Does anyone else NOT do a "cheat" day?

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  • pinkraynedropjacki
    pinkraynedropjacki Posts: 3,027 Member
    My brain is unable to allow me a cheat day at all. In fact I don't even have a rest day. If I stop doing what I am doing then I will find an excuse NOT to start it up again the next day. SO I've trained myself to be strong & not cheat or rest. I have always been this way & that's the kind of attitude that has allowed me to workout for almost 100 days in a row so far & lose almost 20kg in that time.

    I've been this way always, that's how I gave up smoking when I was younger, I just stopped. Also how I gave up drinking Coke.... one day I just stopped. Simple. BUT if I stop doing this then I will stop for good. So I trained to stop being lazy, stop making excuses for not working out & stop having a reason to eat the wrong things :)
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
    I do not have a cheat day. If I am craving something I work it into my calories and/or exercise my butt of that day. I am just curious, does anyone else not do a cheat day?
    I eat whatever I want and comp the calories with exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

    This... Except when I don't exercise it off and am just over. I'm pretty lax.
  • sandown12
    sandown12 Posts: 648 Member
    Sorry didn't read all
    Why use a word Cheat? If you want to eat something have it use your calories for it if it's a special meal allow for it make sensible choices bit what I did read was people saying
    ' I eat stuff that's not part of my diet' this shouts failure as if you exclude food you like you'll fail
    I know been there done it yoyoed it
    Eat anything you like in moderation then you need no cheat days as you never feel your missing out no foods evil or bad
    Life's to short to be so very strict just don't eat rubbish all the time eat healthy as you can and exercise
  • SanDFit
    SanDFit Posts: 76 Member
    I don't have one anymore. I try to eat within my daily calorie allowance. When I first joined MFP I used to have a cheat weekend and wasn't losing any weight. So I have realized that my body needs me to be good everyday.
  • DawnM62
    DawnM62 Posts: 60 Member
    No, No cheat days sometimes I fall off the healthy plan but generally I do extra exercise to allow me a little or not so little treat
  • carolbaker000
    carolbaker000 Posts: 58 Member
    I find my system objects if I have any junk food now. I normally plan my week and shop for it.
    Weaknesses for me are long car drives or if my routine goes to pot.
    This week, I had to run some errands and missed dinner. Decided that a takeaway was in order.
    Paid for it big time. Made my tum feel really heavy for 24 hours. I was really thirsty and had indigestion too.

    No fun in that kind of cheating.

    I do like a couple of squares of chocolate almost daily but I work that into my allowance or earn it through more exercise.

    Whatever works for you.
  • iceqieen
    iceqieen Posts: 862 Member
    if cheat day is going over calories/not logging for a day intentionally - nope dont have those.

    but I eat "cheat" food aaaall the time.. just make sure I have the calorie allowance for it :P
  • TheAshpie
    TheAshpie Posts: 62 Member
    I don't have a cheat day. For me, one cheat day turns into two cheat days and before I know it I have ruined a whole week with bad decisions. Once I cheat it's hard for me to get back on track.

    This is exactly why I'm giving up cheat days! I wanted to be able to have them once a month but it always turns into me slipping up and then taking two weeks to recover and get back into my routine of things.
  • SmartWhatever
    SmartWhatever Posts: 718 Member
    No cheat day for me ever! I'll exercise to make up for what I feel I want, and if I don't exercise- I don't eat it. Personally, I feel like the only thing I'll be cheating on is myself and the progress that I've made, so I just don't do it.
  • ryliejaiden
    ryliejaiden Posts: 68
    I don't do it. Honestly, I don't understand the concept.
    "Cheat" foods make me feel like crap anyway, and my body definitely punishes me if I eat junk.

    I don't really get why someone would want to cheat. It defeats everything you're here for.
    People say they do it so that they don't fall off the wagon because they are craving junk and then binge. I haven't had junk food in a while and I don't crave it at all anymore. You just have to be strong and stick it out!
    The only time I'll go over on my calories is if I'm under for the week. Like this week I exercised so much that I have over 4000 calories to eat before 12AM on Sunday and my daily allowance is 1300 so I will go over a bit this weekend, but be under for the week.

    There's nothing wrong with working a piece of chocolate into your diet, but there's no reason to binge once a week.
  • hitman1268
    hitman1268 Posts: 6 Member
    No cheats days, I do the same thing, I work what I want into My Calorie Profile
  • Werglum
    Werglum Posts: 378 Member
    I have tried, but I go crazy and then it takes a while for me to get back to 'myself' again. In saying that if I really want something I'll work it into my calories or do some exercise to compensate, plus I often have dessert on a Monday as it is weigh in day and if I go over I don't worry about it - but I can't do a whole day!!
  • Mamoonie
    Mamoonie Posts: 328
    What is "cheat day"? Cheating on yourself???
    I don't do cheat anything. I eat what I want, when I want, planned or unplanned! I just try to moderate. And I don't succeed at all ;-)
    I don't understand this whole restriction/craving/binging system. I wouldn't want to miss my chocolate for the rest of my life, so why would I not eat some now... same goes with fries, some glass of champagne or fast food, pizza etc. Just find a way to include it in your daily diary. Work out some more, or just accept you're going over on calories for once.
    I am over calories most days, and still lost weight. I lose weight much slower than most people on here, but I don't miss anything: no food, no occasion, no party! I still live life and without this attitude, I would still be 50 lbs heavier!!!
  • DocMarr
    DocMarr Posts: 132 Member
    So 'cheat days' hmmmm... I disagree with them on a number of levels. My first question is 'who are you cheating?' and the answer to that can really only be 'yourself' and why would I want to do that? I think nomenclature is really important. The word suggests that you are on a diet and for one day you are going to 'come off the diet' and eat whatever you like.

    Well, I follow the 80/20 rule. I can already eat whatever I like but I try to keep it to 20% of my intake. I prefer to call foods 'indulgent' foods rather than 'cheat' foods. The word indulgent means to me that I know they aren't so healthy for me but I indulge my desire for then. Although I tend to just have a small indulgence each day, I suppose could even have a '20% day' and eat really healthily for the rest of the week. That may seem to amount to the same thing but psychologically I think it's very different. To me, a 'cheat day' is reinforcing the bad eating habits that you are trying to eliminate. Bingeing on crappy food rather than trying to bring it back into moderation and handling foods sensibly.

    If I don't log it means I don't know what I've eaten, so I don't know how much I'm over or under in the week. I balance my food intake over the week so I can have over and under days and still know I'm in control of what I'm eating. It doesn't take long to log everything anyway and I'd rather be able to make informed decisions on my portion size

    Yes I'd like that bit of cake but how much can I have and be sensible about it? It helps me regulate my portion control.

    I think it's interesting to note that only my US friends tend to talk about 'cheat days' but even so, all of my friends still log what they eat even if they intend to go over. In fact one friend renamed her days 'indulgent days' rather than a cheat day - but in logging it she still remains in control of her eating and accountable for it.

    So in line with my 'don't diet' and the 80/20 rule, cheat days aren't necessary, nor are they really desirable, as they encourage you to view this journey as a 'diet to be cheated' reinforcing bad eating habits rather than as a way of working indulgent foods into your week in a healthy and sustainable way.

    Everyone has their right to their own philosophy and if they've found cheat days work for them then ok but they aren't for me.
  • Steph7x
    Steph7x Posts: 115 Member
    No i don't have a cheat day i do as you said, work it into my calories or work it off with exercise. Cheat days make me feel like its a "diet" and its not for me.
  • HonkyTonks
    HonkyTonks Posts: 1,193 Member
    What is "cheat day"? Cheating on yourself???
    I don't do cheat anything. I eat what I want, when I want, planned or unplanned! I just try to moderate. And I don't succeed at all ;-)
    I don't understand this whole restriction/craving/binging system. I wouldn't want to miss my chocolate for the rest of my life, so why would I not eat some now... same goes with fries, some glass of champagne or fast food, pizza etc. Just find a way to include it in your daily diary. Work out some more, or just accept you're going over on calories for once.
    I am over calories most days, and still lost weight. I lose weight much slower than most people on here, but I don't miss anything: no food, no occasion, no party! I still live life and without this attitude, I would still be 50 lbs heavier!!!

    I agree with this. I do the same. I do not worry about going over my calorie goal. I do ensure however that I am in a deficit over the course of the week.
  • 4rgl
    4rgl Posts: 106
    I don't have a cheat day either because it takes me forever to get back on track. I have ruined so much hard work in the past due to cheat days or cheat meals so I've learned my lesson. I also learned that the more I restrict something, the more I'll crave it.

    I love to cook, and I love to try new things so what I do now is find alternatives to my cravings that taste just as good or even better than the real thing so I don't feel like I'm depriving myself and have what I want.

    Last month I discovered tofu-shirataki noodles. I started making all my favorite pasta dishes, noodle soups, chow mein, and many other dishes using these noodles. A whole pack of it only has 40 calories. (I also heard about regular shirataki noodles which have 0 calories, YES 0!! I have yet to find them though) I usually make 2 packs at a time and by the end of it I've had my noodles without feeling guilty and without feeling deprived.

    I try this approach with anything I've been craving. For example if a favorite dessert recipe calls for milk, eggs, heavy cream and sugar, I try to experiment and make the same thing using stevia in place of sugar, egg beaters or even a banana in place of whole eggs, almond/soy/hemp/coconut milk in place of regular milk, fat free sour cream in place of heavy cream etc.. and most times I am able to achieve something similar, sometimes even better that is healthier, much lower in calories, higher in fiber and just as tasty. I admit, sometimes it's a disaster :)

    I feel like depriving myself of something I enjoy, I will go back to eating it as soon as I hit my goal, most likely much before my goal. On the other hand, finding alternatives and not depriving myself, I don't feel the need to cheat as I'm already eating what I want without feeling bad about it.
  • lion_queen
    lion_queen Posts: 37
    Me neither. Im not in obsession with dieting, and if I want chocolate, I just eat it sometimes. Maybe not the whole bar, more like squares or two, but still ;)
  • ThaRealNicki
    ThaRealNicki Posts: 322 Member
    No cheat days for me, If I plan to eat it when Im smaller then Im eating it now, just smarter than I did before. Theres no point in eliminating things from your "diet" because as soon as you start eating these banned items the weight creeps back on

    All that hard work for nothin :ohwell:
  • ajhr
    ajhr Posts: 92 Member
    I don't believe in cheat days.
    Occasions when I might over-indulge? Sure, but I'd never call it cheating. It's my life, and I do my best to live it AND love it!
  • DangerMouse7
    DangerMouse7 Posts: 57 Member
    The so called 'cheat day' should really go by another name.
    I prefer 'Free day' as I am free to have items I wouldn't allow my self during the week. Only one day mind!!
    So for me it's Saturday, I allow myself to have a treat meal, in my case that is Burger Fuel. Super yummy gourmet burgers.
    I still stay inside my calorie quota for the day thou.
    So technically I'm not cheating, and I feel good doing it as I would have done a kick-*kitten* session at the gym or gone for a run.
    Also, if I go to the movies, i'll likely treat myself to a 45g packet of Peanut M&M'S; still within my daily quota of course. :-)

    Disclaimer; This works for me, your mileage may vary! :-)
  • maltaman99
    maltaman99 Posts: 9 Member
    Im day 36, and I have never had a cheat day yet! Trust me, I would love to!
  • Ralphrabbit
    Ralphrabbit Posts: 351 Member
    I do not plan cheat days. I have some not so good foods most days but count them in to my calories. I am not able to be perfect every day! I fall off the wagon every now & again but try & make it one day only & start again with a new day!!
  • lsapphire
    lsapphire Posts: 297 Member
    My idea of a cheat day, unless beyond my control of course, is to stay under cals and eat something not particularly healthy lol
  • HLeAnn
    HLeAnn Posts: 261 Member
    I just try to work whatever it is in to my calorie goals. I used to do the cheat day, but I usually went overboard, so I just try to be sensible about my choices every day now. If I happen to go over a day or two, I don't lose sleep over it.
  • Deipneus
    Deipneus Posts: 1,861 Member
    No cheat days here by that name or any other name.
  • BodyElectric1
    BodyElectric1 Posts: 120 Member
    I have 'cheat' aka treat meals, which is normally my evening snack to fill up my left over calories of the day.
  • miksmomma2011
    miksmomma2011 Posts: 21 Member
    I allow myself one day a week to cheat a little. I weigh in once a week on Saturdays and usually for lunch or dinner that day I will treat myself a little. I try not to go overboard but I allow myself to have a little of whatever I have been craving all week. It helps me on those hard days when I'm craving different things. I just know that on Saturday I can indulge a little. I also do my Insanity workout on Saturdays so I end up burning between 500-700 calories.
  • luvmypwds
    luvmypwds Posts: 81
    Nope. I only eat what is good for me, what sustains me... No overindulgence.

    Wow, you must be perfect.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
    I don't have cheat days. I eat what I want, when I want it - I simply do it in moderation. :) I'd much rather have whatever I'm craving RIGHT NOW vs having to wait for a special day. :)