Speak Up: Do You Have a Cheat Day?

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Speak Up: Do You Have a Cheat Day?

December 22, 2008

Everything in moderation, we always say, but some people have a hard time spreading their indulgences throughout the week and choose to save their splurges for a "cheat day." Personally, I like to fit little pleasures into my daily life, whether it be a glass of wine with dinner or a piece of dark chocolate any time of day.

Allowing myself small daily treats makes me happiest, but of course we are all different. Celeb trainer Harley Pasternak has incorporated a cheat day into his 5-Factor Diet that Jessica Simpson and Eva Mendes follow. Do you have cheat days, and are there certain things that you tend to eat on those days?

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25 Comments

aquababy7 4 years 21 weeks

Cheat days = intro to bulimia or compulsive overeating I'm well aware that plenty of people work "cheat days" into their diets, I really believe it only leads to an unhealthy relationship with food. Whether or not they develop a full-blown eating disorder depends on so many other factors but reinforcing the idea that certain foods are "bad" or overeating on high-calorie foods past the point of feeling full just because you won't allow yourself to taste it again for a whole week is simply not healthy. I'm all for eating mindfully and mostly enjoying nutritious wholesome foods, but demonizing certain foods and gorging them only ONE day a week is much worse than savoring smaller portions of the same foods on "non-cheat" days instead.

aquababy7 4 years 21 weeks

Cheat days = intro to bulimia or compulsive overeatingI'm well aware that plenty of people work "cheat days" into their diets, I really believe it only leads to an unhealthy relationship with food. Whether or not they develop a full-blown eating disorder depends on so many other factors but reinforcing the idea that certain foods are "bad" or overeating on high-calorie foods past the point of feeling full just because you won't allow yourself to taste it again for a whole week is simply not healthy. I'm all for eating mindfully and mostly enjoying nutritious wholesome foods, but demonizing certain foods and gorging them only ONE day a week is much worse than savoring smaller portions of the same foods on "non-cheat" days instead.

misskacie 4 years 21 weeks

I have no cheat days. I find it counterproductive-- why reward yourself for being good with food by being bad with food? It reinforces bad choices and behaviors.

NouraBee 4 years 21 weeks

every day is a cheat day when u hold ur self under a diet for so long its like ur holding ur breath under water u cant keep it 4 so long u have to give to ur craving @less (( spoon size bits )) and i assure u when u (Think )) thats nothing off limits u wouldn't feel so frustrated

austerity 4 years 21 weeks

Well said GlowingMoon.I don't have cheat days either. It would imply that I am thinking so much about my food that there are certain days when I 'loosen the grip'. That doesn't sound healthy to me. If you're not able to keep your body to certain rules ALL the time, you're probably being too strict on yourself. I would rather 'average' out and cheat a little every day than starve myself and wait until the holidays to chow down like crazy.

austerity 4 years 21 weeks

Well said GlowingMoon. I don't have cheat days either. It would imply that I am thinking so much about my food that there are certain days when I 'loosen the grip'. That doesn't sound healthy to me. If you're not able to keep your body to certain rules ALL the time, you're probably being too strict on yourself. I would rather 'average' out and cheat a little every day than starve myself and wait until the holidays to chow down like crazy.

skilledatlife4 4 years 21 weeks

I pretty much have a cheat season this time of year

Anais18 4 years 21 weeks

I don't have cheat days, I eat healthy 90%-95% of the time, and on weekends I treat myself with something I'm craving or a bit of alcohol, but I try not to go over the top.I exercise 6-7 times a week, for an hour minimum (2 hours max.) and my workouts combining with my nutrition keeps me sane and strong :-)

Anais18 4 years 21 weeks

I don't have cheat days, I eat healthy 90%-95% of the time, and on weekends I treat myself with something I'm craving or a bit of alcohol, but I try not to go over the top. I exercise 6-7 times a week, for an hour minimum (2 hours max.) and my workouts combining with my nutrition keeps me sane and strong :-)

MandeeLei 4 years 21 weeks

I don't do cheat days but I allow myself to treats in moderation.

crayolasky 4 years 21 weeks

I read somewhere once that instead of a Cheat Day, you should have a Treat Day. That's what I do -- you should TREAT yourself, not everyday, but once (maybe twice) a week to a dessert or a meal...not the whole day! However, I keep mine healthy still. OR I have it on a day I will drink, which is pretty rare, and I don't drink often anyway (plus I'm underage anyway haha). Anyway, it all evens out. But I'm a vegan so it's not like there's a ton of things I could gorge myself anyway, unless it was no-cheese pizza or soy ice cream lol

just_kelly 4 years 21 weeks

Nope. It too easily snowballs out of control for me. I would rather stay moderate the whole week through. Choosinglosing.wordpress.com

just_kelly 4 years 21 weeks

Nope. It too easily snowballs out of control for me. I would rather stay moderate the whole week through. Choosinglosing.wordpress.com

sparklestar 4 years 21 weeks

Christmas Day and New Years DayThe rest of the time I look after myself. :)

sparklestar 4 years 21 weeks

Christmas Day and New Years Day The rest of the time I look after myself. :)

mod16 4 years 21 weeks

it is kind of hard to eat unhealthy all the time when you are a vegetarian. being a vegetarian makes me feel lighter and i want to keep that feeling up, so i rarely eat things that are unhealthy and fattening

Spectra 4 years 21 weeks

I don't really do a "cheat day"...I'm more of an 80% healthy/20% junk person too. I like to indulge a little each day so I don't feel deprived. I DO take a day off from working out once a week though...if I didn't, I'd probably go insane.

Red Sharpie 4 years 21 weeks

nah, I have the occasional unhealthy food, but it's usually something like a dessert. I tried cheat days before and I wasn't a big fan. I don't need to really truly cheat very often because to me whole grain pancakes or fresh local strawberries feel like cheats.

Soniabonya 4 years 21 weeks

this whole month has been a "cheat day". -.-;;

FoxyJo 4 years 21 weeks

Yes! I just bit my boyfriend's head off when he brought me brown rice and veggies this last Friday night! LMAO!! I said I eat that everyday!!! I want greasssssseeeeeeee!!! ;)

lilCROAT03 4 years 21 weeks

i don't have a cheat 'day' per say, i have a 'cheat' meal every few days.

GlowingMoon 4 years 21 weeks

No, I don't believe in cheat days. The idea of cheat days is completely outside my way thinking when it comes to healthy eating.

1apple 4 years 21 weeks

I don't have "cheat days" I'm more of the 80% healthy, 20% junk food type of person. It feels like this keeps me from feeling deprived and then overeating...

Graze With Me 4 years 21 weeks

Yeah, of course I have cheat days! Usually Fri. or Sat. I will have a drink or two, I make it a rule not to drink during the week so I can afford to indulge a little. And my fiance and I have season hockey tickets so I'm able to get my stadium food (a.k.a. cheese stuffed pretzels and beer) once a week. But I exercise at least 5 days a week as well as watch my caloric intake so it all evens out (and keeps me sane!).

Renee3327 4 years 21 weeks

I don't have "cheat days" mainly because I prefer to eat healthy and work out whenever I can. Because I eat healthy 95% of the time, I let myself eat whatever I want, as long as I really want it. I don't believe in counting calories or keeping track of what I eat because I know my eating habits are really healthy overall and I think looking at food as a reward leads to an unhealthy relationship with food.

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