.
  • sweetiepie31612
    sweetiepie31612 Posts: 240 Member
    I don't plan to have cheat days, but there are definitely days when i go over my cals. I try to make up for it by excersising more and having a higher deficit in cals spread through out the rest of the week. I don't plan to zig zag my cals, but that's essentially what i'm doing.
  • celestemarieadams
    celestemarieadams Posts: 7 Member
    I allow myself a cheat meal every now and then! You need it for sanity. No one can live a life with pizza, right? ;) Just don't go overboard and have a cheat meal every day. I find that my cheat meal normally happens Saturday night, but I'm right back on the bandwagon Sunday morning. Don't let a cheat meal through you off track! That's the worst!
  • msaaronlerey
    msaaronlerey Posts: 5 Member
    I've only been back on the wagon for about two weeks but I do allow myself a cheat meal - day. I try not to go too overboard and deepfry everything in sight and smother it in cheese and bacon but it's very tempting.
  • mogadad
    mogadad Posts: 41 Member
    NOPE
  • Justjoshin
    Justjoshin Posts: 999 Member
    1- a Chinese buffet would kill me due to sodium overdose.. so I would never do it.

    2- When I have "Cravings" (which is not often if ever) I just plan my day so I can eat what I want.

    3- I know plenty of people have great results with "Spike" days, but that's just not me. I eat what I want, and it always fits my macros.
  • mSquared77
    mSquared77 Posts: 47 Member
    cheating is cheating. unless you plan for it and exercise to account for it, you are just fooling yourself. who are you cheating? only yourself

    cheating is for the weak

    Agreed! Simply count it, or work in activity to earn extra calories, everyday. Why "cheat"? Track what you eat, and if you don't have the calories in the "bank" - choose something else.....up to you, and you only!
  • ChanyRae
    ChanyRae Posts: 112
    I cheat every Saturday night. I eat whatever I want and have a few glasses of wine too. I try to make sure I get in a good workout that day or the next. Done this for years without gaining weight.
    It makes it easier to eat clean during the week, and gives me something to look forward to when I finish my work week. (Tues-Sat)
    Life is too short not to have pizza, pasta, and a good wine once in a while! :drinker:
  • shovav91
    shovav91 Posts: 2,335 Member
    Honestly, it's good for your metabolism to go over once in a while. The extra calories keeps it kicked into high gear, rather than getting used to the lower amount of calories. Don't beat yourself up- experts recommend a cheat meal a week :)
  • jmduvall22
    jmduvall22 Posts: 11 Member
    Yep, I do. Once a week. I started out with cheat "days" during the early stages of my weight loss, but now I limit myself to a cheat dinner instead. I only allow it as long as I've lost at least one pound over the previous week. The catch is, you must have the willpower to limit it because a cheat dinner can easily snowball into a cheat day, week, etc. And before you know it you're making backwards progress.

    I've heard that a regular, moderate increase of caloric intake can actually help boost your overall metabolism. Also, it gives me an outlet for all those cravings I had the previous week. I've not had the chance to read up on it but I average a 2.5 pound weekly loss and 109 pounds later... it seems to work. But I'm sure this approach isn't for everyone, but it worked fabulously for me. I also exercise religiously 6 times a week, though.
  • JSMSDSAS05
    JSMSDSAS05 Posts: 136 Member
    Do you allow yourself "cheat days?" Or "cheat meals?" If so, how often? Does it help you keep the cravings at bay?

    Thinking about this because I totally blew it today. Went out to lunch with a co-worker and we ended up at ~gasp~ a Chinese buffet. I was pretty well restrained compared to my pre-MFP days, but I'm sure I had about 1,000 calories just in that 1.5 trips through the food troughs.....if not more. But I've been doing MFP for 15 days now with zero slilp-ups. Planning on jumping back on the horse tomorrow.

    Thanks in advance for your response.

    If it makes you feel any better, yesterday I went to a chinese buffet to reward myself for losing 10 pounds. But I paid for it afterwards cuz I didn't feel good. I guess cuz my body's used to eatting healthy food now.
  • stevwil41
    stevwil41 Posts: 608 Member
    Yes I do. One meal a week I eat whatever I want and don't worry about it. I usually have another meal at some point where I don't make the healthiest choices but I work it into my calorie budget. It keeps me sane and has nothing to do with being "weak".
  • BrooklynBeast
    BrooklynBeast Posts: 44
    I felt bad today just because I thought about eating a chocolate covered raisin. There it was sitting on the table calling to me... "Eat me!, Eat me!" I envisioned myself eating the thing and tasting the chocolate goodness and all those excess calories going into my gullet. I was depressed for the rest of the day.

    Imagine the self-loathing I feel when I actually to allow myself to cheat. I feel like a worthless turd. No, cheat days are not worth it. Vow to yourself not to do it again and spare yourself the guilty feelings later on. It is all about self-control. You need to answer to yourself. Don't rely on your MFP friends to tell you that everything is ok. You cheated on yourself. Cheating is cheating. Put it into the same class as cheating on your husband... Yeah sure you just sampled another man, but you couldn't help yourself? An extreme example maybe, but if you hold yourself up to those standards, perhaps it will be easier for you in the future.
  • bparr
    bparr Posts: 246 Member
    :ohwell: Why is it called cheating???
    MFP isn't a meal plan or "diet". It's a tool for tracking what you eat and setting goals for your calories and exercise.
    I haven't eliminated any of my favorite foods, but I have changed how much of it I eat and how often I eat them. I also log every carlorie and then try to exercise more to work them off.:laugh:

    There's no MFP punishment for going over your calories-- the issues is, it will take longer to reach your goals.
    If you have too many days of calorie overage, then you'll either not lose weight or possibly gain weight. :sad:
    I think most on this site will agree-- don't deprive yourself, but decide what means more-- the extra calories, or reaching your goal. :flowerforyou:
  • bpurc22
    bpurc22 Posts: 180 Member
    cheating is cheating. unless you plan for it and exercise to account for it, you are just fooling yourself. who are you cheating? only yourself

    cheating is for the weak

    Not sure if you're serious or joking...
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
    i had a burger with bacon and fries today for lunch-- no cheese though cuz im on a diet lol.. and an extra hour of cardio cuz of it so i did two hours of cardio today .. it was worth it though!!! ahhhh it was soooo good .. ill be good the remainder of the week . i allow myself such luxury once a week
  • MuseumOfAsh
    MuseumOfAsh Posts: 72
    Don't listen to those trying to make you feel bad for "cheating". If they have such great wills of steel, good for them, but they're in the minority. Things happen. What matters is that you realize what happened and are conscious of it. Log what you ate and look at tomorrow as another day.

    I work my butt off doing 90-120 minutes of exercise 5 days a week so I allow myself a day to go over my calories, but only one day. If I want a burger on Tuesday, then I know that I can't have one on Thursday or Friday. If I'm willing to let that day be the one day I go over in calories then I do it. I'm not saying I eat thousands of calories over my daily calorie budget, but I go over. There's nothing wrong with that as long as you continue to lose and aren't sabotaging yourself.
  • itsjustpaper28686
    itsjustpaper28686 Posts: 30
    I find that I can't let myself "cheat" because then I realize how easy it is. I try to just stay away all together or exercise extra hard to burn it off.
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
    Not saying it is true but I somewhat believe in the psychology that Tom Venuto places in his book "The Body Fat Solution" where he says that a carb spike or just general spike once a week to keep your metabolism on it's tones. I am going to start trying ti out.
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,078 Member
    i had a burger with bacon and fries today for lunch-- no cheese though cuz im on a diet lol.

    LMAO
  • FoxieLadie
    FoxieLadie Posts: 1
    Eat the foods you love in moderation. If you deny yourself, you will feel deprived. Its all about sticking to a healthy lifestyle which incorporates healthy eating and regular exercise. You will not eat "perfectly" 100% of the time.
  • maryjay51
    maryjay51 Posts: 742
    thats right..food is to be enjoyed not abused. i lost 80lbs and if anyone thinks i didnt have any wings, pizza or subs during that two time frame then they are nuts.. i did have things like that and will continue to have things like that as a treat , in moderation and hopefully planned so i dont binge like im eating my last supper. if you are sticking with your plan and you have something off the line you are ok.. just enjoy it and do it guilt free. i swear when i lose this 47 extra lbs i am aiming for , first thing im doing is running to a dairy queen for a pecan mudslide
  • michiganderrdh
    michiganderrdh Posts: 151 Member
    cheating is cheating. unless you plan for it and exercise to account for it, you are just fooling yourself. who are you cheating? only yourself

    cheating is for the weak

    Ditto. Think about how you feel afterwards???? LIKE TOTAL CRAP. Especially when what you at was unhealthy and left you wanting more food (because you need actual nutrition).

    Are there times I take a bite of something? or make a wrong choice? Sure but I totally don't plan that at all. It's setting yourself up for failure.

    Also, look back and think....can you think of any days you regretted that you stuck to eating clean and healthy? NOPE. But you'll always regret that you had that cheat meal which turned into a binge which then turns into a cheat day. KWIM?

    Obviously, moderation is key, too. I like pizza but I make it at home or modify things when I eat out.

    But don't think you can exercise your way out of a bad diet.
  • amy3cc
    amy3cc Posts: 16 Member
    Heck yes, I do a cheat day! Most of the time it's pretty close to my maintenance calories, or maybe a tiny bit above so I don't damage the deficits I did for the week. I think it's important to allow yourself to cut loose here and there. Everyone's different, but as long as a cheat day is an every once in awhile thing, you're still going to lose weight. Oh, and just as a side note, I've ALWAYS had one cheat day a week and I managed to lose 60 lbs. And keep it off for over 4 years now (Ok, I'm up like 5 right now, so I'm being a bit more stringent). Yeah, a cheat day won't kill you.
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