Last week on the Biggest Loser, a trainer said that he always has the contestants eat high calorie stuff on the day after weigh-in (once a week) and then they stick to lower calories all week. This got me thinking about how some folks say they have a "cheat day" once a week or month where they eat off-plan foods.
I am curious as to whether anyone here does this, and how it works for you. Or, did you try it and it didn't work for you? I hear things like, having a higher calorie day shakes up your metabolism... or, eating favorite treats keeps you from cheating the rest of the week. But I can't understand how this would work. I mean, if you eat Big Macs and pizzas and cake one day a week, I would think that would stall your weight loss even if you ate 1200 calories on the other days. At least I am pretty sure that's how it works for me.
I know everyone is different, so I'd love to hear what peope think about this concept.
When I was losing weight, I had exactly two cheat days - my birthday dinner and Christmas dinner. For me, I had to give up almost all sugar to be successful, so many foods triggered me - chips, crackers, pretzels, baked goods, candy, I just avoided it all.
Now that I'm maintaining, I try to stick to 1 treat meal a week. I tend to "blow" my calories on really nice meals (if I'm going to spend extra calories it's going to be for damn fine food). Even when I eat my treat meals, I still avoid my personal "never" foods - fast food, sugary soda, packaged baked goods, cream based sauces, most fried foods (the occasional calimari with marinara sneaks in - love that stuff). I can no longer bring myself to eat stuff like the Outbacks Bloomin' Onion, movie theatre popcorn, most muffins/scones or loaded nachos - I know how many calories are in those foods and they just aren't worth it to me, ever again!
no cheat days for me - too much of a temptation to keep cheating!
i compare it to alcoholism. an alcoholic doesnt have a drink a week, i dont have a trip to jack in the box a week either!
Glory pretty much wrote my story. I didn't eat off-plan at all during the year that I was losing weight. Getting to goal was far, far more important to me than any food that I could possibly consume. I remember that I allowed myself three Christmas cookies for Christmas, 2001, but that was it (and I'm sure I was still in a calorie deficit).
Partly it's the kind of person I am -- I don't do moderation very well. I can't eat one or two cookies, then stop. One or two cookies leads to a dozen cookies and no one can lose weight when they eat a dozen cookies! Plus I hate cravings and the longer I go without tasting one of my triggers, the easier it is to resist. But once I get a taste again .... I'll crave it for months. Ugh!!
It's been more than six years since I've tasted some of my trigger foods and I can look at them now and it's like looking at plastic food -- that is, fake food. It doesn't even register in my brain as something edible. Got to say, I like it that way.
Cheat meals or days really make me scratch my head because I worked so hard to create a calorie deficit over six days -- why on earth would I want to undo all my hard work on the seventh day? I can't ever forget that my body is counting calories even when I'm not! There is no free lunch and there aren't calories that don't count.
Now that I'm maintaining, my treat meals are almost always a dinner out, perhaps once a month. Even then, I make better choices (order grilled fish, skip the bread, split or skip dessert) and am always aware of what I'm eating. Honestly, there's never a time that I completely throw caution to the winds and eat whatever I want, even if it's just for one meal. Because I know that I'll be facing the scale the next morning!
In general I have great will power but if I feel deprived then I usually crumble so for me saturdays are usually my cheat day and I let myself have a treat however this is more like a slice of bread or small piece of cake . My cheat day is more of a maintainence day than a real cheat. I don't binge (well I try not to) I try to just eat that day like a thin person. So If I average 1400 calories on a cheat day I may average 1500.
Echo.... echo... echo... I couldn't have said it any better then Meg or Glory, so I won't even try.
All right, I GOTTA add in SOMETHING.
For the life of me, I simply do not get the idea of a "cheat" day when one is working their tail off all week long trying to create a calorie deficit (lose weight) and change their habits for life.
As said above, imagine if an alcoholic "allowed" themself one drink a week?
As far as that feeling of depravation goes, I don't get that either. Being at an unhealthy weight, now THAT"S depravation. Depriving oneself of the best possible life that they can have - that's depravation. That's what I was doing for 20 years. I eat wonderful, delicious foods, no depravation whatsoever - finally.
The only thing I consciously do to "shake" up my metabolisim is create a calorie deficit, spread my calories out through the day (eat frequently) and exercise. That's all the shakin' a metabolisim needs, IMO.
Last edited by rockinrobin; 03-17-2008 at 08:10 AM.
I mostly adhere to my food plan very consistently. But, now and then, usually at a family gathering or something like that - I'll eat a little extra. For me, feeling deprived is not a good thing. I have a good friend that has lost about 200 pounds - she always says "It's not a sin, if you can fit it in" So, I will occaisionally have a sliver of cake or some chocolate and count it in - or it may take me to the top or over the usual calorie limit. BUT - I never keep those "goodies" around the house.
I agree with Beverlyjoy. I can't never eat dessert again. But I won't keep it in the house - and I make sure I don't eat it alone (otherwise it feels like sneaking!)
I follow WW points plan - and they do allow for it. In addition to your daily points, they give you bonus points that you can spend throughout the week. Once (this time around) I had most of them on a special meal out - but it certainly wasn't junk food! But it was using the bonus points. And I still lost weight that week.
Maybe I'm not the one to say. I haven't been able to do this successfully yet..... but after another 2 weeks - its the longest I've stuck with something in years!! So maybe I am getting the hang of it....
I don't like the term "cheat meal"--it's just the wrong idea to me. Why would it ever be OK to "cheat"? Who is being "cheated"?
I can eat anything I want--there are no off-limits foods. The challenge is that whatever I eat has to fit in my calorie plan. And some foods are just not worth it when looked at that way.
One day at close to or over my maintenance calories will stall my weight loss, so it's just easier for me to keep that deficit going if I want to lose.
I hate the term 'cheat' as well. Or the thought that a binge day is some sort of reward for the punishment of eating healthy. It's just not a good mindset. Don't you think many dieters have the cycle of: diet-binge-guilt-diet-binge-guilt (then the giving up comes in later )
I don't consider going out to a restaurant and making good choices cheating. If I were to have a day where I ate whatever I wanted - I doubt being 'good' for the other 6 days could make up for that. I can really pack it in LOL!
I think we are trying to rid ourselves of the behavior that made us fat to begin with, which is eating whatever we want when we want.
If you want something special or have a higher calorie day - plan it in. If you plan for it, you are more likely to enjoy it - and won't feel the guilt about it.
Last edited by fiberlover; 03-17-2008 at 09:03 AM.
I think the idea of cheating is funny - who are we cheating on besides ourselves? It's not like if no one knows you ate something you don't have to count the calories, right?
I don't cheat, but I have days off. The girls and I went to St. Louis this weekend and met my mom and sister-in-law and niece for two days of shopping and gossip. I didn't count calories like I normally would and I wasn't as controlled with my choices as I normally would be, but I still ate healthy stuff, didn't eat grease and split entrees with a daughter. That's how I eat now. I may have days where the fiber count isn't what it should be or the calorie count is too high, but by and large I don't eat "that stuff" anymore.
Kourt wanted Wendy's on the way down (it's a six hour drive) and that's okay with me. I can eat a grilled chicken sandwich with tomato and onion on half a bun and a piece of fruit from the car and I'm good. It's just a matter of choosing well. Would I normally eat a white bun or a piece of white bread? Nope. Will it kill me? Nope. Will it make me regain all of the weight I've lost? Nope.
I don't have the wisdom of the other posters, just my personal and brief experience to share...
I started on January 1st, and for the first two milestones, changing 'decades' I had a reward meal. But, the reward meal wasn't nearly as satisfying a reward as the downward journey of my weight- seeing the numbers change on the scale. It didn't feel good, it didn't add anything positive to my new habits, my stomach hurt. I didn't feel good about myself or the 'reward' I just ate.
Food, I've decided since, needs to stop being a reward. There's so many other ways to reward myself- weight loss, new bling, perfume, hair stuff (I'm a hair product junky!). "How will I ever get out of this appalling mess I ate myself into if I don't quit using food as a reward?"- is what I asked myself.
I have a handful of special days that I do not limit myself. Those are actually Thanksgiving Day & Christmas Eve. Even then I have certain rules that I follow. Every other day I follow a plan. Even if that plan is to eat a certain number of points higher, it is still a plan, so I don't consider it a cheating thing. I'm still counting afterall.
Wow what great insights everybody has!! I agree, it all counts and the idea of having a day of eating anything you want does not click with me. I know I could easily eat 5000 calories on that day... how on earth could anyone lose weight doing that? And for me, like Meg said, I am better off not even tasting some things. Like last time when my son brought me a milk chocolate bar. I fit it into my calories, but was kinda nuts with the cravings for 3 or 4 days afterwards and went over my calories twice. Not worth it. After all, the goal here is to lose weight.
I do go out to dinner or lunch about once a week. That's something my husband and I have enjoyed ever since we first met, and it would cause a big problem for him if I never went out with him anymore. So, I just make healthier choices and limit portions. I don't think of that as a cheat.
Yeah, you guys are inspiring. My "eating" brain needs to catch up to my actions. While I am getting pretty good at DOING it (eating right, exercising, whether I feel like it or not), my old "eating" brain still has me literally dreaming of pizza buffets and limitless desserts. I wake up in the morning feeling guilty for "eating" all that, but since dreams have no calories, I guess I am ok, LOL. I am trying to get my brain to quit with the food obsession but it takes time. I was thinking like that for 10-15 years.
Off Days, or Days Off?
I didn't eat off-plan at all during the year that I was losing weight. Getting to goal was far, far more important to me than any food that I could possibly consume. I remember that I allowed myself three Christmas cookies for Christmas, 2001, but that was it (and I'm sure I was still in a calorie deficit).
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