does anyone NOT have cheat days/meals?

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  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    I have cheat meals which are usually very carby. They work for me and I get to low body fat levels with ease. No point restricting a meal or so a week if you want it.

    This is a guy I've been coaching and was achieved with 11 weeks of dieting. Does it look like the odd cheat meal/refeed prevents fat loss to you? :wink:

    11weeksprogres.jpg
  • vim_n_vigor
    vim_n_vigor Posts: 4,089 Member
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    Your cheat meal doesn't have to be a bunch of crap you know. You can simply eat more of what your normally eat, or eat a favorite that you don't eat normally. Yesterday was a rest day for me. I added extra NET calories to the day. Today I have more energy and a 1.8 pound loss. I didn't go crazy with a bunch of junk, I just added more calories.
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    I don't "cheat"... I think the concept is flawed because it implies that you are doing something really hard and unsustainable, and the only way to cope is to break the rules (that you have decided to impose on yourself).
    I certainly eat more cals than MFP recommends sometimes- like this week when I've been travelling for work and eating out for every meal, but that's not "cheating", that's life providing variety and challenges.
    I know that just because I ate an unloggable and delicious tapas meal and enjoyed more drinks than necessary last night that I'm not going to wake up tomorrow and be 22kg heavier and back to my starting weight! I also know that a bit more moderation next week will be a good idea - simple really!!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,668 Member
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    I "cheat" everyday. I've stayed basically the same weight for the last 25 years because I really never restricted what I ate and therefore never really binged or craved foods I liked since I was eating them anyway. Works for me.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • cmayfield3
    cmayfield3 Posts: 176 Member
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    I don't really know what the term means. If it means you eat and don't worry about the calories and don't log it, then no. Everything I eat, I log, and I make sure I am within my weekly goal (meaning some days I go over, some under, but I make sure it averages out). But, I occasionally eat empty calories. I will have a candy bar for a snack, or some deep fried yummy, or a donut for breakfast. I don't consider that cheating, but some might.

    It's not, not logging.. it is "eating empty calories" to me as you put it.

    In that case there is no way I could ever not cheat. You are talking about eating 100% clean every single day--never having a piece of cake at a birthday party, or trying the tamales at the new food truck? No way. Food is more than just fuel for me.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    I have cheat meals which are usually very carby. They work for me and I get to low body fat levels with ease. No point restricting a meal or so a week if you want it.

    This is a guy I've been coaching and was achieved with 11 weeks of dieting. Does it look like the odd cheat meal/refeed prevents fat loss to you? :wink:

    11weeksprogres.jpg

    No it doesn't but difference here is that why should I eat something if I don't even feel like it?
    ALSO the fact I'm trying to get at is if I have one cheat meal it screws up the rest of my week cos I just crave junk the rest of the week.
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
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    I don't cheat. I log my 1600-1800 calories every day. I don't even eat my exercise calories. I will occasionally eat out and don't always get the best choices, but I work hard at it. I have been logging nearly a year. It is a way of life, for me, not a diet.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    I don't really know what the term means. If it means you eat and don't worry about the calories and don't log it, then no. Everything I eat, I log, and I make sure I am within my weekly goal (meaning some days I go over, some under, but I make sure it averages out). But, I occasionally eat empty calories. I will have a candy bar for a snack, or some deep fried yummy, or a donut for breakfast. I don't consider that cheating, but some might.

    It's not, not logging.. it is "eating empty calories" to me as you put it.

    In that case there is no way I could ever not cheat. You are talking about eating 100% clean every single day--never having a piece of cake at a birthday party, or trying the tamales at the new food truck? No way. Food is more than just fuel for me.

    Celebrations are a completely different subject..
  • RachelsReboot
    RachelsReboot Posts: 569 Member
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    I try not to but my way of life is so restrictive (out of neccessity) that sometimes I do slip up. I know that doing so is just going to make it worse though so I try my best not to.
  • Matt_Wild
    Matt_Wild Posts: 2,673 Member
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    Thats in you're head however. Insulin and glucose levels will only change for about 6-12 hours after.

    Doesn't mean you should cheat if you don't want, no biological reason. HOWEVER I am saying there is no problem with cheating however, these pictures demonstrate it.
  • LeenaRuns
    LeenaRuns Posts: 1,309 Member
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    That term is not even in my vocabulary. I eat what I want/can in moderation. Including chocolate. I make it work for me, if it doesn't fit in my log, I don't eat it.

    This
  • ladyraven68
    ladyraven68 Posts: 2,003 Member
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    Hi all,

    I just started eating really clean couple of months ago. After a few days of eating clean I do not even crave it anymore but I end up having one cheat meal a week of junk food, (just because I was told I should) but after I eat the one meal I crave it so much more and give in. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with them or people who do have them but cheat meals rather than fulfilling the desire only seems to make it worse.

    Is it okay for me to NOT have cheat meals? DOes anyone else not have cheat meals/days?

    I have free/spike days now and again if that's what you mean, but I don't call them cheat days. You aren't going to live your life never going out for a birthday, anniversary special event, so you may as well get used to dealing with them now and not feel so guilty about it. Just try to fit them in with your lifestyle.

    I don't plan them, but if I know there is a social occassion coming up I just enjoy it and get back on track straight afterwards.

    for the past 2 weekends I've had a 3000 cal day, and will have one this weekend too.

    I've still lost almost 3lbs in the last 2 weeks so they did me no harm.
  • DalexD
    DalexD Posts: 236 Member
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    I like having my spike day :) just because I enjoy not calorie watching for a day.
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    I "cheat" everyday. I've stayed basically the same weight for the last 25 years because I really never restricted what I ate and therefore never really binged or craved foods I liked since I was eating them anyway. Works for me.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    See as I start to really get into clean eating I start to crave healthy foods...
  • CrazyDaisysMommy
    CrazyDaisysMommy Posts: 472
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    Congrats on making such positive changes! If you don't crave it, then listen to your body and don't eat it. If you're eating clean, enjoying and not feeling deprived, then stick with it. When the day comes when you're thinking, "holy crap, I must have X!" then have it, enjoy it, and move on. Best of luck to you!
  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    Thats in you're head however. Insulin and glucose levels will only change for about 6-12 hours after.

    Doesn't mean you should cheat if you don't want, no biological reason. HOWEVER I am saying there is no problem with cheating however, these pictures demonstrate it.

    I never said there was
    "I'm not saying there is anything wrong with them or people who do have them but cheat meals rather than fulfilling the desire only seems to make it worse for me. " is in my original post
  • Pebble321
    Pebble321 Posts: 6,554 Member
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    The simple answer is that you absolutely don't have to have a cheat day if it doesn't work for you.
    Each of us needs to find a way of eating that let's us get healthy and stay that way.
    Do what works for you and don't feel obliged to follow someone else's "rules" - that is just setting yourself up to fail.
  • jenbusick
    jenbusick Posts: 528 Member
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    I have that same problem -- if I "cheat" and let myself eat whatever, I have a rough time getting back on track. I usually don't plan "cheat" days. I just end up somewhere with the fam and make a bad decision and it throws me off for a couple of days. It's something I need to be better about.
  • Punkedpoetess
    Punkedpoetess Posts: 633 Member
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    That term is not even in my vocabulary. I eat what I want/can in moderation. Including chocolate. I make it work for me, if it doesn't fit in my log, I don't eat it.

    ^^^ This is me also. I eat mostly healthy foods, but I fit a small treat here and there to keep myself from feeling deprived. The term cheat days/meals sounds like a diet to me rather than a lifestyle. I aim to eat each day in a way that I can live with for the rest of my life and that I enjoy.
  • BruteSquad
    BruteSquad Posts: 373 Member
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    You can't really cheat. Yes it is simply semantics, but you can't really cheat. Whatever you eat and whatever exercise you do will reflect on your body.

    That said, you are an adult, you can eat what you want. High calorie day, High carb day, chocolate day, whatever.

    The goal is to eat responsibly. You can have some junk responsibly.

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