Cheat day: To do or not to do?

jodigirl03
jodigirl03 Posts: 111
edited December 18 in Food and Nutrition
Hmmm, I've struggled with this one. There are some very reputable organizations that believe that having a cheat day once a week actually rev's your metabolism, gets those darn cravings off your mind so you can focus on your regimine and in the meanwhile helps you to realize how much better you feel when you do eat right.
Now everyone is going to have a different opinion, so lets hear it.....

Ps- Let me be very specific!!! I'm not talking about an all out wake up to bacon, biscuits & gravy, fried egg & hashbrowns - ending with ice cream, beer and pizza kind of day. I'm talking about going 500 calories over your burn for the day and yes allowing a lil bit of those guilty pleasures. recommended or not? Just your thoughts. (There is actually MEDICAL/NUTRITION studies that prove BOTH!)
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Replies

  • angelicasmommy
    angelicasmommy Posts: 303 Member
    I've heard ot works for some people. I think it depends on the person. I have found that cheating, for me, leads to a downward spiral of out of control eating. So I don't do it. If it works for you, do it!
  • logoode_
    logoode_ Posts: 21
    I always have accidental cheat days... but its worked for me so I'm thinking of incorporating this into my diet every week!
  • beckyinma
    beckyinma Posts: 1,433 Member
    YES!!!!!!!!!!! (within reason)
  • Asheea
    Asheea Posts: 211 Member
    I don't call it cheating I call it Free days! I maintain my calories M-F, working out 5 days a week and take the weekends off. I eat what I want and love it! It's working for me I've lost 34 lbs. I LIVE for the weekends!

    Have fun and Good luck! :)
  • fatboypup
    fatboypup Posts: 1,873 Member
    how bout a cheat meal cause a whole day can easily ruin a whole weeks worth of work
  • Qatsi
    Qatsi Posts: 2,191 Member
    Everybody's different. I like pizza and beer, for example, and if I felt I could NEVER HAVE THEM EVER AGAIN it would make me sad. I allow myself the occasional cheat day, because I don't want to live a life of total self-denial. It actually keeps me motivated to stay on track the other days, knowing that I'm "earning" the right to splurge now and then.
  • itsuki
    itsuki Posts: 520 Member
    It's worked well for me. I don't have a cheat day, just one meal - I usually only end up over my daily calories by 300-400.

    The way I look at it, an extra 300-400 calories a week means I'm losing 1 less pound per 10 weeks (2 and a half months), or 5 pounds or so per year.

    Since I'm in this for the long run, I think losing 5 less pounds over the course of a year is worth it considering it helps with cravings, and gives me the option of eating socially without obsessing over a menu or just going the "grilled chicken with steamed veggies" route. Oh, and pizza. I also do it for the pizza.
  • markymarrkk
    markymarrkk Posts: 495 Member
    I cheat EVERY weekend.... and I'm talking crazy bar hopping, beer drinking, super nachos at 3am, like nobody's business cheating. maaaybe like 3000 + Calories. then Monday it's back to strictly 1500 cals all week long....and it Totally works for me. sometimes I'll go nuts for like 2 days to break out of a plateau.
  • debobrien1
    debobrien1 Posts: 95
    I heard some good advice.... Your cheat meal should only be an hour long... that way it doesn't turn into a cheat day! :happy:
  • sweetgrl2087
    sweetgrl2087 Posts: 25 Member
    This may be of help....I was watching an episode of Dr. Oz and he stated that people who have a cheat day or reward them self with a cheat day after staying on track all week is more successful at weight loss. He change your Saturday to faterday and he said don't cheat with donuts or anything like that but if you like pancakes etc...eat whole wheat pancakes and stuff that is relatively healthy but tastes good. Hope this helps!
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
    Well, I do allow myself endulgences once in a while. I don't like to call them Cheat Days, because, it puts a negative spin on it. I just basically eat what I want - within reason. I won't have a splurge the day before I weigh myself, and if I do endulge in the splurge, I make sure to exercise to burn those splurge calories. That way I stay under my caloric count... I don't look at the fat and stuff like that, for that meal... But do try to stay within my calories, and if I DON'T stay within my calories, I don't stress about it. Just get back on ball the next day!!! :-)
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
    I don't do cheat days/meals, I eat within my calories!! :)
  • MsMargie1116
    MsMargie1116 Posts: 323 Member
    It's worked well for me. I don't have a cheat day, just one meal - I usually only end up over my daily calories by 300-400.

    The way I look at it, an extra 300-400 calories a week means I'm losing 1 less pound per 10 weeks (2 and a half months), or 5 pounds or so per year.

    Since I'm in this for the long run, I think losing 5 less pounds over the course of a year is worth it considering it helps with cravings, and gives me the option of eating socially without obsessing over a menu or just going the "grilled chicken with steamed veggies" route. Oh, and pizza. I also do it for the pizza.

    ^^^^^
    Baaaahahaha.... I do it for the Mexican foof!!! :-9
  • jrq1965
    jrq1965 Posts: 4
    how bout a cheat meal cause a whole day can easily ruin a whole weeks worth of work

    I agree...that's what I do
  • Lwillis1234
    Lwillis1234 Posts: 990 Member
    I don't do cheat days, I do cheat meals or snacks, where once a or twice a week I eat one meal or snack that I want or was craving. and I still be at or under my calorie goal for the day.
  • petchib
    petchib Posts: 15
    I think a cheat day could be counter-productive if every meal you have is a cheat..i.e unhealthy, plus you would feel too guilty and maybe go too far the following days to make up for it.

    I prefer to have cheat meals. I eat around 5-6 times a day so in theory I am allowed up to 4 cheat meals a week. Now as I'm super strict I tend to only have a cheat meal once every 2-3 weeks but thats just me. I think 1 or 2 cheat meals per week will not do any harm and will allow you to fulfil any cravings you may have.

    But "cheat days" can be dangerous.
  • bethbetty
    bethbetty Posts: 2
    Yes, I do just a cheat meal, usually pizza, and it is nice to look forward to...but it creates bloat for a couple of days after!
  • Clarisse0304
    Clarisse0304 Posts: 77 Member
    Yes!! I believe in keeping your body guessing so you don't hit plateu and it keeps your metabolism going. Check out ths website and it tells you how many calories can you have extra to keep weight lose, it is call the zig-zag method, hope it helps http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm
  • DesignGuy
    DesignGuy Posts: 457 Member
    I don't do it. I just eat, log and work toward my goals. If pizza comes along, so be it. If I know ahead of time, I'll eat a little better before. If not, I'll workout a little more.

    Having a cheat day that must be built into each week seems less like trying to make better lifestyle choices and more like being good for a few days so you can explode on the weekend or something.
  • winnsboy
    winnsboy Posts: 20 Member
    Oh yeah. I stick to a healthy diet Sun - Fri (at least lunch on Friday). The weekends are mine to have what I want...beer, hot dogs, pizza, whatever. If I take a vaction day on a Friday or let's say Monday is a holiday, then not only is Fri evening and Saturday mine, but also that Thursday night and/or Monday morning. I started Jan 2 weighing 294 and am down to 255 as of today. I do exercise 6 days a week without skipping and eat very good Sun - Fri (lunch). Even though I do enjoy what I eat during the week, the weekends keep me sane.
  • winnsboy
    winnsboy Posts: 20 Member
    Just wanted to follow up and say what DesignGuy says above me is exactly what I am doing. It works for me as long as I stick to it. That, in the long term, would be the hard part most likely. My routine makes it much easier to fall off the horse permanently I think. Do what works best for you.
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    I don't "cheat" because I don't restrict myself that much. If I crave chocolate, I have it, if there's free pizza at a lecture, damn straight I'll have it. Sometimes even twice a week. I am usually in a deficit, but I can hit maintenance or even go above it whenever I want. I think not feeling restricted makes me stay sane and not feel like I need to go crazy.
  • glowingbride
    glowingbride Posts: 11
    I allow myself up to 2 "cheat meals" per week. I don't ALWAYS have them, but it works well because one night per week my fiancee usually cooks something absolutely delicious, and I don't want to deprive myself, especially when I know it was made with love (and he is a fantastic cook!) And then that usually allows for one social event per week where I don't have to worry too much about having a couple glasses of wine or eating out at a restaurant. It's worked well for me in the past. (Although now that I am slimming down for my wedding this summer and focusing on vanity weight, I might be a little more discerning when it comes to "cheating"...)
  • SteffieMark
    SteffieMark Posts: 1,719 Member
    Personally, I don't have cheat meals or days. I eat, workout and log everything. Having a 'Cheat" something makes it seem too much like a reward, to me. I was never a binge, emotional, comfort eater before. My problem was that I never ate enough or ate proper foods. When I got older and sorta 'broke down', it caught up to me with a vengeance!

    I just can't reward myself with food. If I like something and I want to eat it, it'll be in my log and won't be a cheat. I guess I cannot think of a single food that I would feel deprived if I didn't have.
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    It always worked for me for a boost of weight loss when I was heavy to have a cheat day, now that I am soooooooooooooo close to goal weight they seem to work against me.

    Try it out and see what happens for you.
  • _Schatzi_
    _Schatzi_ Posts: 112 Member
    It works better for me to have an average net calorie goal for the week. There is no option for this on the website, but on the iPhone and iPad, you can easily toggle between your daily calorie goals and your weekly totals. My net calorie goal for the day and the week is 1600 calories. If I go over a little bit one or two days, I don't beat myself up over it, but I do try very hard to be at my net goal for the week. It's my way of forgiving myself.

    The way I look at it is, I'm working SO HARD during the week to exercise and stay on target, that if I indulged, I could easily be so far over my weekly average that it would negate all of my hard work! When putting this much effort into it, I don't want to be flying blind, even for one day!
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
    Do it but keep it below +20% TDEE.
  • OnMyWeigh464
    OnMyWeigh464 Posts: 447 Member
    I give myself a "treat" meal or "treat" snack every so often. Like lastnight...I had a donut. It was the tastiest damn thing I ever had lol. But I didn't feel the need to have half a dozen like in the past because I knew I was allowing myself this and I was okay with that.

    Sometirme I do the full "treat meal" because it's what I want. I'm human. I know it's not realistic for me to give up all my faves.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I had my first cheat day on Tuesday. At first, I thought I was going to eat this and that and ended up not being a cheat "day", but a cheat dinner which I was happy. The thing was I was soooooo miserable because I ate TOO much. BTW I think I only went over by like 300 calories. Next time, I plan to tone it down.
  • jodigirl03
    jodigirl03 Posts: 111
    Yes!! I believe in keeping your body guessing so you don't hit plateu and it keeps your metabolism going. Check out ths website and it tells you how many calories can you have extra to keep weight lose, it is call the zig-zag method, hope it helps http://www.freedieting.com/tools/calorie_calculator.htm

    I've heard of this method and even used it many years ago. I agree to all of you. Within reason. My personal thoughts are that deprivation lead to binge eating. Just saying.
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