This is how I "cheat". Thoughts?

wtliftchick
wtliftchick Posts: 84 Member
in Food and Nutrition
So tomorrow for father's day, we will be at my in laws. And my mother in law can COOK! I'm so excited! I've had ten good days in a row. Exercised. Slightly under my calorie count including exercise calories. Tomorrow I'm just going to eat. Whatever I want. I'm going to try to stop when I feel full and not drink more than two alcoholic beverages. Unless there is an incredible dessert, I will pass. But I'm going to really eat. I don't care if I'm over. I'm going to enjoy every bite. How's that sound for a cheat day? I'm really trying not to stress. Should I?

Replies

  • dlkfox
    dlkfox Posts: 463 Member
    Why call it a cheat day? Log it all the best you can. Enjoy!
  • Machka9
    Machka9 Posts: 25,476 Member
    I do that on my planned diet breaks ... after I've reached certain weight goals.

    For example, when I started here, I stuck to the diet like glue for 16 weeks, reached the goal I thought I wanted to attain, and then took a month off the diet.

    Then I decided to try for a lower weight. 16 weeks later, I reached it. Then I took 6 weeks off. :)
  • queenliz99
    queenliz99 Posts: 15,317 Member
    Sounds like a great plan!! Have fun!!
  • wtliftchick
    wtliftchick Posts: 84 Member
    dlkfox wrote: »
    Why call it a cheat day? Log it all the best you can. Enjoy!

    I didn't. I called it a "cheat" day. ;)
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    That doesn't sound like cheating, or even "cheating" - just normal eating.
  • abatonfan
    abatonfan Posts: 1,120 Member
    I had a similar "cheat day" yesterday for my 21st birthday dinner. Had some good food (little bit of bread with some good olive oil, salmon, nonstarchy vegetables with what must have been parmesan cheese) and a glass of wine. I also ate out as a late breakfast (I was fasting for a bit of the morning due to labwork), had about 500 calories in dessert (fruit, Quest bar, yogurt, lots of grazing), and still had about 300 calories left over by the end of the day and was pretty spot-on with my macros.

    I love wine, and I love "cheating" even more! <3
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Once in a while isn't an issue at all. Just enjoy it!

    You'll probably notice that you can't eat as many calories as you used to anyway (I can do 4000 on a really bad day but I have a sweet tooth and desserts rack up calories quickly).
  • wtliftchick
    wtliftchick Posts: 84 Member
    Follow up... I had a great time! I went way over my calories, not going to even bother logging, but I did have some small victories.

    I stuck to my two drinks rule.

    I walked out of the kitchen and went outside when I realised I wasn't going to be able to just stop eating apps.

    We got home late and had a frozen pizza for dinner but I added a red bell pepper and a giant serving of arugula in top. So yeah it was pizza but I got in some veggies.

    New day, New calorie count. I already logged my dinner because I know its pretty high. But I will still be in my goal range. I don't feel guilty or bad about yesterday. I made it 11 days with logging and staying in my goal. I'm going to try to repeat that pattern over the next 11-12 days.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    edited June 2016
    If I don't want to log, I call it a 4k day, and I quick add 4000 calories to the diary and then enjoy myself.

    I do this because, from logging days of debauchery before, I know I usually eat around 3500 when the brakes are off and I'm surrounded by tasty food, so 4000 is a safe bet. Having that number in my diary will motivate me to go a bit easy in the following days and stops the crazy day being "invisible", without meaning I have to actually log if doing so will spoil the fun.
  • wtliftchick
    wtliftchick Posts: 84 Member
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    If I don't want to log, I call it a 4k day, and I quick add 4000 calories to the diary and then enjoy myself.

    I do this because, from logging days of debauchery before, I know I usually eat around 3500 when the brakes are off and I'm surrounded by tasty food, so 4000 is a safe bet. Having that number in my diary will motivate me to go a bit easy in the following days and stops the crazy day being "invisible", without meaning I have to actually log if doing so will spoil the fun.

    That is a really smart idea. One I will use, hopefully not too often!
  • DayLi77
    DayLi77 Posts: 655 Member
    wtliftchick wrote: »
    CattOfTheGarage wrote: »
    If I don't want to log, I call it a 4k day, and I quick add 4000 calories to the diary and then enjoy myself.

    I do this because, from logging days of debauchery before, I know I usually eat around 3500 when the brakes are off and I'm surrounded by tasty food, so 4000 is a safe bet. Having that number in my diary will motivate me to go a bit easy in the following days and stops the crazy day being "invisible", without meaning I have to actually log if doing so will spoil the fun.

    That is a really smart idea. One I will use, hopefully not too often!

    I agree! Great idea! I think it's important to allow yourself a break now & then from strict counting & logging so you can enjoy special events & tasty food. It's an important & enjoyable part of life and if you don't indulge sometimes you just feel deprived. I really like your strategy for accounting for those indulgences though, CattOfTheGarage. I'm going to borrow that one!
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    I find it's self limiting to an extent, because if you do it three times in a week, you can see that your deficit's being destroyed, even if you can't see by exactly how much. So you don't need to tell yourself "I can have X number of cheat days a month" - you can have one whenever you like, but you have to be ready to take the consequences - and the very act of clicking "quick add calories" and typing "4000" gives one pause.

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