I've come to the conclusion I can't have a treat or cheat meal?

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  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
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    The point I am getting though is eating that brownie sets me off on a binge. Take last night. My son's birthday so we had a Domino's. I ate that didn't satisfy me. I was stuck in ben and Jerry's then cookies and then 4/5 bud light. I eat junk until I sicken myself then the binge ends.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
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    iowalinda wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    I've been stuck in this cycle for ages now. Do great all week then undo all my hard work on the weekends.

    I have a cheat meal on a Saturday night but that triggers a binge that ends on Monday and the cycle continues. I guess I have an addictive personality. I do the same with beer, can't have 1 and be done I have to get drunk.

    I think for me it's best if I avoid cheating all together.

    Is anyone else like this?

    Yes, sadly, I have this issue, too. I have certain trigger foods that send me right off the deep end, eating-wise. Cookies/sweets or salty snack food. I am better off if I don't take that first bite, as I can't seem to stop with 1 cookie or a few potato chips.

    Yes this is me.
  • 2baninja
    2baninja Posts: 512 Member
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    I was very much into not being able to have chocolate in my house, I couldn't eat just 1 serving, I'd eat the whole bag. I got it all out of my house, now I'm able to have it in my house, and I'll eat a serving of candy on my days off, when I know my calories will be extra low those days. I stopped having a cheat meal, it would turn into a cheat day and I'd feel like crap the next day.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
    edited January 2018
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    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I think it's the idea "do great" which translates to "can't have" that sets off overeating. Food isn't really addictive, and you need to eat, so I don't think it can be compared to alcohol. I think it's a good idea for you to stop cheat meals, and instead eat food you enjoy for every meal.

    If I did that I'd be eating Dominos and McDonalds every night. There isn't much I don't eat bar Seafood as I'm allergic but whether or not I enjoy it is a different story. And anything I do enjoy is unhealthy.
    That sounds like black/white to me, as mentioned above. Or is it just that your definition of "healthy food" has become narrower and narrower and now is "food I don't like"? Sure you don't like club sandwich, or steak with roast potatoes and asparagus, or apple slices with peanut butter, or eggs and bacon and baked beans on toast, or chicken noodle soup, or strawberries with cream?

    Sure I do but they are all higher in calories. Take my dinner tomorrow is a chilli that comes to 300 calories. Most of my meals fall between 300-400 calories.

    What calorie goal are you aiming for? Maybe that's part of the issue.
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    kommodevaran wrote: »
    I think it's the idea "do great" which translates to "can't have" that sets off overeating. Food isn't really addictive, and you need to eat, so I don't think it can be compared to alcohol. I think it's a good idea for you to stop cheat meals, and instead eat food you enjoy for every meal.

    If I did that I'd be eating Dominos and McDonalds every night. There isn't much I don't eat bar Seafood as I'm allergic but whether or not I enjoy it is a different story. And anything I do enjoy is unhealthy.
    That sounds like black/white to me, as mentioned above. Or is it just that your definition of "healthy food" has become narrower and narrower and now is "food I don't like"? Sure you don't like club sandwich, or steak with roast potatoes and asparagus, or apple slices with peanut butter, or eggs and bacon and baked beans on toast, or chicken noodle soup, or strawberries with cream?

    Sure I do but they are all higher in calories. Take my dinner tomorrow is a chilli that comes to 300 calories. Most of my meals fall between 300-400 calories.
    All meals can be calorie adjusted by portion size. What is your total daily allowance? As a guy it should at least be 1500, half of your allowance for dinner would be reasonable, and for 750 calories, you will have a decent meal.

    Yes its 1500, Its roughly around 400 each for breakfast lunch and dinner, the remainder goes into 2 protein shakes and some greek yoghurt

    Oh, I see.

    I do much better with just 3 meals, no snacks, as I feel more satisfied with bigger meals and it lets me eat what I want. Some eat only two meals for similar reasons. If you kept a 300 cal breakfast and a 400 cal lunch, you could have 800 cals for dinner and probably fit in foods you enjoy that felt much more like eating normally. When I was dieting a lot of my meals were just things I enjoy like roasted chicken (skin on, bones in) with potatoes and vegetables or salmon with sweet potato and asparagus or pasta with shrimp and lots of vegetables or steak with corn and brussels sprouts. Whatever you enjoy. I'd also make a burger at home or sometimes a pizza. All of that fit in my calorie goal and so I didn't feel like I had to make up for everything on the weekend.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    The point I am getting though is eating that brownie sets me off on a binge. Take last night. My son's birthday so we had a Domino's. I ate that didn't satisfy me. I was stuck in ben and Jerry's then cookies and then 4/5 bud light. I eat junk until I sicken myself then the binge ends.

    For me this is much more likely to happen if I am in a mindset of "well, ate badly already, might as well eat what I want and get back to it tomorrow (or Monday)." And then I wouldn't eat like I wanted, I'd eat everything I wouldn't be able to eat starting tomorrow/Monday.

    I am NOT saying cutting out trigger foods might not be a good approach for you, it's just something to think about.

    If hyperpalatable foods (as you experience them) tend to leave you unsatisfied and wanting to eat, or if you tend to eat in ways that are more about other things (self comfort, the idea that it's how you make yourself happy, maybe), it might be a good idea to take a break from them for a while, but I think that's easier if you focus on other foods that you find pleasurable in a healthy way, maybe trying to enjoy your regular days of eating more and not feel like you are just eating diet foods and are not satisfied.
  • yirara
    yirara Posts: 9,558 Member
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    If you think you have an addictive personality then why not find something to do during the weekend you'd not mind getting addicted to and that keeps you busy? Pick up woodworking, hiking, dancing, re-enactment, theatre, doesn't matter what. just do something that keeps you busy.
  • GOT_Obsessed
    GOT_Obsessed Posts: 817 Member
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    I have never understood the whole cheat day thing. I wonder where the term even came from. I am guessing someone just wanted an excuse to eat poorly one day and threw out the term.
  • Maxxitt
    Maxxitt Posts: 1,281 Member
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    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    The point I am getting though is eating that brownie sets me off on a binge. Take last night. My son's birthday so we had a Domino's. I ate that didn't satisfy me. I was stuck in ben and Jerry's then cookies and then 4/5 bud light. I eat junk until I sicken myself then the binge ends.

    What did you have to eat before you started with pizza? Did you go in to that meal having restricted during the day? If you can unpack your pattern a bit more, you might discover a way to interrupt it.
  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 657 Member
    edited January 2018
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    Here, let me fix your title:
    "I've come to the conclusion that I can't throw all my hard work out the window by overeating by thousands and thousands of extra calories."

    Duh.

    I'm sorry, but find ways to work your favorites in all week long so you're not out of control. Or don't even bother during the week, because obviously you're not helping your weekend self.
  • iowalinda
    iowalinda Posts: 354 Member
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    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    iowalinda wrote: »
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    I've been stuck in this cycle for ages now. Do great all week then undo all my hard work on the weekends.

    I have a cheat meal on a Saturday night but that triggers a binge that ends on Monday and the cycle continues. I guess I have an addictive personality. I do the same with beer, can't have 1 and be done I have to get drunk.

    I think for me it's best if I avoid cheating all together.

    Is anyone else like this?

    Yes, sadly, I have this issue, too. I have certain trigger foods that send me right off the deep end, eating-wise. Cookies/sweets or salty snack food. I am better off if I don't take that first bite, as I can't seem to stop with 1 cookie or a few potato chips.

    Yes this is me.

    Dave, have you heard of Intermittent Fasting (IF)? This works better for me. I skip Breakfast, as I'm never hungry then. Gives me more options for the window of time that I do eat - noon to 6 pm.
    Wishing you all the best :)

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