What do YOU consider a cheat day?

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BeautifulKristen
BeautifulKristen Posts: 281
in Health and Weight Loss
That is the question lol
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  • iwantahealthierme13
    iwantahealthierme13 Posts: 337 Member
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    I don't have cheat days, but if I have a birthday party to go to or some other social event with lots of food, I try to eat the best I can

    I wouldn't think I completely lost it unless I go way over maintenence, I've only had one REALLY BAD day so far which was the fault of 4 square slices of pizza and tons of snacking. The "if everyday was like today" motivator thingy told me I would gain 15 pounds.
  • jamszy
    jamszy Posts: 123 Member
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    Nothing is off limits, but still abiding by calories!
  • PulchritudinousLady
    PulchritudinousLady Posts: 66 Member
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    The first day my "aunt" comes to visit. I'm going to graze like a cow anyway so I fill a bowl with celery and popcorn and go at it. I think so long as I keep chewing I'm okay.
  • skullshank
    skullshank Posts: 4,324 Member
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    i guess i usually feel like i've "cheated" if i drink any alcohol.
    idk why...maybe because it's just empty calories that really didnt benefit me anything but a decent nights sleep lol

    *ETA*
    question back to you OP...what do YOU consider a cheat day?
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    Honestly, and this is probably going to sound really boring, but I don't call anything "cheat days", "cheat meals" or "cheat food". If I want something, I'll have it, and just work it into my daily calorie goal. If I want a meal that's going to take me well over my goal, I work it into my weekly goal instead, and compensate on other days (within reason). If I go way over and can't make it up on other days, I just move on. I'm really trying to make this a complete, permanent lifestyle change. It messes with my head if I think of it as "cheating", or if I see food as "bad" or "naughty", or if I say I've "broken my diet". Yes, I definitely have days where I could have eaten better, but it's just part of life. Sorry if that sounds preachy, but just how it works for me. :smile:
  • momtokgo
    momtokgo Posts: 446 Member
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    I've cut out quite a few foods for medical reasons, not diet reasons, so if I have anything off that list (fast food, chips, chocolate/dairy, pizza, caffiene, etc) I 100% consider it a "cheat" and I'm sure going to pay for it physically afterwards.

    Before cutting stuff out for a non-diet reason, I would consider a "cheat" day when I stuffed myself with whatever I wanted and didn't worry about how many calories were in it.
  • ahsats
    ahsats Posts: 75 Member
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    In an ideal world a cheat day would be where I over-indulge in yummy food once a week but honestly it usually ends up where I calorie spike from booze.
  • glenr79
    glenr79 Posts: 283 Member
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    taco bell
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    Nothing is off limits, but still abiding by calories!
  • Awkward30
    Awkward30 Posts: 1,927 Member
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    Honestly, and this is probably going to sound really boring, but I don't call anything "cheat days", "cheat meals" or "cheat food". If I want something, I'll have it, and just work it into my daily calorie goal. If I want a meal that's going to take me well over my goal, I work it into my weekly goal instead, and compensate on other days (within reason). If I go way over and can't make it up on other days, I just move on. I'm really trying to make this a complete, permanent lifestyle change. It messes with my head if I think of it as "cheating", or if I see food as "bad" or "naughty", or if I say I've "broken my diet". Yes, I definitely have days where I could have eaten better, but it's just part of life. Sorry if that sounds preachy, but just how it works for me. :smile:

    I do this. I eat when I'm truly hungry, regardless of going over, and I eat free food when it is offered at lectures (often pizza or sandwiches), I'll eat out when I want to. For me it isn't sustainable to cut out these and other things for life, so there is no reason to now
  • Erinacarr
    Erinacarr Posts: 7
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    I work at Dunkin Donuts, and every sunday I allow myself one donut, and this keeps me going without "cheating" throughout the week
  • johnkernmusic
    johnkernmusic Posts: 91 Member
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    A cheat day generally means one eats whatever they want for that whole day. However, I don't do cheat days or cheat meals I just fit something yummy into my macros and calories for the day. Saying the word cheat is kind of defeating. You should say you are having a treat day :)
  • linochka1969
    linochka1969 Posts: 136 Member
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    yesterday Lots of wine, chocolate and meat pie.Today i am feeling so very guilty and hang over
  • ironmom77
    ironmom77 Posts: 45
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    Honestly, and this is probably going to sound really boring, but I don't call anything "cheat days", "cheat meals" or "cheat food". If I want something, I'll have it, and just work it into my daily calorie goal. If I want a meal that's going to take me well over my goal, I work it into my weekly goal instead, and compensate on other days (within reason). If I go way over and can't make it up on other days, I just move on. I'm really trying to make this a complete, permanent lifestyle change. It messes with my head if I think of it as "cheating", or if I see food as "bad" or "naughty", or if I say I've "broken my diet". Yes, I definitely have days where I could have eaten better, but it's just part of life. Sorry if that sounds preachy, but just how it works for me. :smile:

    ^^^^^^ This. If I want it, I eat it. I make sure to check the correct portion size and only eat that much, but nothing is off limits. On days when I burn 2000 calories or more on exercise, I go to town, lol!
  • minkakross
    minkakross Posts: 687 Member
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    I don't count carbs or calories on cheat days. I haven't had one in a while but it might include indulging in dessert and foods I avoid in mass like bread and potatoes. Eating out usually throws away my whole calorie count in one meal. There is a steak house my family loves and the rolls alone are over 450 calories so you can imagine what a small potato and a steak do to the total.
  • sunnyflower1177
    sunnyflower1177 Posts: 212
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    When u don't log ur food for that day and u just eat whatever and don't have accountability to urself for what u ate, that is what I call a cheat day, even though no one may see u, u know urself. Trust me I know first hand,
  • lisapr123
    lisapr123 Posts: 863 Member
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    To me, a "cheat day" is when I don't log. I'm still aware of what I'm eating, but I don't stress about the calories. These days usually involve me being out of town, because I refuse to spend my vacation counting calories.

    This weekend, for example, I'll be in downtown Chicago for a cycling event. So today I'll be walking through the city, playing "tourist in my own town", tonight I'll be staying at the Fairmont, going out for dinner, and probably having a glass or two of wine at the top of the Hancock building. Tomorrow morning I'll cycle 45-60 miles. I'll probably go for a run too, since the lakefront path is always beautiful and inviting. So yes, I'll be eating a lot! But I'll also be very physically active. So although my food feels like "cheat" my exercise is good.

    Most of our getaways or vacations involve something physically challenging or active, so I don't fret over the calories consumed. But I still try to make responsible choices.
  • Drizap
    Drizap Posts: 34 Member
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    Weekend drinking, birthday parties, parent visits all usually result in going over calories a bit. But I try to make decent food choices. It is the drinking that gets me though
  • tpittsley77
    tpittsley77 Posts: 607 Member
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    Honestly, and this is probably going to sound really boring, but I don't call anything "cheat days", "cheat meals" or "cheat food". If I want something, I'll have it, and just work it into my daily calorie goal. If I want a meal that's going to take me well over my goal, I work it into my weekly goal instead, and compensate on other days (within reason). If I go way over and can't make it up on other days, I just move on. I'm really trying to make this a complete, permanent lifestyle change. It messes with my head if I think of it as "cheating", or if I see food as "bad" or "naughty", or if I say I've "broken my diet". Yes, I definitely have days where I could have eaten better, but it's just part of life. Sorry if that sounds preachy, but just how it works for me. :smile:

    This is exactly how I feel! Every DIET I have ever done has failed. This is a permanent lifestyle change, not a diet. I need to learn to stay within my limits regularly to acheive and then stay at my goals.
  • Franmagick
    Franmagick Posts: 18
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    My friends go out to eat a lot, and focus a lot of social events around eating and alcohol (picnics, bbq, going out etc.) I've stopped getting snacks at the cinema, started asking for water and diet cokes rather than cocktails and vodkas a lot more in bars, take my own healthy lunch and loads of fruit and veg to picnics, but now and again I'll allow myself to order or eat something that I wouldn't usually eat whilst trying to healthy and that's my cheat day. Its technically only a cheat meal because I would still drinks lots of water and eat well the rest of the day.

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