How do you feel about cheat days/meals?

Depends. Some people view a cheat day as an excuse to go full out and eat everything in sight. Thia does not work.

Having a small indulgence that you normally would not have is more manageable.

Its is better to have a cheat day and not a cheat meal. and you should start them after you have seen some changes.

If you like chocolate I would allow yourself a piece or two from a chocolate bar a cpl times a week. That way you never want to go crazy and over indulge. It helps me to do it that way.

Never EVER again!

I have a cheat day every Friday, after my weigh in. I've been steadily losing weight, with no plateaus or anything.

I am much more inclined to not over indulge when I think to myself "if I still want it, I can have it Friday" That being said, I still eat anything I want, just less of it. However, its comforting to know that if I want TWO pieces of cheesecake on Friday, I can

I agree. I allow myself a "cheat meal" once a week of something that maybe would not normally fit into my daily healthy cal range. Thay way I can tell myself if I still want it, I can have it that one time that week. Works for me.

I would say that a cheat day would be alittle over the top. Allowing yourself to have a cheat meal once a week is a good way to keep things rolling along and also helps keep you sane.

Pick a day of the week and get some friends together and go out and have a nice meal. You dont have to binge just a meal and 1 dessert. Replace your last meal of the day and go with it. As you get leaner you can incorporate more of them into your weekly meals.

goodluck

everyday is a cheat day when you don't feel deprived like this<

---

GIRL

you learn to eat what you like in the correct way, and learn to say "no" to things when you have maybe already had your treat that day

but for one day of eating what you like, in moderation, having a meal that you enjoy, that may be high in calories, go for it.

the scale may go up, water weight of course, you'll be okay

I cheat every Friday. ... So far, it works fine for me. As long as you MAKE yourself work out and eat right the next day. ... because on Saturdays I would really like to skip all that stuff after a carby, 1800+ cal Friday. ... but I know that if I did I would fall off the wagon!...

did last night and felt bad, but worked it off today and with the encouraging words of others i am better. i am committed to not have them very often and dont want to beat myself up if i do. just know what i got to do the next time, just turn walk away or work my *kitten* off in the morning.

I've thought a lot about this since reading about "spike" days through the Spike84 group.

Personally, I didn't get to be where I am because I can handle eating certain kinds of foods well. I also didn't get to be where I am because I was honest with myself about certain kinds of foods. Can I honestly say I can buy a bar of chocolate and eat only a few bites of it at a time? No, I cannot.

I also never met a rationalization I didn't love. Or a program (until this one) that I couldn't game.

So, for me, cheating is what it is: Part of an old pattern of lying to myself about food. I don't say this is the way it is for all people, just for me. I don't want to invite a philosophy of dishonesty about food into my life, nor do I want to fool myself into thinking that I can buy certain foods, have them in my home, and stay in control of my food program. This is one reason why I can't do Weight Watchers--because I cannot eat whatever I want as long as it's the appropriate portion size.

My own personal goal is overall balance, and a day of cheating once a week would throw that balance off. So I can't say I can go for it, or that I would encourage anyone trying to keep it real with weight loss to do it.

I found when I was big they helped my weight loss....now that I am soooo close to goal they hinder my weight loss.

I am doing the 12 week Body for Life program and it allows for 1 free day a week. I am just finishing up week 4 and have already lost 11 pounds and have really been sticking with the program of eating right and exercising 6 days a week. Check out my diary.

The Free Day is something that makes the Body-for-LIFE nutrition plan unique. One day a week, you have the option to indulge in all the “unauthorized” food of your choice. Pizza, French fries, ice cream, cake and cookies… it is up to you. The logic behind this is that a weekly day of unrestricted eating helps you combat the cravings you may experience during the rest of the week. In other words, it may be easier to say “no” to that donut at the Tuesday morning meeting if you know you can have as many donuts as you want on your scheduled Free Day. A Free Day is also an opportunity to remind you of how you used to feel when you ate those foods all the time. After six days of fueling your body with lean sources of protein, whole-grain carbs and healthy fats, indulging in a fast-food meal on your Free Day may not be as satisfying as it used to be. Here is how else you can use the Free Day to your advantage:

Save it for your Free Day. If you have a challenge making the right choices at restaurants during the week, try to save eating out for your Free Day.

Shop on your Free Day. Some people found it easier to do all their shopping for the week on their Free Days. After you’ve indulged in the your favorite foods, it should be easier to make healthy choices at the grocery store.

Plan ahead. If there is a specific event during the week when you know will make it hard to stick with your nutrition plan, such as a birthday party, business dinner or a holiday, re-schedule your Free Day so that it falls on that day.

Indulge the right way. Make the most of the treats you crave, and take the time to enjoy them. You may eventually find you need less of them to be satisfied. If you’re going to have chocolate, enjoy a piece of decadent dark chocolate. If you want ice cream, savor the full-fat version instead of a low-fat substitute packed with a bunch of chemicals. Have you been dreaming about a hamburger and French fries all week? Sit down and enjoy the best you can find instead of rushing through a drive-thru.

Freedom of choice. How you use your Free Day is up to you. Some past Champions chose to just have a free meal, other Champions chose to forgo their Free Days altogether. You may find that how you use your Free Day changes during the course of your Challenge. In the beginning, it may be an all-out free-for-all, but as you become accustomed to how good it feels to eat healthy food, you may find that you no longer crave the junk food you used to look forward to.

You'll find that opinions about this are like *kitten*...everyone has one and none are the same.

To each their own. It works for some and not for others.

I do not deprive myself of anything but always stay under or right at my calorie goal for the day. If I want a candy bar or a glass of wine, I don't reserve it for a certain day, I have it on the days I have the calories for it. If I have a bottle of wine, but am at my limit for the day, the wine waits. Days like today where I've had three full meals and snacks, but had a gym session....my net is under 700 after all of this. Tonight, I drink wine and still finish the night with a huge deficit.

By not depriving myself of anything, I find i have great self control when I do want something. I don't call it cheating. I call it a sustainable living plan. I also don't call what I am doing a diet, but a lifestyle change.

My diary is public if you want to peak at what I've eaten today.
Good luck with whatever YOU choose.

Out of control.
'cheat meals' are what got me to gain all the weight I lost back. I do indulge every now and again, but it always fits under my daily caloric allotment, so I suppose it's not really 'cheating'.

Just think of it this way. You have 500+ extra cals to piss away when you are at your goal weight, so eat it then!

But in saying that, if a cheat meal works for you and you're still losing, then go for gold!