Cheat days

Do you guys think it's okay to have like one cheat day per month or something where you can just eat whatever you like and as much as you like, or could that hinder your weight loss progress? I say this because, if I have one, I'll look forward to it, and probably restrict myself until that day, which kind of makes it so I cheat less on a daily basis.

A lot of people recommend a monthly (or bi-monthly) cheat day, within reason. Just because it's a cheat day doesn't mean going out and eating an entire chocolate cake. Be mindful of what you're eating, don't just cram food down your throat because you can.

If you've been doing a low calorie diet for a while, it can help to slightly boost your metabolism.

goodluck!

oh my god I was just about to type the exact same thing. Sulfyr

I make sure I have a cheat day every single month. Other than the metabolism boost I do it so that my body wouldn't try to destroy me when I get an urge to eat something unhealthy. I feel by giving it something unhealthy under a controlled setting it can help me resist the temptations more when and if it ever comes.

once a month will definitely not hinder your weight loss, it might even prevent a plateau. you are not likely to eat over 4000 calories, you figure 2000 is maintenance...so the most you'd gain is  a bit less than 2/3 of a pound, which is lost in a half of a week anyway. so i don't think it would really be an issue, especially if you're exercising. 

A cheat day will hinder your weight loss.  The more calories you eat, the longer its going to take you to the weight, it's that simple. 

2000 calories is a lot.  If you're doing a decent deficit of 500 calories and you go over by 2000 then you've basically set yourself back 4 days (5 if you count the cheat day).  On top of that, you've regressed to unhealthy eating habits that caused the weight gain to begin with and that you're trying to change.  People have cheat days, but if you do, it should be accidental and something you learn from and then move on.

Original Post by chrissy1988:

once a month will definitely not hinder your weight loss, it might even prevent a plateau. you are not likely to eat over 4000 calories, you figure 2000 is maintenance...so the most you'd gain is  a bit less than 2/3 of a pound, which is lost in a half of a week anyway. so i don't think it would really be an issue, especially if you're exercising. 

As a moderator, your posts often get extra weight and this advice is just plain inaccurate.  Obviously it will hinder your weight loss if you eat over maintenance, that's the whole point of having a maintenance calorie goal.

I am simply speaking from experience with this.

I have a "cheat" meal about once a week, in my opinion, cheat days can get out of hand.  On this meal I may go out to eat and not look at the nutrition facts, or eat the chinese I've been dreaming about for the past few days.  However, I always have nutrition and calories in the back of my mind...this is important.

Now, when I first started, these cheat meals would consist of something absolutely awful, things that I had given up and missed.  For example, a supermelt at friendlys, a huge meal at mcdonalds, ect.

Now that I am over 35 pounds into my weight loss, those things no longer have interest to me 99% of the time.  My cheat meal now ends up being something that may be more unhealthy than something I would usually eat but nothing that will kill all the efforts I've been making for the week. I do not completely disregard common sense...I still make good food choices. For example:

I told myself when I got to 145 I could go to outback.  I invited a large group of friends to go.  14 of us shared a bloomin onion and cheese fries, I had a VERY small amount of both.  Then, I ordered the smallest steak they make with mashed potatoes and a salad.  Was I over my calorie count for the day? Yes, definitely.  Did I eat 3500 calories over my maintenance. NO!

You need to (in my opinion) give yourself what you want.  If you want chinese, get it.  Just don't eat a whole thing.  If you want mcdonalds, GO just get a happy meal.

I have been very successful and this has been my opinion all along.  If i'm going to stick with a healthy eating lifestyle it needs to be realistic.  I go out to eat about once a week, there are days when we have to grab something at mcdonalds and there are simply days when I just WANT something.  Everything in moderation.

If you have any questions, message me.  I'd love to offer advice.

I think Kisteel has been unfair to Chrissy

The OP has over 40lbs to lose and eating to or over maintenance calories on an occasional day will not make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things.  It might take an extra week or two to get to her goal, depending on her usual deficit, and if she doesn't do any extra work outs.  But as others have wisely advised, a lifestyle change needs to be realistic, and it is better to find ways to incorporate foods you like, in small quantities, so that any weight loss is sustainable in the long term.

Its ok to a point.

I mean you dont want to go on some 3 or 4000 calorie cheat day .



My self i have never had any cheat days.


I lost 100 pounds and now get to eat basicly w/e i want and maintain.


I was eating 1200 to 1500 calories for 7 months now i get to eat 2000 wich to me is alot since i cut out all liquid calories.


In the end do what works for you just dont go over board.Allso people need to relise some people will go way over board if they think its a cheat day and should be warned.


Most likely if you was way over weight and your having cheat days it will adventualy turn into everyday.

Most of us should know this .I for one will not be goen over my maintenance calories for a long long time.I feel like my maintenance is more then enough.

kisteel: i'd like to qualify and maybe clarify what i meant when i said that it would be okay. OF COURSE ON A STRICT LEVEL IT WILL SET THE OP BACK TO HAVE A CHEAT DAY BUT IN A STRICT SENSE, THE 4 DAYS LOST ARE NOT A HUGE DEAL IF IT ONLY OCCURS ONCE IN A MONTH AND IS NECESSARY TO KEEP THE OP ON TRACK. for example, if there is 1cheat day each month and it takes 4 days to lose the weight again, assuming 2000 calories over maintenance which is quite generous, then that's still 3.5 pounds lost on average each day. so in a strict sense yes it matters, but it's not the end of the world nor is it extremely detrimental in terms of the op reaching their ultimate goal.

so i apologize for not being clearer earlier but i am not CONDONING OR PROMOTING CHEAT DAYS.  i think that it's all up to the individual and some people NEED these days to stay on track and encouraged, not the best mentality but it's a reality for some. that's all i'm saying.

it is best to refrain from having these days and maybe incorporate 1 MAINTENANCE day each week instead.

Original Post by demerara:

I think Kisteel has been unfair to Chrissy

The OP has over 40lbs to lose and eating to or over maintenance calories on an occasional day will not make a huge difference in the grand scheme of things.  It might take an extra week or two to get to her goal, depending on her usual deficit, and if she doesn't do any extra work outs.  But as others have wisely advised, a lifestyle change needs to be realistic, and it is better to find ways to incorporate foods you like, in small quantities, so that any weight loss is sustainable in the long term.

 

I'm not really sure I was being unfair.  I just don't see how someone can claim that going over your maintenance calories won't be detrimental to your weight loss.  Especially since going over your maintenance is the exact opposite of losing weight.

On top of that, cheat day posts are a great example of how the forums sometimes work against people losing weight.  I commonly see people post that they had a cheat day and feel bad about it.  A majority of the replies tell them 'you've been good, you deserve it.' or 'it won't affect your weight at all', or 'that will get your metabolism going'.  All of these are horrible advice.

I used to drink a 2liter of Pepsi a day.  When I first started losing weight I stopped drinking it but every couple of weeks or after a long run I would reward myself with a 2 liter.  I realized that the only thing I was accomplishing was to prolong my emotional addiction to Pepsi.  Drinking just enough to keep that desire alive.  That's what cheat days do, they prolong that desire to have that 'full' feeling and that happiness that overeating brings.

"detrimental" implies that your weight loss plan has been ruined.

I think restricting yourself and allowing no extras is detrimental, because then you just can't stick to the plan and fall completely off the wagon.

Maybe its not right for YOU but my god. CHILLAX.

I think a better answer would be to find another way to reward themselves or to let go.  Try to figure out why overeating makes you happy.  See if you can get that happiness in some other healthy way.

Now if overeating makes you happy simply because undereating and being hungry has made you unhappy then your other option is to just increase your goal calories or to look at what you're eating and see if you can make changes to feel more full (like more protein)

Original Post by crazydiamondchrysalis:

"detrimental" implies that your weight loss plan has been ruined.

I think restricting yourself and allowing no extras is detrimental, because then you just can't stick to the plan and fall completely off the wagon.

Maybe its not right for YOU but my god. CHILLAX.

Ok, so you're coming and and assuming what was implied.  Detrimental means to cause damage and that exactly what I was taking it to mean.  I'll be taking your using of chillax to mean that you're taking the internets too seriously.

I guess that my take on "cheat" days is that it promotes a kind of negative thinking that I think is dangerous for long term weight management once we reach goal weight.  It shows that we are "on a diet" that is not very sustainable in the long term because we need to "cheat" on it.

But, I also think that it is unreasonable to expect to eat exactly as we should each and every day for the rest of our lives, and such an expectation leads to many "I have fallen off the wagon and I can't get back on" posts.

For me, I plan to eat between 1700-1800 calories per day until I am at goal weight.  This is between a 500 and 750 calorie deficit at my current weight (depending on my day's activities), and probably about a 200 calorie deficit for my goal weight at the moderately active level I feel is sustainable for me.

As long as my average in any given month is in my range, I don't sweat the occasional high (or low) day.  I try to stay below 2500 on high days (which are things like birthdays or holidays or other truly "special" occasions) and above 1200 on low days (which tend to be accidents of fate, never planned).  When a truly special occasion is getting near I make a plan for how I am going to handle it in advance (for instance, I am going to have a glass of champagne before dinner rather than a dessert after dinner).  I feel these "maintenance" occasions are in fact good training for when I am at goal, because I never want to gain this weight back.

I looked at the analysis for the month of August to date.  I am at 1735 calories per day (within my target range).  The high was 2519 (we were on vacation and ended up in a high calorie restaurant, even eating a fraction of what was served added up to more than I planned), the low was 1150 (I had a stomach bug and couldn't eat much of anything).  My feeling is that the high day, although it technically stopped my weight loss for that day, didn't really matter in the grand scheme of things.  Whereas, if I had obsessed about it, it might have derailed me from continuing on my healthy path.  Also, I think that everyone needs to find their own path to a healthy lifestyle, what works for me is not what is best for everyone.

Personally I think some soul food once or twice a month is actually good... If you can handle it. The people who shouldn't try it are those recovering from binging. Bad idea. But if you can accept a day where you have hot wings, an angus burger and curly fries without beating yourself up or going overboard then it's ok. Realistically you can't avoid these things forever and eventually your going to be in a social setting celebrating something and your going to want to have some. A life without soul food sounds depressing to the max....

That's my two cents.

Right now I allow myself one cheat day a week, because I've only just started and I know that if I don't allow myself even one every so often, I'll end up cheating and then I'll just continue to eat, because I'll feel bad about having cheated.

But my cheat days aren't 'eat whatever, how ever much you want, no need to work  out' but more of a 'you're free to eat candy' day. I still try and limit myself, but only really for purposes of not over eating, as that would make me overeat the following days too.

Once I've gotten into the spirit of things and I find I don't need the cheat days any more (I never set out in the day going 'this is going to be a cheat day', it happens as it happens) then I'll lower it to once a month, if only so that I can have at least one day a month when I don't have to worry about what I eat and not feel guilty about doing so.

I think that people can have one cheat day a month as long as they don't eat over their maintenance. Maybe they want ice cream or something and can incorporate it into their maintenance calories without gonig over. You could be making healthier choices, but you're not over eating so it won't be as bad as if you were eating say 2000 over mainntenance. This will also introduce some unhealthy food to your diet so if you eat anything bad for you after reaching your goal it may not effect you as much.

Hey all!

I don't think I've ever seen such an intense conversation about "cheat days", though it seems to be quite a common topic on cc!

I agree that patting people on the hand and softening the reality of torpedoing their weight loss plan isn't going to encourage improvement for the furture inevitable temptation to repeat those mistakes, but there needs to be a little room to be human. 

I'm sure even Kisteel has had her bad days, and eaten over her maintenance in the past - and perhaps the intensity of which she feels toward this particular topic comes from personal experience!  However, I think there is room to be supportive without being overly harsh.

I think we've all been there to some extent.  Some of us are further along in progress where we can have "cheat days" or "cheat meals" and not destroy everything that's been accomplished so far.  Yet, there are others who are still trying to get there, and find the self control that allows leniency without causing damage.  It just depends on how badly you want to be in control, and how much your weight loss and health mean to you.

Whatever stage you're at, it's okay to make less-than-healthy choices at times because it's possible to work little indulgences into your lifestyle.  If you're going to "cheat", eat to your maintenance and not more than that.  The few extra calories will keep you from feeling like you're depriving yourself!  A cheat day or meal doesn't mean you should give yourself free reign to eat 4,000 calories at one time. 

It's possible to cheat without detriment, and it should always been in the back of your mind to stay in control!

I don't consider it cheating to go above your calorie target for a day - it isn't a license to eat whatever you want - simply that it is not essential to have a deficit every single day. If you eat at maintenance for a day, you have set back your goal by ONE day. Or even helped by giving your metabolism a boost.

And if this is for life, one day later is not the end of the world.

I worry that people who insist on never eating more than their target will have a hard time adjusting to maintenance. That they won't learn to eat treats, but in moderation.

While I was losing, I often had things that I'm sure others would consider cheats (cake, cookies, ice cream, pizza, burritos, alcohol). And I still lost weight. And when I reached my goal, I didn't have to wonder "So can I eat those things now?" I already knew how to eat for maintenance.

Just another thought about "cheats"  Last weekend, I went with family to a county fair.  I knew in advance that we were going, so I went to the gym the day before, and made sure I had a healthy but light breakfast and lunch that day.  For dinner, I found reasonably healthy fair food (chicken on a stick and grilled asparagus.  Greasy but yummy and surprisingly filling!)  I had one alcoholic drink and a GIANT CHOCOLATE ICE CREAM CONE before we left.  I was perfectly happy, even knowing I had probably gone right up to my maintenance level, if not over.

When I got home and logged it all, I was shocked to find I was still under my burn for the day.  Walking around at the fair had burned some calories, and more importantly, the healthy eating habits I've learned here made that one "cheat evening" feel like a huge treat.