Cheat Days

helps, every once in a while you have to have a day where you don't track. i mean like, a couple times a month but that's about it.

I have 2 cheat meals (spike meals) a week and have from the very beginning. It keeps me honest the rest of the time and gives me something to look forward too...

I have read / heard many different opinions on this topic. Personally, I feel GUILTY when I cheat at all. Hell, I feel guilty when I have a Skinny Cow for dessert when I have done well! LOL! I don't think you should ever have an entire day where you cheat. This shouldn't be just a diet part of your life....it should be a whole life change, for the better. I feel there is nothing wrong with rewarding yourself with a dessert or even a trip to your favorite fast food joint as long as moderation, portion control, & good choices are a part of your 'cheat'. That way, you can still feel good about your reward. Again, this is a personal opinion and I am new to this game too!!! I always feel better when I eat better & exercise daily.

i think cheat days are more of a mental aspect for me! but, i have to be careful because i'm such a social/emotional eater that i can make any occasion/reason/friend/event/food to make me want to cheat.

cheat days are OK as long as you don;t go nutso.

Cheating is a sin..... also, you could catch something from it and your doodle will fall off.... just sayin'

Saturday is my cheat day - not with food, but with allowing myself to have a cocktail (or two or three). I just make sure that I hit the gym in the morning... as I am on the elliptical I keep thinking "that's one more" every 100 calories I burn!! LOL.

A cheat meal or two a week works for me... I still try to make good choices like drinking a glass of water before, still making a healthy choice if I'm going out to eat and not gorging myself. Even cheats need moderation!

I think it would be more of a mental/ sanity thing for some people. If having a cheat day gives you incentive, or something to look forward to, then do it, its better to have one unhealthy day among a lifestyle of healthy days than to just have an unhealthy lifestyle!

"Cheat" and "guilt" are words I try not to associate with food. There is a place in my diet for anything I might want, so if I want to have three slices of pizza for dinner one night, I just track the calories and move on. I'm down about 100 pounds, so it's working well for me.

I usually allow myself 1 meal a week to eat what I want. A lot of people don't even log that meal but I do just so I can see where my weekly caloric deficit ends up. If I can work out to allow for the added calories of my meal then I do...sometimes.

My vice is fast food so allowing myself a meal a week it helps me curb the craving for the rest of the week. I used to eat out anywhere between 1-3 times a day 5-7 days a week. 1 meal a week is doing pretty well for me.

Well there are some programs that do allow a cheat day. Many years ago I did Body For Life and you were allowed one cheat day per week. When I was on the program I rarely took it because it felt kind of weird to spend the whole week eating clean and then to throw down a whole pizza , or something crazy like that, one day per week.

Personally, I think there will just be certain occassions when I will just cut myself some slack, like during the holidays or when I go on vacations. I am not going to be sitting at Thanksgiving Dinner, or partying with my friends in Vegas, and entering stuff into MFP, that would be a bit much for me.

I think that this if this is a lifestyle change then we need to become the controller of our food intake. I don't really like the term 'cheat day' myself. This is life. Some days are going to better than others. Some days are going to be easier than others. Some days we feel strong and in control. Some days...not so much. It is unrealistic to expect yourself to NEVER have an unplanned meal, or a day when you can't get all your fresh fruit and veggies in. If we end up feeling guilty and beat ourselves up about it, then our relationship with food is not where it should be yet. One day is not going to make or break you. It's a cumulative effect. You definitely need to have way more 'in control' days than 'out of control' days', but all in all, one day or two in a month where you go over your calorie goals or eat something 'unhealthy' (I'm thinking deep fried fish and chips here, omnomnom.) is not going to derail your entire healthy lifestyle. That's just what I've been thinking lately. I mean, eventually I'm going to get to my goal weight and then I won't be trying to lose anymore. I'll still want to stay healthy and keep up the exercise but I don't want food to take up as much of my life as it does now while I am actually losing. This journey for me is about getting control over the food in my life. Being afraid of a particular food or always being afraid of going over a certain set calorie limit does not seem like control to me. Sorry I went on so long. Thanks for 'listening' if you took the time to get to the end. :flowerforyou:

I guess the better question would be, Can you handle a cheat day? Not everyone can.....myself included.

I don't have cheat days because when I want something I will eat it. I watch my weekly intake more than my daily one. If I want to eat something delicious and fattening and I can fit it in my calories, I will. If I can't fit it in my calories, I'll just eat it anyways and exercise a bit more/eat a bit less for the next day or two.