Cheat Days?

: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:

I agree with this.

I am cheating myself out of not drinking anymore beer....damn, but it actually feels good..especially now after a week, my mountain biking power and endurance is much better after a week of no beer rather than after 12 beers the day before...

I allow myself one splurge meal per week. It's not a cheat meal, I call it a splurge meal. My family goes out to dinner on Friday nights (although this week it will be Thursday for my birthday) and I order whatever I want from the menu, regardless of the calories. I eat my normal calories for the other two meals of the day and stay on track for the remainder of the week, as well as work out 4 days/week. I am now below my goal and have kept the weight off. I can't speak for everyone, but for me that splurge meal has not prohibited my weight loss, but rather psychologically helps me stay on track for the rest of the week. I know that meal is coming up, so when I'm craving some fries for lunch one day, I refrain and eat them during my splurge meal if that's what I feel like. Honestly, the cravings pass but if I deprived myself all together and NEVER splurged, the cravings would not pass and I cold not continue this lifestyle.

Call me weak if you wish, but I can fit into my size six jeans, and have nice muscles on my arms so I'm going to continue what I'm doing

I don't "cheat" because the mindset or idea behind it doesn't work for me. In the past, I've allowed "cheat days" and it didn't take long for those days to become the norm for me. This time, I've worked hard to view every day as the NORM rather than as the thing I have to suffer through to get to a day where I can "cheat" and eat like I used to. Does that make sense?

If I want Chinese food, I have it. However, I plan for it a day or so in advance and then make the swaps and deals I have to make to allow for it. If that means 30 minutes on the bike or an hour's walk, then that's what I do. If it means skipping my nightly hot chocolate or going with the diet drink instead of my usual, that's fine. That way, I don't find myself thinking of my diet as awful and restrictive and days I blow it as rewards, cheats, or something "earned."

Others are different. But for me, cheat days sabotage my efforts and drag me down every time.

Kris

THIS! I won't deprive myself but choose smaller portions and amp up exercise to fit it in. I may not eat completely clean, but I won't belly up to a trough anymore. I've done that and it doesn't help me or my goals.

I set days in which I know I'm going to cheat and when I cheat I go big. For example, I know next Monday morning, when we're on public holiday for Chinese New Year, my buddies and I will get together to drink beer and eat horribly and watch football live at 4AM. This whole week I am making sure I get in the gym, stay under my intake levels and keep the blinders on. To cap it off we're going on a 3 hour hike Sunday after training legs in the gym! Net burn for the week will still be very much negative so I don't feel all that guilty.

The day after I do cheat is an absolute horrible experience and really inspires me to stay on the straight and narrow. I'll allow myself one of these days every 3 to 4 weeks because, let's be honest, sometimes it feels good to be bad.

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

I find this very discouraging - I thought we were all here for the same reason and here to support each other?!?
The poor lady obviously feels bad about her 'cheat meal' and doesn't need to hear she is weak... We all have bad/off days.

In terms of cheat days/meals - I try not to schedule them in weekly or anything like that but I certainly have them! I once read in a magazine to remember that every MEAL is a new start - I used to think of new starts in days... and start again the next day, but if you start again next meal - you're already ahead! - Don't be too hard on yourself!

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

I'm going to go out on a limb and say I thought he meant that those who cheat regularly are weak and that's why they do it, not necessarily you. I could be off base but hope that makes you feel better. I honestly use to do "cheat" days and it was because I couldn't resist temptation so maybe that is why I read it that way.

If you mess up, life goes on. I did this past week (I'm a huge NY Giants fan and they had a big game) and I went over my calories. I worked out twice as hard earlier that day and tried to give myself room but I still went over. No biggie. I knew that the 4lbs I "gained" the next morning wasn't fat and I'll keep losing. We're all human, just do the best you can and as long as you are heading in the right direction in general one bad day will never keep you down.

AS long as it's good quality food and you aren't gorging all day on McDonalds I say it's good to high cal every now and then. But eventually you don't even want to anymore. My cheat day was friday and I had sushi, alot of sushi. Felt like crap after.

Not true. Cheating when your trying to change habit that has been a bad habit for a long time is normal unless you're super-human (and you very well may be). None of us are perfect. If you fall off, get back on.

First off, please don't listen to those who say you are weak. They don't know anything about you.

Thanks! Sadly some folks can't feel good about themselves without putting others down.

I agree with all of this. We are all human and we are not perfect; if we were, we wouldn't be here now right?