Quote:
Originally Posted by rubecube
Yeah I can do gin and sodas which are pretty low calorie drinks but once I'm hammed it's a battle to not stop and get a bag of chips on the way home. Actually the next day is usually worse. I don't really get wicked hangovers but I usually get super lazy and just order a pizza. Mind you, when I do that it's usually all I eat over the course of the day so it's really only about 2400 calories which is right in line with what my intake should be to maintain my weight but I still feel the shame.
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FWIW, I have a cheat day once a week, which always includes a fair number of higher calorie beers (I typically prefer the higher ABV beers, which have way more calories). That said, I eat a very clean and balanced diet the rest of the week and will not drink at all (probably 2500 calories/day). I have never really counted the number of calories I eat on a Saturday, but it is undoubtedly a lot. I have been at this a long time now and the net gain for me has always been zero. I know the suggestion is that 3500 calories over your requirements will equal 1lb of weight gain, but I am certain that being 3500 calories over in a single day or evening will not have the same negative results as being in a 3500 calorie surplus over the course of a week or so- the body will simply not be able to metabolize 3500 additional calories in a single day as it would a smaller number of calories for 7 days straight.
I know the idea of flexible dieting, or IIFYM, is very popular at the moment, but a balanced and clean diet for 6 days, followed by single day of just forgetting about monitoring anything is much more rewarding imo. That said, I am not interested in losing or gaining weight at the moment, so don't have to be really worried about a cheat day preventing me from losing. I really wouldn't recommend regular cheat days for those trying to lose weight. Certainly should still have them, but maybe way less frequently.