Veiws on having a "Cheat day"

[Okeleke]

Hi all,

I have heard that it can be beneficial or no harm to have a so call "Cheat day" once a week, where you can eat unhealthy foods.
Personally I don't see the benefits, But wondered what peoples views on it are?

[Darkwatcher758]

you know honestly its a toss up, depending on your fitness in general. I've had times where I ate a cheat meal thinking it was going to hold me back and woke up looking leaner and was able to pump out more reps. It also took away any associated feelings towards limiting myself in food, kept my satisfied mentally and physically. However there are times where it makes no difference and I end up bloating. I think it's a give and take honestly, if your lifestyle revolves around going out time to time, hold off on cheat meals and have one when you go out with your friends.

The cleaner the better but the goal is to keep your routine and nutrition long term without breaking down and giving in and to keep yourself sane sometimes a cheat meal helps.

[psychodiver9]

Well this is new and exciting. Too bad there isn't a search function to find the 5000 other threads in this topic

[WonderPug]

I'm curious. What foods do you consider "unhealthy" and why?

[keramon02]

I'm curious. What foods do you consider "unhealthy" and why?

What about trans fat? Mercury?

[WonderPug]

What about trans fat? Mercury?

I wasn't asking you, but, rather, the OP, as I wanted to understand what foods he's excluding from his diet normally and what foods he intends to include in his cheat day, as this information would be useful in answering his question meaningfully.

[rc5star]

I have a (1) "cheat meal" a week if you would like to call it that. Though I still fit that meal into my daily calorie allowance and if I go over a little that day it's not the end of the world.

[FitnessCPA]

If "cheating" allows you to stay close to your macro and calorie goals for the week, then it's not really cheating.

On Saturday and Sunday I consume pizza, burgers, tacos, desserts, etc. but it's not cheating because I plan it. I still meet my macro and calorie goals for the week.

[acm807]

i perfer cheat MEALS over cheat DAYS. once a week hits the spot for me. keeps my sanity more than anything.

[psychodiver9]

I have a (1) "cheat meal" a week if you would like to call it that. Though I still fit that meal into my daily calorie allowance and if I go over a little that day it's not the end of the world.

then what exactly qualifies it as a cheat?

[rc5star]

then what exactly qualifies it as a cheat?

Things I usually would not eat: onion rings, coleslaw, fries, etc....

[TriSynthetic]

If "cheating" allows you to stay close to your macro and calorie goals for the week, then it's not really cheating.

On Saturday and Sunday I consume pizza, burgers, tacos, desserts, etc. but it's not cheating because I plan it. I still meet my macro and calorie goals for the week.

knowing that you are bragging about this, are you sub 10% bodyfat with decent lifts or cardio times? otherwise stfu.


OP, cheat days are for those who are mentally weak, it is only a tool to psychologically satisfy those people. but it has not benefits towards optimal constructive progress of the body

[Ryan314]

I love where this thread is going.

[WonderPug]

knowing that you are bragging about this, are you sub 10% bodyfat with decent lifts or cardio times? otherwise stfu.


OP, cheat days are for those who are mentally weak, it is only a tool to psychologically satisfy those people. but it has not benefits towards optimal constructive progress of the body

Please disregard this obvious troll.

[coreykirk]

A meal meal vs. a cheat day is better. Stay away from deep fried food at all costs as it's only garbage that you're putting into your body. A cheat meal that still has some benefit to you like a burger or pizza is best. I take one cheat meal a week, normally pizza and ice cream and the added carbs and sugar allow me to lift heavier the next day in the gym. You will temperately be heavier on the scale and look soft because of the increase in sodium, but give it 2 days and you'll be back to normal. Also by stocking your body with a high calorie meal, it'll kick start your metabolism.

I also have the meal at the end of the week so that it's something that i look forward to at the end of a training week. Use it as motivation

[WonderPug]

^ What utter crap.

[lee__d]

op needs to read this
http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/a-g...exible-dieting

[ParsonBrown]

I'm curious. What foods do you consider "unhealthy" and why?

I consider this "unhealthy" food...but honestly I'm not sure why?









/troll

[thomasDB]

How many threads are gonna be made about this damn subject. Eat what you want once in a while you won't die. Seriously...it was my birthday a week ago and my parents bought me a raspberry/chocolate cake and I hate half of it by myself. BUT this is on rare occasions.

Do what feels right..if you have a cheat meal and feel remorses afterwards then you probably shouldnt do it!

[ugacoop16]

I personally find that if I have a cheat meal on Sundays it helps me stay perfect on my diet during the weak because I look forward to the Sunday reward. Sure ive run diets where I've tried not cheating but honestly I feel that my metabolism slows down and my weight will plateau. I feel like spiking my metabolism on Sundays helps during the weeek. I know different body types are different but that's what works best for me. Just keep in mind a cheat meal is not a binge eating day.

[ahssoccer23]

OP, read Alan Aragon's "The Dirt on Clean Eating"

In particular:

Smith and colleagues found that flexible dieting was associated with the absence of overeating, lower bodyweight, and the absence of depression and anxiety [22]. They also found that a strict all-or-nothing approach to dieting was associated with overeating and increased bodyweight. Similarly, Stewart and colleagues found that rigid dieting was associated with symptoms of an eating disorder, mood disturbances, and anxiety [23]. Flexible dieting was not highly correlated with these qualities. Although these are observational study designs with self-reported data, anyone who spends enough time among fitness buffs knows that these findings are not off the mark.

[Okeleke]

Thanks for the insight everyone helped out a lot.

Many Thanks

[psychodiver9]

Things I usually would not eat: onion rings, coleslaw, fries, etc....

so the name of the food determines if it's a cheat or not regardless of daily intake?

[beams75]

OP, cheat days are for those who are mentally weak, it is only a tool to psychologically satisfy those people. but it has not benefits towards optimal constructive progress of the body

whats bad about some occasional psychological bolstering? if someone doesnt need some "pick me ups" every now and then, i think its safe to assume that they in fact might be the ones that are more that weak in the mind, but are mindless... or at least are really damn weird.

[KoolDrew]

i perfer cheat MEALS over cheat DAYS. once a week hits the spot for me. keeps my sanity more than anything.

This. I feel cheat meals or more of a psychological thing than offering some sort of physiological benefit. Keeping them in your diet 1-2x a week can go a long way in keeping you sane and prevent you from completely screwing up your diet. If you're looking for something that may offer other benefits, structured refeeds may be a better choice.

[MikeK46]

I prefer having some indulgent food every day that I fit into my macros, but hey that's just me. I know a lot of people are completely against logic & common sense and would rather eat bland, boring food all day every day and schedule 'cheat' meals to prevent themselves from going crazy. I would normally say "to each their own", but I know for a fact that many of these people are just lacking adequate knowledge about nutrition.

[swagbrah00]

Well this is new and exciting. Too bad there isn't a search function to find the 5000 other threads in this topic

what a jerkoff

[Apex702]

Nice bump to an old thread...oh wait it's a new thread...

[nabokov7]

OP,

If you're going to start a thread, have the courtesy to answer the useful questions that are asked of you. Wonderpug asked you what foods you consider unhealthy and why. The reply you may have received after answering his question might have helped you more than the posts of annoyance at an old subject rearing itself in a new thread.

[psychodiver9]

what a jerkoff

WHy you mad bro?