Managing cheat days
 

Hello Everyone,

I was just wondering how you all deal with "special indulgence" days. I'm looking at lifestyle as opposed to diet so I'm not looking to cut cake and doritos from my life. Do you do a day a week?

I'd love to hear what works for you!

Thanks!;)

I give myself 1 day a week.

I don't do scheduled cheat days but I forgive myself quickly when I overeat and get right back at it. I sometimes give myself permission to overinduldge -- other times it just happens. Today is one of those days when it just had to be done! I'm now entering the damage however I needed the coke and chocolate badly today. Mary

I think they're a great way to sabotage all the hard work you've done all week. For example you stay under 1400 calories all week and you lose a pound, then on the 'cheat day' you go to McDonalds or Taco Bell and pig out and then you gain 2 lbs. How is that serving your weight loss goals?

I think in order to work a 'cheat day' still needs to have a calorie limit at least even with or still under your calories burned.

My cheat days usually run 3,000-4,000 + calories. As long as I have 1 a week I'm fine. Many times the next day I'll see a significant drop in weight, unless I gorge on something salty. I haven't had McDonalds or Taco Bell in forever but my cheat days can be pretty rough.

Oops, sorry I didn't even realize that this was in the women's section. Keep in mind that works for me may not work for you or anyone.

Thanks everyone! I tend to my more lenient on the weekend provided my exercise gives me the leeway for those extra calories. I don't believe in any food being off limits. I'm going to Moxie's for drinks and apps tonight (where there is no nutritional information) so I'm aiming for moderation but a treat nonetheless.

Thanks for the feedback!

I think that's good if that works for you. I don't really think it would work for me though because if I ate 3000 calories I'm pretty sure I'd see a weight gain over the next couple of days. It's hard too because I really do like to eat. I don't really believe in astrology stuff but I sure do fit the Taurus stereotype to a T sometimes. lol If I allowed myself a 'cheat day', I'd be eating enchiladas and lasagna all day and would likely gain at least 4 pounds. :D

That's ok I don't mind. I want people to post wherever they feel they can contribute something.

I think it's good that everyone can find something that works for them. One reason I keep pushing the fruits and vegetables thing is that I think that would work for almost everyone. I mean this morning for breakfast I had a plate of carrots and grape tomatoes cut in half and they tasted really good, the tomato juice from the tomatoes flavored the carrots and the carrots were crunchy and delicious and the tomatoes were flavorful and the calories were very small. I think that's something almost anyone could enjoy.

Just goes to show ya...and emphasizes the individuality of this whole process, but I can't think of anything I would want less for breakfast. I need protein in the morning, and a heftier dose of fiber.

I think it's great to give suggestions, but there is no "one size fits all." Especially with cheat days, and also with the idea of controlled treats versus never-pass-my-lips-again.

You could always eat a vegetable omelette. :)

Well I don't think of any food as never to be eaten again. If I did then I would probably get depressed. By no cheat days I mean if I eat something that's fatty/high calorie I would still log it and try to compensate by eating low calorie stuff the rest of the day.

An exception would be made for a day like Thanksgiving or Christmas but even on those days I'd probably try to log things the best I could just so I can know how much damage was done.

I definitely couldn't get away with entire cheat days - I'd never lose, and I'd have to starve myself for the rest of the week. That being said, I'm 45 and female, so already fighting an uphill battle. I eat more on the weekends, but that's also when I get my good long runs in. I refuse to tell myself I CAN'T have any foods (or drinks!) but I need to make sure to plan around my indulgences. I don't want to gain back any of the weight I worked so hard to lose.
Hope this helps!
Enjoy your meal/app's, drinks, whatever!

I need to have balanced meals-- protein, fat, and carbs for every meal according to the dietary guidelines my doctor and I worked out together for weight loss and general health for ME. But if someone's doctor says HE/SHE needs only veggies for breakfast, I can respect that, even though it would not be healthful for me.

If one person dislikes or cannot have certain foods, there are plenty others from which to choose to fulfill one's dietary needs, achieve weight loss, and manage medical conditions.

That's what works for me.

That's what I "give" myself... sometimes I "take" more. That's what gets me in trouble. :(

I just see so many people on here and other diet web sites struggling. Saying they're hungry. Saying they keep gaining weight back, etc. I don't see why there is this need to struggle when there are nutrient dense, low calorie foods available that people can eat large portions of without guilt or weight gain.

Mostly they're eating processed foods in large quantities I think. At least produce is relatively unprocessed (might be sprayed with pesticides, but you know). I notice when I eat more processed foods my calories add up quicker.

Things like eggs and fruits and vegetables and things like for example slow-cooking oatmeal, these are healthier for people, more filling, more nutritious, and less fattening.

When I first started this journey, I didn't measure or log anything. I didn't know much about nutrition but I made better choices. On occasion I would have something bad but not like my cheat days now.

I think that after a while you get to the point that you can actually play around and experiment without gaining the weight back.

There are many reasons why people over eat, and it's probably NOT b/c they dislike healthy foods. People eat when they are happy, sad, bored, or just have a craving that needs to be satisfied along with countless other reasons.

For me, a cheat day is to get the cravings out my system. It's not that I don't like nutrient dense food that's good for you, it's just that after so many days of it I feel like I start craving sweets. If I don't just get it over with I may snack here and there for days on end. After I cheat, I nearly make myself sick. I feel bad enough so that I won't want it for a while... maybe a week.

IMO if your diet has been really clean for a while, and you shock it by throwing it off you can lose weight. Usually it's b/c you'll spend a lot of time on the toilet b/c your body will reject it, and then some.

I've asked myself, if I didn't have my cheat day would I be in better shape and the answer is that I really don't know. If I could stick to clean eating every day, yes, but I'm not so sure I could have. I may have given up a long time ago b/c I like to eat. I love food, it's that simple.

Like I said before, there is no one size fits all. Hell a while back I decided to do high fat (enough fat that would probably spin your head), high protein and low carb. My diet was simple, I'm talking bacon, eggs, grilled steak, chicken (with the skin), sauteed mushrooms and onions in REAL butter, my salads always had full fat dressing, veggies. Nothing was low fat, not even the cheese. Oddly enough the weight came off too fast, not b/c I spent the day on the toilet, b/c I didn't but it was the change that my body needed. BTW I documented everything. I was my own guinea pig, and it worked... for me.

I think it's great if everyone can find something that works for them. It's just when I see people who are starving themselves in order to lose weight I wonder why they don't at least eat a salad so they're not hungry.

:confused: I thought we were talking about cheat days??

Well, if we all can just eat tons of vegetables and fruit, oatmeal, whole grain..... all the healthy stuff that we suppose to eat. And exercise as we all suppose to do. We would be all healthy. We would be so happy. Nobody would need to be here (fitday). Nobody would need diet book or diet plans. All the food companies would have to go bankrupt b/c no one would buy their food.

Sound like heaven, doesn't it?
And if some one can bottle this, that person would be rich, rich , rich... Over the year I have learned that most of us (who have struggle with the weight) are somewhat addicted to food which is tough. If you addicted to cigaret, alcohol, drugs, coffee, soda.... You can just quit cold turkey. But you need food to survived. you can't just stop eating. So it is a lot tougher to control, to manage it. If quit smoking, drugs, coffee..... take 1 will power to be susceed. Diet and exercise take 10 or more will power.
I am glad that you enjoy such large amount of vegetable and fruit. I am happy for your progress. Keep it up. But please don't push it on other people. We are all different. And there is no "one size" fit all.
Tell you the truth. I don't hate vegetable, rather love them. But I can't eat a plate of carrot and tomato for breakfast (as you).
Mai

I didn't think I could do that either until I did. My typical meal before was about 600 calories now it's around 150. I know how addictive that stuff can be. I still get these thoughts a lot of times about gorging on things that I don't need and won't help me, but the good part is I'm not physically hungry, and that helps so much...

but if you guys can do cheat days and manage it well then good for you :)

I may not be as strong as some of you in the sense that if I had a 'cheat day' I would gorge on the bad stuff rather than just eating some of it. I have higher calorie meals sometimes but keep it in context of the total calories I have to spend for the day.

Everyone is different so doing what works for "you" is all that matters. I can easily deprive myself but why would I? That's not fun and it would kill my social life! And I would probably be a grouch because I would feel sorry for me, lol!

I look forward to my cheat meals. I also don't starve myself the other days. I eat whenever I get hungry. I normally eat 2-3 times a day and eat most of my calories late at night. I don't eat breakfast because I am not hungry until I have been up for a few hours. I also eat low carb because I like it.

I certainly wouldn't tell other people they need to do it like me to lose and maintain weight. Just like I wouldn't appreciate being told my way doesn't work. It works for me.

I can only offer advice on what works for me and what hasn't worked for me. I do have to say by allowing myself to eat what I am craving once in a while, I don't feel the need to gorge because I don't feel deprived. If I go on vacation I enjoy myself then get right back on track when I get home.

The way I eat is part of my healthy lifestyle, it is my daily diet, not a diet that is meant to end just because I hit my goals.

ETA: I just saw you edited while I was replying. I don't really think it has to do with being strong. I look at it as food will always be there. I want to enjoy my health and have fun without worrying what I look like so that makes it easier to say "Ah, I'll have that 600 calorie treat on my next cheat day!" I worry more about my weekly caloric intake because the weekly total counts more than one day. Even with my cheats it usually averages out fine.

I really admire that and am striving to also do the same. i'm forcing myself into the habit of having meals that are about 200-300 calories. I'm having 3 meals a day and a couple of small snacks, of vegetable sticks or nuts or plain yogurt or glass of milk.

Re: chocolate, sugar, fast food etc.. I am getting into the habit of going days without any, and then having a little sometimes. e.g. just before bed i have a cup of hot water, with a little milk and a little honey.

this habit is replacing my old one of eating wildly during the day, but especially at night. the habit of spending an hour with the fridge and cupboards open when everyone's in bed is really deeply ingrained. it's gonna take a lot of effort to break it. Any tips?

i don't take cheat days. or, i haven't yet. i'd rather take a cheat 'moment' at 4 o'clock in the afternoon or at bedtime, to just indulge in a little milk chocolate (my big weakness).

Well the only tip I have is my personal experience. I like big portions. If I eat a small portion of something my stomach still feels empty and I don't feel like I was properly fed. So I looked for things I could have BIG portions of and still lose weight.

I found you can eat an ENTIRE head of iceberg lettuce for about 76 calories. I can usually only manage about half before I'm full. That makes a great snack! It's fresh, crunchy, kind of sweet, etc.

I can have a giant plate of fruit (this morning it was blackberries, strawberries, blueberries and a nectarine) and the calories are very low (total 252 calories). HUGE portions.

This is why I eat so many fruits and vegetables. You can have the big, satisfying, filling portions you're used to eating and still not kill your calorie budget.

I just look at it this way. I can have a tiny portion of something like lasagna, eat it, feel hungry afterward, not have many calories left to spend for the rest of the day, etc. or I can have giant portions of something like carrots and tomatoes and feel full and satisfied.

So the logical choice for my personal situation was to go with the fruits and vegetables. It gives me the opportunity to eat every single time I'm hungry and have portion that are filling.

Other people might get really tired of this or find it boring or have specific medical needs that require them to eat more fat or more meat. So people are right when they say it won't work for everyone, but I think a lot of people could do this and be less hungry.

Hi everyone i dont have cheat days because personally it feels like ive failed all the good ive done and im the sort of person who will punish myself for days. Im all for things working for one and not for another so im not trying to say any ways are right or wrong. Afterall its the individual who has to manage their weight long-term.
When it comes to calories/fruit/veg etc as part of my ww diet i would sit with also huge portions of salad,veg,fruit and lost alot of weight but felt i wasnt learning anything about portion control. I admit i used to be very greedy and my portions were much bigger than people i knew. What i did worked but then when i was eating properly again and adding other foods to my diet i would still eat too much which resulted in quiick gains. Now my diet consists of 1400 cals a day- 200cal breakfast, 50cal snack, 300cal lunch, 50cal snack and 400cal dinner. Also 200cals for milk/calcium intake. All food eaten has to be 5% fat or less. My portions are smaller and even though first i felt hungry now i realise it wasnt hunger just greed and im now in control and happily go a few hours between meals. This really works for me and so far i lost 5 and a half pound in 2 weeks til tomorrows weigh in!
I havent had any crisps, chocolate, sweets in 3 weeks and having 2 kids and a partner who is trying to gain weight this was a challenge but with willpower i got used to it and now i can honestly say im not phased by any of it. I know that i wont go on a binge and if the craving comes it goes just as quickly plus if i have to give in (only if im totally desperate) then i am satisfied after just a little morsel. Afterall the next bit tastes the same as the last.
Ive learnt to listen to my body properly and train myself to get used to normal sized meals. Im now fuller faster. This has been my approach and after years of battling my weight this is what i believe i can maintain in the real world which is important to stay on track.

What sabotaged me last time I lost weight is that I wasnt' eating enough food. I saw on there it was suggested to eat 4 fish sticks for lunch on the diet plan I had. 4 fish sticks! so I'd eat them and I'd still be hungry but nope, that was all you got. I got down to my goal weight and my body finally had enough and because I was literally starving and I ate my way back up to a large size again. This time I'm not making that same mistake. I'm eating whenever I feel hungry and and finding foods that I can do that with safely.

All my previous attempts at losing weight entailed low calorie and low fat foods. I watched those numbers more than anything else.

Then I read that protein and healthy fat are more satiating than carbs. I had to re-do my entire thinking, but building them in is what worked for me. I got to my goal weight, went below it, and really reduced my body fat percentage.

Before, I would go through a day low-calorie-ing on fruits and veggies and light bread, then overeat in the evening because there wasn't enough food to keep my system going. If I get some protein and/or healthy fat in me at each meal or snack, I never feel hungry.

I think that is a real value of these forums. I would read what others did, try it, and if it worked, I kept it in my repertoire. If it didn't, I dropped it.

CJ avocados and nuts are great ways to get some fat and the nuts or seeds have more protein. I think it's important to have some fat and protein too. When my calories are too low for the day I'll eat an avocado to boost them up some and I feel really good after that :)

I just find that with fit day, you're more aware of the effort behind those decisions... For instance , went for drinks with girlfriends and enjoyed the sweet potato fries but had no trouble saying no to the dessert. Cheat days for me are about saying yes to those things I savour but not a free- for- all! I agree when you hit a certain age ( for me it was 30 and having a baby) it's an uphill battle so every good decisions counts!