Why a Cheat Day is a misnomer

I drank beer this weekend. I also ate some chinese food yesterday. And I worked out and stayed within my calorie limits. So what do I call that? Because I don't think eating things I enjoy or drinking a few beers is considered "regressing" or a "lapse" or whatever if I'm consistent with my calories and weight loss.

I went to Vegas for 4 days and I guess you could say "regressed" with champagne and crappy food, and guess what, I lost a pound that week. I have allowed myself to enjoy the things I like IN MODERATION and I have had ZERO stall in my weight loss. No plateaus, nothing. So instead of looking at it as "cheating" on your diet, look at it as just eating things that might not be super healthy for you in moderation while sticking to your goals. That's what I've done, and I've been SO much happier (and more successful) than every time I've said "no more of that beer/pizza/chinese food/barbecue/etc ever!" What's so bad about that?

how about we not let this website become another facebook? where everybody voices their issues and oppositions to other people's opinions and how they live their life?

That person's "cheat day" is affecting you how???

I think this is my favorite post.....

YOU'LL HAVE TO PRY MY CHEAT DAYS FROM MY COLD FAT HANDS

You're so self-righteous it makes me nauseous. Get over yourself.

MFP doesn't have anything for cat meat...there's a homemade Cat's Potroast recipe and Crispy Cat peanut butter but I wager both are safely feline free. Lot's of cat fish items as well but that's a cat that's pilfered the neighbor's Koi I think you'll have to estimate your cat's calories if you end up eating it.

Well after 34 months and losing 305 lbs. while having a couple CHEAT MEALS! a week (Good Lord who cares if it is the proper definition of what it is that I am doing) but I work my butt off every week and stay true to my eating plan and exercise and randomly pick a day or two a week to go out have some pizza and ice cream or a big ole loaded baked potato with a 20+ oz Prime Rib or Kill a couple boats of BW3 wings and some onion rings.... regardless to what you want to call it, I think I will stick with my Cheat Meals!! here and there cause they certainly haven't hurt my weightloss...... Cheers!!!

Holy $hi+ dude, congratulations, I haven't seen a total this impressive here yet! Cheat away because clearly it's working!

how about we not let this website become another facebook? where everybody voices their issues and oppositions to other people's opinions and how they live their life?

That person's "cheat day" is affecting you how???

Wow, is that what your FB page is like? I'd start dropping some FB 'friends".

No, my facebook page is not like that. Facebook pages in general are like that. If a picture is posted on a page I like, and I click on it, far too often people are bickering back and forth horribly over stupid petty crap. It's just plain ridiculous. I don't understand why people "like" things just so they have access to them to bash them and everybody who supports the page. Is their life really that boring that they have to create drama, or do they just grow a pair because they aren't face to face with the person so therefore can't get punched?!

You're so self-righteous it makes me nauseous. Get over yourself.

Agreed!! :drinker: I'm gonna have to cheat on this thread with a better, younger, more interesting thread.

i don't see anything wrong with the OP. having days where you completely give in to temptation and justifying it because it makes you feel better is counterproductive. there are ways to enjoy food without overindulgence.

people act like having self control means you are a cold fish.

People on here are having success with letting go for one day. It is a great stress factor making sure you fit exercise in, and eat the right foods when you are just starting out. To some people it comes naturally. Others it does not and they need a day to not think about it. Everybody is different. Isn't it better to let go for one day than to give up for a few months?

i don't see anything wrong with the OP. having days where you completely give in to temptation and justifying it because it makes you feel better is counterproductive. there are ways to enjoy food without overindulgence.

people act like having self control means you are a cold fish.

Seems to me that there are a lot people on this thread who have lost a lot of weight who can attest to the fact that "off days", "cheat days", "I eat whatever the eff I want" days work for their bodies. It takes self-control to only do it once a week or month. I don't think about what I"m eating on my cheat day. That's the point. I can have a bit of what I want without having to worry about making it fit in my calories for the day. It's not counterproductive for me. It may be for others.

So, those of you who embrace cheating, what other parts of your life to you have regular cheat days?? If it is good for your body, should be good everywhere else too right?

So, in your world it's all black and white? No gray areas? If you cheat here, you must cheat there? Sounds pretty silly to me.

I am fairly certain that at no point I have stated anything about my beliefs or practices. I was just trying to ascertain where this notion of a cheat day is derived from. My suspicion is that it is a term constructed for justification.

I will say something about myself, in response to your comment. I do not eat corn or anything with corn in it. However, I do allow popcorn once a month given that it's organic and I make it myself with just coconut oil. This is not a cheat. It's a planned exception that from my research has no negative nutritional consequence to me. I log it and move on. I don't post something like "OMG, I ate popcorn! I better run 12 miles tomorrow and eat cucumbers all day!".

It must be so hard being you. You're just so damn perfect.:bigsmile:

i don't see anything wrong with the OP. having days where you completely give in to temptation and justifying it because it makes you feel better is counterproductive. there are ways to enjoy food without overindulgence.

people act like having self control means you are a cold fish.

Noooooo, we don't care whether he has self-control or not, but most people don't enjoy being lectured by someone who talks down to them like they are complete morons who don't even know the definitions of simple words. That's not being a cold fish, it's being a self-righteous, know-it-all prig who tries to dictate not only how the rest of us eat, but also how we DEFINE what we eat....epic.... F.A.I.L.!!!

I cheated on myself with my old former self now I'm my own grandpa.

why not have a moderate amount of a "bad food" everyday? if its not so bad?

i don't understand why a whole day has to be dedicated to it? is it a "break" from your diet?

if this guy (callmeBam) is anything like my brother, and a few other guys I know, he is sitting back, laughing at everyone calling him names and getting really mad at him. He is probably enjoying this debate a little too much, and possibly only posted this forum to start a debate (this place needs a "rolling your eyes" smiley face). I know a few guys who will do this on facebook (including my own brother sometimes). They just like to debate. I say, go be a politician or a lawyer and get paid to argue (I always told my dad that).