What do you do to make up for a unplanned cheat day?

Lillith23

What do you do to make up for a day or two that you fell off the wagon?

alexnguyen78665

I don't 'punish' myself for it by exercising more, unless I just feel like it. I think that is an unhealthy corrective behavior. What I will do is pledge to myself that it won't happen 2 days in a row and I adhere more tightly to my calorie & macro limits the next day.

Duck_Puddle

Depends how far you fell. If it's a couple/few hundred calories, I'd probably balance it (or some of it) over the rest of the week. If you fell off the wagon and it drove off without you and you went over by thousands, enjoy the memory of the yummy days and tomorrow is another chance to do better. Two bad days/weeks/months are nothing in the grand scheme of things and won't hurt your progress. Giving up because you had a couple bad days/weeks/months is certain failure.

crandos

Plan it haha jokes..Just make it up with a good 5 days in row or something but best thing is not to stress about it too much and just enjoy the cheat day.

johnna1212

Get back on it that day.

sarahsedai

well, in the past... i used to beat myself up and give up entirely. i convinced myself it was all or nothing.

now, if i overeat (not to sound cliche, but i prefer not to call it a 'cheat', cause i'm not a diet - trying to form lifestyle habits), i forgive myself, try to make at least some of it up with a walk or some exercise if i can get it in that day. if not, i go to bed, wake up, and strive to do better. it's a new day. those unplanned, high calorie days now encourage me to work that much harder in the days that follow.

cyclebummer

I seem to have a routine of massive cheating at least once a week. Not sure why. I don't stress over it. Just do 'good' for a week.

Woke up at 3 am today and totally pigged out(1400.) Got up again at 10, hopped aboard the bike and pedaled rt 30 miles to gym for workout. Voila! All cals burned. Skipped breakfast and lunch. Dinner and snacks well under cals burned for the day. That's not my usual response to a pig out session, but worked today.

Keep you eyes on the motivational reason you're watching the intake. Slip, pick yourself up, dust off, and get on board again. Stay at or under your weekly cal goal and you'll slowly lose. Be patient.

xcmtnracer

I ride, then ride, then ride some more.

shadow2soul

Nothing. I honestly just try to do better the next day. Although I don't consider going over my calorie goal or maintenance a "Cheat" day, because to me that implies I did something wrong.

gracielynn1011

If I can fit it in, I take a brisk walk, it helps with digestion. Always drink lots of water. And move on. To the next meal or the next day, whatever the vase might be. It's not the end of the world, just do better the next day.

Zaniejane

Depends how far you fell. If it's a couple/few hundred calories, I'd probably balance it (or some of it) over the rest of the week. If you fell off the wagon and it drove off without you and you went over by thousands, enjoy the memory of the yummy days and tomorrow is another chance to do better. Two bad days/weeks/months are nothing in the grand scheme of things and won't hurt your progress. Giving up because you had a couple bad days/weeks/months is certain failure.

^ this

bowsandpearls

Well I just had an unplanned cheat day today, so this post came at the perfect time! I try to do some light exercise (walking, hula hooping, etc) to help boost my metabolism a little. Then I add 5 minutes to my cardio plan the rest of the week.

It also helps to try to figure out why it happened. Today I was out longer than expected and forgot a healthy snack, and by the time I got home I wasn't reaching for the good stuff. The right balance of forgiveness and resolve to prevent it again are the best ways for me to combat accidental cheat days.

bwogilvie

now, if i overeat (not to sound cliche, but i prefer not to call it a 'cheat', cause i'm not a diet - trying to form lifestyle habits), i forgive myself, try to make at least some of it up with a walk or some exercise if i can get it in that day. if not, i go to bed, wake up, and strive to do better. it's a new day. those unplanned, high calorie days now encourage me to work that much harder in the days that follow.

This is well said. The whole idea of "cheating" makes a healthy diet into a zero-sum game. I tend to focus on my weekly calorie goal, recognizing that some days I'll eat more and exercise less, and vice-versa. As long as it balances out in the medium run, I'm OK with that.

grimendale

Let it go and eat right the next day. I don't see any sense in punishing myself. It happens, and that's okay. One day won't undo a year's progress.

KellyyT

i just ate 1000 cals over my budget the other night!

and i'm set at 1200, so that's pretty damn bad. haha. but i had THE BEST margaritas ever and a great dinner with my boyfriend. the next day, i said i'd go to the gym, but i never did! and i don't feel bad about it! i'll be back in the gym tomorrow or the next day and that's perfectly okay! as long as i get in some exercise 2-3x a week, that's better than nothing at all.

remember, it's the numbers at the end of the week that matter! now that i've gotten my super fattening meal out of my cravings, all the healthy crap doesn't sound so bad.