Cheat Days/ Cheat Meals

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  • sprinklytink
    sprinklytink Posts: 1
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    i think that if you allow yourself to indulge in one thing every once in a while it's not so bad. It also shocks your body and in turn revs up your metabolism.
  • nutandbutter
    nutandbutter Posts: 447
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    I haven't had a "cheat day" in over 5 weeks. I don't feel a need to. I eat what I would like if it fits into my macros and have my calories set to above 1200 and eat plenty so I am not hungry. No reason to if you don't want to, but some like it to keep their sanity. Personally I am doing fine without

    This. I don't feel the need to "cheat" because every day I can eat whatever I want. I also set my own calories based on my maintenance and goals.
  • Soapstone
    Soapstone Posts: 134 Member
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    This should help.

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/

    Thanks for that. Great read!
  • kathyc609
    kathyc609 Posts: 258 Member
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    I am on low carb 17 day diet so I dont get cravings ever or feel hungry. I have been doing it since nov 1st and don't feel deprived - I just feel so much better without the sugar and processed foods in my body. When I want to spike my calorie intake I just eat more protein or add good healthy carbs. I have been losing steadily ever week.
  • Sexynvoluptuous
    Sexynvoluptuous Posts: 52
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    Thanks everyone for your advice. After my free meal last night i woke up starving this morning
  • cheercoach11
    cheercoach11 Posts: 14 Member
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    When i first started, I allowed myself a cheat day once a week. It didn't really affect my progress. Over time, I noticed that even on my cheat days, I couldn't physically eat like I used to. My body was just used to eating less. So even though I was eating what I wanted, it took less and less for me to be satisfied. That is also the trick, eating until your satisfied, not STUFFED.
  • angiemartin78
    angiemartin78 Posts: 475 Member
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    I personally try not to cheat, but sometimes I find myself in a situation where I have no choice but to eat something that's not one of my "normal" foods. If this happens, I just workout extra hard the next day and keep moving forward. :drinker:
  • gellolicious
    gellolicious Posts: 14
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    I know there are going to be days where I do not want to count calories and just enjoy myself. I call them my fat girl days or faturday, like New Year's, Superbowl, my birthday (not Thanksgiving of Christmas though because I find those easy and fun to find healthy meals for). Allowing myself to have those days, know that I'm going to be having it, has helped me stay on track. I don't look at it as cheating, just giving myself a day of luxury that I don't need to feel guilty about and know that it's just a once in a while thing.
  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
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    Just me, but I hate hate hate the word CHEAT, and for that matter, the word DIETING....
    Why is it if a fat person eats a lot one day they CHEAT, but if a thin person does it, it's just what they are eating.
    I know it's semantics, but seriously, the word CHEAT is so negative, CHEATING on a spouse is BAD,...eating an awesome meal at the Olive Garden once a week which I did last week is NOT bad, it's just enjoying different food once a week! :)
    You aren't BAD either. When people say I AM BAD I HAD CAKE , it drives me bananas-- ok thanks for listening haha
    I call it my FREE meal- not my cheat meal because I am not cheating anything...
  • stellaskies
    stellaskies Posts: 161 Member
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    The only "cheat" days I give myself are holidays and special occasions (like V-day and the Super Bowl). I try not to limit myself too much on what I eat, just the amount of the "bad" food I have. My husband insisted on buying those Milano mint cookies so I give myself one bite whenever he eats one in front of me and move on. Or I'll have a brownie in the morning. If you tell yourself no too many times it will end in disaster! Like that one summer I went on the Atkins diet and ended up going to Brusters every other day after I quit. I never even craved ice cream like that before I told myself I couldn't have it..... Good times.

    I think giving yourself a cheat day once a week would be tough. I know it's hard for me to get back into healthy eating after a special occasion day. Self control fail.
  • alyssaanagram
    alyssaanagram Posts: 73
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    I think it's fine mentally, emotionally and physically, I've always used this rule. Over time my "what ever the hell I want day" has evolved to better choices. Making the lifestyle change to eat nourish my body has changed the way I think about food.

    Agreed! This is what has happened to me - I used to go crazy on Saturdays with eating out and dessert but now my portions are much more controlled and balanced. It just takes time.
  • AmyLRed
    AmyLRed Posts: 894 Member
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    i have cheat days, though i call it "planned overage" or intentional overage days.

    That being said, if i had done it week one, i would have fallen off totally, thats just me. I waited a full month or more before having a first overage day. I am planning one for this Saturday!
  • MarilynGrube
    MarilynGrube Posts: 75 Member
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    I love my "FAT-URDAY" !!! Once a week, just a meal...anymore than a meal and I get sick. That one free meal is enough to keep me sane and satisfied! :tongue:
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
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    I seen that show. He said; your "Cheat Day" should not mean, "Go Crazy and blow your whole week" day.
  • ceecee368
    ceecee368 Posts: 21 Member
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    Some refer to this as cheat, others as free days or free meals. Dr Oz's topic for tomorrow's show is actually going to encourage folks who are on a weight loss plan to have cheat days/ free days etc. How do you feel about this? all week long I did really good and stayed under my calorie goal. I started this new lifestyle change 7 days ago and I am down 3 lbs, but my cheat meal today will it mess me up? I did feel deprived this week but this cheat meal was really something to look foward to. I did not blow the whole day, just one meal but I ended up about 1000 cals over normal but I feel great and I am ready to get back to work tomorrow. How do you feel about cheat/free meals? (fyi I did a search in the topics but there were no answers to the specific questions i asked)

    I really try not to take a "cheat day". That said, I do think it's important to let yourself indulge on occasion so that you won't end up bingeing on something just because you've been keeping yourself from having it. I think the way to accomplish a cheat day or cheat meal is to plan for it during the days before. If you know you have a party to go to on the weekend and want to be able to eat whatever you want, push yourself a bit harder with your workouts the days before.

    Changing your diet and exercise habits to create a healthy lifestyle is an every day commitment. I guess I just worry that if I let myself have cheat days then I'd easily start falling out of my healthy habits.
  • ogibson3
    ogibson3 Posts: 4 Member
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    I have a cheat day to eat whatever I want once a week, after the weight starts to come off I even try not to do it too bad on those days. "Cheat" days gives me something to look forward to all week, it's kinda like motivation. I usually feel better after that day which is on Saturdays and ready to hit it hard on Sunday. It's been working fine like that for me and my husband for a month now and I've lost 20 pounds and he's lost 30. Looking forward to this Saturday :)
  • katkins3
    katkins3 Posts: 1,360 Member
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    Just me, but I hate hate hate the word CHEAT, and for that matter, the word DIETING....
    Why is it if a fat person eats a lot one day they CHEAT, but if a thin person does it, it's just what they are eating.
    I know it's semantics, but seriously, the word CHEAT is so negative, CHEATING on a spouse is BAD,...eating an awesome meal at the Olive Garden once a week which I did last week is NOT bad, it's just enjoying different food once a week! :)
    You aren't BAD either. When people say I AM BAD I HAD CAKE , it drives me bananas-- ok thanks for listening haha
    I call it my FREE meal- not my cheat meal because I am not cheating anything...

    This^

    I don't have a Cheat meal or day.. I occasionally go over my goal. Mostly I go over on a special occasion, such as a birthday party or vacation. I don't waste my time on guilt. Its just one day or meal and won't matter in the long haul.
  • cowgirlslikeus86
    cowgirlslikeus86 Posts: 597 Member
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    I very rarely go over my calories. In the last 5 weeks I had my birthday one weekend and the superbowl followed on sunday. I over ate by like 2000 calories on my birthday but on Sunday I ran so that I could have a few extra calories for superbowl. Thankfully the hostess had healthy/gourmet foods instead of soda/beer and chip n dip. I actually ate really well that day and I hadn't intended to. If I know I am going to be in a situation where I will mostlikly have to eat unhealthier choices or more calories than I want to, I will workout longer that day.

    Once in a while I am famished on a given day. If my stomach is truly growling and hungry, I will eat more. My body is telling me that it needs more food. Yesterday I was craving Mac n cheese. I ate a whole box. 900 calories for lunch... but I only went over my daily calories by 5. I try to keep those crazy meals within my calorie allotment for the day. I don't look at them as "Cheating". I look at them as "This is what I want so, lets make room for it."

    It takes 3500 Calorie deficit to loose 1 pound of fat. I can easily eat that in one day of "Cheating". If I did that every week I don't think I would loose as much weight as I am. Just my thoughts anyways.
  • Sexynvoluptuous
    Sexynvoluptuous Posts: 52
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    When i first started, I allowed myself a cheat day once a week. It didn't really affect my progress. Over time, I noticed that even on my cheat days, I couldn't physically eat like I used to. My body was just used to eating less. So even though I was eating what I wanted, it took less and less for me to be satisfied. That is also the trick, eating until your satisfied, not STUFFED.

    You are right, that is important to eat until only satisfied and not stuffed
  • Sexynvoluptuous
    Sexynvoluptuous Posts: 52
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    Just me, but I hate hate hate the word CHEAT, and for that matter, the word DIETING....
    Why is it if a fat person eats a lot one day they CHEAT, but if a thin person does it, it's just what they are eating.
    I know it's semantics, but seriously, the word CHEAT is so negative, CHEATING on a spouse is BAD,...eating an awesome meal at the Olive Garden once a week which I did last week is NOT bad, it's just enjoying different food once a week! :)
    You aren't BAD either. When people say I AM BAD I HAD CAKE , it drives me bananas-- ok thanks for listening haha
    I call it my FREE meal- not my cheat meal because I am not cheating anything...


    LOVE It!! Thanks, and it's okay about the rant I understand

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