Does anyone else NOT do a "cheat" day?

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  • goblynn
    goblynn Posts: 148 Member
    I don't have a "cheat" day either. For me, it works better just to eat what I want but just have a bit or CHOOSE to turn it down.

    My co-worker gave me a cookie the other day. I really wanted to eat it but choose to eat half instead. Since I have NO willpower against over-eating, I left the other 1/2 w/ her as I knew I would eat it if it was sitting on my desk.

    And, I love french fries, so I ate one. However, after adding it into my diary, I don't think I will choose to eat another.

    What I find really surprising is my "favorite" foods are now not seeming so appealing to me, not after I see how many calories they take from me. I'm finding healthier substitutes and feel great about. If I go over my goal by <100, I do not do any extra exercise.

    If I know I have a party or somewhere to go where I will max out my calories, I plan a big exercise block to make up for it. Sometimes they aren't on the same day but usually just before or after.
  • EvieNieves
    EvieNieves Posts: 31 Member
    I have a cheat day once a week where I go 400-600 calories over. It's called calorie spiking and it actually helps with weight loss. The next day I go right back to staying at or under my calorie goal.

    Yes! It does help.my husband is in great shape and I'm the one that was never concerned about looking fit until now.... I remember freaking out on my first cheat day on MFP from a BBQ we went to and that's exactly what he told me....it's good to shock your body from time to time.. In 50 days I have lost 10 lbs! So it worked for me.
  • Sabine_Stroehm
    Sabine_Stroehm Posts: 19,263 Member
    Having read a lot of logs, but not all, I am surprised one thing isn't mentioned.

    Having talked about it with my friend at the gym this morning (and burned 922 calories to make up for my cheat day yesterday! ;) ) one thing we agreed on is that a cheat day makes sence when you are part of a family, as not everyone has to 'obey' to your healthy lifestyle all of the time.

    I have had 3 chinese takeaways since December. each because my husband wanted to have a chinese take away with me, as I am not too bothered myself. I could have said: you have one dear', I will just sit here with my salad', but I don't think thats fair on him.

    It's give and take. yesterday we had an indian on my cheat day. We have enough left for another day, so rather than finishing it off today my hubbie was quite happy to have a salad in stead today, and freeze the rest for another Friday.

    When you live with a partner and or kids, It isn't just about YOU maintaining your new lifestyle, it is also about the your family. Mine have a lot more patience with my diet if I join in with their indulgences once in a while (last week it was a McDonalds meal with my daughter, however, this was after we'd been iceskating for 2 hours)
    This makes sense. But to me, this isn't a "cheat day". Maybe it's just semantics, but often when folks (even dieting website descriptions) talk about cheat days it's a planned "gorging" or "refeeding" or "girls gone wild". This to me doesn't make sense. But yes, eating outside of the "bounds" of your own diet strategically because you're part of a family? That makes sense.
  • Mercenary1914
    Mercenary1914 Posts: 1,087 Member
    I didn't when I was losing.

    In maintenance? Yes, I eat whatever I want on Saturday in any quantity.

    Last Saturday I ate 4700 calories. Don't feel an ounce of guilt. I would have if I were still trying to lose, though.


    I do exactly this...I also do not cheat when I have a goal...and I do cheat when I am maintaining...
    I also ate 5000 Cals last Saturday...and do not feel at all guilty...In fact It was a joy to log!
  • lizznagelmiller
    lizznagelmiller Posts: 54 Member
    I used to have a cheat meal for my husband but now he is starting to embrace to healthy lifestyle so no more for me and it feels great :)
  • BrienJD
    BrienJD Posts: 541 Member
    I keep threatening to have one, but I always seem to chicken out. MIght have something to do with excellent progress I'm making I'm almost afraid to do it. I usually do what you do, If I want pizza or burgers or whatever I try and exercise longer that day. I thought I was going to go way over last night...I had McDonalds Angus burger, 10 piece nuggets, medium fries and a sundae and I was STILL 248 cals under. One of these days I'll have a real one,
  • vjrose
    vjrose Posts: 809 Member
    No cheat days here, just work in treats regularly so I don't need a cheat day, when I get down to 1200 calories perhaps that will change :)
  • misssephy
    misssephy Posts: 23 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.

    Same here, I don't see the point in denying yourself something that you really want. If you do it just makes you grow disillusioned. Much better to work it in and do the exercise so you can have a treat and be happier.
  • skcornett
    skcornett Posts: 169 Member
    I don't have cheat days because it is a quick slide into bad habits for me. I am also a fan of "everything in moderation" so that is what I practice. Last Saturday, I worked my *kitten* off at the gym so I could enjoy a cupcake on Saturday afternoon. In order for this to truly become a lifestyle for me, I have to make my favorites fit into my daily/weekly routine without undoing everything else I do.
  • gpstrucker
    gpstrucker Posts: 930 Member
    Nope. I'm not "on a diet" so there is no such thing as cheating. I pretty much eat what I want, I just make sure it fits within my goals or I walk off the excess.
  • SadieToughLady
    SadieToughLady Posts: 44
    I don't have "official" cheat days. If one day I so happen to end up eating more, then so be it. I work out regularly and eat a low calorie diet so I can have what I enjoy that isn't the best for me (in moderation) with little consequences. It is al about balance. I think declaring a day a "cheat" day opens up Pandora's box and many people go overboard.
  • randomartisrgirl
    randomartisrgirl Posts: 133
    No cheat day for me, a cheat day is just that - cheating. Cheating myself, cheating my diet. I find it better for me to learn to bring the things I want into my diet with moderation. It feels sooo good to go out and buy an item that I would have binged on before, and eating a small portion of it and saving it fr later. It really makes me feel accomplished about what I've done with my life. A cheat day is just a dy to go crazy. Why would I want to prolong what could have been a great day for tomorrow?
  • PShep17
    PShep17 Posts: 221 Member
    I don't do a cheat day. I tend not to eat back exercise cal's but if I know I'm having a rich dinner or some wine I make sure I earn enough calories to deserve them!
  • aschoot
    aschoot Posts: 1 Member
    I id not know we could respond to stuff like this, but no I dnt do a cheat day. I work it into my calories, and yes if it is a lot of calories I exercise again. This is a lifestyle I want to eat like this forever so I am trying to learn when I crave sweets to fit it in instead of doing a cheat day where I will pig out lol.
  • dbickel5
    dbickel5 Posts: 13
    No cheat days for me, I tried doing it once last month when we went out to dinner. That one cheat day (actually cheat dinner) turned into a cheat week.......... Im best off staying away from any type of cheating and just double or triple up on the exercise before getting that questionable food i desire.
  • fiberartist219
    fiberartist219 Posts: 1,865 Member
    I'm not even sure I understand what a cheat day is. Is it just when you go over on your calories and pretend like it's ok?
  • FlittyGetsFit
    FlittyGetsFit Posts: 94
    I took 3 days "off" over Easter, and found it really really hard to get back into the swing of things. Since then I've not had a cheat day at all. Tomorrow we're having a big meal with all the family, and I've scheduled extra exercise to compensate for the extra calories. And that's pretty much the way I do things now. If I want a food treat that would put me over my calorie goal, I'll work out more to make up for it.
  • thinsoundsgood
    thinsoundsgood Posts: 55
    i really only have cheat days when it's holidays/birthdays/ or just a night out with my friends. but i give myself a rest day from exercise on sunday to give my muscles a rest. so far it's been working for me!
  • LoveAustralia
    LoveAustralia Posts: 33 Member
    Nope. I work it into my daily calories if I'm really craving something. I do this because I'm ashamed to admit I went on a fad diet and lost all the weight but put it back on why? because on that diet it was extremely restrictive BUT I had a cheat day on the cheat day I would BINGE badly worse than I had ever done before but the weight still came off. Once I'd reached my goal I just forgot about the diet and everyday was a cheat day it wrecked my foodometer I had no idea about moderation I had completely forgot what it meant to eat normally. before I went on the diet I had the occasional treat my problem was meal sizes but when it came to my free day I would eat as much 'junk' food as I could get my hands on. It was a horrible cycle for me so calorie counting is a way to train myself how much I can have without being excessive. And I don't want to wait until saturday while craving the whole week and then overdo it and make myself sick. So for me I cant do 'cheat' days but if you have better self control then me it's really about what works for you in the long term.
  • andreamkelly
    andreamkelly Posts: 169
    I just started my current diet... oops not a diet, but a new way of life. Today will be my first opportunity to 'cheat' since I'm going to a crawfish shrimp boil at a friends and I won't know the calories for anything. Tomorrow will be worse, Mother's Day Brunch at an Italian Restaurant. Anyone know the calories for lobster bisque??
  • fiveohmike
    fiveohmike Posts: 1,297 Member
    I am having a "cheat day" today. Gonna be eating Frog Dog's (Big *kitten* Turkey dog in a hollowed out sourdough roll), beer ect.

    at a race track

    that I will be walking up and down hills and walking over 10+ miles over the course of 14 hours....so maybe not really cheating lol
  • fatmom51
    fatmom51 Posts: 173 Member
    I really like the posters who have talked about incorporating less healthy eating into their regular eating plans -- "indulgent," "casual," and "treats" -- are going to be part of our lives. I've only been doing this for two weeks, so I've been trying to keep pretty close to what MFP says I need to lose 2 lbs. a week, as I'm looking at a 100-lb. plus journey.
    As someone who has kids with busy schedules who need transportation, there have been occasions where we've had to do fast-food. (Don't tell me that I could have planned better -- our schedule REALLY does have us out of the house from 4-ish until after 9 some days, with few breaks to cook, sit down, and eat.) That said, I've been trying to make a healthy choice when I hit the fast food places, even if it is the kid-sized burger and a small fries. (But I write it down and account for it, trying to get in an extra walk while my kids are at practice, walk around the halls during my breaks/lunch at the school where I work, etc.)

    This weekend may be a little more indulgent, only because I'm going to be at a swim meet all weekend, where the food choices are pretty limited and sometimes higher in calories than I would choose (bagels and muffins in the morning, as opposed to wheat toast or low-fat waffle and some yogurt; pizza or hot dog at lunch, and then dinner out with the team) But I'll still write everything down and then try to compensate.

    On a "regular" day, I'll indulge, like others here have said. But I'll count it. A handful of jelly beans, or two squares of Ghiradelli dark chocolate are roughly 110 calories. I can do that! Heck, it's only a 20 minute walk and I can make that up marching in place or doing the stepper during commercials on TV!!

    Great site!! This is fun.
  • onceabyrne
    onceabyrne Posts: 64 Member
    I've gone up and down with my weight all my life and I'm back at it again. What I have to learn is this is a lifetime thing - eating healthy and become more physically fit. The other times I've lost weight I was pretty black and white about it, I'd follow an eating plan pretty religiously without deviation. That isn't very realistic for the long-term and leads to binge days... or months in my case, lol. This time around I'm trying to do more in moderation. I try to exercise every day and stay within my calorie range. If I want something, I look up the nutrition first and then decide if it is really worth it and will it cause me to overeat later. I try to stay away from trigger foods (pasta, pizza, etc.) since it is hard for me to have just one slice of pizza (who does that??). My daughter loves China Buffet. I went there with her last Sunday for dinner. I had two plates but tried to avoid the really really bad stuff (rice, fried stuff). I really had no clue how many calories I ate, but listed is as 1,000. I had exercised that day but still went over my calories. But, I didn't feel guilty about it because I knew I made better choices than other times. And, I've still lost 3.5 pounds this week so far. It isn't realistic to think I won't ever eat there again, or have pizza, or pasta. I know I just have to make better choices when I'm not eating nutritionally balanced meals so I don't beat myself up about it later.
  • iwantahealthierme13
    iwantahealthierme13 Posts: 337 Member
    none here, but I do eat pretty much whatever I want as long as it fits into my day

    (very little soda, very little chocolate/snack food)

    I'll have some pizza, fried fish -- pretty much anything, just smaller servings.

    If it's not realistic, it won't work.
  • nill4me
    nill4me Posts: 682 Member
    I don't. It's all about balance and sustainability for me. I eat ice-cream nearly every day.

    This is how I like to work it as well. I am not going to ban myself from the things that i love. I am working very hard to be healthy in a sustainable way. Just the word CHEAT implies guilt and makes it sound as if you did something awful...I refuse to punish myself for having something that I trule love. Like ice-cream :)
  • wookiemouse
    wookiemouse Posts: 290 Member
    I don't have a cheat day.

    I used to, and it would take me half the following week to get over the cravings. So now I just don't do it. I eat clean anyways, so whatever I'm craving and is in the house is good for me and ok to eat - no "cheating" necessary!
  • HMonsterX
    HMonsterX Posts: 3,000 Member
    Cheat on what? I'm not on a diet or something!

    Eat what i want within my macros and cals, its all good.
  • carld256
    carld256 Posts: 855 Member
    I don't have a cheat day either. The idea just seems counter productive. If I really want something I'll eat it and account for the calories. I don't think I've gone over MFP's alloted calories + exercise yet.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,296 Member
    I do, but it's more like a cheat meal. My first cheat day so far, I just splurged on dinner. I was miserable afterwards so I plan to tone it down the next time. It's all about making healthier choices so hopefully one day, I won't call it a "cheat day"
  • Papillon22
    Papillon22 Posts: 1,160 Member
    No cheat days for me. I eat what I want, burn it off if I can, and if not, I move on.
    I've also changed snacks, like a chocolate bar for 2 squares of dark chocolate, so the healhy alternative makes me feel good.

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