Cheat Days

[SamD83]

Are there any 'rules' for this? Because I have one a week and just eat what I want, when I want. I don't usually go crazy but last time I had 7000 calories. I can't help feel I should be following a set of rules for this. Should I drop this all together for maximum fat loss?

[WonderPug]

It sounds like you might be developing an eating disorder and thus you might want to consider making an appointment with an appropriate caregiver.

[SamD83]

I'm fine on that front, usually I eat 1800 calories a day and on a cheat day about 4000. I don't think that's too much of a dramatic change when it averages out over the course of a week? It's just this one off where I really went a bit crazy. I've been told cheat days are good for speeding up metabolism throughout the rest of the week. But I've been told all sorts of things.

[Arabianmuscles]

If you're cutting then remove it from your diet completely. Add in refeeds 1 x a week to help your sanity and intensity in the gym.

[Dujin77]

If you have a "cheat day" then something is wrong with your daily diet to begin with. Start allowing a few hundred calories a day to eat whatever you want and 1 time a week ramp up your carbs in order to re feed but do not exceed maintenance, or if you do , only do so but about 100 calories.

[tzalma1]

i think pug is referring to an eating disorder here as if youre stats are correct you are only 139 pounds....why would you be trying to lose weight??

[WonderPug]

i think pug is referring to an eating disorder here as if youre stats are correct you are only 139 pounds....why would you be trying to lose weight??

I was referring to binging, as 7,000 calories adjusted for his normal intake is troubling.

[SamD83]

If you're cutting then remove it from your diet completely. Add in refeeds 1 x a week to help your sanity and intensity in the gym.

I'm currently trying to gain muscle tone to counter balance excess skin from a lot of weight loss. I'm still a complete noob with many terms on here but I'm guessing cutting would be what I'm going for. I'd better read up on refeed days.

If you have a "cheat day" then something is wrong with your daily diet to begin with. Start allowing a few hundred calories a day to eat whatever you want and 1 time a week ramp up your carbs in order to re feed but do not exceed maintenance, or if you do , only do so but about 100 calories.

Thanks, I keep detailed track of what nutrients I eat so it won't be too difficult to have something I'd consider a treat and ensure I balance out what else I eat to ensure I don't go over my limits.

i think pug is referring to an eating disorder here as if youre stats are correct you are only 139 pounds....why would you be trying to lose weight??

I'm trying to reduce how much fat I've got on me as my stomach is still not as flat as I'd like it to be. I'm 17.1% BF currently.

I was referring to binging, as 7,000 calories adjusted for his normal intake is troubling.

It really was just a one off that day. Every other cheat day has been about the 4000 calorie mark, I just got a bit too much in for this time.

[WonderPug]

It really was just a one off that day. Every other cheat day has been about the 4000 calorie mark, I just got a bit too much in for this time.

That's not a good sign either.

[mroybal]

I am no expert on this but have recieved a lot of great advice from people on this board.
I was putting cheat days into my "meal plan", and it drove me crazy. I spent the entire day looking forward to that day. Now I simply eat within my macro goals through regular food. I used to track my intake with the myfitnesspal app but now I have a good idea of how much I can eat. I still might use the app just to get an idea the macro breakdown of an item if I am curious. By not obsessing over what I eat, and just being logical about it my life is much easier. I am now going to start intermitent fasting as it looks like it will work well with my work schedule.

[smallkoreankid]

I can understand a "cheat meal" where you can have a nice dinner out with the family or girlfriend, or maybe wings and pizza at the bar, but a cheat day is just too much in my opinion. You should incorporate foods that you like here and there in your daily diet.

[germaine07]

Like everyone else said, scheduling cheat days is not healthy. And again, as everyone else said, it may be time to transition to a bulk to put on some muscle.

[SamD83]

That's not a good sign either.

I guess 2.33333 x what I usually eat isn't all that good.

I am no expert on this but have recieved a lot of great advice from people on this board.
I was putting cheat days into my "meal plan", and it drove me crazy. I spent the entire day looking forward to that day. Now I simply eat within my macro goals through regular food. I used to track my intake with the myfitnesspal app but now I have a good idea of how much I can eat. I still might use the app just to get an idea the macro breakdown of an item if I am curious. By not obsessing over what I eat, and just being logical about it my life is much easier. I am now going to start intermitent fasting as it looks like it will work well with my work schedule.

Ah yes, that's how I feel. Once the week starts I'm looking to my next cheat day and going slightly insane about it. If I'm out and about and a friend offers me a piece of chocolate or something I find myself having to turn it down to save myself for this one day. I use myfitnesspal as well, I find it very useful for planning out what I'm going to eat.

I can understand a "cheat meal" where you can have a nice dinner out with the family or girlfriend, or maybe wings and pizza at the bar, but a cheat day is just too much in my opinion. You should incorporate foods that you like here and there in your daily diet.

Would be nice to have a treat to look forward to more often rather than a crazy amount once a week.

Like everyone else said, scheduling cheat days is not healthy. And again, as everyone else said, it may be time to transition to a bulk to put on some muscle.

Yeah, I'm gradually trying to eat a bit more on a daily basis to get better results. Just figured it would be better to eat a little bit more at a time rather than dramatically increase my calorie in take in one go.

[SamD83]

Been trying to work out my calorie maintenance level. According to a website I used it is 2652.

I've put myself down as 'Very Active' for my activity level. I based this on doing three/four weight sessions at the gym each week. These sessions involve working all the muscle groups separately and doing three sets, adding weight with each set so that I fail to complete the third one due to muscle failure.

I play an hour of 5-a-side football/soccer each week. I have two 90 minute karate sessions a week, I reckon a third of that is spent being active. And I run 1/2 times a week, the run is just under 6km and takes me just under 30 minutes. Am I correct calling myself 'Very Active' based on that?

According to that website I need to eat 250-500 calories above that figure to put on muscle. And according to what I've read about re-feed days I need to eat 150% of my BMR.

Can someone tell me if I've got this right please?

[WonderPug]

You're bulking and you are binging. When this was pointed out to you, you changed your wording now you're trying to justify binging by calling it a refeed during bulking. Please stop and get some professional help.

[SamD83]

You're bulking and first you were binging and now you're trying to justify binging by calling it a refeed during bulking. Please stop and get some professional help.

Huh?

I'm just going off what I've been advised by people who replied. I've never called a cheat day a re-feed day, I've never had a re-feed day.

[WonderPug]

Huh? I'm just going off what I've been advised by people who replied. I've never called a cheat day a re-feed day, I've never had a re-feed day.

You've been binging:

Are there any 'rules' for this? Because I have one a week and just eat what I want, when I want. I don't usually go crazy but last time I had 7000 calories. I can't help feel I should be following a set of rules for this.

And now you're looking to "refeed" while bulking (which is "binging" renamed):

According to that website I need to eat 250-500 calories above that figure to put on muscle. And according to what I've read about re-feed days I need to eat 150% of my BMR.

Please consider talking to an appropriate medical professional about your dietary habits. It can't hurt and it might help a lot.

[SamD83]

So you don't believe in re-feed days then? Because I'm only looking into what people (who I presume are much more knowledgeable than me) have said. I'm not quite the mess I believe you think I am, I've had two 'binge' days and other cheat days of considerably less calorie intake. This has never done me any harm weight wise, but I do accept there's benefits to changing this routine.

[WonderPug]

So you don't believe in re-feed days then? Because I'm only looking into what people (who I presume are much more knowledgeable than me) have said.

I've never encounter anyone remotely knowledgeable about nutrition that would advocate a "refeed" day when bulking.

[SamD83]

I've never encounter anyone remotely knowledgeable about nutrition that would advocate a "refeed" day when bulking.

So what about the BMR + 250-500 calorie thing then?

[WonderPug]

So what about the BMR + 250-500 calorie thing then?

I have no idea what you're talking about.

Anyway, I sugget you at least read the stickies at the top of the nutrition forum.