Is it worth starting a diet when I have to have a cheat day in a weeks time?

[hberry]

Hi everyone, when I diet I usually stay consistent for 2 weeks then have 1-2 days off, sometimes 3 weeks. It’s my birthday week so I have lots of different plans with people, after this weekend, I have another set of plans for it in around 10 days time, which consists of lots of wine and 3 course meal. I know this is trivial and there’s much bigger things happening in the world so it’s not exactly deep, but I have a huge family event coming up in May and want to fit into an expensive dress I’ve had for a while for it. I’ve gained some weight due to new medication and comfort eating (I have major stressors in my life currently which a lot of life changes) so for people into diet and fitness -is it worth starting a diet when I have to have a cheat day in 10 days? Will these efforts be for nothing due to it being so soon after starting weight loss?

I think maybe you need to change your way of thinking, OP. Why not think of it as "healthy living/eating", and then one day doesn't make a huge difference.

It needs to be a lifestyle change, it’s a meal out it’s not an entire cheat day. Consistency is key. Starting now is better than waiting.

Just as you don't lose weight by "dieting" for a day, you won't gain weight by having one "cheat" day.

I’ve never “dieted” so take this with a grain of salt, but…

Yes of course it’s worth it! If you reduce your energy intake and/or expend more energy, it will contribute to weight loss. It’s basic maths.

Don’t be a perfectionist, would be my advice. Best of luck.

If you were trying to save a fiver a day, but you had a big day out planned in ten days that was going to cost you £30, would it be worth you saving beforehand?

If you do save, you have £20 left.

If you don't save, you will be £30 worse off than you are now.

Does that analogy help?

Would you be in a better place weight wise if you ate whatever you wanted for those 10 days, and had a cheat "day" on day 11 too?

Or if you reduced your intake overall for those 11 days and had a meal out at the end of it?

Think differently about food...

I really like this point.

Just take it one day at a time, don't try and make up for it by starving either before or after the big day, just focus on eating the best, healthiest food you can every single day. They say what we eat today decides our future ... So focus on that.

Hope this helps and really good luck :)

I think this is an issue with the mentality of a cheat day. Of course it is worth starting changing your lifestyle at any time and it won’t be worth nothing unless you let that one day turn into 2,3,4,5 etc days off your plan regularly.

However with a lifestyle change I now don’t choose to go on what I would feel (personally) is a binge of food and booze. I tend to frame it as an ‘off plan’ type of day and even then I am still mindful of not going too OTT as I don’t like feeling sick, hungover or over full. That is just me personally it’s not to do with calories or fear of weight gain and de-railing a plan, my desire to do this has diminished. Like I would choose low cal G&T now instead of wine and I know I won’t feel as rough the next day, and I would probably choose something from a menu that was fish or chicken based with veg. Then I kind of feel more satisfied that I am not off course/out of control and will feel ok the next day.

Of course you can eat better and slightly reduced your calories then have one, planned, day where you eat more and probably, net, be down.
But that's a different way of thinking to the all or nothing restriction and 'cheating'