cheat days

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  • Casey45
    Casey45 Posts: 160 Member
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    No such thing. Eating, exercising. It's all part of life, it's how I live. How can I approach any one day, one meal, one food as a cheat?
  • sheila569
    sheila569 Posts: 269 Member
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    No such thing. Eating, exercising. It's all part of life, it's how I live. How can I approach any one day, one meal, one food as a cheat?

    THIS!!!
  • angelicarubi
    angelicarubi Posts: 148 Member
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    I eat what I want, when i want, I just eat smaller portions of it and make sure it's within my calories of the day.
  • Charloo1990
    Charloo1990 Posts: 619 Member
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    Everyone's different and different things work for different people. I personally would go insane if i didnt have one treat day a week. I normally have mine every Saturday with NO LIMITS :tongue: If i want it, i eat it. I'l normally start the day with a bacon and egg butty followed by biscuits and a coffee and then whatever else i want through the course of the day. This has never affected my weight loss and i work hard through the week so feel i've earnt it. Last week i even had Saturday and Sunday off and still lost 2.8lbs this week :smile:
  • sheila569
    sheila569 Posts: 269 Member
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    I agree with Sheila 569. I log everything and it counts in my calorie allotment. I've been on my diet since Jan. 23 and have lost 58 pounds. I also weigh myself everyday so I'm not as likely to cheat.

    :drinker:
  • chuisle
    chuisle Posts: 1,052 Member
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    Why have a day you call a "cheat day"? So, if my cheat day is Saturday, does that mean that I can't have someone's birthday cake on Tuesday? What if there are a few get togethers in 1 week and I want to have something? Does that mean I can't?

    I don't do "cheat" days. I eat what I feel like having on the day I feel like having it. I just have smaller amounts and work it in with my daily calories. I have something sweet nearly every day. That's just how it is and that's how it will remain. Life still happens even though I'm losing weight. People still have parties or call to go out for a meal. Limiting myself to 1 day a week doesn't teach me portion control. Allowing myself to have a cookie on Wednesday and a half cup of ice cream on Thursday, etc. does teach me portion control and it also keeps me from craving foods like crazy and helps me stay successful. I've lost about 30 pounds with this philosophy and I think I'm doing well.

    Spp don't limit yourself so much. Just have a small amount of what you want when you want it and work it into your daily calories.

    That's actually exactly what I do. If I am cutting (aka trying to lose fat) I need to be on a strict calorie level and I need it to be very micronutrient dense (can't afford any junk). So no, I cannot have birthday cake on a Tuesday. But, I also believe that birthday cake isn't inherently bad, I just choose not to have it. I pick one meal/evening for the week when I get drinks/whatever food I am hungry for, even if that's steak and french fries and a billion drinks. But the rest of the week I try to be spot on. It also depends on what you consider a cheat. For me, its not just if it your calories, it has to do with macros too and the level of processing.

    This is just another way to look at it, do whatever works for you. You might want to read this article, especially when he talks about 'discretionary' calories. I use all mine at one time in a cheat meal, other people use them through the week.

    http://www.wannabebig.com/diet-and-nutrition/the-dirt-on-clean-eating/
  • SaraBelle0312
    SaraBelle0312 Posts: 328 Member
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    I eat what I want in moderation. If eat too much of a "cheat" meal and go over my limit, I go BACK to the gym to work it off, everytime. It teaches me discipline and consequences. Yeah, I can have the cookie, but if I eat too much, I work for it. I set a strict limit on what I can and cannot eat. Example, 1 C of coffee ice cream is 130 calories. I love those days :D
  • workoutgirl23
    workoutgirl23 Posts: 267
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    I do a cheat day once per week. i would go crazy with out my one cheat day. it also motivates me to stay on my diet during the week. i can look forward to the one day where i can eat whatever i want. i love it. every week i get one cheat day to indulge my cravings, after that day, i'm happy to go back on my diet. It hasn't hurt my weight loss progress. i've still lost weight. its up to you what you want to do. but it works good for me.
  • douglasmobbs
    douglasmobbs Posts: 563 Member
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    2 weeks is not that much, your body is still adapting and your brain is screaming out for the junk you had before hand. Stick to the strict diet for another couple of weeks to break this cycle, once the cravings have gone then consider if you want the cheat days or not.
  • angrodriguez92
    angrodriguez92 Posts: 193 Member
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    I personally think it is better to have a cheat item, singular, instead of a cheat day. I think if all week you have been wanting a piece of cake or to go out with your family and have a burger, you should do that once a week or something. Not an all day free for all. Also, practice self control while doing so. If you're full, stop eating, if it would be healthier to get a whole wheat bun or skip the cheese. Eating some sorbet or frozen yogurt instead of ice cream, so on and so forth. I find the guilt you feel after eating something you know is bad for your body, is worse than just keeping your splurge food, sort of healthy to avoid it. This is just my opinion and what works for me.

    Also, teaching yourself to think of sweet foods differently is great. Fruit is delectable to me. I don't crave baked goods or anything. That might also be because I'm gluten intolerant and I have a negative association.
  • DBiddle69
    DBiddle69 Posts: 682 Member
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    My first suggestion is to re-look what you are doing....I have not dieted in the past two years. I made a lifestyle change!

    Because it is a lifestyle change it allows me to make mistakes as long as I understand I need to readjust and move on.

    THIS WORKS FOR ME....it may not work for someone else!

    What I do is use my calories a week at a time (Sunday - Saturday)...some call this zig zagging calories.

    I am maintaining and on 1800 calories a day, I exercise on Saturday, Sunday, and Monday or Tuesday for 100 minutes and burn about 850 calories each exercise.

    So Sunday is the start of the new week.
    Sunday - I exercise for 100 minutes and have 2650 in calories....I eat 1700 calories for the day leaving 950 left over.
    Monday - I exercise for 100 minutes and have 2650 in calories....I eat 2000 calories for the day leaving 650 left over.
    At this point for the week I still have and additional 1600 calories left over and five days in the week left
    Tuesday - I eat 2100 calories for the day so I am now down to 1300 extra calories and four days in my week to go!

    Again, it is a lifestyle change so as long as at the end of the week I have enough calories to meet my desired weight loss or under my needed calories for maintaining it is all good!
  • Springer007
    Springer007 Posts: 84 Member
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    Its a strange concept...the "cheat day".
    Funny thing about a diet.... its like playing a game by yourself.
    Its just you watching, if you want to cheat, cheat. You only cheat yourself. In golf if you want to score the hole a 4 when you really took 7 strokes, then do it. The end results will speak for them selves.

    People act like if they call it a "cheat day" it does not count. When really, in the end EVERY calorie you put in your mouth counts, even if its on a "cheat day". The next day that calorie counts the same as if you had it on your cheat day.

    Chances are if you are needing a cheat day, then you are not doing something right. Anything you are craving you should be able to eat it, and then work off the extra calories that did not fit in to your daily or weekly calories.

    Do you see what I am saying? MFP is designed to allow you a set amount of calories and then allows you to earn some more via excersise. Cheat day or not, when the smoke clears if you ate too many calories then you will gain weight, and if you were good then you will lose weight.

    I see many people out here that dont lose weight and then complain about how they are doing everything right. You look at their journals and they dont have Saturdays filled in and then say "well thats my cheat day, I dont track Saturdays".
  • chuisle
    chuisle Posts: 1,052 Member
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    Its a strange concept...the "cheat day".
    Funny thing about a diet.... its like playing a game by yourself.
    Its just you watching, if you want to cheat, cheat. You only cheat yourself. In golf if you want to score the hole a 4 when you really took 7 strokes, then do it. The end results will speak for them selves.

    People act like if they call it a "cheat day" it does not count. When really, in the end EVERY calorie you put in your mouth counts, even if its on a "cheat day". The next day that calorie counts the same as if you had it on your cheat day.

    Chances are if you are needing a cheat day, then you are not doing something right. Anything you are craving you should be able to eat it, and then work off the extra calories that did not fit in to your daily or weekly calories.

    Do you see what I am saying? MFP is designed to allow you a set amount of calories and then allows you to earn some more via excersise. Cheat day or not, when the smoke clears if you ate too many calories then you will gain weight, and if you were good then you will lose weight.

    I see many people out here that dont lose weight and then complain about how they are doing everything right. You look at their journals and they dont have Saturdays filled in and then say "well thats my cheat day, I dont track Saturdays".

    Can we all agree its about what works? I have left my Saturday blank a number of times and still managed to lose and make progress towards my goals, other can't/don't. It's a personal preference...both work.
  • ChanniVincent
    ChanniVincent Posts: 188
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    I've done that twice and completely regreted it.
    Now I just have rest days while I eat healthy. I still exercise, just not as much.
    Like today I'm tired from work so I'm doing pilates and yoga tonight. I stretched this morning, and thats all I'm doing, well plus I cleaned all day (my job). LOL.
  • Charloo1990
    Charloo1990 Posts: 619 Member
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    I do a cheat day once per week. i would go crazy with out my one cheat day. it also motivates me to stay on my diet during the week. i can look forward to the one day where i can eat whatever i want. i love it. every week i get one cheat day to indulge my cravings, after that day, i'm happy to go back on my diet. It hasn't hurt my weight loss progress. i've still lost weight. its up to you what you want to do. but it works good for me.
    This^^^
    It totally works for me too.
  • pavingnewpaths
    pavingnewpaths Posts: 367 Member
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    Its a strange concept...the "cheat day".
    Funny thing about a diet.... its like playing a game by yourself.
    Its just you watching, if you want to cheat, cheat. You only cheat yourself. In golf if you want to score the hole a 4 when you really took 7 strokes, then do it. The end results will speak for them selves.

    People act like if they call it a "cheat day" it does not count. When really, in the end EVERY calorie you put in your mouth counts, even if its on a "cheat day". The next day that calorie counts the same as if you had it on your cheat day.

    Chances are if you are needing a cheat day, then you are not doing something right. Anything you are craving you should be able to eat it, and then work off the extra calories that did not fit in to your daily or weekly calories.

    Do you see what I am saying? MFP is designed to allow you a set amount of calories and then allows you to earn some more via excersise. Cheat day or not, when the smoke clears if you ate too many calories then you will gain weight, and if you were good then you will lose weight.

    I see many people out here that dont lose weight and then complain about how they are doing everything right. You look at their journals and they dont have Saturdays filled in and then say "well thats my cheat day, I dont track Saturdays".

    All of this.
  • Springer007
    Springer007 Posts: 84 Member
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    Its a strange concept...the "cheat day".
    Funny thing about a diet.... its like playing a game by yourself.
    Its just you watching, if you want to cheat, cheat. You only cheat yourself. In golf if you want to score the hole a 4 when you really took 7 strokes, then do it. The end results will speak for them selves.

    People act like if they call it a "cheat day" it does not count. When really, in the end EVERY calorie you put in your mouth counts, even if its on a "cheat day". The next day that calorie counts the same as if you had it on your cheat day.

    Chances are if you are needing a cheat day, then you are not doing something right. Anything you are craving you should be able to eat it, and then work off the extra calories that did not fit in to your daily or weekly calories.

    Do you see what I am saying? MFP is designed to allow you a set amount of calories and then allows you to earn some more via excersise. Cheat day or not, when the smoke clears if you ate too many calories then you will gain weight, and if you were good then you will lose weight.

    I see many people out here that dont lose weight and then complain about how they are doing everything right. You look at their journals and they dont have Saturdays filled in and then say "well thats my cheat day, I dont track Saturdays".

    Can we all agree its about what works? I have left my Saturday blank a number of times and still managed to lose and make progress towards my goals, other can't/don't. It's a personal preference...both work.

    Absolutely, while cheat days work as motivation for many people I am just pointing out the fact that while WE may take a break, and choose not to log a day, our bodys dont take that same break. IF its too much of a cheat day then it will show.

    Id just call it a backward progress day. Its like using a credit card. You got what you needed, but there is a debt left that has to be paid. If you "pay off" the debt from the cheat day in the next week , then you are great.
  • chuisle
    chuisle Posts: 1,052 Member
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    Id just call it a backward progress day. Its like using a credit card. You got what you needed, but there is a debt left that has to be paid. If you "pay off" the debt from the cheat day in the next week , then you are great.

    I would also point to the literature on refeeds, though that is highly debatable and geared towards people on more specific regimens than most. I tend to think of it in terms of adherence. A lot of fitness professionals agree that 90% adherence to a diet is a good place to get results. If you choose 1 meal a meal to be nonadherent, you're still probably in good shape. That said, yes, I compeltely agree that a cheat still 'counts' and if you you think it doesn't then you are fooling yourself. Your body is the most ruthless accountant.
  • katamus
    katamus Posts: 2,363 Member
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    Two weeks isn't that long.. I've been eating better for about three weeks. I don't like to call it "dieting" because I still eat a lot of stuff that I -actually- like but in moderation and cutting out the quick-fixes (mostly fast food, soda, candy). What are you craving? What have you cut out completely?
  • Vodkha
    Vodkha Posts: 352 Member
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    I am basically eating fruits, veggies, protein shakes and lots of chicken and salmon, greek yogurt...basically trying to keep my protein % as high as possible, carbs low unless it is a weight lifting day.

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