Comments on: What’s Wrong with a Cheat Day?

By: Phillyman

Phillyman — Mon, 24 Jan 2011 16:22:07 +0000

I disagree with this article also, lets look at it from a different point of view. For the past few years I have eaten and drank “whatever” I want “whenever” I wanted to. This is what lead me to gain 70 pounds over the past 10 years. Having 1 cheat day per week is like saying…..Hey! Eat whatever you want from January 1st to February 22nd, and then go on a strict diet for the remainder of the year.If you did that you would definitely lose weight, because the 52 days you cheated at the beginning of the year, would be erased by the 313 days that you maintained a clean diet. That is all you are doing with a cheat day, the only difference is that the cheat days are every 7 days and not all at once. This is why I think it works! I am currently blogging all my meals (including cheats) for anyone who wants to see how its working for me.

By: Dolly

Dolly — Sat, 22 Jan 2011 20:08:54 +0000

I will NEVER give up my cheat day! It is my favorite day of the week, and since discovering that cheat days can break a plateau by boosting leptin (a.k.a. the FAT BURNING HORMONE) I have been able to shed the last few pounds that I could never get off before! I love food, and I am not giving up one of the best aspects of life so because someone told me that I should give up after enjoying my favorite foods. I eat clean during the week, and I enjoy one planned cheat day a week. It makes the days of clean eating so much easier because I know that I am going to be able to cut loose on Saturday! I would rather die than be told that I could never eat pizza, ice cream, Mexican food, and bread pudding. That sounds like a life of ZERO FUN. Yes, Stephen, I feel so healthy after a cheat day, and I also feel satisfied until the next one.

By: Dani- danielleislosingit

Dani- danielleislosingit — Mon, 10 Jan 2011 23:09:03 +0000

But I love my cheat day! I don’t want to give it away:(

By: Stephen

Stephen — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 19:35:29 +0000

Oh, wow, I disagree wholeheartedly with this article. Is it just me or does anyone else FEEL healthier after having a cheat day? Literally, I feel like my body is much, much tighter when I wake up the next day. My muscles look more defined, etc. I think it depends on what you do leading up to the cheat day that really makes the difference.

By: Daniel

Daniel — Sun, 28 Nov 2010 08:40:03 +0000

In my opinion and experience (15) years as bodybuilder. If you do not have a cheat day in which you exceed the average intake of calories per day that you have had for an entire week drastically for at least one day, your body will get used to the low carb low calorie and will be stuck with no results AT ALL!!! and you will not lose those extra pounds you are looking for to get lean. You gotta hit you metabolism in a way that it will “feel” the difference and react to something that is not use to do or have.. And by “do” I mean it in a twofold way. 1 diet… and 2 excercise.. Never do the same routine all the time.. change it always. Always change the way you started on the next chess, biceps, or whatever you are working out.
I’m sorry for my english but It’s not my native language.
LMAO lolwhat I loved your comment.. BTW don’t laugh at my english :S
And please for those about the potatoe and peanut butter comments… You couldn’t eat a more healthy source and mix of good fat (peanut butter) and carbs rich with fibre (potatoe). So don’t feel guilty for it
Good luck to you all and have a healthy life having and enjoying your cheat day. TOTALLY disagree with this article.. sry who every came up with it.

By: Gino Italiano

Gino Italiano — Fri, 12 Nov 2010 00:08:30 +0000

I just started a workout/diet im 45 doing herbal life 2 shakes and i meal a day i started three days ago and lost 7lbs already and an inch off my waist havent touched any junk food but i am considering a cheat day and after reading these responses i agree that one day will not kill you so saturday here i come !!!!!!!!!!

By: Luke R.

Luke R. — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 00:39:24 +0000

While I see your point on the fact that dieting should be a lifestyle rather than a temporary fix, like many of the other commenters I have issue with your statement that having a cheat “day” is a poor decision. As long as you don’t go overboard with it, I think a cheat day is a nice little reward for all your hard work. Plus, I’ve read quite a few articles that suggest that having a cheat meal once in a while could actually INCREASE your metabolism and be good for you in the long run.

By: Joshua

Joshua — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 00:32:20 +0000

I also disagree with the article. The more practice you have in recovering from a slip in your diet the more confidence you will have going forward. As long as you can learn to always rebound from that cheat day, you should be fine. If you don’t get the practice and you do slip, you might fall down completely.

My cheat day is a meal too though. I always have a healthy breakfast and lunch…but for dinner on Saturday I usually enjoy a big steak with buttered potatoes and a diet pepsi. And for dessert I have a little candy. I love nibs or jujubes or wine gums.

By: Blue Sky Gal

Blue Sky Gal — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 06:21:52 +0000

I actually enjoyed this article! There are so many conflicting viewpoints on the web about this topic, this is just another perspective. For all of you who have successfully used cheat days and lost weight successfully, good for you! I’m not sure it is a good idea for everyone though….it is certainly not a “one size fits all” thing! I’ve spent a lot of money over the past few years buying into certain so-called guru’s eating plans and philosphies, and have had mixed results. There are some who advocate eating whatever you want, as much as you want on a cheat day….tried that, and it made me sick! I’ve even watched a video of one dude scarfing down a huge tub of ice cream, this guy was asking people if they’re eating enough on their cheat days!

I think a sane approach probably works best here………don’t absolutely pig out, just makes you feel ill anyhow maybe saving extra calories during the week for your planned cheat day, and still managing to work that into your allowed calories for the week (your cheat day could utilise calories to your maintenance level on that day) makes sense to me. Sabotaging all your efforts for the week on one day, not even a specialo occasion, does not make too much sense. I think the writer is correct in saying that your normal eating plan should not be so much a diet, but a lifestyle, and something that you can live with, otherwise it’s hard to stick to long term. You need to eat clean foods that you enjoy every day, just not junk and empty calories….those you save for your cheat day if you wish.

I’m now taking all the hodge podge of info I’ve researched (extensively), and putting it into a customised eating plan which I very much hope will work for me, and I’m incorporating a cheat day as well as intermittent fasting, and working it into my calorie needs for the week for weight loss. Wish me luck, I’m just so disappointed with all the expensive eating plans from so-called guru’s that I have….I need something that works for me!

By: OK, Then

OK, Then — Mon, 03 May 2010 16:21:48 +0000

I couldn’t agree more with those who took issue with this sorry excuse for an article. I’m 5′ 3.5″ and 108 pounds at 37 years of age, and have lifted weights and done cardio for 20 years; and as someone who has never been overweight a day in my life, I say bring on the cheat meal! It’s one of the things that makes life so fun.

Oh, yes, and I agree with the poster who mentioned the “a rocket scientist” moment, too. Do you really expect people to take you seriously when you can’t even craft a grammatically correct sentence?