I’ve never liked that term “cheat day”. It insinuates that you’re doing something deceitful and underhanded. Just take a look at how Merriam-Webster defines the word “cheat”:
- to deprive of something valuable by the use of deceit or fraud
- to influence or lead by deceit, trick, or artifice
- to elude or thwart by or as if by outwitting
- to practice fraud or trickery
- to violate rules dishonestly
Wait.
So you mean to tell me that if I kick my OWN ass all week long, getting up at the crack of dawn to abuse myself with tortuous cardio and weights, and pre-plan my healthy meals to eat clean ALL FREAKING WEEK – if I decide to do those things repeatedly for many days in a row, and then at some point after those many days decide to eat a few cookies or load up my plate for a damn change, or order some takeout – THAT is called cheating?
I worked hard on my fitness all dang week. So if I go into the kitchen right now and grab a slice of pumpkin pie out the fridge (yes, it’s really in there right now unless somebody already ate it), I’m supposedly “practicing fraud and trickery” against myself? I’m “violating rules of dishonesty”? I’m “eluding and thwarting”?
I’m cheating?
Dude. I don’t think so.
To hell with a cheat day. That’s NOT in my vocabulary. It tricks the mind into thinking you’re doing something wrong. Giving yourself permission to indulge in a controlled fashion is NOT cheating. It’s called moderation. It’s called living. It’s called having balance and enjoying life.
But it’s NOT cheating.
Easter is here and that quite possibly means candies and chocolates and a BIG special dinner. Greedy-eating opportunities await. Isn’t that exciting!?
So live a little, ya know? Give yourself permission to indulge and then get right back to your regularly scheduled fitness frenzy as usual. So who’s with me on this one?
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Miz says
April 22, 2011 at 6:20 amAMEN TO THIS.
around here it is just called a day.
the next one might be totally different—but theres no cheating around here either.
Miz recently posted..Happy Good to be home Friday!
Coco says
April 22, 2011 at 8:20 amI never liked “cheat” either. It piles on to that good/bad thinking about food/food choices that can be so destructive.
Coco recently posted..Looking Back On 10 Years of Running
Emma says
April 22, 2011 at 9:03 am*BOTH HANDS IN THE AIR* I totally agree. I have finally stopped thinking that i am going off or on diets, and that cheat day phrase just brings up all that foolishness all over again!
skippymom says
April 22, 2011 at 9:36 amCompletely agree. Nicely said Josie.
And I cannot wait for Easter Dinner….grilled lamb chops, grilled asparagus…oh, ho, ho!and jelly beans. Love me some jelly beans.
Now please explain why there is pumpkin pie in your fridge. No complaints, mind you – it is my favorite – but, uh…you kind of have the wrong holiday. giggle
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Yum Yucky says
April 22, 2011 at 9:27 pmI’m about to go check on the pie in the fridge!! Hold please…. sooo. I’m back. The pie is gone. Somebody ate it. Grrr!
Tanya says
April 22, 2011 at 9:48 amHello! raises hand here. No cheat days for me – in fact, I’m of the school of thought that you have a little of the good stuff every day, then no “cheat days” necessary – but that’s just me yo!
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444 says
April 22, 2011 at 10:53 amYou go ahead and have your “whatever you want to call it” day. It’s “back on the wagon” for me. My eating habits have descended to that of a grazing pig. I’m going to send you a pic so you know what I mean.
444 recently posted..Tuesdays update- posted with Sundays date
JourneyBeyondSurvival says
April 22, 2011 at 12:16 pmAmen and amen. Can we get a hallelujah!
DareToBecome says
April 22, 2011 at 1:36 pmOh well said! I don’t do “cheat day” either. I eat what I want and practice moderation. But I’ll be damned if I’m going to run 18 miles and then say I “can’t” eat something.
Yum Yucky says
April 22, 2011 at 9:25 pmoh my gosh. those 18 miles. you can have WHATEVER you wants! 😉
Jody - Fit at 53 says
April 22, 2011 at 1:51 pmWith you & as many of us always say, enjoy & get right back to it. It is when it goes on for days & days that the prob starts. It’s called moderation.
It’s called living. It’s called having balance and enjoying life – yes, I am all for that! I don’t do cheat days. I plan for my treats & if I go off “plan” & enjoy anyway, I am not worried as I know I will be right back to it!
Have a wonderful Easter!
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thirteenlbs says
April 22, 2011 at 5:40 pmYa. One of my terrible issues is that I can be VERY black and white. So thinking of things this way is super helpful.
charlotte says
April 22, 2011 at 6:15 pmI totally agree! It’s just a semantic game but it makes a huge difference in how I think about it.
www.bossygirl1980.com, says
April 22, 2011 at 8:18 pmI’d feel the same way if I didnt cheat on multiple days…LOL
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Sheri says
April 22, 2011 at 8:32 pmI’m so with you!!! It amazes me how guilty I feel after a bad day of eating, but like you said I earned it? Weird, thought but perhaps better than think food is evil.
I work hard too and its nice to be able to breath 1 or 2 days and do whatever I want.
Sheri recently posted..What Is Your Goal
Melissa says
April 22, 2011 at 9:04 pmYES YES YES! Why would I cheat on myself? I would never do myself like that. I’m too awesome to be treated that way! 😀
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Yum Yucky says
April 22, 2011 at 9:23 pmhaha! you got it girl!
CH says
April 22, 2011 at 9:20 pmYes yes yes! I regularly indulge in moderation, having nice desserts a couple days a week. It keeps me sane. I gave up chocolate for Lent and am going to have a little dessert FEAST this Sunday. I am soooo excited!
CH recently posted..Problem-Solution
Tonyne @ Unlikely Success Story says
April 22, 2011 at 10:12 pmPreach on sister friend! I hate the term cheat day! I also hate it when people say they are “being bad” by eating a cookie. Same thing! If you work hard, enjoy the little things once in awhile!
Tonyne @ Unlikely Success Story recently posted..Day 5 – Shrimp and Grits!
Quix says
April 22, 2011 at 10:13 pmI’m so with you. Food and drink is food and drink, and as long as most of my choices are healthy, I’m at peace with the fact that some of them aren’t. And in general, I earn it with lots of miles. 🙂 And hey, we’re doing better than the majority of peoples!
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444 says
April 22, 2011 at 11:03 pmWhen I feel like having a treat, I buy TWO of those chocolate pie slices from BK (have you seen how small they are?) and I put them together on one nice plate and blend the edges so that it looks like one big piece. Then I eat it up (with a dessert fork, so that the bites seem bigger) and enjoy it, and I don’t call it “cheating” or “being bad.”
I think YY is going to yell at me, though, because I divulged that my scientific weight-control method is “going to bed hungry.” Uh… but it works! 🙂
444 recently posted..Tuesdays update- posted with Sundays date
lisa says
April 23, 2011 at 11:41 amim with ya! I dont like the concept of a cheat day. it feels as if, that one day of the week, you dont have to exercise and eat whatever you want, and that to me is not a healthy mentality.
id rather just give myself a small treat every day. especially in the form of cookies :p
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Allan says
April 23, 2011 at 4:16 pmCheat days are awesome. Just yesterday, after a stressful week of dieting and exercise I had a steak, macaroni and cheese and an apple pie. Moderation of course, I only have it on Friday nights. I am sure that the weight will still come off, as the 15,000 calories I ate yesterday were burned in the gym. Right…
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Cassie says
April 23, 2011 at 10:37 pmi’m so with you on this.. there’s no such thing as cheating when it comes to eating..
Cassie recently posted..To Diet or To Not Diet
Wifey says
April 27, 2011 at 7:38 pmWord up! No “cheating” over here either. I’ve been going hardcore for my birthday goal but soon I will allow some things I want in moderation. Love the way clean eating has changed my thinking.
Winks & Smiles,
Wifey
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