Are cheat days ok?
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I recommend logging it and not judging yourself. Why log 6 days per week and "cheat" on the 7th if you don't know if you're still in a deficit overall? I don't know about anyone else, but I can eat 2000 calories of pizza if I wanted to (let's face it, I didn't get to be 100 lbs overweight by not knowing how to cram my maw with calories).
Eat pizza, it's cool. Just track the calories, so you'll know you're still in a deficit overall.0 -
I'm of the opinion that if you need a cheat day it's a sign that your diet is to strict.
But I guess it all depends on what you define a cheat day as.
Can't you fit pizza and a little ice cream in? Maybe exercise more to increase your calories? Or is the problem you want a lot of pizza and icecream?
I haven't had icecream in a while but I regularly have pizza, I don't call it a cheat day cause it fits me calories.
Maybe look for a lower calorie pizza.0 -
SingRunTing wrote: »Why not fit pizza and ice cream into your calorie goal? You might not be able to eat everything you want in one day, but you should be able to fit stuff in once in a while.
Heck I have ice cream every day. 1 serving is usually 150-170 calories. It's really not that hard to fit that in.
It depends on what you consider a "serving." Some of us struggle with hunger, so a calorie dense "serving" of 1 cup of ice cream is going to do nothing but leave us wanting more. If you are talking about pizza... I can easily scarf down a large pizza with 2,600 calories and still want to eat another.
My point: It depends on the individual. Some people can "fit" pizza and ice cream into their calories and be satisfied. Others are better off staying away from it entirely. Just figure out what works for you.0 -
I eat a little less all week so I can have a lovely night out with my hubby. Try banking your calories, track them weekly not daily.0
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I try to stay on a clean eating approach, and was losing weight steadily while allowing myself a planned "cheat meal" weekly that I counted for. I was losing at a steady pace until labor day and I have gotten derailed as a weekend of splurges have snowballed into a month of poor choices to often, and over calorie goals. Back on track today and staying that way. I will still make allowances for the food I want but going to try to save a few extra calories daily to allow for a bigger splurge on weekend while staying OP. I agree harder on weekends when everyone else eating whatever sounds good. Going to see if this helps me. Congrats on taking first steps to health it is hard but there is a lot of motivation and support here.( Even on my worst splurge days this month I counted for everything no matter how ugly the truth was. That is progress for me, before I would not log, not visit site and it would snowball into longer periods of unhealthy eating and weight gain.) I have been holding steady no real gain or losses this month so time to get back on track.
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midwesterner85 wrote: »SingRunTing wrote: »Why not fit pizza and ice cream into your calorie goal? You might not be able to eat everything you want in one day, but you should be able to fit stuff in once in a while.
Heck I have ice cream every day. 1 serving is usually 150-170 calories. It's really not that hard to fit that in.
It depends on what you consider a "serving." Some of us struggle with hunger, so a calorie dense "serving" of 1 cup of ice cream is going to do nothing but leave us wanting more. If you are talking about pizza... I can easily scarf down a large pizza with 2,600 calories and still want to eat another.
My point: It depends on the individual. Some people can "fit" pizza and ice cream into their calories and be satisfied. Others are better off staying away from it entirely. Just figure out what works for you.
Doesn't everyone want more pizza? That just seems like a lesson you need to learn. Learn to stop your self, self control, that feeling hungry isn't going to kill you. If you know you have had enough calories, ignore the feeling.
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I usually have a "treat" once a week or once every 2 weeks. I still track everything but it's nice to have something as comfort once in a while.0
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midwesterner85 wrote: »SingRunTing wrote: »Why not fit pizza and ice cream into your calorie goal? You might not be able to eat everything you want in one day, but you should be able to fit stuff in once in a while.
Heck I have ice cream every day. 1 serving is usually 150-170 calories. It's really not that hard to fit that in.
It depends on what you consider a "serving." Some of us struggle with hunger, so a calorie dense "serving" of 1 cup of ice cream is going to do nothing but leave us wanting more. If you are talking about pizza... I can easily scarf down a large pizza with 2,600 calories and still want to eat another.
My point: It depends on the individual. Some people can "fit" pizza and ice cream into their calories and be satisfied. Others are better off staying away from it entirely. Just figure out what works for you.
Doesn't everyone want more pizza? That just seems like a lesson you need to learn. Learn to stop your self, self control, that feeling hungry isn't going to kill you. If you know you have had enough calories, ignore the feeling.
You missed the point:midwesterner85 wrote: »a calorie dense "serving" of 1 cup of ice cream is going to do nothing but leave us wanting more.
Eating a small quantity does not satisfy the craving. My point is that some of us cannot "fit it into our calories" because the amount that fits our calories fails to accomplish the primary goal of satisfying a craving for that particular calorie-dense food.0 -
I don't do them. I'd just drown myself in cereal.0
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As said before, cheating myself ...thats a game Im not willing to play.. I take great pride in that. If you feel like cheating yourself, go ahead...eat that whole pizza...have that gallon of ice cream. You will be reading success stories while chowing down and cheating yourself.
Why cheat yourself? You working so hard to get to your goal. Isn't that why your here? Its returning to your old ways that brought you here in the first place.
Im sure there will be a post....why did I do that? Or... why I cant lose? Im stuck..Im giving up... Im the victim.0 -
midwesterner85 wrote: »midwesterner85 wrote: »SingRunTing wrote: »Why not fit pizza and ice cream into your calorie goal? You might not be able to eat everything you want in one day, but you should be able to fit stuff in once in a while.
Heck I have ice cream every day. 1 serving is usually 150-170 calories. It's really not that hard to fit that in.
It depends on what you consider a "serving." Some of us struggle with hunger, so a calorie dense "serving" of 1 cup of ice cream is going to do nothing but leave us wanting more. If you are talking about pizza... I can easily scarf down a large pizza with 2,600 calories and still want to eat another.
My point: It depends on the individual. Some people can "fit" pizza and ice cream into their calories and be satisfied. Others are better off staying away from it entirely. Just figure out what works for you.
Doesn't everyone want more pizza? That just seems like a lesson you need to learn. Learn to stop your self, self control, that feeling hungry isn't going to kill you. If you know you have had enough calories, ignore the feeling.
You missed the point:midwesterner85 wrote: »a calorie dense "serving" of 1 cup of ice cream is going to do nothing but leave us wanting more.
Eating a small quantity does not satisfy the craving. My point is that some of us cannot "fit it into our calories" because the amount that fits our calories fails to accomplish the primary goal of satisfying a craving for that particular calorie-dense food.
Yes, I have to avoid Ben & Jerry's S'Mores because I wouldn't stop at the putative one serving of 310 calories - a serving for me is the whole container, which is 1,240 calories, and I can't budget that in.
Low fat ice cream doesn't do it for me either.
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i don't have cheat days because I am one of those people who has a really hard time getting back on track afterwards... that said I will eat whatever I want (within calories) once I have hit my fiber and protein goals for the day. I know that some people find cheat days helpful and more power to them, but it doesn't work for me.0
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No cheat days. I had one day where I ate maintenance. I'd thought I'd do that once a week but I have to say, I like the progress I'm making and don't want to slow it. I want to have sustainable, forever weight loss, which for me means finding ways to enjoy life without wrecking my own goals and without thinking of excess food as a source of joy (I'm of the "find a way to fit it into my weekly calorie allowance" philosophy ).0
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I have a treat daily and make it fit into my allowance. Cheating to me, implies doing something wrong. I'm not.0
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Strangely enough, I've been wrestling with this question today and I've done a lot of reading on the subject today - this thread really helped.
In October I have a wedding to go to (sit down meal and evening food too, oh and alcohol), my eldest son's birthday (pizza night), my youngest son's birthday (all you can eat buffet treat for him and the family) and my birthday (you guessed it - pizza night) and they all fall within two weeks.
I loved the idea of a 'cheat meal' or a 'free meal' or a 'reward meal' or whatever you like to call it but the thought that all my work and effort over the month could be wiped out really upsets me.
I have decided I am going to take part in the pizza nights but cut back my portions drastically.
As for the wedding, I have to learn that not clearing my plates is not a sin during the daytime meal and the evening food I will be last to the buffet table rather than the first and I'm sure all the worst foods will have been taken and I can pick the healthier options from the scraps left behind. Sounds sad putting it that way but not as sad as I feel about being fat.
As for the all you can eat buffet for my son's birthday, I know I will be hitting the fresh water hard as well as the salad bar and perhaps the sushi. But I think the barbecue meats and oriental dishes with their sticky, rich sauces will have to be a very small part of my meal this time rather than the bulk of it and the desserts may be a more human size this time around.
I plan to try and keep within my daily allowances but know it will be difficult. On the positive side I KNOW it will be a lot less than I usually eat.
If this really is a new way of life for me rather than simply a diet I just have to accept it and learn how to incorporate these events into my weight loss plans without wiping out my hard work and effort completely (these events are the exception rather than the rule after all) - this is where the fight between the new me and the greedy pig of yesterday really begins in earnest. I'm in it for the long haul after all.0 -
sunandmoons wrote: »As said before, cheating myself ...thats a game Im not willing to play.. I take great pride in that. If you feel like cheating yourself, go ahead...eat that whole pizza...have that gallon of ice cream. You will be reading success stories while chowing down and cheating yourself.
Why cheat yourself? You working so hard to get to your goal. Isn't that why your here? Its returning to your old ways that brought you here in the first place.
Im sure there will be a post....why did I do that? Or... why I cant lose? Im stuck..Im giving up... Im the victim.
What a fantastic post. Firm but very fair.0 -
queenliz99 wrote: »I eat a little less all week so I can have a lovely night out with my hubby. Try banking your calories, track them weekly not daily.
This! I do this too, works great 0 -
"Merkavar
Doesn't everyone want more pizza? That just seems like a lesson you need to learn. Learn to stop your self, self control, that feeling hungry isn't going to kill you. If you know you have had enough calories, ignore the feeling. "
Waaah!
I have no self control! I've been thinking about Kettle Salt & Cracked Pepper potato chips for several days. Bought a bag today thinking I would limit myself to one serving. After eating half a bag, the only thing I can have for dinner is a protein shake. The lesson I learned is no cheat days for me.
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Yes.
Start managing calories of a week instead of days and you will be amazed at how much easier it is.0 -
I started out morbidly obese, I have lost over 50 lbs and am still obese. In the beginning I had more wiggle room to fit treats in, but as I lost more and more, I was motivated to tighten up my eating. I ate at maintenance for a month this summer, while on vacation and recovering from an injury. I will not "cheat" to eat over maintenance, I have worked too hard to get this far. I do however eat almost any food if I really want it. I just eat one bite, one slice, or one serving as it fits into my calorie goal. I found the first few bites of any calorie dense food are the best, I really savor those, as they fit into my goals, then move on.0
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