How do you feel about cheat days/meals?

I eat whatever I want aslong as it's within my calories every saturday, unless I'm having a spike day, then I'll go about 600 calories over, I only have two spike days a month.

i do a cheat meal occasionally, but i log it and budget for it, so i guess it's not technically a cheat meal.

I was reading through this thread and wondering how to say exactly this.
Succinct and just what I was going to say.
Only thing is, I don't think "cheat"- I think "treat". And I sure need some of those. And before anyone jumps on the food as a reward line, I have different kinds of treats. A long bath, a half hour with a book, a whole evening in front of the tv.... A treat is my way of staying sane. A cookie or a piece of cake is just a special thing to look forward to, and enjoy.

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.

^^^This.

I'm not on a "diet" so "cheating" on it is impossible.

I personally prefer to record any indulgences that I have had. If I go over my daily calories then I exercise more or eat a little less the next day. I can really fit any food into the plan. I do know some people who have lost weight with cheat days.

I'm not on a "diet" so "cheating" on it is impossible.

Amen. It is a lifestyle commitment to making healthy choices to be fit and healthy.

At first I thought they were a good idea, until I tried it out. Last sunday my husband and the kids and I all went out for a fun day in the city. We ate at a mongolian BBQ...which wasn't bad besides the sodium, but then afterwards we ate at Arbys. Not only did I feel like total crap, I gained weight.
No thanks.

Now I just consider my "cheats" to be when I go over a little on sodium or carbs or something. But never a huge amount. It's just not worth it.

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.

this! (i don't drink alcohol though) but if its in my calorie goal and i feel i want something - yesterday we had pizza that i've wanted for 4 days. i was still way under my calorie goal. and i work out everyday.

Even contestants on The Biggest Loser are given cheat days. I am conservative with mine: On the first Sunday of every month, I eat whatever I want without recording calories. For the rest of the month, I count calories and make the healthiest food choices possible. I have lost about 56 pounds (now 142, down from 198), and I am just striving to maintain my current weight. When you consider how mine are structured, they only occur 12 times during the year, and they have substantively no affect on my weight. They are, however, a nice reward for all the sacrifices I make during the rest of the month.

The way I look at them is that it's part of life. Like last night-I had a couple of chocolatini's with a 68 calorie overage for the day-I'm going to the gym today. I'm good with it and for crying out loud-it's the weekend!! lol I'm better than I used to be-that's all I can hope for.

Me, personally, I don't have cheat days. If I know I'm going to go out to eat and will most likely go over my calories I will workout a little more to make up for those extra calories!! I hate seeing. Red negative numbers when I complete my diary!! It makes me feel like crap!

I do carb cycling and its works for me but I time it with my monthly cycle so week before I eat carbs with meals, once they start I don't have any more and body lets go of all the water naturally including extra from the carbs and I usually lose 2-3lbs from what I was before the water went on.

so I was 9st 12 before this months water went on so would expect to be around 9st 9 when it all comes off by end of next week. rest of month I am wheat free/low carb.

I don't have a cheat day but I will indulge in a cheat meal. I think it's healthy, you can work it in your workout schedule to adjust the calories you will consume. Adjust your diary to reflect those calories/fat that we're added. We all need those days to enjoy.

I belive in a "cheat" meal and only 1 cheat meal/week. You pick what that meal will consist of and enjoy it. Don't go hog wild, but do enjoy something that you once gave up. The purpose in it is to keep your body guessing and to mix up your metabolism once a week. This keeps you from hitting plateus in your weight loss journey. As the other members have already commented this is just 1/week and make it 1 meal or 1 item you wouldn't normally eat during the week due to the calorie content, etc. If you look into various programs such as the Abs Diet, transformation.com (Body For Life), etc. Any program that focuses on getting your body lean and muscular will incorporate this concept to aid in your weight loss. The key is to plan for it and know what you're going to eat and when. Look into these 2 programs if you haven't already and read why they recomment it. They are both great programs and both incorporate the same concept. Works for me as well as many other people. If you're going to do it then make sure you leave the house to do it. You don't want to bring the food back into the house for "later". Pick a restaurant and go to it and enjoy it.

For some people it works out well. For some people it doesn't. You have to figure out what works for you.