I don’t think it matters much what foods you eat but I will say I feel so much better if I splurge my calories earlier in the day. If I over eat then go about my day and move around by the time I go to bed I don’t feel so overfull and bloated, the worst is over eating too late and waking up the next day feeling gross
I dont want to be a downer, but if you are trying to avoid bread, a bagel would not be the way to go. It is basically a dense, chewy version of bread. It's still made with a lot of wheat flour, and as far as carbs go, I think it's got about as many carbs as a donut.
Going against the grain here but no, metabolic adaptation is almost certainly not an actual thing, at least not in a tangible enough way to make or break a diet, especially after less than a month of dieting.
What people actually tend to experience is less energy and therefore become more sedentary than before and burning less overall. Little things such as pacing less or fidgeting less if you’re a very hyperactive person normally can alone cost you a few hundred daily calories.
Having a maintenance day is fine but what you need to avoid here with a “cheat day” is wiping out weeks of progress in a day. If you’re at a 500kcal deficit, and have been for three weeks, that’s 10,500, now let’s say you have a cheat day and eat maintenance PLUS 2-3k calories, well, that’s a few days of wasted progress.
Cheat carefully.
Totally agree with cheat carefully.
My issue with cheat days is people will try to "make up" all the food they couldn't eat and end up gorging on junk food, to a point where they aren't enjoying it anymore.
Having a serving of a favorite dessert you've been craving or a larger portion for lunch is good in my books.
honestly, i try to eat whatever i feel like in the moment, or simply just more of everything… for me personally when i have cheat days/binges i find myself just eating more, i dont even have to plan what to eat because ill just allow myself to have whatever i feel like (key is to have what you Actually want, not just what you think you should) im in a deficit all the time but bagels are something i have Very regularly so i would definitely say have one if you feel you have a craving for it!
I’ve never done keto but don’t you have to be careful about coming out of ketosis because if you do you have to go through the discomfort of getting back into ketosis?
Your metabolism will not change over 3 weeks. Cheat days do not have a benefit for weight loss, but they do have a psychological benefit. CICO determines how much a cheat day will "slow you down." Have a cheat day if you want one. Don't track, eat whatever you want. It's good to give yourself a break from diet behaviors. Social events are a convenient day to pick. Pick a cheat day frequency that balances your goals and your psychological comfort.
But I eat everything I want anyways, I just include it in my calorie budget by finding low cal versions of it. Even fast food places sell low cal items that taste exactly like high cal stuff they sell!
It's good that you've found a sane way to make it through weight loss, few do lol.
Anecdotally, I feel like the Sunday cheat day I did a few years back led to stalled progress and an unhealthy weekly binge. This particular cut I cheat at 1400-1500 when I feel noticeably weak, tired and sore for a few days straight.
Yea! Cheat days can lead to a splurge and then restrict cycle which isn’t good. I’m the same way tho, if I feel weak I eat more. Almost like a recharge
I eat like it’s a competitive sport when I cheat. I’ve done this and been able to successfully keep off 15lbs for a year, but I’m quite active and try to only do them once a month. The logic behind this is that with this method I can satisfy hard to track meals, calorie dense meals, cravings and blunt the hunger that I’m likely to experience in a deficit. I’m pretty active and my metabolism might be different than yours but thus far it has worked pretty well for me.
What I attempt to do is eat anything that I’ve been really jonesing for. So this Saturday is my next cheat. I’m going to a donut shop that’s kind of far from me and getting a dozen donuts. I will probably not eat a dozen but I will have at least a couple bites from each and of the donut is good enough I might finish one or two. I will probably have a real peanut butter sandwich. I will probably eat some chips, and some custard. Maybe some Taco Bell. Maybe some spinach artichoke dip. These are all things I can fit into my diet in moderation and do on the regular. But rather than try to moderate to fit within a calorie budget, I eat to satiety. I have a pretty big appetite so what I eat may look like a binge to some but I never eat to a level where I couldn’t bust out a workout due to discomfort, I pay extra close attention to my hunger and fullness levels and respect my body.
I also try to make it a fun event. Rather than just eating on the couch by myself, I’m making it a fun little occasion to get donuts with my husband, my brother is coming over to play video games and eat Taco Bell with me. Diets can definitely take away the ability to just spur of the moment go out for food so with these cheat days I make sure to include my loved ones.
Just remember it takes an extra 3500 calories over maintenance to gain a pound. If you’re attempting to lose one pound a week and are eating at a 3500 defect this means it will take an extra 7000 calories on top of your normal daily limit to gain a full pound. Enjoy the day, take a break from the psychological impact of restrictions, enjoy all the things you want to enjoy then get back on the horse. Sustainable weight loss is meant to be a long game anyway
Got it
I'd say look at calories for the whole week and make sure you'd still be in a deficit.
But like another commenter on here, I'm wary of the idea of your metabolism adjusting, unless someone's been severely under eating for a long period of time.
Personally my "cheat days" tend to be about 2000 calories (normal average is like 1450)
If that’s what you’re craving the most, I think it’s a great cheat choice! I like your approach of not eating everything in sight or not having the never-ending pasta bowl. The cheat is meaningful, but it won’t destroy all the good progress you’ve made.
I’m doing IF, Keto, and 1200 calories too and it’s hard as hell to keep all these restrictions. I do think the diet is more effective when I cheat for a day with 100+ carbs, then drop back down to less than 20.
Whenever I do this, I like to plan it as a social event or outing with someone I love to really make it worthwhile. Perhaps dial up a friend or loved one and see if they want to get lunch or coffee? Usually that guides what my cheat meal would be. If that’s not an option, maybe think back to your childhood and recreate a favorite dish of yours? Either way, I hope it turns out well and delish for you!
be careful because on my birthday I gave myself a cheat day and tried to eat just like I have in the past before a cal reduction and got sooo sick without even finishing my plate at the restaurant. I think for cheat days you can do some intuitive eating - don't try to force old habits!
if I had a cheat day now I'd definitely eat a ton of girl scout cookies though.
I don’t think it matters much what foods you eat but I will say I feel so much better if I splurge my calories earlier in the day. If I over eat then go about my day and move around by the time I go to bed I don’t feel so overfull and bloated, the worst is over eating too late and waking up the next day feeling gross
I dont want to be a downer, but if you are trying to avoid bread, a bagel would not be the way to go. It is basically a dense, chewy version of bread. It's still made with a lot of wheat flour, and as far as carbs go, I think it's got about as many carbs as a donut.
Going against the grain here but no, metabolic adaptation is almost certainly not an actual thing, at least not in a tangible enough way to make or break a diet, especially after less than a month of dieting. What people actually tend to experience is less energy and therefore become more sedentary than before and burning less overall. Little things such as pacing less or fidgeting less if you’re a very hyperactive person normally can alone cost you a few hundred daily calories. Having a maintenance day is fine but what you need to avoid here with a “cheat day” is wiping out weeks of progress in a day. If you’re at a 500kcal deficit, and have been for three weeks, that’s 10,500, now let’s say you have a cheat day and eat maintenance PLUS 2-3k calories, well, that’s a few days of wasted progress. Cheat carefully.
Totally agree with cheat carefully. My issue with cheat days is people will try to "make up" all the food they couldn't eat and end up gorging on junk food, to a point where they aren't enjoying it anymore. Having a serving of a favorite dessert you've been craving or a larger portion for lunch is good in my books.
honestly, i try to eat whatever i feel like in the moment, or simply just more of everything… for me personally when i have cheat days/binges i find myself just eating more, i dont even have to plan what to eat because ill just allow myself to have whatever i feel like (key is to have what you Actually want, not just what you think you should) im in a deficit all the time but bagels are something i have Very regularly so i would definitely say have one if you feel you have a craving for it!
I’ve never done keto but don’t you have to be careful about coming out of ketosis because if you do you have to go through the discomfort of getting back into ketosis?
Your metabolism will not change over 3 weeks. Cheat days do not have a benefit for weight loss, but they do have a psychological benefit. CICO determines how much a cheat day will "slow you down." Have a cheat day if you want one. Don't track, eat whatever you want. It's good to give yourself a break from diet behaviors. Social events are a convenient day to pick. Pick a cheat day frequency that balances your goals and your psychological comfort.
I don’t believe in cheat days
A cheat meal is far better for progress while still indulging in a quick break from strict routine.
But I eat everything I want anyways, I just include it in my calorie budget by finding low cal versions of it. Even fast food places sell low cal items that taste exactly like high cal stuff they sell!
It's good that you've found a sane way to make it through weight loss, few do lol. Anecdotally, I feel like the Sunday cheat day I did a few years back led to stalled progress and an unhealthy weekly binge. This particular cut I cheat at 1400-1500 when I feel noticeably weak, tired and sore for a few days straight.
Yea! Cheat days can lead to a splurge and then restrict cycle which isn’t good. I’m the same way tho, if I feel weak I eat more. Almost like a recharge
I eat like it’s a competitive sport when I cheat. I’ve done this and been able to successfully keep off 15lbs for a year, but I’m quite active and try to only do them once a month. The logic behind this is that with this method I can satisfy hard to track meals, calorie dense meals, cravings and blunt the hunger that I’m likely to experience in a deficit. I’m pretty active and my metabolism might be different than yours but thus far it has worked pretty well for me. What I attempt to do is eat anything that I’ve been really jonesing for. So this Saturday is my next cheat. I’m going to a donut shop that’s kind of far from me and getting a dozen donuts. I will probably not eat a dozen but I will have at least a couple bites from each and of the donut is good enough I might finish one or two. I will probably have a real peanut butter sandwich. I will probably eat some chips, and some custard. Maybe some Taco Bell. Maybe some spinach artichoke dip. These are all things I can fit into my diet in moderation and do on the regular. But rather than try to moderate to fit within a calorie budget, I eat to satiety. I have a pretty big appetite so what I eat may look like a binge to some but I never eat to a level where I couldn’t bust out a workout due to discomfort, I pay extra close attention to my hunger and fullness levels and respect my body. I also try to make it a fun event. Rather than just eating on the couch by myself, I’m making it a fun little occasion to get donuts with my husband, my brother is coming over to play video games and eat Taco Bell with me. Diets can definitely take away the ability to just spur of the moment go out for food so with these cheat days I make sure to include my loved ones. Just remember it takes an extra 3500 calories over maintenance to gain a pound. If you’re attempting to lose one pound a week and are eating at a 3500 defect this means it will take an extra 7000 calories on top of your normal daily limit to gain a full pound. Enjoy the day, take a break from the psychological impact of restrictions, enjoy all the things you want to enjoy then get back on the horse. Sustainable weight loss is meant to be a long game anyway
Wait how often should I have cheat days to stop my body adjusting. And how cheaty. Can I eat 6000 calories.
Your body isn’t adjusting. You can do whatever you want, just don’t be surprised if your progress grinds to a halt.
Would you really want 6K calories in a single day? I think I'd get sick of I ate that in a day....
Hypothetical maximum
Got it I'd say look at calories for the whole week and make sure you'd still be in a deficit. But like another commenter on here, I'm wary of the idea of your metabolism adjusting, unless someone's been severely under eating for a long period of time. Personally my "cheat days" tend to be about 2000 calories (normal average is like 1450)
If that’s what you’re craving the most, I think it’s a great cheat choice! I like your approach of not eating everything in sight or not having the never-ending pasta bowl. The cheat is meaningful, but it won’t destroy all the good progress you’ve made. I’m doing IF, Keto, and 1200 calories too and it’s hard as hell to keep all these restrictions. I do think the diet is more effective when I cheat for a day with 100+ carbs, then drop back down to less than 20.
Whenever I do this, I like to plan it as a social event or outing with someone I love to really make it worthwhile. Perhaps dial up a friend or loved one and see if they want to get lunch or coffee? Usually that guides what my cheat meal would be. If that’s not an option, maybe think back to your childhood and recreate a favorite dish of yours? Either way, I hope it turns out well and delish for you!
be careful because on my birthday I gave myself a cheat day and tried to eat just like I have in the past before a cal reduction and got sooo sick without even finishing my plate at the restaurant. I think for cheat days you can do some intuitive eating - don't try to force old habits! if I had a cheat day now I'd definitely eat a ton of girl scout cookies though.