Thoughts on a "cheat day"

H

honeybunch1

Cathlete
I am firmly committed to a weekly cheat day (today is the day this week!), and I got this goodie from my weekly Men's Health Newsletter that I thought y'all would find of interest:

Q: I'm having trouble sticking with my diet. A friend told me to try a cheat day. Is that okay?

A: There's something to be said for the cheat day. I know that it's made a huge difference in the consistency of my diet.

In the past, I would try to eat "clean" every day, with no lapses. Basically, I had a hard time maintaining a strict diet for more than 4 to 6 weeks at a time. Eventually, I would break down, and eat everything in sight. But not just for a day. I had an all-or-nothing attitude. So I was either dieting and eating right — or I wasn't. Once I fell off the wagon, I didn't get back on. At least not until I started to get fat again.

Then I adopted the "cheat" day philosophy, where I eat "right" 6 out of 7 days. Physically, one day doesn't make any difference in my body fat. Psychologically, it makes all the difference in the world. It's easier to stay disciplined during the week, knowing that I can indulge on the weekend. And after a day of eating the bad stuff—for me, it's high-glycemic carbs — guilt-free, I'm more ready than ever to get back to my diet.

Few nutritionists would tell you to do this, because they'll claim it's not a healthy lifestyle change. Instead, they'll push the everything-in-moderation philosophy. But I really don't think I'm wired as an everything-in-moderation guy. (I once ordered everything on the first three panels of the wall-menu at Taco Bell.)

Interestingly, my diet on my non-cheat days is a lot better now than it was even when I was following their standard dietician advice. As a bonus, I look better, too.

—Adam Campbell, M.S., C.S.C.S., Assistant Fitness Editor, Men's Health
 
I love my "Cheat" day. I have done BFL for 9 weeks now, and I am looking better than I have in a long time. I contribute alot of my success to my cheat day.
Lori S.
 
I guess I'll play devil's advocate here. Cheat days scare me. A lot! Cheat days took me from l25 to 215 in a very short time. Like Mr. Campbell, I'm an all-or-nothing kind of person. I felt comfortable with a Sunday cheat day. But being an all-or-nothing kind of person, Sunday wasn't enough. I wasn't gaining weight. Great! Then I should have Saturday AND Sunday cheat days. Still not gaining weight. Even better! But by then, I was absolutely starving on Mondays when I tried to diet again. And the pattern continued and grew and grew and grew, all based on my all-or-nothing personality.

So, if you can handle that kind of self-discipline, I admire you. I couldn't. That was a long time ago, and I don't know if I could do it now, but I'm afraid to try it again. It was a nightmare. It took me years and years to get my eating under control again. If you're that type of person, I wouldn't try it.
 
I do a cheat meal instead of a whole day. One night per week, we go out to eat and I order whaever I want. However, my husband eats any leftovers. This is my way of controlling my healthy diet and still allowing for something special. The funny thing is that I usually order something most people would consider "healthy"...but sometimes I have a glass of wine AND dessert! LOL!
 
I just wanted to put in my 2 cents, since I am definitely NOT an all-or-nothing person. Instead of doing a cheat day, I do a day's worth of cheats as they arise in a week. I mean, all in one day, I might simply not _want_ any more evil food. I'd rather spread it out to times when in the course of normal events, something comes up where I'd like to have a buttermilk biscuit for breakfast. OK fine. Then the rest of the day and the next day might be clean and then I feel like having a glass of wine after dinner. Fine. But in the course of a week, I'll do 3 or 4 things that are not absolutely clean.

This works for me and I know it doesn't work for everyone. I wouldn't want to feel obliged to eat 3 fattening meals in a row on the same pre-ordained day. I'm sure I don't need that much "relief" in a row. Just wanted to give you another pattern to think about.
 
Honeybunch - I think you are on to something. I like LoriSax have been doing bFL for 7 weeks now and truly believe part of my success I can contribute to the Free Day! I agree with you if it doesn't work... don't do it or STOP. HOwever, if you can control yourself I think there are some real benefits.

I did BFL a couple years ago, had great results but the free day is what ruined it for me as I wasn't commited to it. Free Day Sunday turned into free day Sat. night and then it turned into FREE day weekend! Then I was sooooo hungry by Monday I finally quit the program.

This time on BFL has been different as I have learned to control myself. I also am journaling and can look back on my week and see all the things I did RIGHT and it makes it so much easier not to go hog wild on the free day. Why ruin a week's worth of working hard for a hog wild free day or free weekend!?!

I usually pick 1-2 meals to be bad on for Free Day. I usually eat a healthy breakfast, a bad lunch and then a semi-bad dinner. Or I will just go all out on the bad lunch and then eat good the rest of the day! Sometimes I will also have one semi-bad meal during the week (like a naked burrito from Chipotle or Qdoba on Wed. night) and then 1 bad meal on Saturday. This seems to work well and gets me thru the week with my Chipotle cravings! I also still eat my shakes and protein bars for the in between meals to help the control. I also drink a ton of water before each bad meal as it helps too! I read once that you should drink a whole glass of water BEFORE your food comes to make yourself more full!

I find that the Free day helps me control myself the rest of the week! I am able to get what ever craving I have satisfied. I do my Free day now on Saturday and then get it back on track for Sunday. I find that it actually helps me focus and NOT want to do it again until the following Saturday!

I agree it may not work for everyone:) But it has definitely worked for me this time around!
 
Body For Life. An exercise and dieting program from Bill Phillips. Do a Google Search. It's pretty popular.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Our Newsletter

Get awesome content delivered straight to your inbox.

Top