Mothers Day Cheat Meal

IsabeausRose

Hello All. Celebrating Mother's Day today on Saturday by going out to Chinese food for lunch. What frustrates me is I won't lose any weight this week because of it because I will be busy losing the weight I gained from having the special meal. I'd like to know what others do about this and how they handle the weight gain from a cheat meal. Thanks.

TavistockToad

IsabeausRose wrote: »

Hello All. Celebrating Mother's Day today on Saturday by going out to Chinese food for lunch. What frustrates me is I won't lose any weight this week because of it because I will be busy losing the weight I gained from having the special meal. I'd like to know what others do about this and how they handle the weight gain from a cheat meal. Thanks.

So don't eat so much you gain weight then?

cityruss

That's one massive meal if that in isolation it causes significant fat gain.

Eat at maintenance for the day.

jacobsl221

Chinese food can be low in calories (vegetables, shrimp) but very high in sodium. Your weight gain will be water, mostly, which can go away in a few days. Losing weight is a lifestyle. Don't fret about a single meal.

malibu927

I don't do "cheat" days or meals. If I'm going out to eat, I work it into my weekly calorie goal. And remember, any gain you do see will mostly be from the sodium you have. In the long run, it's about doing something sustainable for life. There are always holidays and celebrations, you have to decide how to handle them.

Niki_Fitz

jacobsl221 wrote: »

Chinese food can be low in calories (vegetables, shrimp) but very high in sodium. Your weight gain will be water, mostly, which can go away in a few days. Losing weight is a lifestyle. Don't fret about a single meal.

Load up on steamed veggies with some of your favorites flavors on in small amounts. This is how I manage Chinese buffet. It's within your power to eat less if eating more will upset you!

vivelajackie

Have you been under calories for the rest of the week? I knew I had an anniversary trip to go see a concert last night and ate a giant dinner. Definitely over my calories. And yet, I'm not panicking. My daily goal is 1900 but I've been averaging around 1600. So, I banked some calories there. I'm eating light today (frankly I'm not hungry after my festivities today). Even more wiggle room to even out the damage.

Or, don't go overboard. Load up on veggies if you're that unsure about calories. Drink water to balance out and try to not eat until you're miserable However, one meal isn't gonna hurt you.

cwolfman13

You don't gain weight (fat) from one meal...c'mon

inertiastrength

My plan may show me up a couple lbs SCALE weight but I plan to lose fat despite overeating one meal

IsabeausRose

I ate a good breakfast so by lunchtime I only ate half of what was on my plate and was satisfied. I'm happy with the way things turned out.

Lefty1290

http://thecouponproject.com/losing-weight-on-a-budget-why-i-dont-do-cheat-days-and-what-i-do-instead/

One popular idea among dieters is the “cheat meal” or “cheat day.” The philosophy is simple: eat healthy for most of your meals and then you can eat whatever you want for a meal or a day as a “cheat.”

While I think you should be able to enjoy foods you love in moderation, I propose we do away with the concept of the “cheat meal.” Here’s why.

Watching your Attitudes about Yourself

In the introduction post to this series, I shared my belief that a big part of your ability to lose weight has to do with your attitudes. So much of our success hinges on our ability to be kind to ourselves and develop a healthy relationship with food.

Simply put, the word “cheat” has negative connotations – that you’re doing something wrong. You ate salad all week so now you can “cheat” by eating a double cheeseburger with fries on Sunday. Tell me, if you call that a “cheat” meal, are you truly going to enjoy it? Or, in the back of your mind are you going to feel a tinge of guilt, because you are “cheating?”

I think it’s time we stop assigning guilt to food like this, because ultimately it can cause us to have negative feelings about ourselves. If we are cheating on our diet, we must be cheaters.

***

I subscribe to this. Calling something a "cheat" meal is negative. If you feel like you're "cheating," are you really going to enjoy the meal and time with family? Food is food. Some is healthier.

For me, personally, if I had a "cheat" meal, I would just feel guilty and horrible afterward. Once I started looking at it as "yeah, I could be eating something healthier, but life and food is meant to be enjoyed and not agonized over," those feelings went away. If you're trying to live healthier for the long haul and make this a lifestyle change, a few meals here and there is not going to hurt anything. I've eaten Pizza Hut and all kinds of crap the past two days (all logged) and I got back on track this morning.

You're not "cheating" on anything, just eating. Stop assigning guilt and negativity to food.

I log what I can and move on.

DapperDassie

I don't think one single cheat meal will make you gain weight. Its all about your weekly avg. Just enjoy it

LAWoman72

If you're worried the MSG will cause the appearance of a gain (temporarily), why not go for something besides Chinese?

If it does have to be Chinese, and you know the gain will only be water, then you have to accept this. It is really up to you, either have something else instead or realize you will probably show a temporarily larger number. Do or do not.

jennyhart200

I hosted Mother's Day this year so I had some say in what was cooked. When my Granny offered to bring her mac and cheese and my mother in law offered to make homemade strawberry cheesecake ice cream for the potluck, I made sure to ask my mom to bring a salad and fruit to make sure the meal also included food that was healthy. We had pulled pork sandwiches too, so I ended up eating at maintenance for the day, but that's totally okay with me because I had a really nice time with my family. I don't feel guilty at all.

Christine_72

It's Mothers day here today, and we're each bringing a dish. I'll eat a bit/alot of everything and then forget about it. I'm just excited that the entire family is together today as it doesn't happen often, so that's all that matters to me, not counting every single calorie and stressing about it all day long.

One day of overeating isn't going to make or break me. It's back to normal tomorrow.

IsabeausRose

Thank you all for your input it was very helpful!

spiffychick85

For me I typically fast the day of and then splurge on that cheat meal. If that doesn't work for one reason or another I simply try not to worry. It's one meal...my deficit was solid the other 6 days out the week...we got this

incisron

Just enjoy your day and savor the meal your children will lavish on you for being
THEIR WONDERFUL MOMMA.
My mother might be overweight, even obese, butcha know what? If I took her out to eat for Mother's Day and found out she was worried about calories, I'd cry for hours. I expect my momma to eat 6,000 CALORIES at MINIMUM on a holiday.

Lounmoun

I don't have a very restrictive diet. I planned my day. I'm eating normal sized meals for me. I'll enjoy them.
You don't have to eat huge amounts just because it is a holiday.

Jriggs46615

We're having a cookout today, and I plan on eating what I want without making myself sick.

A week ago, I had a rough Friday night. Let's just say that pizza and breaksticks (and sauces!) were involved. I ate...and then ate some more....and then gained weight Saturday and Sunday. Saturday morning, I hopped right back on the wagon. By the end of the week, I actually lost 3 1/2 pounds. I didn't do it by freaking out or starving myself the rest of the week. All I did was stay within my numbers and did my treadmill almost daily.

The lesson I'm learning:
It's one day, one meal (or 2). Don't obsess, enjoy, and get back on track tomorrow. You've earned a relaxing day.

Happy Mother's Day!