How often do you cheat?
_Punjab
Posts: 67
If you ask me, one of the best weight loss tips you can give/receive is “Cheat”. It’s good for the soul. Without cheating every once in a while, you’re going to feel frustrated and deprived. That’s just going to leave you 1) cheating without properly planning it out 2) giving up because you’re not living a realistic lifestyle.
Personally, I cheat every Tuesday night. I do weigh-ins once a week on Tuesday mornings, so Tuesday nights are my cheating time! I go with whatever I was craving over the past week so that I get it out of my system and don’t cheat later in the week, and I plan it out so that I don’t go overboard.
So my question is, how often do you cheat, and do you plan it?
Personally, I cheat every Tuesday night. I do weigh-ins once a week on Tuesday mornings, so Tuesday nights are my cheating time! I go with whatever I was craving over the past week so that I get it out of my system and don’t cheat later in the week, and I plan it out so that I don’t go overboard.
So my question is, how often do you cheat, and do you plan it?
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Replies
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Yes Yes Yes.
Once a week on weigh in day... (Friday for me). And it is at night for dinner/dessert and usually planned. I like to cheat for dinner and my partner likes to cheat for dessert so we cheat together and satisfy those cravings to make it though the rest of the week.0 -
I cheat almost every day and it's always unplanned x.x
At least they're usually "small cheats", like 1 cookie or something.0 -
Yes Yes Yes.
Once a week on weigh in day... (Friday for me). And it is at night for dinner/dessert and usually planned. I like to cheat for dinner and my partner likes to cheat for dessert so we cheat together and satisfy those cravings to make it though the rest of the week.
High five!!!! I knew I wasn't alone!0 -
I cheat almost every day and it's always unplanned x.x
At least they're usually "small cheats", like 1 cookie or something.
haha, well at least you're not going all out =]0 -
I have my cheat day once a week, usually around the weekend.0
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Once a week for me soon, at suggestion of trainer and 6 days clean eating. Better,supposedly, to eat treat foods one day rather than constantly spiking insulin levels by having it daily.0
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Usually just once a week for me. My husband and I pick out something that we've been wanting all week and cheat just for the one meal. I know some people have a full cheat day, but I feel a sense of losing control if I give in too much. Further you fall, the harder it is to get back up. One meal works for me, and makes me appreciate those tasty treats more than just mindlessly eating them all the time.0
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Cheat on what? or who? Myself?
I don't see the point.
Some days I eat more calories and other days I eat less.
As long as there aren't too many "more calorie" days it works out well for me.
Maybe I'm being a bit pedantic, but I believe that words are really powerful. If I thought I was doing something for the rest of my life that was so hard that I would have to "cheat myself" all the time - I would give up right now and go back to being fat.0 -
Usually just once a week for me. My husband and I pick out something that we've been wanting all week and cheat just for the one meal. I know some people have a full cheat day, but I feel a sense of losing control if I give in too much. Further you fall, the harder it is to get back up. One meal works for me, and makes me appreciate those tasty treats more than just mindlessly eating them all the time.
Very true about the full cheat day, losing control, and the appreciation for what you're eating. One meal really is all you need to be satisfied. Personally, I would feel gross if I cheated more than that in one day.0 -
Not sure whether I should answer this by saying Always or Never.
I allow myself frequent indulgences, so I guess the answer could be "always," but I typically work it into my daily allowances (or try to get a bit more exercise that day) or go over by only a little bit and still stay well below my maintenance (for example, eat at what would be a half-pound deficit instead of a 2-lb. deficit for a given day), so maybe my answer is "never."
I have a long way to go, but I also know that even after I reach my goal I'm going to have to be consistently vigilant with my intake since overeating is what made me gain so much weight in the first place. So I figure I'll practice incorporating these indulgences or facing off against daily temptations now so I'll be able to do it once I reach goal.0 -
Cheat on what? or who? Myself?
I don't see the point.
Some days I eat more calories and other days I eat less.
As long as there aren't too many "more calorie" days it works out well for me.
Maybe I'm being a bit pedantic, but I believe that words are really powerful. If I thought I was doing something for the rest of my life that was so hard that I would have to "cheat myself" all the time - I would give up right now and go back to being fat.
I really like this.0 -
I have 2 cheat days a week. No matter when I cheat I make sure I exercised that day. If I don't hit the gym or play softball etc, then I lose the cheat day. Pizza and Peanut MnM's are my cheat day craves. But I still stay in small portions.0
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Cheat on what? or who? Myself?
I don't see the point.
Some days I eat more calories and other days I eat less.
As long as there aren't too many "more calorie" days it works out well for me.
Maybe I'm being a bit pedantic, but I believe that words are really powerful. If I thought I was doing something for the rest of my life that was so hard that I would have to "cheat myself" all the time - I would give up right now and go back to being fat.
You're not being pedantic at all. That's just the way you see it. You see it as if you're "cheating" it's because it's too hard, I see it as I cheat because it makes every other day easy! That's why I wanted to ask this question. I was interested in seeing the different philosophies that people follow. Yours is great if it works for you and you feel good about it!0 -
Maybe I'm being a bit pedantic, but I believe that words are really powerful. If I thought I was doing something for the rest of my life that was so hard that I would have to "cheat myself" all the time - I would give up right now and go back to being fat.
I 100% agree.
That being said, for me this is not a diet, this is not a phase. This is the rest of my life. I am living proof exercise alone does not make a person healthy. If that was the case, I would have been healthy for years now. For me, I have to reset my thoughts on food completely. Change it from a vice/habit into simply fuel for my body.
That decision is my choice, and the way I feel for ME is the only way that will bring me life long success. I find nothing wrong if other folks want to cheat and it helps them along their path. Each of us is different and I will not judge someone, etc simply because they do things differently from me.0 -
i have a 'cheat day' every weekend. usually on a sunday when im hungover and crave a carb fest lol. weigh ins is on sat mornin so i have it all burnedd off again by the follow sat lol x0
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I consider a "cheat" as a day where I don't count calories at all...every Saturday. I still try to eat healthy (up until dinner), but I'll let myself have a bit more, something sweet that I don't let myself have the rest of the week...ice cream, chocolate, some food that's good for the soul. I also might order out for dinner...and I try to make it my bar night :P0
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Oh my goodness! I've never received this many responses to anything I've posted! I'm so excited!!! I love hearing all of you opinions!
And I definitely can agree with either way of doing it ("cheating" on a daily basis but just keeping it sane, and cheating once a week). Whatever works for you.
This is a lifestyle change. I cannot agree with that any more. It's probably the biggest ideal that I've embraced since starting the weight loss process. That being said, I'm still a once-a-weeker. It's what works for me.
CONGRATS to everyone on your hard work so far!!! Keep it up!0 -
I don't really cheat. I allow myself to eat whatever I want, and try to make my goals met first. If I have the calories left over and feel like eating a cookie, I'm going to eat the cookie and it's not a cheat. I'm in this for the rest of my life. I don't want to have to feel like I can't eat a cookie here or there or that it's a "cheat" to do so. Seems so negative, to me.0
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I never allow myself a full day of cheating because i know i'd flip out and eat the whole fridge :noway: , so i allow myself a day or two a week where i eat a small bag of chips, a vanilla cone, some chocolate , etc.....
but still in the 1200 calorie range and i try to eat clean the rest of the week. 0 -
I have a "treat" (I don't see it as cheating...cheating implies moral wrongdoing in my opinion) meal once a week. Go out to a nice restaurant with a friend or family member. I exercise that day, eat light before going out, and watch my portions. I get a bit of what I want without going overboard.0
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I don't really plan and cheat but usually during my period week I become a MONSTER and I murder a lot of chocolate. like for example this week. ( YOU DONT WANT TO SEE MY DIARY) ....but I have to say I have always been like this and I never gained weight. infact I see weight loss results at the end. you just have to make a healthy life choices in general. just because you cheat doesnt mean your whole weight loss wont work. you need to balance it with other stuff like exericse, drinking a lot of water, and not making it a habit or just eating excess every single dayy... watching your micro-nurtients and balancing every thing will help a lot too!0
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I don't "cheat." Yeah, I don't like that word, but I know for others it works well to call it "cheating." I do, however spike. Every Saturday I eat 3,000 cals. Works for me. I am not one of those for whom daily moderation works well. Spiking keeps me happily on track during the week and allows me to completely enjoy eating my entire plate of Thai food on Saturday if I want to.0
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On Saturday my weigh in day i go to lunch with the family or to a party, i don't deprive my self on that day but i do portion control, maybe a bite or two of the things i like the most. There's no way I couldn't have one day to do this. this is my life and its not about depriving myself from living. losing weight and eating healthy doesnt have to be a punishment.0
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No food is off limits, and I eat everything I want, every day, as long as it fits my macros. So, either I'm cheating all the time, or never, depending on perspective.0
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Don't know if it counts as cheating, but I have days where I eat things I know I shouldn't be eating, but I log eerything and I always excercise enough to get the number back in the green. Does that count as cheating?0
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Once a month but never go over on calories. My "cheats" may be over on sodium or carbs for that day but calories is non-negotiable. That I stay at or under.0
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I don't call it a cheat, I call it a treat. I then view it as a reward for my good behaviour rather doing something naughty. Bit childish but it keeps me on track. My treat is a bag of maltesers every week.0
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I don't "cheat." Yeah, I don't like that word, but I know for others it works well to call it "cheating." I do, however spike. Every Saturday I eat 3,000 cals. Works for me. I am not one of those for whom daily moderation works well. Spiking keeps me happily on track during the week and allows me to completely enjoy eating my entire plate of Thai food on Saturday if I want to.
This would be me too i suppose - I'd never see it as 'cheating' as I may spike 1 day a week but will always end up within my weekly calorie goal. It usually involves a bottle of vodka too0 -
Wednesday is cheat night in my house. Ive done it a couple times now but I find that my will power is weaken for the next day. So now I don't do it. Plus I got my August 10lbs goal and I don't want any set backs no matter how minor.0
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Never - my husband would leave me.
Oh - you mean on my diet? I can't cheat on my diet, it's "MY" diet - I wouldn't be fooled.
If I want to eat something high in calories, I just plan for it and/or accept the way it will affect my progress.0
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