To cheat or not to cheat..

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  • shadowfax_c11
    shadowfax_c11 Posts: 1,942 Member
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    No cheating and no depriving. Work the things you enjoy into your daily/weekly routine within your calorie goals. Be determined to weigh measure and plan every bit of food you enjoy. Use exercise to earn extra calories to spend on higher calorie treats.
  • DaveAkeman
    DaveAkeman Posts: 296 Member
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    I'm beginning to lean more and more away from "cheat days." Whether it is planned or not, to overcome a cheat day, you have to deprive yourself on another day(s). Feeling deprived can lead to giving up.

    When I go over, I don't deprive myself on following days . . . I just get back on track for my daily goals. I figure if I mess up one day, that means I'm going to take one day longer to reach my goals.

    There's two ways to look at this:

    1) I am on day 106 of a 100-pound weight loss; or

    2) I am on day 1 of a 29.4-pound weight loss journey.

    I prefer to look at it the second way.
  • KBmoments
    KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
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    jaga13 wrote: »
    sullus wrote: »
    TR0berts wrote: »
    jaga13 wrote: »
    I'd rather work those cravings into my regular diet, in sane portions, rather than potentially undo all my hard work in one day.


    Yep.

    You can't undo all your hard work in one day. If you are eating for 1.5 lbs per week of weight loss (appx 5250 cal per week/750 cal a day deficit) and pick one day where you eat to 250 cals over maintenance (1000 cal more than a normal day for you), You won't undo anything. That puts your deficit to 4250 cal for the week. You'll lose 1.25 lbs this week instead of 1.5.

    Over a year, it means that you will lose 65.5 lbs instead of 78

    I am eating for .5 lb per week because I am short and close to goal. So it's pretty easy to undo SOME hard work, I should say. Obviously not ALL :) If I create a 250 deficit Monday-Friday (1250 total deficit) and then eat 2750 on Sunday (which is 1250 calories over maintence), then yes, I've undone my hard work for the week. It would be easy to overeat when there is cake :) I pick and chose when it is worth it, and allow small, regular indulgences. LAst weekend I ate way over maintenance for my birthday. Looking at the entire week, I will still lose weight, but it will be less than .5 lb. Totally worth if for my birthday, but I don't treat every weekend like that.

    I'm in the same boat.. If I am only eating to lose .5 lbs a week, I can definitely undo my hard work that week in only one day...makes you think twice!
  • SergeantSausage
    SergeantSausage Posts: 1,673 Member
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    Rule Number 1: If you feel the need to cheat, you're doin ' it wrong.

    Rule Number 2: The only thing you're cheating is yourself.


  • forgtmenot
    forgtmenot Posts: 860 Member
    edited May 2015
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    I don't do "cheat days". I eat about 75-80% nutrient dense foods and 20-25% I leave for fatty foods like ice cream, cookies, chips, etc. every day. A day for me is something like this:
    Breakfast: plain Greek yogurt with fruit and granola with a cup of coffee Or sometimes I'll have eggs and a fruit.
    Snack: something healthy like fruit or low calorie popcorn
    Lunch: lean meat and a veg
    Dinner: lean meat, starch, veggie
    Dessert: ice cream ( the good full fat kind like chocolate moose tracks)

    If I want something higher in calorie I might eat a smaller breakfast or lunch to save calories for it, like one day last week I wanted cheesecake which was 360 calories, more than I usually have for dessert, so I ate a very small lunch to allow calories for that.

    You will learn that your calories are valuable and you don't want to waste them on just any old McDonald's cheeseburger, you'll want to save them for something you really want. You don't need a whole day to do that, just set aside enough calories for that item and work the rest of your meals around them. It helps me to feel less deprived.

    Or if you really NEED a cheat day, save your excess calories until the end of the week and log all of your cheat day but still make sure it doesn't put you over your weekly allowance.
  • TimothyFish
    TimothyFish Posts: 4,925 Member
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    DaveAkeman wrote: »
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    I'm beginning to lean more and more away from "cheat days." Whether it is planned or not, to overcome a cheat day, you have to deprive yourself on another day(s). Feeling deprived can lead to giving up.

    When I go over, I don't deprive myself on following days . . . I just get back on track for my daily goals. I figure if I mess up one day, that means I'm going to take one day longer to reach my goals.

    There's two ways to look at this:

    1) I am on day 106 of a 100-pound weight loss; or

    2) I am on day 1 of a 29.4-pound weight loss journey.

    I prefer to look at it the second way.

    That only works when you are in weight loss, because you're already depriving yourself. Once you move into maintenance, those cheat day begin to accumulate and you either deprive yourself later or you regain the weight. If the idea is to make weight loss as much like maintenance will be as possible, then we'd be better off without cheat days.
  • MercuryBlue
    MercuryBlue Posts: 886 Member
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    I don't do cheat days because I find that, once I get that ball rolling, I can't stop. It's like, I do fine with "deprivation", but if I get into the "cheat day" mindset, I wind up going way overboard. I allow myself the occasional treat here and there, as long as I have the calories for it (so I don't completely go crazy) though.
  • KBmoments
    KBmoments Posts: 193 Member
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    DaveAkeman wrote: »
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    I'm beginning to lean more and more away from "cheat days." Whether it is planned or not, to overcome a cheat day, you have to deprive yourself on another day(s). Feeling deprived can lead to giving up.

    When I go over, I don't deprive myself on following days . . . I just get back on track for my daily goals. I figure if I mess up one day, that means I'm going to take one day longer to reach my goals.

    There's two ways to look at this:

    1) I am on day 106 of a 100-pound weight loss; or

    2) I am on day 1 of a 29.4-pound weight loss journey.

    I prefer to look at it the second way.

    That only works when you are in weight loss, because you're already depriving yourself. Once you move into maintenance, those cheat day begin to accumulate and you either deprive yourself later or you regain the weight. If the idea is to make weight loss as much like maintenance will be as possible, then we'd be better off without cheat days.

    I agree - I'm thinking if you are in maintenance, that you will have to 'make up' at least a little bit for a big 'cheat' day or you will gain weight!
  • RobWilson107
    RobWilson107 Posts: 4 Member
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    I do a once per week "cheat" meal or a few drinks.....Usually ice cream or wine.....sometimes at the same time....lol
  • petey200745601
    petey200745601 Posts: 14 Member
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    I've cheated once big time in two weeks. Had Ben and Jerry's. Other than that I've limited small things in my diet like one slice of pizza.. I've hit my target everyday though. I feel like I'm losing weight pretty slow though for as big as I am.

    I've lost 6 pounds in a little over a week. I know that's good, but I'm 330 pounds and have worked out a decent amount. Maybe someone could take a look at my diary? I know I don't eat the best for dinner, but right now I have to eat what is made, we are very low income.
  • SuggaD
    SuggaD Posts: 1,369 Member
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    No, no, no to the cheat days! Just plan. And stay active. Eat moderately and get some exercise. Better yet, find a sport you love and pursue it. That is a true lifestyle change.
  • DaveAkeman
    DaveAkeman Posts: 296 Member
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    TimothyFish wrote: »
    DaveAkeman wrote: »
    TimothyFish wrote: »
    I'm beginning to lean more and more away from "cheat days." Whether it is planned or not, to overcome a cheat day, you have to deprive yourself on another day(s). Feeling deprived can lead to giving up.

    When I go over, I don't deprive myself on following days . . . I just get back on track for my daily goals. I figure if I mess up one day, that means I'm going to take one day longer to reach my goals.

    There's two ways to look at this:

    1) I am on day 106 of a 100-pound weight loss; or

    2) I am on day 1 of a 29.4-pound weight loss journey.

    I prefer to look at it the second way.

    That only works when you are in weight loss, because you're already depriving yourself. Once you move into maintenance, those cheat day begin to accumulate and you either deprive yourself later or you regain the weight. If the idea is to make weight loss as much like maintenance will be as possible, then we'd be better off without cheat days.

    That's a very good point.

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