Why a Cheat Day is a misnomer

I don't really like your terminology either. I conciously and actively chose to eat those doughnuts, nibble those cookies, or drink that licquor. I didn't have a lapse in judgment. I thought about what I have achieved, how I have achieved it, what I have eaten already that day, what goals I have left, the timeframe for which I wish to achieve them, the exercises of done for the day and plan to do, the extra activity that I have coming up in my week, and all of my macros. Then, I decided whether or not to "cheat" on my diet. I don't consider any decision that I have put that much thought into to be a "lapse" or "regress".

Maybe you should consider the practicality of allowing yourself indulgence. If anything, call it an "indulgence day"!!

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?

A reasonable question deserves a reasonable answer. It's telling me what I'm doing is wrong that's annoying.

The timing and frequency for deviations from your diet is more a personal thing than anything. As long as your average caloric intake over time is still below maintenance you will continue to lose weight. If I didn't have cheat days, events like Thanksgiving or my birthday would completely throw me off my diet. Once I'm off my diet I have a lot of trouble getting back on the horse. If it's planned into my routine though, for me at least, it's much easier.

Some people do have a moderate amount of bad food on a more regular basis. I personally don't have the discipline for that, and prefer the decadence of having it all at once.

I sometimes call it "I totally f*cked that up" day (if it's a whole day of mistakes)
or "ruined it" day (if I did great all except for one thing/meal that screwed it all up)...
If that helps anyone out there... ha!

I am pretty tired of seeing the term cheat day. People act like throwing out that term magically justifies, well, anything! I drank a fifth of vodka last night, cheat day! I ate 2 bowls of ice cream, cheat day! And everyone is like "Yeah, that's awesome!" or "LOLZ".

"Cheat day" should not even be a term used here. I mean, do you even know what it means? Or is the herd just falling in line.

From my 35 years of experience, cheat usually means taking a shortcut to win or finish first. It means doing something you shouldn't. It means you don't brag about it, you hide it hoping to not get caught. It means you lack the knowledge or will to complete a task with integrity.

But when you cheat on your diet, you only fall further behind.
Is it just the word "cheat" that you don't like or do you think that people should always be very fastidious about their diet?
Perfectionism is linked to eating disorders. Relaxing your standards occasionally leads to a more balanced diet/personality.

It should be called a "regress day" or "lapse day".

Regress:
1. To go back; move backward.
2. To return to a previous, usually worse or less developed state.

Laspe:
1. To fall from a previous level or standard, as of accomplishment, quality, or conduct

Perhaps we would be less cavalier about our cheating if we acknowledged what we were saying.

Perfectionism is linked to eating disorders.

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).

Except this isn't a debate...there's no intelligible debate and rebuttal. The folks that took the time to address his questions get ignored...which makes this a rant: a useless flamewar started by some measure of an outlandish original post and then followed by ridiculing posts that best suited his desire to fight. The one response he gave to someone answering his second question regarding what OTHER areas people cheat in, he mocks and judges the user based on his avatar. callmeBAM is too vocal to be a troll, but to argue loudly/publicly while ignoring the counterpoints and even the ACTUAL answers to his questions/quips he claims to seek is jerk-like. So he has something against cheat days and specifically the word "cheat." It'd be fine if he actually was interested in an answer but it's clear by his selective arguments he's lurking now at the flame war he's incited. What an accomplishment for the day. Call 'em what you will, cheat days are useful to just about everyone and utilized by almost all...if they are occasional, and the average works out to meet your goals there is no problem with them...this is merely an attack on those he feels are half-a$$ing it, even if the results prove otherwise. He's pulling morality cop here and isn't interested in any opinions but his own.

A reasonable question deserves a reasonable answer. It's telling me what I'm doing is wrong that's annoying.
The timing and frequency for deviations from your diet is more a personal thing than anything. As long as your average caloric intake over time is still below maintenance you will continue to lose weight. If I didn't have cheat days, events like Thanksgiving or my birthday would completely throw me off my diet. Once I'm off my diet I have a lot of trouble getting back on the horse. If it's planned into my routine though, for me at least, it's much easier.

Some people do have a moderate amount of bad food on a more regular basis. I personally don't have the discipline for that, and prefer the decadence of having it all at once.

thanks for the explanation. i just wanted to know why people dedicated whole days to eating what they wanted when they could practice moderation every day, figuratively. but i guess you have to do what works best for you.

I realy enjoyed what you wrote and I will take heed to that, so with that said I will start saying and doing a "Budget" I really like that and instead of saying "Cheat day!" I will say I'm budgeting!!!! Ok thanks for that well written advice!

I tend to agree as I don't consider it a "cheat meal" or "cheat day" - I screwed up. I screwed up this morning. It wasn't a cheat day, it was a flat out bone head morning and now I'll work out like crazy today to even it out.

I think that language attempts to just lessen the impact and make it seem like its no big deal. The problem is that it becomes all too easy for me to stack up those no big deal meals, into no big deal days, into no big deal I'll start next week, into holy smokes I gained 10 lbs this month.

thanks for the explanation. i just wanted to know why people dedicated whole days to eating what they wanted when they could practice moderation every day, figuratively. but i guess you have to do what works best for you.

I can't speak for anyone else, but when it comes to some foods I don't want just a little. For example nachos or pizza. I don't ever want a piece of pizza. I want several pieces of pizza. So I eat those foods occasionally and when I do I eat too much. This makes me happier than just getting a taste and it doesn't throw me off track because I only do it occasionally.

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?

Not that it's any of your business, but here's a list off the top of my head:

1) Playing video games instead of doing chores

Chores? LOL. Are you 13?

I call the work I have to do around the house 'chores', too. Why is that funny? Why does that sound like a 13 year old?

chore
   [chawr, chohr]
noun
1.a small or odd job; routine task.
2.chores, the everyday work around a house or farm.
3.a hard or unpleasant task: Solving the problem was quite a chore.
Origin:
1375–1425; late Middle English char, Old English cyrr, variant of cierr, cerr char3

Synonyms
1. duty, work, errand, stint. 1, 2. See task.

It seems to me like you have issues with semantics. :-)

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?

^This
I have high/low days but I don't pick one specific day for it as that would drive me crazy. I have a weekly bonus allowance of calories that I use for the "bad food" on whatever days I want. Typically that's the weekend but I agree with you on this. I don't feel like I can be trusted with a "cheat day" as it could turn into an all week cheat lol. That's why the weekly bonus calories helps so much.

This thread hasn't gotten locked yet??

I agree its not a "cheat day", however I don't call it relapsing. Being on MFP has changed the way I look at food. I treat my meals and most of my snacks as fuel for my body. When I do that, I eat "clean", as some people call it, most of the time. However, if I eat some home made cookies, or a piece of cake, etc now and then i am ok with it. I log it, I fit it into my calories and move on. I am not cheating, I am budgeting in something I enjoy, then I NEVER feel the need to binge when I get the chance.

Think of it in terms of personal finance, sure I can be a "good boy" and save every single bit of money and never "waste" a single penny. That means I don't go to movies, I never travel, I never eat out, I can't go on a Sunday drive, I can't take my kids for ice cream, etc etc. What kind of life is that?

If I am taking good care of myself, watching my diet, exercising, etc, then what is WRONG with occasionally eating something "fun" or not healthy. Remember: Changing the way you eat is a marathon, not a sprint. Don't become so obsessed with eating 100% clean that you miss out on little things can bring you daily joy.

:flowerforyou: :bigsmile:

Well said!

Why do you care what people call it? I say cheat or spike day. It's what I want to call it. It's my day, my body, my food choices. It doesn't have anything to do with you or anyone else, so why do you care so much what other people do or what terms they use?

THIS

No one is perfect, we all have slip ups sometimes people are embarrassed by messing up so they call it their cheat day. No one can be perfect 100% of the time. If 20% of the time you eat a pizza or extra chocolate then it happens. If it works for people then it works for them. Most of the foods I enjoy like sushi or dark chocolate aren't horrible for me but on my 20% days or "REFUEL" days I may eat more than I should. We need to be more supportive of others.