Cheat Days

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dangerkitty2001
dangerkitty2001 Posts: 44
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been back on the wagon for five days now. I have been prepping for midterms and unable to exercise as much as I need to, so my caloric intake has been low, but if I'm hungry, I eat something. I have just been choosing really low-cal things to eat, so I don't necessarily feel like I'm starving myself. However, today I am ravenous and really really want to go out to eat. I'm not talking about going hog wild (ha ha) but I want something other than protein and vegetables. How do others feel about having a cheat day, where you don't have to calculate everything you eat? Is it helpful, like a stress reliever, or dangerous, inviting back old bad habits???
Just curious what people's opinions are. :wink:

Replies

  • KaitieBug
    KaitieBug Posts: 559 Member
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    Cheat Days are GREAT to have. The reason being, you don't feel like you are missing out on everything yummy/fattening/bad for you..when you don't allow yourself small pleasures like that you can completely fall off the wagon and it can be hard to get back on. Remember it's not bad to go out to eat occasionally and reward yourself. I personally allow myself one cheat day a week where I don't log ANYTHING, or allow myself to feel guilty. I eat whatever I want and IT'S AWESOME:bigsmile: Usually I save my cheat day for the weekend, especially if I know we're going to be bbq'ing or partying. Plus I notice it saves me calories throughout the week, because rather than eating chips and whatnot every day, I tell myself to wait until my cheat day, and then I don't feel like I'm constantly depriving myself of fatty-fat kid food:laugh: Plus I call it my "free day" rather than my cheat day...cheat sounds too guilty for a reward day. Hope this helps!!
  • amandadaisylotus
    amandadaisylotus Posts: 311
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    Well no matter what I would log it, if only to remind yourself why you don't eat like that every day. It really depends on the person. Some people are going to tell you ABSOLUTELY NOT!!!

    But others may tell you that sometimes a high calorie day is actually good for your metabolism, which can be true, but as with everything in life, -in moderation-. Don't make it a habit but if you're craving something, don't deny yourself or you'll end up sabotaging yourself like I did my third week in by eating four ounces of cheddar cheese with a whole sleeve of ritz crackers. :laugh:

    Besides, if you have been really low these last few days, you may be wanting this because your body wants/needs the calories.

    Just remember, keep it in moderation, and get right back on the wagon.
  • epoeraven
    epoeraven Posts: 458 Member
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    I agree with the cheat day idea - especially when you have a life stressing event. But I also agree you should log it. You may actually find that you don't cheat as much as you thought you were.

    I plan "reward" days rather than "cheat" days - if I am good and follow my diet for "X" days I can have a reward. I have also found that if plan the reward for just one meal and am good the rest of the day it isn't all that outrageuos. So - for example - in your case you want to go out to eat - If you are good for breakfast and lunch but then plan to go out ot eat you aren't completely blowing your plan for the whole day.
  • LuckyLeprechaun
    LuckyLeprechaun Posts: 6,296 Member
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    I agree with all the previous posts, but I wonder if only five days in is the time for a indulgence day? I'm not judging you, I'm trying to give you food for thought... you haven't even been on the plan for a week yet. maybe you might wait for the new behaviors to become habits (2 weeks) before you allow yourself this.

    if you KNOW you will get right back on the path, maybe it won't derail you. but it could:ohwell:

    and DEFINITELY log what you consume. no matter what. it will be a learning experience.

    all the best:flowerforyou:
  • czewwhat
    czewwhat Posts: 8,715
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    I had a few cheat days early on! A chinese food dinner that was over 1800 calories just that one meal! It made my progress come to a screeching halt and I had no one to blame but me! I found all kinds of reasons to celebrate, cheat, splurge, I hated the plateau I paid for it. If I had stayed on task I would have surely reached my goal by now! But 10 more pounds to go and I have learned for me any way that cheating does not feel that good later and reinforces bad habits!

    Stay on task, you will like yourself for it!
  • dangerkitty2001
    dangerkitty2001 Posts: 44
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    Thank you for your opinions! I was kind of thinking of implementing the "reward days" further down the road when my boyfriend returns home and begins cooking for the both of us again. But the idea kind of made me nervous. I don't want to undo any of our hard work once a week. I did go out today and have something that was really good and really filling, and I still managed to stay under my numbers for the day. So it feels like I cheated but I didn't!
  • czewwhat
    czewwhat Posts: 8,715
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    Thank you for your opinions! I was kind of thinking of implementing the "reward days" further down the road when my boyfriend returns home and begins cooking for the both of us again. But the idea kind of made me nervous. I don't want to undo any of our hard work once a week. I did go out today and have something that was really good and really filling, and I still managed to stay under my numbers for the day. So it feels like I cheated but I didn't!

    I reward myself with pedicures, flowers or some new clothes, since nothing is fitting right. Stop thinking of food as the reward! It is a plan to fail!

    I now eat to live, not Live to eat! it is a plan that works!
  • GetFitBy2010
    GetFitBy2010 Posts: 91
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    We are different individual so what works for one person,doesn't it mean it will work for the next person.
    Cheat day/meal actually helps me stick to my diet. Also at the begin I ate a lot of junk on free meal. Now I don't any more and I event pick healthy choice and don't feel guilty when I go to a party.. since I just count it as my free meal. It also give me confident that I can handle the real "world" once I'm off the diet.
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
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    I couldn't do this if I couldn't "cheat" once in a while.
  • czewwhat
    czewwhat Posts: 8,715
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    I have eaten everything I love, pecan pie! Lasagna, you name it ! I am not deprived at all. I even eat an occasional snickers bar! but I make sure the calorie count stays in my range and that if it is too high, I earn it with exercise. There will be no more 1800 calorie dinners for me. it is not worth it. I am not on a diet! I have changed my eating habits. Food for me is fuel, not a reward. I have had a very unhealthy relationship with food for years. Now I love me more than I love eating and eating and eating!

    Good luck and have a pleasant journey to healthy! It is so worth the end result.
  • Wecandothis
    Wecandothis Posts: 1,083 Member
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    I'm a realist. I know that there will be times when I just really want that brownie/nuts/whatever. So I try to either save up the calories for it, or make up for it on the flip side.

    And if I can't 'make up for it' I just go back to my now NEW normal eating - which is sticking with MFP. I log everything, even when I blow it, like yesterday. :)

    I understand that for me, if it honestly is a lifestyle change for the rest of my life, I need to learn how to deal with eating things that are not usually part of my daily diet - and not worry about it getting me off track forever.

    So I don't call it cheating, and I don't call it a reward. It's just part of living.
  • sbartlett0421
    sbartlett0421 Posts: 68
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    I don't have 'cheat days', but I do allow myself a higher calorie day. I know Mondays are hard to manage because I go out to eat for lunch with my mom and 70% of the time I go out to eat for dinner with hubby's granny. That's two restaurant meals in one day. I don't freak out, I log it, and go on.
    I feel like calling it a cheat contradicts the 'changing my life style' motto. I'm not cheating anyting, I'm just trying to plan how I'm living.
  • czewwhat
    czewwhat Posts: 8,715
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    Ready Go!!!!!!!!!!! Lets see if Doctor Phil will do something great for our great site creator!

    drphil.com write nice things tell him how Mike has helped you. it will feel great!

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