Cheat days are definitely not necessary for everyone. And I am definitely not a fan of cheat DAYS, rather cheat meals are ok, as in 2-3 per week. Unless you are already very lean, the main reason they are important is for sanity's sake.

Once you are lean, cheats can become increasingly important for hormonal changes, such as leptin.

However, for those trying to lose weight, some get thrown off too much by cheats. So, my 2 cents, if you feel the need to cheat, do so in moderation a few times per week. Those few meals will not kill your progress unless you completely gorge yourself. If you don't feel the need to satisfy cravings, don't feel that cheating is necessary for your success.

In the words of Dr. John Berardi, PhD. you can cheat 10% of the time. If you eat 5 meals per day, over 7 days that is 35 meals. You can have 3-4 cheat meals in that week.

The difference between 90% and 100% adherence to your diet is negligible~Berardi

I'm vegan and i do eat all those things i will make a vegan cake or pizza or cupcakes or whatever for my family so they don't buy the crappy dairy ones from the store... then i end up eating most of it!
Maybe i should just let them eat unhealthy

The weight loss program I am on allows for a cheat meal once a week. I think it's a great thing becuase you might go way over your daily limit of calories/carbs/sugar/sodium/whatever but if the thought of that one meal (it's pizza for me! ) keeps you on the straight and narrow the rest of the week then it's OK!

The only temptation is if your cheat meal turns into a cheat afternoon and then next time a whole cheat day(s). I am the type who can't eat just one cookie. If I eat one then I might as well have a dozen. So I have to be ultra firm with my cheat meal boundaries. When I am done with my pizza pig out I get up from the table and brush my teeth and that marks the end of the cheat meal for me.

Right. Like I said, it is very individual. Some people will get something from it, others will not. My point was, they are not necessary.

I think a cheat meal can benefit the thyroid from becoming rather dormant from consuming the same amount of calories each day however I'd suggest to keep it at 1 meal per week. I actually ditched the "cheat" (Anything you want meal) and am now consuming clean re-feeds once every 2 weeks.

Refeeds are something entirely different than a cheat. And their importance as you become leaner is unbelievable. Majority of people here do not need refeeds IMO.

Bahhh!
I don't even know what a refeed IS!



That being said, I don't believe in "cheating" I certainly don't believe in guilt.

I do know that if I am craving something, and all the carrot sticks or chicken in the world isn't going to satisfy it, then I eat it, count it in my calories for the day and move on.

Cheating implies I'm trying to be sneaky.

If I want a cookie, I'll eat it.
Generally, I choose not to

True indeed.

I have cheat days too
I eat a huge plat of pasta every week

Whats so bad about a pasta dinner...

i think pasta is that whole refined carb thing - which isn't nutritionally all that good for you (but oh so darn tasty with pesto sauce and fresh grated parmesan cheese)

I eat whole wheat pasta almost daily.

::Whine mode::

dont make me hit you, ya young whippersnapper... when you consume 4000 ish calories a day - whole wheat pasta is easy to fit in.. but at 200 calories ish for 1/2 cup - 1/2 cup isn't very satisfying those calories - even if it is whole grain - add up quickly

:ff to whine more elsewhere ::

4200 calories yesterday, and again today. Yummy.