What do YOU consider a cheat day?

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  • tmauck4472
    tmauck4472 Posts: 1,785 Member
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    Like many others if I want something I eat it and just have it in my count for the day...even a candy bar. The only thing I haven't had is ice cream which is my fav. but I'm not craving it as of yet so I'm good. If I decide to go out to eat somewhere and I know I'm going to go way over for that day, I'm honest and still track it so that I know what I did and can compensate for it...now if I do that I'd just go to the gym after the dinner and work off what I can. I really don't crave to much of my old foods anymore. I haven't had fast food since January, I haven't touched ice cream or cheesecake, both of which are my true weaknesses. I grab an apple or a grapefruit when I want something to snack on. I just can't see the cheating anymore cause I hate losing the same lbs over and over. Going to be interesting with the summer picnics happening. But I'm sure I'll be fine, and so will you.
  • bm99
    bm99 Posts: 597 Member
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    Because I have such a large deficit each day, I have one day a week that is a non counting day. That's when I allow myself all the things that wont fit in my daily calories. This serves to 1) keep me motivated and 2) keep my body from running efficiently on the calories I give it the rest of the week.

    And... it IS a diet as long as the goal is weightloss, just a smart, healthy one. When you're maintaining its a "lifestyle ".
  • Christine1110
    Christine1110 Posts: 1,786 Member
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    A cheat day is a treat once in a great while, special treat. If you have one every week.....it's very hard to hit your goal! The more junk you eat....the more your going to crave!!
  • 81Katz
    81Katz Posts: 7,074 Member
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    I never actually wake up and set out to have cheat meals or cheat days. But I guess I would classify my most recent 'cheat' about 2 weekends ago where I went balls to wall eating all kinds of crap. Ice cream, bakery stuff, sweets. Another episode prior to that one (different weekend) was me VS. donuts ... the donuts won. :blushing:
  • DPernet
    DPernet Posts: 481 Member
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    I don't do cheat days. Any day I go over my allowance is a bad day for me. If I want something special, I make sure I have the calories for it, or work out until I do have them.
  • fatmom51
    fatmom51 Posts: 173 Member
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    I would have to say last night was the first time I went WAY OVER my goals, but probably within 100-200 of my maintenance (TDEE, or whatever). My daughter's high school theater club did a "dinner theater" play and the meal with salad, lasagne, garlic bread, iced tea or pink lemonade, and a piece of cake. That WAS the meal. I could have saved a bit by not having the cake or bread, but I'm going to have to live with this new eating plan for the rest of my life, so I'm not going to completely eliminate foods I enjoy. The key is making them "once-in-a-while" treats and not daily habits.
    According to MFP, if I ate like this every day, I'd gain about 2 lbs. over the next 5 weeks, so obviously I don't want to do that. But to do it one time just means that for this one day I won't lose the 2/7 pounds (on average) that I would lose every day by sticking exactly to my calorie goals.
  • velsbree
    velsbree Posts: 69
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    totally agree once I eats sweets it takes about a week for that craving to go away
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
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    And... it IS a diet as long as the goal is weightloss, just a smart, healthy one. When you're maintaining its a "lifestyle ".
    Technically, it's always a diet, as long as you still eat food. The point is, the lifestyle I have now is exactly the same as the one I will have when I am maintaining. I will be able to consume a couple of hundred more calories a day, but the types of food I eat will be exactly the same, and the mindset is exactly the same whether I am eating at maintenance or at a deficit. :flowerforyou:
  • juliebmomof3
    juliebmomof3 Posts: 115 Member
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    I actually do plan my cheat days. It's usually on the weekend and I pick one thing I have been really wanting to have that I just know is really bad for me. It helps me during the week when I have a craving I remind myself that I will get it eventually. I don't make the whole day a cheat day, like if we go out fo dinner and that is where I splurge, then I make sure I eat super healthy for everything else and try to work out a little harder to make up for ir. Also if I do slip up and eat crappy on a givin day I don't call the whole day a wash, I still try to eat healthy the rest of the day and try to work harder to burn off the calories.
  • Ravenesque_
    Ravenesque_ Posts: 257 Member
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    everything in moderation.

    including moderation.
  • Civeng1
    Civeng1 Posts: 11
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    Ding, Ding, Ding. Winner!! Winner!!

    That was the best answer.

    Don't put negative "cheating" vibes in your head. Life a balanced lifestyle that allows you to enjoy without going to excess.
  • jagar07
    jagar07 Posts: 330 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!^^
  • onequirkygirl
    onequirkygirl Posts: 303 Member
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    I definitely can't think in terms of "cheating" because that implies that I'm "still winning" after doing something dishonestly......and I try to be honest if I'm splurging on calories........even its a big "WTF" in my diary.

    I think what the OP meant was how much food do you consider "a day that you shouldnt expect to see a loss the next morning" from? That would depend on how many calories it takes to maintain your current weight.
  • HeidiYD
    HeidiYD Posts: 4 Member
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    Your self control at DD is admirable! The smell alone would drive me crazy!!
  • rrrbecca11
    rrrbecca11 Posts: 477
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    When you're OCD as I am, cheat days just cannot be allowed. :bigsmile: I also do not usually eat a bite after dinner. The other night I was hungry about 8 p.m. so I ate a brown rice cake and 4 radishes. Maybe 60 calories total. I beat myself up over that for days. :wink:
  • Sox90716
    Sox90716 Posts: 976 Member
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    A large meat lovers pizza, a box of Twinkies and a bag of Cheetos.
  • kayasuma
    kayasuma Posts: 11
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    I guess I don't really have cheat days, only "Ah screw it!" days, where I over indulge, specially when I drink alcohol. So basically, parties, special ocasions like going out to eat at a restaurant, etc.
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    When you're OCD as I am, cheat days just cannot be allowed. :bigsmile: I also do not usually eat a bite after dinner. The other night I was hungry about 8 p.m. so I ate a brown rice cake and 4 radishes. Maybe 60 calories total. I beat myself up over that for days. :wink:
    I think you should get some help.
  • mmuzzatti
    mmuzzatti Posts: 706 Member
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    When I hook up with somebody else...wait is this the man *kitten* site?
  • LilynEdensmom
    LilynEdensmom Posts: 612 Member
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    For me its holidays, birthdays and visiting days (which all in all is 2 or 3 days a month)...With the holidays and birthdays I try to stay within my calories and get an extra workout in...Visiting days they are just all to pieces and only happen once a month so I don't worry to much about 1 day out of 30.

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