Does anyone have cheat days?

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13

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  • ForeverIrish
    ForeverIrish Posts: 232 Member
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    I have them about once every week, but I document everything. It's sobering to see what I used to do to myself.
  • RipperSB
    RipperSB Posts: 315 Member
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    I'm considering having one day out of the week where I can exceed my calorie limit and not document it....does anyone do this? Is it successful or a bad idea?

    Why can't you exceed your calorie limit AND document it? IMHO, if you plan it, record it and are happy with it then it is not cheating... it's just you living your life. I really don't understand the purpose of not recording... it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

    If you bite it, write it.
  • jenniferillene
    jenniferillene Posts: 34 Member
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    I do! Mine are on the weekends, I dont go overboard but I have a few things here and there that I dont get often. But I also still work out on those days as well. Sometimes u just have to allow urself a little cheat otherwise it can get dull! :)
  • lindsy721
    lindsy721 Posts: 350 Member
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    Instead of a cheat "day", I just have one cheat "meal" instead. That way I can have something I really enjoy that day (like a small dessert after a healthy dinner) but not take any steps backward in the eating plan.
  • littlebuddy84
    littlebuddy84 Posts: 1,000 Member
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    I don't have a cheat day but i do have a cheat meal once a week. I find that works great for me :-)
  • Serah87
    Serah87 Posts: 5,481 Member
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    Nope! That just encourages binge eating and perpetuating the mentality that you deserve to reward yourself with food. Try rewarding yourself with something else you love instead, and stick to eating to live, not living to eat.


    This!!!!!! ^ ^ ^
  • MrzBlessedLady
    MrzBlessedLady Posts: 171 Member
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    I usually have a cheat meal on Saturday or Sunday, like today I am having pizza. I do log it but I'm not going to press Complete entry.
  • kayemme
    kayemme Posts: 1,782 Member
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    i don't have cheat days, but i sometimes have a sweet. the key (for me) has been to treat the logging as a secondary option. this way i'm training myself to eat well more than not. i always log treats because those are danger zones for me still.

    last night, i had an ice cream cone. it was 360 calories. i logged it because it reminds me: hey, this is 360 calories. most of my dinners are considerably lower than that, so it gives me some comparison: would I like 5 spring rolls + peanut sauce for 277 calories and all kinds of fiber & nicronutrients OR a super sweet ice cream cone?

    sometimes I will go for the cone, but having them both logged puts things into perspective for me to make choices on my own.
  • ahsats
    ahsats Posts: 75 Member
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    I don't plaaaan cheat days/meals but I'm aware there will probably be one day a week where I have 3 martinis and some hot wings. I log it, don't beat myself up, and consider it an unplanned calorie spike.
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
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    I cheat once in a while but I log it anyway. And when cheating, you shouldn't go extremely over. I like the idea of only going like 500 over on a cheat day.

    Another option you have is when you find something you want, find a way to make it a little healthier. Like last night I was at a pizza shop getting a garbage plate for my fiance and someone ordered a chocolate milkshake, I thought it sounded SOOOOO good, but instead of ordering one, I went home, looked up some recipes online and ended up making my own. 1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt, about 1/3 cup milk and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder. It tasted pretty darn good and was only 140 calories.
  • V3ggieL0vinGinger
    V3ggieL0vinGinger Posts: 235
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    I usually eat what I want anyways, as I'm trying to maintain my weight for the most part. I do have one or two days a month where I don't log and go to the Vietnamese restaurant to get CURRY! :) Yum. I'll usually go for coffee with friends and get a soy latte and a vegan muffin. I really enjoy those days and I hope that some time in the future every day can be without the confines of logging everything.
  • hark15
    hark15 Posts: 148 Member
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    I cheat once in a while but I log it anyway. And when cheating, you shouldn't go extremely over. I like the idea of only going like 500 over on a cheat day.

    Another option you have is when you find something you want, find a way to make it a little healthier. Like last night I was at a pizza shop getting a garbage plate for my fiance and someone ordered a chocolate milkshake, I thought it sounded SOOOOO good, but instead of ordering one, I went home, looked up some recipes online and ended up making my own. 1/2 cup vanilla frozen yogurt, about 1/3 cup milk and 1 tablespoon cocoa powder. It tasted pretty darn good and was only 140 calories.

    I think this is great. Cheat but in healthy ways :) There are usually better ways to eat the foods you want. Even pizza - if you want pizza one night, maybe try ordering it thin crust or making it yourself on pitas. I also agree to still record everything you eat to keep yourself in check. I don't always plan the "cheats" but I do record everything I eat to stay accountable.
  • allisonmrn
    allisonmrn Posts: 721 Member
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    I have a cheat meal, usually on Fri or Sun night. I stay on a fairly low carb diet, so I use that one evening to throw in a starchy/sugary food. I am told it does something to reset cortisol levels or something. I think about it all week and plan it. I don;t know the science behind it, and I cannot say that it works for everyone, but it does for me. My best friend cannot do this because it makes her binge like crazy for days....Then I will have preemptive cheats during the week, like a TBSP or 2 of PB, some almonds, or even a half portion of breakfast meat(bacon, sausage) to help with cravings. I am ususally the one at work gnawing on cold chicken breasts from a ziploc bag while evereyone else is ordering takeout....
  • lelliebugh
    lelliebugh Posts: 340 Member
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    I work hard 6 days a week. I have PCOS so I do not eat all my exercise calories back. I allow myself 1 day a week to have something I really want. I still log it. I still need to keep myself accountable for my cheating. But in a whole I do not go over for the week therefore I still have a deficit and lose weight consistently without feeling deprived of what I want.
  • kimmanix
    kimmanix Posts: 4 Member
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    In my case having a "free" day is definitely a bad idea. My biggest problem is portion control, I'm a woman who can eat as much as 3 grown men. Staying on track seems to have shrunken my stomach so I've begun to feel comfortable eating normal portions. In one day of "at will" eating, my stomach feels stretched back out so that I'm ready to eat enormous portions again. Takes about 3 weeks to reverse that effect, so for me, not worth it. I agree with DeeVanderbles approach - going over by 500 cals once in a while is reasonable.
  • overfences
    overfences Posts: 96 Member
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    No I don't have planned cheat days, because this is a lifestyle for me and not a "diet" IYKWIM. Having a cheat day means the diet is unpleasant and needs to be escaped from occasionally. I love how I eat (mostly Primal)-- I don't ever feel like I'm missing out.

    Life throws enough "cheat days" at me anyway (restaurant meals, special events, birthday cake..!).

    And I record EVERYTHING. That way when I go over I can make up for it during the next couple days. If I don't record I really have no idea how many calories I'm consuming (and studies show that people FAR underestimate the calories they consume most of the time).
  • glowingbride
    glowingbride Posts: 11
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    I usually allow for a cheat meal, sometimes two, each week. Never a whole DAY. But if I have social event to attend, or my fiancee is cooking something special, or we're going out to a great new restaurant -- sure I'll let myself indulge. And I totally do it guilt-free. It's all about balance. I'd like to eat healthy and treat my body well, but still be able to enjoy the pleasures of delicious food from time to time. No big deal.
  • christinet8504
    christinet8504 Posts: 108
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    I do a cheat meal every week but not a whole day. One meal I can do without guilt. Ill feel horrible the next day if I do a whole day.
  • zukkiz
    zukkiz Posts: 362 Member
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    I used to, but now the way I eat I don't have to have cheat days. I eat pretty darn clean, but still enjoy treats, as long as I stay within my macros and calories.

    Though I don't eat a skimpy 1200 calorie diet.

    My calories are set for 2300 + I add 300 for breastfeeding. I am eating at TDEE and lifting heavy. I go to a 15% cut in two weeks. Since April 30th I have gone down 4 pounds, but have also gone down a pants size.

    I am tired of the Yo-Yo, I am eating like this for life!
  • ktrn0312
    ktrn0312 Posts: 723 Member
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    I do not have or plan for cheat days. From the beginning of this process i knew i needed to learn overall discipline in my eating habits. I had no intention of depriving myself or going on extreme dieting. I practice moderation . If I want oreo cookies I will have them. I have the allowed serving size of two instead of eight. I balance everything with exercising . It has worked well so far. I

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