"Cheat" days?

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

That's what I do! Tonight is a school fundraiser at Chick-fil-a. So I swam, burnt ~700 cals so now my ~500 chick-fil-a meal is covered!! But no cheat day, Just being smart :-)

The real benefit of the pre determined cheat day is that often people who try to diet and try to be perfect 24/7, are just setting themselves up for failure. Its challenging to go from 0-100, would it be ideal, absolutely but it isn't realistic for most. By setting a specific cheat day you actual improve you odds of sticking with a diet.

Reason is, say I've been dieting for 3 week or a month and its a Tuesday and I have a hangering for a treat I figure hey I've been good for 3 weeks so why not have a small treat just today. Then on Friday you are heading out and think well since I'm out for dinner I may as well have a the dessert for this occasion because I've been good for 3 weeks, but you conveniently forget about Tuesdays indescresion. So it happens with more frequency then if you were to just predetermine that Saturday I can have a small treat, so if that hankering comes on that Tuesday instead of having it you'll go wait... no I'm going to wait until Saturday because thats my cheat day.

By setting a dedicated cheat day you don't decide to have a treat on a whim which is good because human nature will lead it to happening more often then you are even aware of. Being perfect 6 days out of 7 is easier to handle then trying to be perfect all the time. And by allowing yourself that one day to look forward to you tend to have better self control on the other days of the week knowing you'll have a chance later to indulge.... but more often then not you actually don't have as much of a craving that day and have a little treat but not as much as you felt like on the Tuesday... it starts out as a cheat day but you end up being better then you would be otherwise.

I'd still recommend logging the food though so you have a calorie count, that way you see exactly what you've done and can set a target of some extra calories to burn next trip to the gym etc. Plus knowing what you ate may make you feel a little guilty and next weeks treat may get a little smaller as a result.... after 6 weeks of that you'd be surprized how your treat become less deprimental to your diet. On week one your treat may be a delicious treat.... fast forward 8 weeks and suddenly your "treat" is a chicken pizza on multi grain dough or a frozen yogurt lol

I spent several years working in the gym with clients as a personal trainer and more often then not those that had a cheat day (within reason) were more successful long term. Just don't go crazy on that day and triple your calorie intake... have a treat, but have it earlier in the day and try to have an activity to burn it off if possible .

Good luck

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

And I am living proof that it is NOT!

CHECK OUT BODYFOR LIFE. IT IS WHAT I DO. sundays are free days!!!! its really easy and you eat 6 small meals a days. It does work because I lost 80lbs before. Just went off for a year and gained 30 back. Back on it now

I think many people see losing weight as dieting and not changing their lifestyle and bad habits. I allow a cheat occasionally as it is a health, long-term way to adjust your lifestyle. Many people quit when they don't see fast results and then they give up. I figure, it took me a while to get here, it's going to take some time and hard work to get back and keep it there. Everything in moderation...and count the calories when you do cheat.