Your definition of a cheat day

GottiZone
GottiZone Posts: 9 Member
edited December 17 in Food and Nutrition
I've heard a lot of people talk about having a cheat day or even an occasional "slip up." I was just curious what you all define as such. Personally, I consider a cheat day one in which I eat something I probably shouldn't and end up over my daily goal. I know that seems simple, but I see people getting hard on themselves for eating a couple cookies and still falling within their caloric goals. Is it really cheating if you are still meeting your daily goals? I'm prone to think as long as I burn off any extra calories from "cheating" than all is well. Obviously it's important to have an overall healthy "diet" of quality food and not overly indulge in sweets, but should we really be hard on ourselves for having the occasional cookie or sweets? I think it presents a positive to the mental aspect of living a healthy/enjoyable lifestyle.

Thoughts? Can you really cheat on an overall healthy/successful day?
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Replies

  • Sidesteal
    Sidesteal Posts: 5,510 Member
    Intentionally exceeding my target intake for calories and macronutrients, and while I"ve never put a number on it, I'd say by at least 20%.
  • harebearva
    harebearva Posts: 216 Member
    I myself don't believe in cheat days as much as I do cheat meals. That being said, for me a cheat meal is eating without regard for macronutrient content, preparation, etc, IE. eat what you want. I am however, quite mindful of the portion size. I think cheat meals should be more about satisfying cravings than feeling full. That's just me.
  • AmyRhubarb
    AmyRhubarb Posts: 6,890 Member
    I don't call it a 'cheat' day or meal because I don't consider myself on a diet. :tongue: I choose to eat healthy most of the time, and to workout, tracking both food and exercise. Some days I indulge in less than healthy choices, and just log it. Sometimes I go over on calfories, fats, carbs, sodium, but I don't stress about it, and I don't go completely overboard with the less than healthy choices, like eating an entire pizza or a half a cake, etc.

    It's my lifestyle now, and days will come, such as holidays and birthdays, when there are goodies around. Rather than deprive myself, I have learned to control what I put in my mouth, enjoy the goodies without going crazy. :bigsmile:
  • rileysowner
    rileysowner Posts: 8,336 Member
    Going over my maintenance calories by a fair amount.
  • Abigaillee15
    Abigaillee15 Posts: 100
    My "cheat" days are days where I unintentionally binge or go over my calories by a fair amount. I'm not opposed to the occasional sweet. Cravings hit and that's natural. But like today, I went 1300 over my daily limit because of candy. I rarely ate anything with nutritional value today. To be honest the candy wasn't worth the stomach ache I now have!
  • NotParis
    NotParis Posts: 26 Member
    I gotta agree with Amy Rhubarb up there, this is my new lifestyle, not a diet. I do indulge in food that exceeds my calorie goals at least once a week. As far as daily, if I choose to eat a small portion of chocolate or sweets then it is incorporated into my calorie goals so I do not go over. I also indulge myself above my calorie goal on holidays and birthdays. This is my life and I am going to live it but something funny happens when you change your lifestyle. The size of your stomach is so much smaller so your over calorie indulgences are small as well.
  • albinogorilla
    albinogorilla Posts: 1,056 Member
    I eat and drink whatever i want and don't log it at all during the day.

    then later, for kicks, with a bowl of ice cream or a few beers, I sit down and log it all.

    Enjoy it guilt free, then laugh about it later................

    then I am greatful that i haven't been eating like that everyday, like i used to................
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
    When I (intentionally or unintentionally) go over my calories by a fair amount. I don't have a number on it, but it would usually be around 3-400+.

    If I eat something typically unhealthy, but it fits my calories and macros, I don't care. That's not a cheat day for me, that's life. I eat whatever I want as long as it fits my goals.
  • lsapphire
    lsapphire Posts: 297 Member
    staying under calorie and eating something really crappy lol
  • RillSoji
    RillSoji Posts: 376 Member
    Cheat days are when I plan to eat something I normally wouldn't eat because it's not healthy.
  • lynniesue42
    lynniesue42 Posts: 33
    For Me A Cheat Day Is...when I knowingly exceed my calorie goal for the day...however I also consider the fact that this isn't really "cheating" if you account for it, accept it, and make concessions to "fix" whatever you may have caused. =)
  • Elzecat
    Elzecat Posts: 2,916 Member
    I don't call it a 'cheat' day or meal because I don't consider myself on a diet. :tongue: I choose to eat healthy most of the time, and to workout, tracking both food and exercise. Some days I indulge in less than healthy choices, and just log it. Sometimes I go over on calfories, fats, carbs, sodium, but I don't stress about it, and I don't go completely overboard with the less than healthy choices, like eating an entire pizza or a half a cake, etc.

    It's my lifestyle now, and days will come, such as holidays and birthdays, when there are goodies around. Rather than deprive myself, I have learned to control what I put in my mouth, enjoy the goodies without going crazy. :bigsmile:

    Very nicely stated...
  • AggieLu
    AggieLu Posts: 873 Member
    My cheat day is exceeding 25 net carbs and eating what I want.. followed by a day of feeling like crap because of doing so.
  • Beezil
    Beezil Posts: 1,677 Member
    A true cheat day or cheat meal for me would be going out to a nice restaurant and eating whatever I want, no worries, no exercise. Just one day to relax and not give a crap about counting calories. Everyone needs a break from that once in a while, I think it's healthy. :)
  • muzmacol
    muzmacol Posts: 358 Member
    Not giving a hoot what i eat or drink on a particular day. For example, as i will have worked all weekend, the family are coming monday for Easter dinner, which will be roast beef and trimmings, plus beer, wine and dessert. I am not going to bother counting calories. I may go for a run before hand for some extra room. I know the rest of the week i will be on 1630 cals and will be execising almost eveyday. My long winded point is, live a bit, enjoy a whole day every so often. Just get back on it afterwards.
  • kimmianne89
    kimmianne89 Posts: 428 Member
    My cheat day is I get to eat what I like.. Within my calorie allowance and I try to still stay under in fat and sodium too :)
  • rhichi
    rhichi Posts: 133
    I try to give myself one cheat day per week, in which I don't log my calories at all and allow myself to go buck wild without exercising to make up for it. It's a bit of a binge, yeah, but it helps keep my sanity.
  • JBott84
    JBott84 Posts: 268 Member
    I don't call it a 'cheat' day or meal because I don't consider myself on a diet. :tongue: I choose to eat healthy most of the time, and to workout, tracking both food and exercise. Some days I indulge in less than healthy choices, and just log it. Sometimes I go over on calfories, fats, carbs, sodium, but I don't stress about it, and I don't go completely overboard with the less than healthy choices, like eating an entire pizza or a half a cake, etc.

    It's my lifestyle now, and days will come, such as holidays and birthdays, when there are goodies around. Rather than deprive myself, I have learned to control what I put in my mouth, enjoy the goodies without going crazy. :bigsmile:



    ^ This...Some days are better than others, I just keep going.
  • love4fitnesslove4food_wechange
    love4fitnesslove4food_wechange Posts: 6,897 Member
    "cheat day" --well, that's when I exceed my MAINTENANCE calories--not "weight loss" calories. If I am under maintenance it's still a deficit...that's not "cheating" at all.

    I also refer to it as a "treat day" just because psychologically I think 'cheating' = guilt and it should be guilt free. "normal" people have indulgent days--they don't turn into blimps overnight...neither will I or you. So..yeah, usually 300-500 over maintenance is my max though.
  • TKHappy
    TKHappy Posts: 659 Member
    I don't beat myself up if I slip up...that's life, I log everything so I'm aware of what I'm doing and stop myself from going out of control (a whole bag of chips and queso), I don't torture myself seeing as I have a huge sweet tooth so sweets are common. My "cheat" meal is usually one that leaves me over anywhere from 200-400 calories...and its usually Fridays when everyone is serving homade mac-n-cheese (my weakness). :)
  • Nerdybookgirl
    Nerdybookgirl Posts: 105 Member
    I make myself log in even if it hurts. This means that a "cheat" day is simply just a day that I go over on my calories. I have to make myself record it. Yesterday didn't get recorded and that was scary. I want to know the damage I'm actually doing or else I go to crazy (why not finish the box of Easter cakes?). When I log it, I may go over but I usually only go slightly over as opposed to going crazy and eating every piece of junk I find.
  • kaetra
    kaetra Posts: 442 Member
    A cheat day for me is going fairly far over my normal daily goals. But not so far over that I don't still have a deficit when the entire week is averaged.

    Sometimes I have a "sodium-only" cheat day where I stay within macros but don't give a crap about sodium.

    Keeps me sane and I time the full on cheat day to coincide with holidays and special occasions.
  • TriedEverything
    TriedEverything Posts: 188 Member
    I'm the same as rhichi - on a cheat day, I don't bother logging at all, and may have several items to eat which I wouldn't normally have, as they are high in fat/calories/carbs etc. Up to now, I have done this approx once a week (& it's certainly given me something to look forward to!!) but as my weight loss is not going as quickly as I'd like, I am thinking of stopping the cheat days for the time being. But I don't expect it to be easy!

    I seemed to be able to get away with having a cheat day & losing weight when I was younger, but I think age is against me now. I have still been losing weight, but very slowly :frown:
  • SassyCalyGirl
    SassyCalyGirl Posts: 1,932 Member
    cheat days don't exist for me-not wasting all my time and hard work!
  • Jade17694
    Jade17694 Posts: 584 Member
    I eat and drink whatever i want and don't log it at all during the day.

    then later, for kicks, with a bowl of ice cream or a few beers, I sit down and log it all.

    Enjoy it guilt free, then laugh about it later................

    then I am greatful that i haven't been eating like that everyday, like i used to................

    same as me minus the beer!
  • casiopeiya
    casiopeiya Posts: 34
    I don't call it a 'cheat' day or meal because I don't consider myself on a diet. :tongue: I choose to eat healthy most of the time, and to workout, tracking both food and exercise. Some days I indulge in less than healthy choices, and just log it. Sometimes I go over on calfories, fats, carbs, sodium, but I don't stress about it, and I don't go completely overboard with the less than healthy choices, like eating an entire pizza or a half a cake, etc.

    It's my lifestyle now, and days will come, such as holidays and birthdays, when there are goodies around. Rather than deprive myself, I have learned to control what I put in my mouth, enjoy the goodies without going crazy. :bigsmile:

    I like your way of thinking!!
  • PlasticPsycho
    PlasticPsycho Posts: 111
    Well, if you're honest with yourself then eating "unhealthy" stuff (fries, chocolate, ice cream etc.) is cheating, even if it fits into your daily calories.

    BUT
    I think (if you're not trying to become a zero body fat bodybuilder) it's totally okay to sometimes eat something unhealthy, if you don't overdo it.
    So yeah, for me a "cheat day" is when I eat too much cajun fries (for example ;)) and go over my calorie goal.

    In general you should try to cut out the cookies, but if it happens sometimes I wouldn't be too worried about it :) We're all just human beings and have our natural cravings. It's okay to give in sometimes :)
  • cynthiaj777
    cynthiaj777 Posts: 787 Member
    I don't call it a 'cheat' day or meal because I don't consider myself on a diet. :tongue: I choose to eat healthy most of the time, and to workout, tracking both food and exercise. Some days I indulge in less than healthy choices, and just log it. Sometimes I go over on calfories, fats, carbs, sodium, but I don't stress about it, and I don't go completely overboard with the less than healthy choices, like eating an entire pizza or a half a cake, etc.

    It's my lifestyle now, and days will come, such as holidays and birthdays, when there are goodies around. Rather than deprive myself, I have learned to control what I put in my mouth, enjoy the goodies without going crazy. :bigsmile:

    This. This is exactly my sentiment. I normally just log then move on and go about my day if I do have cookies or something unhealthy. I do have days where I overeat, and I have no idea how to log. For example, yesterday I went out being a tourist, I ate out for lunch, ran a 5K race then ate out for dinner. I have no idea what I ate. BUT I don't stress over it, and I try to make healthy choices even when I am eating as I want. I had a chicken and bree flatbread sandwich with a side salad for lunch yesterday AND IT WAS DELICIOUS!
  • kindra3434
    kindra3434 Posts: 176 Member
    My definition of a cheat day is eating something processed and unhealthy but still staying within my TDEE .
  • amuchison
    amuchison Posts: 274 Member
    Well my definition for myself is going off my plan I am on Medifast so to achieve my weightloss goals i have to follow the plan 100% and when i don't I consider it a choice I have made to go off plan this isn't a game!! But a lifestyle change...js:)
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