Cheat days = SABOTAGE!

saragetsfit13
saragetsfit13 Posts: 46 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How do you feel about cheat days? And what do you consider cheat foods?

No more cheat days for me! I find that when I cheat on something, I tend to want to eat "bad" foods throughout the weekend.

Replies

  • Anayalata
    Anayalata Posts: 391 Member
    "Clean" eating is rather pointless.
    Your diet doesn't have to be 100% all-natural, straight from the soil foods.

    As long as you're meeting the proper macro/micro nutrient needs, eat whatever you want.

    Make every day a "cheat" day and include one or two of your favorite snacks. Just fit it into your macros.
  • meshashesha2012
    meshashesha2012 Posts: 8,329 Member
    "Clean" eating is rather pointless.
    Your diet doesn't have to be 100% all-natural, straight from the soil foods.

    As long as you're meeting the proper macro/micro nutrient needs, eat whatever you want.

    Make every day a "cheat" day and include one or two of your favorite snacks. Just fit it into your macros.
    i agree with this.

    the idea of cheat days is necessary if you think of what you are on as a diet, something that you do now until you lose the weight but dont really keep your maintenance in mind. the way i'm doing it is to eat at the calorie level of my goal weight. that way way i'm a)not constantly lowering my calories and b)by the time i've reached my goal i dont have to worry about how to maintain
  • Lift_This_
    Lift_This_ Posts: 2,756 Member
    "Clean" eating is rather pointless.
    Your diet doesn't have to be 100% all-natural, straight from the soil foods.

    As long as you're meeting the proper macro/micro nutrient needs, eat whatever you want.

    Make every day a "cheat" day and include one or two of your favorite snacks. Just fit it into your macros.
    i agree with this.

    the idea of cheat days is necessary if you think of what you are on as a diet, something that you do now until you lose the weight but dont really keep your maintenance in mind. the way i'm doing it is to eat at the calorie level of my goal weight. that way way i'm a)not constantly lowering my calories and b)by the time i've reached my goal i dont have to worry about how to maintain

    Double agree
  • Lola5354
    Lola5354 Posts: 12 Member
    When I started I really looked forward to my "cheat day" because I was able to have something I was really craving. As I continue on my journey I crave things less and come "cheat day" I don't really want it at all and eat what I normally do during the week. I think when you're starting it's good because you're allowing yourself something "bad" but you have to wait for it and (if it works) the waiting just makes you realize you don't really need or want it so you forget about it. At least that's how it worked for me. It's whatever works for the individual I guess. :)
  • Pimpmonkey
    Pimpmonkey Posts: 566
    "Clean" eating is rather pointless.
    Your diet doesn't have to be 100% all-natural, straight from the soil foods.

    As long as you're meeting the proper macro/micro nutrient needs, eat whatever you want.

    Make every day a "cheat" day and include one or two of your favorite snacks. Just fit it into your macros.
    i agree with this.

    the idea of cheat days is necessary if you think of what you are on as a diet, something that you do now until you lose the weight but dont really keep your maintenance in mind. the way i'm doing it is to eat at the calorie level of my goal weight. that way way i'm a)not constantly lowering my calories and b)by the time i've reached my goal i dont have to worry about how to maintain

    Double agree
  • BR3ANDA
    BR3ANDA Posts: 622 Member
    We consider "cheat days" eating out somewhere, still making healthy choices though. One of our fav's is the Grilled Chicken Caribbean Salad from Chili's, add avocado, dressing on the side for dipping.
  • Lovely135
    Lovely135 Posts: 161
    It's a mind set. Once you put it in your head that this day is "cheat" day, You set up your self for failure. There is no such day in my dairy. If I crave something, I eat it in moderation. When I would try to lose wt. in the past. one cheat day could sabotage everything as far as gaining back all the wt. that I have lost. Now I have a new mind set. everything in moderation.
  • zoegator
    zoegator Posts: 165 Member
    No cheat days, just moderation!

    I eat ice cream frequently throughout the week, as long as it fits into the goals I've set for myself. This is a LIFESTYLE CHANGE, not a diet, and if I can't have ice cream every once in a while in the hot Florida weather, then everything is hopeless.
  • thisgirls_acowboy87
    thisgirls_acowboy87 Posts: 37 Member
    I have never been able to do cheat days. I find that when I have a cheat day not only do I go WAAAY overboard, but then I dont stick to that day and pretty soon everyday becomes a cheat day!
  • TadaGanIarracht
    TadaGanIarracht Posts: 2,615 Member
    I find it easier to treat myself once in a while rather than deny myself the things I want for the rest of my life.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    I think the occasional 'cheat events' are ok. For example my niece's pink icing birthday cake doesn't fit into my diet plan but I can forget my diet for her party. Or an anniversary meal out with my wife.

    If I accept that every now and again I'm going to have a bad calorie day due to unusual circumstances, then I'm more likely to just get back on track
  • AZDizzy
    AZDizzy Posts: 434 Member
    I can do cheat meals, but if I do a whole cheat day, I have lots of trouble getting back on plan.

    Lately, if I really want mac & cheese, I have mac & cheese. If I really want some fries, I get some fries. I just try to compensate the rest of the day to make my macros close and workout and pound water.
  • aNToK25
    aNToK25 Posts: 3 Member
    I think the term "cheat" day is the wrong mindset to have. If you're doing restricted calories, dieting, whatever term someone wants to toss out there, then unless you're very obese, spiking you calories (especially carbs) every 4-5 days helps reset your metabolism and keep the fat burning engine humming.
    If you have to call it something, call it a planned refeed or something. Key word being planned. I hit up Micky-D's about once a week to satisfy my desire for a double cheeseburger and that culinary crack they call fries. With the soda, it's just under 900 calories and with some fiddling with the macros, it's relatively easy to keep the daily totals to around 2,500 or so which is about as high as I go right now. Every 3rd week or so, it's off to La Pinata for my beloved 2 pound shredded beef/bean/cheese wet burrito, which takes care of about 3/4 of the day's macros in one sitting.
    The rest of the week is generally 1300-1650 cals with a minimum of 200g protein and a max of 125-150g carbs a day.

    Several protein bars out there taste pretty much like candy bars (and some really are, if you read the labels..) and can satisfy the sweet tooth every other day or so.

    Unplanned "cheat" days usually end in a free-for-all, how much crap can I cram in my mouth, and does the day start at 12:01 am the night before or when I wake up?? kinds of days.
  • Wonderob
    Wonderob Posts: 1,372 Member
    The rest of the week is generally 1300-1650 cals with a minimum of 200g protein and a max of 125-150g carbs

    200g of protein from 1300 calories!? Does your diet consist of only lean chicken! Would love to see your diary to see how I could increase my protein

    I eat chicken, protein bars and high protein powder and still manage only 170 gms in my 1800 calories
  • WaterBunnie
    WaterBunnie Posts: 1,371 Member
    I think you can plan a treat without it being a whole day of eating badly.
  • jennismagic
    jennismagic Posts: 243 Member
    I can't have cheat days. My addiction to food won't let me indulge in the good stuff one day, and then go completely back on plan the next. I let myself have a little of whatever it is I want a few days a week, and I just plan my menus around it, but for the most part, my eating is clean. I'm trying to cut down on the indulgences a little, though, because they allow me to put off transitioning to a healthier way of living. Making excuses for my diet is what got me fat in the first place, so why would I continue to make excuses for it while trying to make changes? It doesn't make any sense.


    Another option is to find healthy alternatives to the really bad stuff, like eating apple slices and organic chocolate in place of candy, Greek yogurt and strawberry jam in the ice cream maker for ice cream, black bean brownies in place of a mix, low-cal stir frys in place of greasy Chinese takeout, etc. Eating healthy most of the time, if not all of the time, isn't remotely difficult if you plan carefully and stick to it. Of course, there will be those days when you're like, "Eff this whole-wheat pita pizza", and call Domino's, but you should try to have as few days like that as possible.
  • Justkeepswimmin
    Justkeepswimmin Posts: 777 Member
    Kill the guilt. Don't do cheat days occasionally preplan a MAINTENANCE day.
  • saragetsfit13
    saragetsfit13 Posts: 46 Member
    Kill the guilt. Don't do cheat days occasionally preplan a MAINTENANCE day.

    Agreed - MAINTENANCE is the correct term that should be kept in mind! On my cheat days I absolutely stuff myself just because in my mind its a CHEAT day!
  • Kell_Smurthwaite
    Kell_Smurthwaite Posts: 384 Member
    You can treat without the cheat. ;)

    I have no problem in having a little treat of one kind or another, but I'm slowly changing what I see as treats I love baked goods, so I've been developing my own recipes and make the most marvellous muffins that include carrot, courgette, banana, blueberries and oats - they're just the right size to grab for a breakfast on the go or for a mid morning/afternoon snack and they don't bust the calorie bank. I also adore smoothies, so I regularly make my own with fat free Greek yoghurt, skimmed milk, banana and whatever other fresh fruit I have in the house (today I added raspberries). They taste deliciously indulgent. Instead of dessert (or sometimes for brekkie!) I'll slice up a banana, add a few blueberries or strawberries, spoon some fat free Greek yoghurt on top and then sprinkle on some mixed seeds - you have no idea how delicious that is!

    To paraphrase Kate Moss's botched quote, "Nothing tastes as good as HEALTHY feels!" (She said "skinny", but I think that's a negative thing to say, and I much prefer my version - LOL!).

    Yes, I occasionally have a chocolate biscuit or some crisps or whatever, but I always make sure I'm within my allowances. And if I know I'm going to have a calorific meal (usually dinner rather than lunch) then I'll hit the gym and get in some extra cardio to burn a few extra calories and make sure I have plenty of room for it in my allowances.

    I'm still working on it - I'm a work in progress, but I hope that one day I'll find all this easy - that it will come naturally - I plan for this to be the last time I have to shed anything more than a couple of pounds. I want to be fit and healthy and strong, and that's something to aim for and keep me going. I don't want to "cheat" on life or on myself, but I do want to be able to have the occasional treat.

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