Cheat day

I don't have a cheat day, but I have 1 cheat meal a week that I don't log.

My cheat meals come from lack of preparation and exhaustion. When it is time to eat and I don't have a usual snack available and I can't measure out my portions like normal, I just eat whatever is most readily available. Also, my boyfriend and I usually eat out twice a month for date nights. I count drinking as "cheating" too. I cheated a LOT this past weekend. Ugh.

my trainer told me that he has found that when he tells his client 1 or 2 cheat meals are ok that he has found that it helps them stick with their diet the other days and for a longer period of time rather then his clients whom try to deprive them self of anything they use to like he said they usually end up giving in or stopping there diet not all but some. I know in the past I tried not having cheat days and ended up quieting my diets and work out very shortly after this I have stuck with it and still exercise on my cheat days.

Personally, I am not doing cheat days/meals. I am working on a lifestyle change, not a "diet" which means I am practicing moderation, and eating REAL serving sizes, not typical servings. So if I want ice cream (ok so delicious dairy free "ice cream") I will have it, but I will have 1 scoop instead of 3 or 4. Lots of advice on myplate.gov on how to move towards healthier portions. Owning a food scale has also been very helpful.

I think that if you're on MFP, you are looking for more than a fad "diet" or "quick fix." Most of us here are practicing lifestyle changes and adjusting to it. It's a process. It is important to stock up on healthy snacks and meals in your home so that you have more reason to eat in and feel better about snacking on fruits or veggies rather than potato chips.

I personally don't like them but fall into cheat days, when I'm having a bad day but I won't have one more than once a week say.

I am working on a lifestyle change, not a "diet" ...

See, this is exactly why I allow myself 1 cheat meal a week. I could not sustain this lifestyle change if I wasn't allowed to let loose and drink every once in a while or go have a nice meal at a restaurant for date night. I usually don't eat the whole plate of whatever I order but if I wanted to I'd allow myself to do so. It hasn't been causing me any setbacks. In fact, I had 3 slices of real pizza, a soda, and an order of mozzarella sticks Friday night and still lost 2lbs this week.

As has been said though, different strategies work for different people.

I still do those things as well, just in moderation. So instead of having a cocktail with a ton of calories I will have a glass of wine. Instead of having a double pepperoni pizza I will have vegetarian. I am focusing on modifying and moderating the foods I consume so I don't feel the need to cheat because I still eat the foods I love. Take last night, I had a bowl of potato soup, before I made it with tons of butter, bacon, peeled potatoes, cheese cream, sour cream, etc and ate it in a bread bowl. This time I used dairy free substitutes (I have learned I am sensitive to dairy) used half the bacon, no butter, carrots, celery etc and served it in a bowl with pita chips. I still get my soup but it is modified to be better for me and my family (and still tastes great!) It has been my experience, both personally and talking with other people, that when you feel deprived and in need of "cheat days" you are less likely to sustain your desired weight. So, because I desire a lifetime of health instead of just a change in pants size I am doing it differently.

If it works for you and you can continue to maintain past your goal weight that's awesome.

Good luck.

I incorporate a little bit of "cheating" into every day's menu. Usually it'll be a square of dark chocolate, or maybe some jelly beans - just something small and simple that keeps me feeling happy. I used to avoid candy and fat like the plague but noticed I would get to the weekend and binge because I felt too hungry or deprived.

If I ever cheat "officially" it's only on holidays or special occasions. Like for Easter or at a family get-together I will eat some dessert, but only a small portion. It's okay to go over your calories every once in a while. Just try to do it on birthdays or on a night you go out.

The whole concept of a cheat day, though, is really part of a diet mentality and you should look to be developing a healthy lifestyle instead. Consider it a normal lifestyle rather than something extra special, you know?

To be completely honest, on months when I do have cheat days (once a week) I do better than when I dont have it. When I do have the cheat days, I make sure to make it count though and cook something delicious for myself or go to a nice place rather than just some fast food (I hate fast food joints...)

The idea behind a cheat day has to do with keeping leptin at its normal level. The amount of body fat you have determines your leptin level. Basically, people with higher levels of body fat will have greater leptin levels than those with lower body fat percentages because fat cells release leptin.

Tthe way leptin levels are adjusted by your body is also affected by the amount and types of calories you eat. A fat loss diet causes your body to reduce leptin levels, regardless of how much body fat you have. After just 6-8 days of dieting, leptin levels will drop by at least 50-60%. This sends a signal to the brain that you’re starving and not eating enough food.

Your body responds by slowing metabolism slightly to conserve energy. There is also a hormone response--your thyroid hormones are also reduced substantially and you release more cortisol (the hormone that likes to store fat, especially in your stomach area).

As if all this wasn’t bad enough, your body now releases other hormones to increase appetite. So now your body is trying to store more fat and now you have to deal with cravings for the food you’re trying to avoid in the first place.

Enter the cheat day. Increase calorie intake and leptin levels rise, especially if you've fasted the day before the cheat day. I've been doing this for the past two weeks without the fast day and have already lost a full inch from my waist.

Normal lifestyle means for me not to be so perfect all the time...I am fitness freak, but when I am with my friends and they want me to eat McFlurry and Big mac menu with them...why not? Health is not only about body, but about relationships and mental health either...isnt it? And CHEAT day sounds me much better than "to fail" or piging out or binging....and I have read many articles on the web which tells its good to have sometimes something like that:-)

Said perfectly!

I'm going to re-post my own answer from another post about cheat days:

(This paragraph about why people get so fired up about it): A lot of it is unnecessary bickering. A lot of that bickering is caused because people define "cheating" differently,. Some people do fine in moderation, some cannot have even a little or they have to have more, and some like to treat themselves on special occasions. Many people call "cheat" meals a meal that they don't consider healthy, which I don't get at all. If you're eating within your calorie goals and macros, what's the cheat part?

Basically, everyone has different methods/preferences that are successful for them. Why does someone else care? I can see someone showing concern if a person chronically undereats, or even expressing concern if the person never eats anything healthy at all. But why does someone care if another person says they have a "cheat" meal or day or whatever? People define it differently. Why is a free day where a person doesn't log not okay if they're losing? Or whatever.

I don't like people coming in telling me what to do when it is only a *preference* and what works for them rather than having some scientific basis for what they are saying. Moderation works for you and you work a treat into your day every day because you want to have something exactly when you want it? Great! Do it! But don't assume that's the only way people are going to be successful. I maintain a steady *weekly* deficit. I save most of my "treats" for Saturday when I eat far above my maintenance. I like having that one day. I feel better when I *don't* have "treats" daily and instead have one day where I eat whatever I want. So find what preference works for you and go with it, regardless of what other people are doing or saying.

And, people have different lifestyles. For some, eating six times a day fits into that, for others it's intermittent fasting. Some can't eat after a certain time or they binge, some don't eat breakfast. These are all personal things that fit into an individual's lifestyle and preference. If my lifestyle is eating healthy 90% of the time and not so healthy 10% of the time, does it matter if I get to that 10% a bit each day or all in one meal or all in one day? If it works for my lifestyle, then it works and keeps me on track - but it is *my* lifestyle, not a fad diet. And I don't term it a "cheat" because I'm not cheating on anything, I'm living healthfully.