What to eat on Cheat Day

djburchgrove · 25-01-2015 9:26am #1

Today is my second cheat day. I did my first one last Sunday but did not measure it at all. Result: Biggest week of weight loss so far.

I have been dieting and running for last few weeks and have been losing 1.5 to 3lbs (last week) per week.

Want to take a more calculated approach to my cheat day. My Metabolic Caloric rate is 2,250 Cals per day. So today Ill be eating around 3,000 - 3,250 Cals, carb loading as I have been on a low 100(ish) gram carb per day diet.

What should i eat? Just more of the healthier stuff I have been eating? Some people say eat whatever you want within range on Cheat Day but surely that 3,000 Cals from healthier sources of Carbs and Protein would be better than Cake, Cereal, Pizza etc.

Some people say it gives you a mental source of satisfaction to eat like this on your cheat day, but I just think It might de-rail my diet. Don't really miss those foods so why eat them for the sake of restoring leptin levels?

Any help appreciated.

Mr_Muffin · 25-01-2015 9:32am

Depends on what you like really.

Instead of an entire day i just have a relaxed day of eating and have a huge cheat meal in the evening - usually pizza and chips. Sometime i treat myself to a large steak and chips or something along those lines. What ever your favorite meal/food is, that's what you should go for.

And relax, it's cheat day. Eat it all!

djburchgrove · 25-01-2015 9:37am

Mr_Muffin wrote: »

Depends on what you like really.

Instead of an entire day i just have a relaxed day of eating and have a huge cheat meal in the evening - usually pizza and chips. Sometime i treat myself to a large steak and chips or something along those lines.

It's cheat day, eat it all!

Yes I've heard of others taking that approach, which is basically what I did last week. So I'll prob have a normal day of eating, with a 1500 Cal dinner later on.

Do you find Cheat Days work well for you?

Gummy Panda · 25-01-2015 4:51pm

Try to have so!etching your craving but be reasonable. Doesn't have to be fitting in loads of pizza and junk. I use to use it to be social and give a break from eating prepped meals

djburchgrove · 25-01-2015 6:26pm

well ended up eating light, like my normal day until Dinner. then had a big portion of cheesy Lasagne and Garlic bread.

have a coffee and and maybe a biscuit or 2 and that'll be the day.

I'll see how it differs from last week.

Chancer3001 · 25-01-2015 11:11pm

Ice cream.

Alf Veedersane · 25-01-2015 11:37pm

djburchgrove wrote: »

well ended up eating light, like my normal day until Dinner. then had a big portion of cheesy Lasagne and Garlic bread.

have a coffee and and maybe a biscuit or 2 and that'll be the day.

I'll see how it differs from last week.

Probably the best way. Cheat days can get out of hand. ..

JJayoo · 26-01-2015 12:04am

I usually go for a 750g box of tesco crunchy nut cornflakes and 2 litres of milk nom nom

papu · 27-01-2015 12:09am

Fruit and Cream.

ch750536 · 27-01-2015 7:30am

Cheat day = a day to poison yourself with the **** that you're trying to condition yourself not to eat for the other 6 day.

I have a problem with that concept.

djburchgrove · 27-01-2015 8:17am

ch750536 wrote: »

Cheat day = a day to poison yourself with the **** that you're trying to condition yourself not to eat for the other 6 day.

I have a problem with that concept.

Not necessarily, I tried to look at it as a refuel day, to keep metabolism and fat burning leptin levels working together at an optimum level.... with cheese!

ch750536 · 27-01-2015 4:36pm

If your having to top up your fuel then you're doing it wrong.

djburchgrove · 27-01-2015 4:38pm

ch750536 wrote: »

If your having to top up your fuel then you're doing it wrong.

Not from an energy/calorie perspective. Just leptin levels

Gummy Panda · 27-01-2015 6:24pm

From the mental perspective, it can help a dieter as long as it's not used as a reward structure e.g. I've been good this week so I eat all ice cream.

Using it as structured free meals is helpful for social events.

feelgoodinc27 · 27-01-2015 11:07pm

ch750536 wrote: »

Cheat day = a day to poison yourself with the **** that you're trying to condition yourself not to eat for the other 6 day.

I have a problem with that concept.

Thats a bit extreme, once your eating clean most of the time your not doing any harm.

ch750536 · 28-01-2015 7:32am

Gummy Panda wrote: »

From the mental perspective, it can help a dieter as long as it's not used as a reward structure e.g. I've been good this week so I eat all ice cream.

Using it as structured free meals is helpful for social events.

I agree with that perspective, perhaps. What happens in reality though?

Alf Veedersane · 28-01-2015 8:03am

ch750536 wrote: »

I agree with that perspective, perhaps. What happens in reality though?

That depends on the person.

For some, a cheat meal becomes a cheat day which becomes a weekend of excess. They get nowhere and hopefully reassess what they're doing.

But by the same token, many just leave it as the cheat meal and get back to it and make progress.

MiaG · 28-01-2015 10:56am

I like the idea of treat meals (few weekly) instead of cheat. I don't like cheating

thai curry or pizza are my favourites

agree on the reward. If I am good - I treat myself with new book/massage/hairstyle. Treat meals not linked to diet.

JJayoo · 28-01-2015 12:22pm

If you're training hard your body should be primed to use the extra calories from your cheat day.

Bench Press · 28-01-2015 10:41pm

If you have a fully balanced healthy diet, there should be no cravings to stuff your face with crap once a week or whenever

JJayoo · 28-01-2015 11:56pm

Bench Press wrote: »

If you have a fully balanced healthy diet, there should be no cravings to stuff your face with crap once a week or whenever

But eating crap food is fun nom nom

Xander81 · 29-01-2015 7:41am

Ice cream.

djburchgrove · 29-01-2015 9:56am

Deep fried Mars Bars have actually been proven to encourage the generation of fat burning hormones in your body.

I read it on the internet, so it's definitely true

power pants · 29-01-2015 1:38pm

I eat what I want when I want

Tarzana2 · 31-01-2015 12:54am

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

Probably the best way. Cheat days can get out of hand. ..

My thoughts too, I think it's better to just have a cheat meal and dessert rather than a whole day.

What to eat on Cheat Day

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