"Cheat" days?

JLizzie85
JLizzie85 Posts: 14
in Food and Nutrition
I am at the very beginning stages of my weight loss journey and am still figuring out a plan that works best for me. I know I will be exercising for an hour every day Monday through Friday and on the weekends if I can. My husband and I take a lot of weekend trips and usually try to plan fun stuff on the weekends, so I know some weekends I realistically won't be able to put in my hours work.

My question is, I have heard some people give themselves a cheat day once a week where they can eat whatever they want and not count calories or stick with low-fat items. I can see it going both ways...it would be nice to be able to splurge and not feel like I am depriving myself, but it could also backfire if you start eating whatever you want every day...

What does everyone here do? Cheat days or no?
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Replies

  • nallbaby10
    nallbaby10 Posts: 86
    I wouldnt, only because i would want to every day.
  • skylark94
    skylark94 Posts: 2,036 Member
    I don't plan for cheat days, but if I go over every so often it's not a big deal to me and it has not hurt my efforts. I usually try to hit my net goals for the week rather than just the day.
  • jacks4se
    jacks4se Posts: 8 Member
    I have a "cheat meal" maybe once a week at the most. I do it when I feel like I need it and I find that it helps me stay on track by not having nagging cravings all the time. For me, there is just no alternative to buffalo wings and ice cream and eating a piece of fruit or some damn rice cakes like they suggest just doesn't cut it. Instead of getting discouraged by this one hefty meal I just accept it and move on, and carry out the rest of my day like a normal diet day!
  • salmanajmal
    salmanajmal Posts: 93 Member
    yep
  • Faye_Anderson
    Faye_Anderson Posts: 1,495 Member
    If you have the bad stuff in moderation you don't need to have a cheat day, that's my opinion x
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
    My question is, I have heard some people give themselves a cheat day once a week where they can eat whatever they want and not count calories or stick with low-fat items. I can see it going both ways...it would be nice to be able to splurge and not feel like I am depriving myself, but it could also backfire if you start eating whatever you want every day...

    What does everyone here do? Cheat days or no?

    This is going to shock you, but you can indeed eat what you want every day and lose weight just fine.
  • Kathy077
    Kathy077 Posts: 58
    When I used to go on my healthy eating diets and what not, I would allow myself a cheat day. I have found that this does not help me in my weight loss journey. I would NOT allow yourself a cheat day. People are literally addicted to food, and allowing yourself to have that slice of pizza, or whatever you crave will just leave you wanting more, and less satisfied. I also found myself feeling very guilty after allowing myself cheat days. So I don't recommend it. Good luck!
  • NavyIT85
    NavyIT85 Posts: 26 Member
    I have dropped over 100lbs collectively over the last 5 years.

    I ALWAYS have a cheat day, even to this day. Friday night I always grill and have some beers.

    ALSO, be very careful not to work out EVERYday. I actually ran into a problem with sleeping through the night because i had been running 3-6 miles a day 6-7 days a week, then working out again in the evenings. Was brutal... i got results but at an expense that made me miserable... I cut back to 4-5 days a week running and only doing the later workout on 2 of those days. The results kept coming and i felt a TON better.

    I live by the 90% rule. I won't go a full week with out taking a break to go out for dinner or eat some dessert. Your body will get used to your normal intake and routine, and will adapt to help the additional calories. ie: eat 1500 calories a day for a month, then eat 6000 one day, you wont put on 5 (permanent) lbs from it. Your body will see that as abnormal, and try to flush it.

    This is not really text book answer. I have read hundreds of weight loss forums and such, and this is just my take and it happened to work =)
  • mandycasey
    mandycasey Posts: 274 Member
    Yes i do - every sat, i found it has worked ok for me but everyone is different, good luck. xx
  • mkwongh
    mkwongh Posts: 279 Member
    If you have a cheat day--- still log and count everything! I find once a week is a bit much for me, but it all depends on your body and how it makes you feel.
  • MaximalLife
    MaximalLife Posts: 2,447 Member
    I have a weekly "free day".
    I get to eat anything and everything I want with no limits and no restrictions.

    There is no way I would have stuck it out otherwise.
    I need fast food, fried food, huge steaks, stuffed potatoes, ice cream, candy and french fries with ketchup.

    The food Nazi's have blasted this practice, warning me that I'd never reach my goals, but today they are all silent.

    I lost 70 lbs doing this.

    Where are my critics now?

    crickets chirping....:laugh: :laugh: :laugh:
  • krystle_swope
    krystle_swope Posts: 47
    I don't have scheduled cheat days, but usually if I have a good weigh in on a Friday I will eat something "bad" like Chipotle that night or over the weekend. I definitely don't eat whatever I want all day though. My biggest problem is willpower and using the least amount of "cheating" has really helped me form good habits to keep off the weight, but that is just the way I do things! You will learn through experience what works and does not work for you :)
  • twynzmom
    twynzmom Posts: 172
    to call them "cheat" days sounds like having an affair or something! as long as you log what you eat regardless of what you eat it is not cheating... I travel a lot but I keep track of my food consumption. I have some old unusable business cards that I carry with me to write my food on and then log when I can get to my computer. just a thought
  • JLizzie85
    JLizzie85 Posts: 14
    Wow! These are all great responses. Thanks all!
  • PaulS70
    PaulS70 Posts: 70
    I have days occasionally where I don't change the quality of food eaten, but increase the quantity. Sometimes significantly, as much as double my calorie goal. Hasn't caused any weight gain or caused me to "fall off the wagon" yet.
  • reaolliemama
    reaolliemama Posts: 483 Member
    I don't PLAN to cheat...everyone can go over their goal once in a while, but it's not a good idea to plan to do it in my opinion. If I did that I would probably stock up on everything I love and binge like a mad woman. If I eat something that calorie heavy I just get back on the wagon after...not the next day, right then!
  • Michele7091
    Michele7091 Posts: 256 Member
    I personally don't have "cheat" days. I do allow myself treats though and I don't limit them to specific days. I just know myself well enough to realize that if I allowed myself an entire day to eat whatever I wanted that all my other days of hard work would be in vain.
    And I'm trying my hardest not to look at this as a "diet" but instead as a lifestyle change...so instead of saying that I'm having a "cheat" or that I'm being a "little bad"...I just remind myself that everything in moderation is okay.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    Sunday's are my 'fun food' day. I eat whatever I feel like eating with two simple rules -

    I still log everything that I eat
    I stop eating when I'm full

    I also try to get a big huge calorie burn work out in that day if I can
  • Dave198lbs
    Dave198lbs Posts: 8,810 Member
    My question is, I have heard some people give themselves a cheat day once a week where they can eat whatever they want and not count calories or stick with low-fat items. I can see it going both ways...it would be nice to be able to splurge and not feel like I am depriving myself, but it could also backfire if you start eating whatever you want every day...

    What does everyone here do? Cheat days or no?

    This is going to shock you, but you can indeed eat what you want every day and lose weight just fine.

    unless you add ...staying in a caloric deficit...this is total crap
  • Leannek74
    Leannek74 Posts: 374 Member
    I have a "cheat meal" maybe once a week at the most. I do it when I feel like I need it and I find that it helps me stay on track by not having nagging cravings all the time. For me, there is just no alternative to buffalo wings and ice cream and eating a piece of fruit or some damn rice cakes like they suggest just doesn't cut it. Instead of getting discouraged by this one hefty meal I just accept it and move on, and carry out the rest of my day like a normal diet day!

    Well put, exactly what I do too!

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