Cheat Days

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graelwyn
graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
in Food and Nutrition
I am curious about peoples' cheat days.

Do you eat below goal during the rest of the time to allow for your cheat day?

What sort of calorie intake do you net on your cheat days ?

How often do you have a cheat day ?

Replies

  • graelwyn
    graelwyn Posts: 1,340 Member
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    Bump
  • foxbat2828
    foxbat2828 Posts: 391 Member
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    Posted this yesterday in response to another poster's question about cheat days ...

    I don't have cheat days. I've tried to make things, this time around, where I don't deny myself things, and it's working quite well for me. If there's something that I want that doesn't fit into my starting allotment of calories for the day, around 1900 calories, then I go to the gym and work for the extra calories. By not denying myself, I find that, when I do get to have something like cake or ice cream or pizza, etc., I tend to be so much better on moderation than I used to be when I cut those things out of my life. So far the scale and my clothes agree with the plan and my cravings seem to fairly well placated too.
  • dough21
    dough21 Posts: 216 Member
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    I am curious about peoples' cheat days.

    Do you eat below goal during the rest of the time to allow for your cheat day?

    What sort of calorie intake do you net on your cheat days ?

    How often do you have a cheat day ?

    Yes when not on a cheat day, I eat below my calorie goal but not to save for a cheat day.

    My regular caloric intake is goaled around 2350. I've had cheat days over 3800 calories. When I started my diet I only had 1 cheat day a month. I'm about 6 months into my diet and I now have about 2 a week but keep in mind I do at least an hour of cardio a day. (even on cheat days)
  • Tskitzo_
    Tskitzo_ Posts: 14
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    I haven't had a cheat day yet, so far I've been really under my calorie intake but not on purpose but I haven't gone over on any days yet. I have been falling asleep pretty early and sometimes don't eat dinner, other days I'm just not hungry because it's so hot in our home. Heat affects me pretty badly if it gets too hot. But basically, what I would do, is if I have left-over calories from the week, I'd use them all up on Saturday. I would try not to go over too much of your weekly calorie goal though.

    edit: I agree with the poster who said they don't limit themselves on what they eat. I think limiting yourself or denying yourself something is a good way to sabotage yourself.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    i have a cheat day about every 3 months. i define a cheat day where i dont log calories and i know i am going to eat way over my goal.

    occasionally ill be 100ish cals over but dont consider that a cheat day.
  • bazfitness
    bazfitness Posts: 275 Member
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    I never deliberately take a cheat day. I eat at home for the most part and since I've been on mfp I eat what I consider to be a healthy diet. I've cut out bread almost completely, in past 10 weeks have had bread just twice. Once when I was out and I really needed something to eat and second time when I was at a house party and had been depriving myself food for too long and went a bit nuts when I finally caved in - the garlic bread didn't stand a chance. The closest I come to having a cheat day is when I have alcohol. I was reading on leangains.com recently about how to not put on weight when on a night out. Basically eat a lot of protein, very little fat and get carbs from vegetables. So I tried that last Friday night - had a litre of white wine and more protein than i normally would have both before I went out and when I came home and had the munchies. Didn't feel bloated afterwards - of course i still felt groggy on Saturday morning and any though of strenuous exercise for the day went out the window.
  • wilkyway
    wilkyway Posts: 151
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    Heya :-)

    well I have actually given up the typical cheat meal-style, because I tend to feel really nasty afterwards and have to fight with the bloat for a couple of days.... Since eating clean and lots of raw stuff, my body seems to have become really sensitive to ****ty foods.
    Non the less, I do consider things like Sushi, homemade treats, frozen yoghurt as my healthier goodies.
    I've started cycling my calories and macros and am pretty happy wth how it makes me feel!
    It goes like this:
    3 days of 1500kcals, lowish carbs, more fats and protein
    followed by
    2 days of 2000kcals with more carbs than normally. Here's wHere I have room for stuff like the things mentioned above :-)

    I've set my daily calorie goal to my aprox. TDEE which is just over 2000kcals. I don't eat exercise cals.
    Sticking to this cycle for the next 4 weeks, then changing it to, lets say 1700-2200.

    Dunno if this actually answered your question :D
  • schustc
    schustc Posts: 428 Member
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    I have found that having a cheat day once a week, while restricting calories every other day of the week, works GREAT for me. by cheat, I mean double or a little more of my restricted calories works best. i.e., if I eat 1500 per day, cheat day will be around 3500..

    example: ON mothers day I ate what I wanted, still logged to track, was around 3600 for the day, and was down 2.75 for the week (i weigh on Saturday).

    It's not just about eating what you want, it's about giving your body a bunch more calories on that day, so it spikes your metabolism, and helps to keep your metabolism from slowing down on restricted calories.

    I've lost 23 pounds in 7 weeks, and while I didn't do cheat days for maybe the first month, I have found that they don't hurt me at ALL. it also keeps me from getting bored or feeling deprived.

    Anyhow - good luck!

    Tina
  • BellaBumbles
    BellaBumbles Posts: 35
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    Cheating isnt really a problem for me. I eat what I like, in moderation of course, and fill in the rest of my time with healthy foods. I had a cookie yesterday, and I didnt consider it "cheating," I considered it breakfast. :) (It was a healthy cookie anyway, had almost the same nutritional and caloric information as my normal breakfast.) I dont find that "cheat" days work. If you deprive yourself, it makes you crave things more. You need to get in flavors and foods that you love, while maintaining an overall healthy lifestyle.
  • abayj11787
    abayj11787 Posts: 5
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    I give myself a cheat day about once a month. I eat at home all the time but when I have a family gathering, we usually go to a restaurant and it's hard to find meals. I do tend to cut back on breakfast and lunch for this but I don't cut down through the week. Just the day I know I am going to cheat. I tend to work out for two hours instead of one the next day though. But I feel like I deserve a cheat day every once in a while. If I don't, I know I will slip up and feel bad. I don't like the guilt, so I have a cheat day so I don't feel deprived or guilty.
  • schustc
    schustc Posts: 428 Member
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    oh - and I don't necessarily eat 'junk' - i tried that and it makes me sick. but if I want real pizza on a cheat day (or a SPIKE DAY!) I will have it. usually i have more high calorie foods, not necessarily junk. last night i snacked on mixed nuts (EXTREMELY high calorie) but I didn't just eat 10, i had about 2 oz worth. I had a big bowl of frosted shredded wheat with skim milk for breakfast - was close to 500 calories (i normally try to stay closer to 300 for my b-fast) I also might have more real butter, or olive oil those days. It's not hard to get it up there with some not terrible foods. I had a fruit smoothie with greek yogurt for a dessert - probably added about 250-300 calories to my day, so easily probably upped it by 1500 with healthy foods, and then had some not so great options (like pizza, and a couple skinny cow ice cream sandwiches).

    I also know what works for one doesn't work for all - so try it and see what works for you:) Good Luck!
  • bazfitness
    bazfitness Posts: 275 Member
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    edit: I agree with the poster who said they don't limit themselves on what they eat. I think limiting yourself or denying yourself something is a good way to sabotage yourself.

    Hmmm I know what your saying but I think with all the crap damaging food out there you really are better off denying (I'd replace that word with removing from your diet) a lot of junk food. Besides for me the junk food I used to eat like cake, biscuits, chocolate and breads I find it easier to pretty much cut it out completely as having small portions of the stuff once or twice a week would more likely set off my cravings for it, which I don't have at the mo. The only time I will cheat on this - is if I go to friends for dinner or at some social gathering and I won't feel guilty as i know it's a rarity and will defo enjoy it - sweet tooth never completely goes away :smile:

    You can find healthier alternatives to the foods you have denied yourself and still be a bit indulgent. Like nuts instead of potato chips. Strawberry and cream instead of processed deserts. Oatmeal pancakes with honey etc.
  • laurabini
    laurabini Posts: 257 Member
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    I have a cheat day when I go cycling just because I'm so hungry after my workout! I burn about 800-900 cals and eat around 2000-2500 cals including croissants, chocolate, bread, jam..
  • PercivalHackworth
    PercivalHackworth Posts: 1,437 Member
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    Don't really have cheat days, I never understood such. But I've the saturday when I don't log food sometimes, but I in my goal, sometimes I go over, by a couple of calories, or sometimes under :)
  • seraphinaglitter
    seraphinaglitter Posts: 22 Member
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    I don't have cheat days. I don't feel nice after them and I wouldn't risk a cheat day escalating into a cheat week. And I like healthy foods more. Peas for the win!
  • ElizaGeorge
    ElizaGeorge Posts: 140 Member
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    Cheat days, imo, are so counter-productive. Why do all this hard work about moderation, control, discipline and then take a day and binge and fall into bad habits you were trying to break? This isn't a diet. There are no "cheats". Just good decisions and bad decisions. If you want something, and the craving persists, just fit it into your daily calories. If it doesn't fit, don't eat it. Don't ruin all of your hard work.

    Don't confuse what you want the most with what you want right now.
  • CyberEd312
    CyberEd312 Posts: 3,536 Member
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    Everyone's approach to this is going to vary, I for one have a Cheat day (Re-Feed day) once a week normally on Saturday's. I use to do 2 days a week back when I was still over 500 lbs. but now have fine tuned my approach and find that once a week works well for me.. I have never joined the crowd of everything in moderation.. I don;t care to have oreo's and chips and crap in our house... I have learned to eat the way I eat cause that crap is exactly what got me to 560 lbs. but again to each there own... I bust *kitten* all week and look forward to my 1 day off from logging, exercise, etc.... So for me on my Cheat day it is all about whatever it is I want. I normally don't eat a traditional 3 meals but have a Big Breakfast and a late lunch/supper... There may be a trip to the movies with theatre popcorn and a M&M snack and a Coke zero... Supper is someplace we choose only rules are eat what we want but it has to be eaten there and nothing comes home.. Then we hit the Local Ice Cream stand for dessert... Then we get up the next morning and its back on track... My approach may not work for others but it works for me to the tone of 300+ lbs. lost... I am currently consuming around 3200 calories a day to lose 1/2 lb. a week... (Yes I am firmly in the camp of eating more to lose weight) Best of Luck to you...
  • schustc
    schustc Posts: 428 Member
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    Everyone's approach to this is going to vary, I for one have a Cheat day (Re-Feed day) once a week normally on Saturday's. I use to do 2 days a week back when I was still over 500 lbs. but now have fine tuned my approach and find that once a week works well for me.. I have never joined the crowd of everything in moderation.. I don;t care to have oreo's and chips and crap in our house... I have learned to eat the way I eat cause that crap is exactly what got me to 560 lbs. but again to each there own... I bust *kitten* all week and look forward to my 1 day off from logging, exercise, etc.... So for me on my Cheat day it is all about whatever it is I want. I normally don't eat a traditional 3 meals but have a Big Breakfast and a late lunch/supper... There may be a trip to the movies with theatre popcorn and a M&M snack and a Coke zero... Supper is someplace we choose only rules are eat what we want but it has to be eaten there and nothing comes home.. Then we hit the Local Ice Cream stand for dessert... Then we get up the next morning and its back on track... My approach may not work for others but it works for me to the tone of 300+ lbs. lost... I am currently consuming around 3200 calories a day to lose 1/2 lb. a week... (Yes I am firmly in the camp of eating more to lose weight) Best of Luck to you...

    ^^love this - and GREAT JOB!!!!! HURRAY!!
  • schustc
    schustc Posts: 428 Member
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    just wanted to add, after 20 years of dieting and yo-yoing, and knowing when I was dieting, that whatever i was doing was "JUST UNTIL I LOST WEIGHT".. this is the first time in my life that I don't feel that anymore.

    This isn't "JUST UNTIL" i lose weight -it's forever. That means I need to learn how to eat right for the rest of my life. To eat like a normal healthy person. A normal healthy person doesn't live on diet food, doesn't live in a state of denial, doesn't live on 1000 calories a day for the rest of their life.

    A normal healthy person, eats well 90+ % of the time, and then, on occasion, has what they want, they enjoy themselves, they don't worry about that one day a week or so where they eat more.

    Here's a little known secret, you CAN eat like that and STILL lose weight. you can eat well 90% of the time, have your day off, and be rejuvenated and fresh to start again - helps to keep you focused, energized, and as importantly, keep your metabolism burning in high gear.

    eat in a deficit long enough, and your body will slow down it's burning, so that it matches the lower calorie intake, making it harder to lose weight.

    Eat in a deficit for a set period of time, then stop (this is your cheat or feed or whatever day - I am actually a SPIKE believer, and spiking is great!) give your body a chance to reset, think it's all good, not getting less food forever, and then start deficit again.

    I'm so excited to do this. I feel like I can do this forever. I can live with having one day off, for family gatherings, outings, etc. Life will be livable, and I won't be forever dieting, but will be healthy AND happy..

    Good luck to you!

    Tina

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