To state that you cannot lose weight..

[HowToBringABlushToTheSnow]

...if you have a weekly ‘cheat day’.

I’ve been trying to shift half a stone for a good couple of years. I’d lose the weight and then indulge at the weekend (nothing too ridiculous though). Decided to cut out my beloved couple of (large) glasses of red and chocolate (say half a large bar) and sweets (half a bag) and toast and bread, rice etc that I’d eat on a Saturday and the weight has been dropping off since I made this change. I haven’t changed anything else, I still do HIIT and lift weights.

Despite not being thrilled that I’ve had to relinquish these lovely things, the joy at stepping on the scales and seeing the pounds disappearing is worth it.

I’m 46 and very peri meno, plus I’m on HRT, so I have everything against me 😡😂

It depends solely on what your caloric total is across the week. If you have eaten under maintenance by the end of the week then you will lose weight. And if your chest day is so calorific that you eat back all of the calories you’ve avoided eating during the week and end up with a total excess of calories, you’ll gain.

My ‘cheat day’ was always maintenance calories so it didn’t lead to weight gain and I continued to lose. After six days of eating 1300 calories, 17-1800 calories on a Sunday felt very decadent!

Yes, as pp says, it really depends on what your levels are across the whole week. Of you're eating right up to your limit every other day then cheating once a week, overall for the week you aren't in deficit and you won't lose.

I have a relatively low cal target (1300). So if I have a bit of chocolate in the evening once or twice, overall in the week I'll still be in deficit compared to my TDEE.

Gosh, no, I’d always cheat to make life bearable. Currently on one small meal a day to try and reduce the wobble before I need to wear a mother of bride dress. I wouldn’t have lasted a month without a day off each week.
It’s a bit like Lent and having Sunday’s off.

@KarmaIsAnAngel good point. I definitely wasn’t consciously counting calories on a Saturday despite never going ‘mad’ really. It’s amazing how just one curry can be v fattening

It depends on so many things. I lost 2 1/2 stone a few years ago (and kept it off) only counting calories during the week, and allowing myself more freedom at the weekend. And even then I wasn't necessarily strict during the week if I was meeting friends etc. I was doing HIIT 5 times a week though, and commuted via train so lots of walking which helped

I have cheat weekends every week and have been loosing 1-2lb a week steadily for 6 months now (I’m just over 3stone down). I have PCOS and knee/back issues so live a pretty sedentary lifestyle. I don’t want to drop the Saturday takeaway/Sunday roast. So to compensate during the week I aim for 1000cal a day. I keep on top of the protein so I’m very rarely hungry and save all treats for the weekend. I try to have a low cal/carb lunch on Saturdays (eggs & veggie type meals) and nothing else aside the roast at lunch on Sunday which helps. I think as long as the total weekly calories put you in a deficit it doesn’t matter to much how you spread them out.

I don't like the term "cheat day" tbh.

I have weekly day off counting and it's working well.

If you are looking for tips or support there is a weight loss section with some amazing threads

I disagree (or it’s contra to my experience, anyway). I lost 25kg doing 5:2 - 85 down to 60kg. I was strict on 2 days but wouldn’t calorie count on the others.

I'm 10 years older than you, definitely post meno and not on HRT.

I can lose weight slowly and steadily even with some treats at the weekend, one glass of white last night, pain au chocolate this morning and lemon drizzle tomorrow as long as I run 5k twice a week.
I work ft plus single mum and do all the housework, decorating, lawn mowing etc, and aim for 2000 calories most days.

You know your body best.

I lost 5 stone with a cheat meal once a week- that cheat meal was a pretty calorie heavy meal as well.

I am dieting now and today I am having a take away for DH's birthday. I restricted my calories a bit more yesterday and I will do the same over the next few days so it evens out.

I agree the idea of a cheat day is damaging. I look at calories overall and how much I enjoy certain foods then make decisions each week. Ate two mini cheesecakes over this last week plus a Dominoes and i’ve still lost. Rest of the time i’ve made less fattening choices but don’t feel i’ve cheated when i’ve had stuff that is higher in calories and lower in nutritional value.

If you need a 'cheat day' then you're doing it wrong anyway. Eating shouldn't be a miserable experience, especially if there's no other factors other than trying to lose weight/be healthier. Food is not the enemy, fad diets are. Obviously, if alcohol had a severe detrimental effect on your life, give it up. If it means the difference between half a stone, life is too damn short. Have the wine.

I'm not wild about the 'cheating' terminology either (nor any of the sin type ones either)

Yes it does get harder as TDEE falls wth age, but if you keep your activity levels up you can eat in a pretty similar way to always.

My rule of thumb is that running 10k cover half a bottle of wine, and running a Half for pizza

I’ve just lost 2 stone while still having a takeaway on a Saturday and chocolate everyday. I think you’re underestimating what you were eating on a Saturday if you were failing to lose any weight. 250ml of red wine is 228 calories but were your glasses bigger? . A small bar of chocolate around 200 ( you say half a big bar ). What sweets and how many ? How much rice and bread?

I have to disagree with you actually OP

I am 59 and have found it increasingly difficult to keep my weight under control the last few years. I am pretty active - hikes, 5km runs, weight training - but I gained about 8lb over the last year or so which have made all my size 12 clothes uncomfortably tight.

I have been doing a combination of the 16:8 and the 5:2. I eat 600 calories 2 days a week, 1400-1500 calories 4 days a week and I have one cheat day when I eat what i want and have some alcolhol. I have lost 10lb in the last 3 months.

A whole cheat day isn't a good idea for me because I can binge eat an incredible amount so a day would put me back weeks. My treat ( I don't say cheat because I feel like it's making certain food taboo Which isn't good) is a bar of chocolate every Friday. Doing a You Tube beginners workout each day has made a massive difference though. I have a waist again & can see my old shape returning.

I would say some people can.
I cant.

I can - 10lbs so far - round about 2-3lbs a week but my cheat day doesn't involve over eating - I try to stick to 800 calories in the week with minimal cabs - cheat day I have toast, might have a fishfinger butty for tea and a couple of vodkas - but no huge meals - plus I do a lot of exercise

Isn’t this partly down to perspective? A couple of large glasses of wine is nearly a bottle, plus half a bar of chocolate, that is “going mad” in one day to many people whether or not they’re trying to lose weight.

It depends on the "cheat" day. If it's 4k+ calories, of course not. If it's just around/over the allowance and averages out, then it's fine.

Two 250ml glasses of red wine = 456 calories
100g milk chocolate = 534 calories
Half a bag of Haribo = 327 calories

Add in extra rice, toast etc. and it's easy to have eaten back the rest of the week's calorie deficit.

@Chocoqueen

It depends on so many things. I lost 2 1/2 stone a few years ago (and kept it off) only counting calories during the week, and allowing myself more freedom at the weekend. And even then I wasn't necessarily strict during the week if I was meeting friends etc. I was doing HIIT 5 times a week though, and commuted via train so lots of walking which helped

I’ve always been super active, I do HIIT, lift heavy weights, ride my horse, I’m doing some form of proper fitness everyday. It makes no difference to my weight, although it does keep me toned / feeling strong

@currahee

Two 250ml glasses of red wine = 456 calories 100g milk chocolate = 534 calories Half a bag of Haribo = 327 calories

Add in extra rice, toast etc. and it's easy to have eaten back the rest of the week's calorie deficit.

Exactly. That’s why ‘cheat days’ just don’t work for me 🤷🏻‍♀️

I know I can maintain if I have a cheat day. But lose weight, no, just doesn’t work for me

I’ve always seen cheat days as a way for body builders etc who are trying to maintain body/muscle mass to indulge in food that isn’t nutritionally dense. You know, not much protein, vitamins and micro nutrients etc.

Cheat days with weight loss don’t work IME.

eat in calorie deficit with nutritionally dense food most of the time and have a meal or two that’s still within your calorie goal that isn’t nutritionally dense.

Fwiw my daily calorie target is between 1500-1800 calories per day.

I use a target range because I’m human and the PMS need to feed is intense. and it gives me more leeway in how I eat.

If I hit the 1500 cal every day I lose 1.5lbs a week on average. If I hit the 1800cal it’s around .3lb on average (this is based on my stats over the last couple of weeks of eating at the higher end and previous weeks of eating at the lower end) of course I don’t increase or decrease my cal intake based on my activity. I do active stuff as and when and right now it’s not a priority (can’t do the stuff I love and is best for me like swimming)

I think that's more because of how extravagant your cheat day was.

Yesterday I had a cheeseburger and fries, and a bar of chocolate on my treat day. My other meal was courgetti, chicken and veg. So overall I clocked in at 1500 calories. Felt like a great but didn't gorge, otherwise I'm not addressing my binge eating habits.

TBf that is a fairly restrained cheat day in someways, but eating an extra 1000 calories (which it looks like yours was) plus carbby meals was never gonna to do wonders!