Once a week.

Do you guys think that eating at maintenance level once a week is okay? I'm not even sure how much that is, but just until I'm full, not counting. Other than that I try to eat 1200-1400 a day. That one day is probably closer to 2000.

I t always ends up happening to me. I don't specifically set a "cheat" day, just for some reason or another, I always have at least one day where I go over my limit.

It is fine, and probably good for you too. Allowing yourself to eat what you want, without counting, every now and then keeps you from feeling to restricted.

One day a week won't slow you down, especially if you are eating close to your maintenance level.

I am at that same place too.
Just need a break.
How do you find out what your maintenence calorie level is?

I'd recomend it. It will stop you from hitting a plateu and stop you from going crazy!

If you allocate one day a week to your favourite foods you will not feel neglected and be stricter with yourself in the long run :)

enjoy it :)

xXx

Cheat days are tricky for me.  On the weekends I don't count... well I admit I do try to estimate in my head (only so I don't eat 4k cals w/o knowing it).  On cheat days I can not eat until I am full... because lets face it, I may not be full until I eat two bowls of ice cream for lunch.  So what I do is I eat whatever I want, in moderation.  My cheat day may look like this:

I start with my usually breakfast, healthy and balanced, around 300 calories.  Breakfast is the easiest meal for me to stay on track with.

Lunch, I eat whatever I want, which now seams to be healthy things.  It always depends what I have but I keep it 400-700 calories.  I don't limit myself, only on the portions and stop eating right before I am full.

For dinner I do the same as lunch, stop eating right before I am full but pick out whatever I fancy.  I also might ride up to get a small cone somewhere or have a few glasses of wine.

Anyways I look at a cheat day as a maintenance day.  I don't want to over due it because I am no longer someone that eats until I am stuffed.  I also care what I put into my body now, balanced nutrition is key.  A cheat day to me is not feeling full all day (who likes to feel bloated?) it's enjoying foods that I haven't in a while.  Nothing is wrong with enjoying food, and it feels so much better when you can enjoy some without feeling like a failure after.

I have been losing just fine, no stalls.

I would highly recommend eating at maintenance once a week.

I actually have a real cheat dinner once a week....which consists of beer and chicken wings and I'm still losing about 1 lb a week.

Ain't giving up beer!

~H~

Yes, I do it every Friday. Not a cheat day but a cheat meal. I eat normally until dinner then I have what I want. I still skip the fatty dressings, mayo butter but I eat desert and not a low fat, low sugar desert. I have not gained any weight doing this. I do up my exercise on the weekend. I am thinking about letting myself eat desert 2 times a week. I enjoy it so much. :)