Cheat Day?

2

Replies

  • JohnnytotheB
    JohnnytotheB Posts: 361 Member
    I personally don't do cheat days. Also, I (from my past experience) know that cutting food out does not work for me. You have to find a balance and work with it. That will be difference for everyone. If you have a "perfect day" or "days", don't fuse. Own the result, good or bad and either build on the success or learn from it and move on.
  • NovusDies
    NovusDies Posts: 8,940 Member
    I can't cheat on my life and my plan is my life. If I screw up and eat something that causes me to end the day higher than I would like it is life and part of my plan because my plan allows for mistakes. If I am feeling low or poorly and I need to eat a little more than normal it is my plan.

    I don't deprive myself of things I want I budget them into my calories. I bank enough calories during the week to eat my maintenance calories once a week that gives me something to look forward to. I also allow more calories on holidays and special occasions. Just because I am losing weight doesn't mean my life stops.

  • AquaMeow
    AquaMeow Posts: 296 Member
    I cheat once a week. Yesterday I ate 5,000 calories. 😋😋😋

    Ohhh lawd xD
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
    nooboots wrote: »
    SueSueDio wrote: »
    Here's an example of how cutting out what you really crave can sometimes backfire... :)


    ibcfkbj9sqpl.png


    Sometimes, you should just eat the pie!

    This is very good.

    But my problem is the thing that I crave is way more than 900 cals. I can see it in my minds eye almost every minute of the day and its worse when Im reading this website because of course everyone (mostly) is talking about food and calories.
    All I can think about - I can see it right now - is a big pizza with cheese oozing off the top, massive thick crust.

    A slice just wont do, I would eat the whole thing. More than capable of eating the whole thing. Thats about 4000 calories I think.

    I know that if I went for it and ate some, it would set me back in that then I would get the taste for it again and would just keep eating and eating it, buying more, eating them and so on.

    How much weight do you have to lose? How often did you eat that pizza in the past? One of my biggest revelations is how little you have to go over maintenance to become overweight. That's like 200 or fewer calories for many people unless you're morbidly obese. In some cases, pretty subtle changes can result in big losses over time. It's mentally challenging to convince ourselves that our old frequency of eating something is good enough, because dieting makes you think about that food more often so you want to eat it more often than you used. Logically, however, it's freeing to know that maintenance will only be slightly different from "good old days", if at all, if you're more active now.

    It was never a surprise to me to know how little extra you have to eat to maintain or become overweight. I just struggled to do anything about it. hopefully that has changed and will continue now.

    How often - weekly
    How much weight to lose - the tables say I should lose 140lbs but realistically for me I think about 100lbs. My first target is 65 and I have now lost 15 of those. I have a long way to go!
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    nooboots wrote: »
    nooboots wrote: »
    SueSueDio wrote: »
    Here's an example of how cutting out what you really crave can sometimes backfire... :)


    ibcfkbj9sqpl.png


    Sometimes, you should just eat the pie!

    This is very good.

    But my problem is the thing that I crave is way more than 900 cals. I can see it in my minds eye almost every minute of the day and its worse when Im reading this website because of course everyone (mostly) is talking about food and calories.
    All I can think about - I can see it right now - is a big pizza with cheese oozing off the top, massive thick crust.

    A slice just wont do, I would eat the whole thing. More than capable of eating the whole thing. Thats about 4000 calories I think.

    I know that if I went for it and ate some, it would set me back in that then I would get the taste for it again and would just keep eating and eating it, buying more, eating them and so on.

    How much weight do you have to lose? How often did you eat that pizza in the past? One of my biggest revelations is how little you have to go over maintenance to become overweight. That's like 200 or fewer calories for many people unless you're morbidly obese. In some cases, pretty subtle changes can result in big losses over time. It's mentally challenging to convince ourselves that our old frequency of eating something is good enough, because dieting makes you think about that food more often so you want to eat it more often than you used. Logically, however, it's freeing to know that maintenance will only be slightly different from "good old days", if at all, if you're more active now.

    It was never a surprise to me to know how little extra you have to eat to maintain or become overweight. I just struggled to do anything about it. hopefully that has changed and will continue now.

    How often - weekly
    How much weight to lose - the tables say I should lose 140lbs but realistically for me I think about 100lbs. My first target is 65 and I have now lost 15 of those. I have a long way to go!

    You're in my boat then. It is a bit tougher to maintain some of your favorite old habits unchanged when they used to be frequent and you have 100+ lbs to lose. Luckily, I only ate pizza maybe once every few months when I was morbidly obese, so keeping that habit unchanged has not affected my weight loss much. I still eat pizza as often as I used to eat it in the same amount I used to eat it.
  • AquaMeow
    AquaMeow Posts: 296 Member
    nooboots wrote: »
    nooboots wrote: »
    SueSueDio wrote: »
    Here's an example of how cutting out what you really crave can sometimes backfire... :)


    ibcfkbj9sqpl.png


    Sometimes, you should just eat the pie!

    This is very good.

    But my problem is the thing that I crave is way more than 900 cals. I can see it in my minds eye almost every minute of the day and its worse when Im reading this website because of course everyone (mostly) is talking about food and calories.
    All I can think about - I can see it right now - is a big pizza with cheese oozing off the top, massive thick crust.

    A slice just wont do, I would eat the whole thing. More than capable of eating the whole thing. Thats about 4000 calories I think.

    I know that if I went for it and ate some, it would set me back in that then I would get the taste for it again and would just keep eating and eating it, buying more, eating them and so on.

    How much weight do you have to lose? How often did you eat that pizza in the past? One of my biggest revelations is how little you have to go over maintenance to become overweight. That's like 200 or fewer calories for many people unless you're morbidly obese. In some cases, pretty subtle changes can result in big losses over time. It's mentally challenging to convince ourselves that our old frequency of eating something is good enough, because dieting makes you think about that food more often so you want to eat it more often than you used. Logically, however, it's freeing to know that maintenance will only be slightly different from "good old days", if at all, if you're more active now.

    It was never a surprise to me to know how little extra you have to eat to maintain or become overweight. I just struggled to do anything about it. hopefully that has changed and will continue now.

    How often - weekly
    How much weight to lose - the tables say I should lose 140lbs but realistically for me I think about 100lbs. My first target is 65 and I have now lost 15 of those. I have a long way to go!

    You're in my boat then. It is a bit tougher to maintain some of your favorite old habits unchanged when they used to be frequent and you have 100+ lbs to lose. Luckily, I only ate pizza maybe once every few months when I was morbidly obese, so keeping that habit unchanged has not affected my weight loss much. I still eat pizza as often as I used to eat it in the same amount I used to eat it.

    Ahhhhh pizza is my favorite food.
  • AquaMeow
    AquaMeow Posts: 296 Member
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    anubis609 wrote: »
    What is considered a "cheat day?" If you plan to eat like an *kitten* and give no *kitten*, I guarantee that's not the way to look at it and it will completely derail any idea of progress you have in your head.

    If you mean eating at a planned surplus that doesn't disrupt your net calorie intake that still puts you in a caloric deficit, then yes, by all means take the day.

    Here's the thing, if you completely eliminate your favorite food(s), it only makes the temptation that much greater to cave in. Granted, some people do better via restriction instead of moderation, but make the restricted food something you have to work for. Say ice cream for example.

    Don't keep it in the house and if you need to have some, go out and get a serving of it from your preferred ice cream spot, not a gallon from the grocery that you can take home. Chances are the thought of having to get dressed, get into the car, drive in the heat, walk into the store, wait in line, order, pay, wait for it to be made and served are all going to feel like more of a pain in the *kitten* than just staying home in the air conditioning.

    Basically, don't make it easily available and if you want it, go get it, but on conditions, because if you could easily moderate your favorite food, this thread wouldn't exist.

    Yeah I definitely make sure to keep my "favorite foods - mostly sweets) out of the house. Better yet I always take account to not eat alot of it. Like instead of eating a whole package of oreos, I buy the packs with just 6 cookies in it to help with my crave and to not overeat. Baby steps go a long way!

    I find it INTERESTING that you did not mention these packs of Oreos, and these cheat days, on your thread about how you only eat tiny amounts of fruit, vegetables, yoghurt and lean meat and yet aren’t aren’t losing weight.

    Its logged into my food diary.

    The food diary that the people you asked for advice can't see, and who you actively lied to when you claimed you only eat a short list of restricted foods.

    I have literally no idea what you thought that would achieve.

    Well tell me then how your weight loss journey is going? Did you accomplish your dreams and goals?

    Yes, I did, thankyou.

    I went from 385 lb (UK size 26) to 150 lb (UK size 10), and from completely sedentary (I had problems with my ankles that meant it hurt just to walk 200 yards) to being able to hike 18 miles on consecutive days. It took me 2 1/2 years of rigorous weighing, logging, and holding myself utterly accountable; but the payoff is even better than I had ever dreamed (I've never been normal weight before in my life).

    I have now been maintaining for 9 months. Sometimes it's a struggle, as I suffer from binge eating disorder (not officially diagnosed, because I never have the time to get to my GP, but I have basically every single symptom), but I try to log my binges with absolute honesty. I mean, I can lie to myself and other people, but my body's gonna count it regardless.

    Why do you ask?

    Just curious. Making conversation and congrats on your weight loss too.

    If you're similarly curious about all the other people who have given you advice, many of them have also achieved their dreams and goals. They hang around on here because maintenance is for life, and to use their experience to help other people get to where they are.

    Yup, I understand. Duly noted.
  • amayk
    amayk Posts: 42 Member
    I don't have cheat days. I include my favorite food into my diet.
  • Zhatan
    Zhatan Posts: 46 Member
    I wouldnt call it a cheat day but I try to have one day a week that I eat a bit more to try to refill my glycogen. I have no idea if it works lite that tho :)
  • AquaMeow
    AquaMeow Posts: 296 Member
    Hey everyone so I found out the helpful solution for cheat meals (not cheat days). And I decided to schedule mine every 10 to 12 days leading to only have a cheat meal twice or three times a month.

    This may help with my over indulgent weekend of bad food and then me eating great 5 days (or 4) days a week.

    Eating healthier for longer extended periods no matter how boring the food is or bland but it will be beneficial.
  • AquaMeow
    AquaMeow Posts: 296 Member
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    Hey everyone so I found out the helpful solution for cheat meals (not cheat days). And I decided to schedule mine every 10 to 12 days leading to only have a cheat meal twice or three times a month.

    This may help with my over indulgent weekend of bad food and then me eating great 5 days (or 4) days a week.

    Eating healthier for longer extended periods no matter how boring the food is or bland but it will be beneficial.

    You do know that eating healthily doesn't have to be boring or bland, don't you?

    If by 'eating healthier' you mean the highly restrictive list of nutritionally inadequate foods you listed in one of your other threads, then I strongly recommend you rethink completely. 'Healthy' means a balance of all nutrients in moderation, including fat. 'Healthy' means psychologically healthy, as well as physically healthy, and frankly trying to live on only vegetables, fruits, and a few low-fat protein sources is neither.

    I have alot of allergies especially towards fruits and vegetables and not to mention grains and lentils too making it harder for me. And I cant eat nuts and other stuff. So my list is very strict. But if course I'm not allergic to junk food - go figure lol
  • AquaMeow
    AquaMeow Posts: 296 Member
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    Hey everyone so I found out the helpful solution for cheat meals (not cheat days). And I decided to schedule mine every 10 to 12 days leading to only have a cheat meal twice or three times a month.

    This may help with my over indulgent weekend of bad food and then me eating great 5 days (or 4) days a week.

    Eating healthier for longer extended periods no matter how boring the food is or bland but it will be beneficial.

    You do know that eating healthily doesn't have to be boring or bland, don't you?

    If by 'eating healthier' you mean the highly restrictive list of nutritionally inadequate foods you listed in one of your other threads, then I strongly recommend you rethink completely. 'Healthy' means a balance of all nutrients in moderation, including fat. 'Healthy' means psychologically healthy, as well as physically healthy, and frankly trying to live on only vegetables, fruits, and a few low-fat protein sources is neither.

    I have alot of allergies especially towards fruits and vegetables and not to mention grains and lentils too making it harder for me. And I cant eat nuts and other stuff. So my list is very strict. But if course I'm not allergic to junk food - go figure lol

    What foods do you think of as 'junk'? And if allergies make your diet restrictive to start off with, why would you restrict it further by cutting out foods unnecessarily?

    (And how come you're allergic to grains but not to pizza?)

    And Oreos.

    Cause oreos are processed.
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    Hey everyone so I found out the helpful solution for cheat meals (not cheat days). And I decided to schedule mine every 10 to 12 days leading to only have a cheat meal twice or three times a month.

    This may help with my over indulgent weekend of bad food and then me eating great 5 days (or 4) days a week.

    Eating healthier for longer extended periods no matter how boring the food is or bland but it will be beneficial.

    You do know that eating healthily doesn't have to be boring or bland, don't you?

    If by 'eating healthier' you mean the highly restrictive list of nutritionally inadequate foods you listed in one of your other threads, then I strongly recommend you rethink completely. 'Healthy' means a balance of all nutrients in moderation, including fat. 'Healthy' means psychologically healthy, as well as physically healthy, and frankly trying to live on only vegetables, fruits, and a few low-fat protein sources is neither.

    I have alot of allergies especially towards fruits and vegetables and not to mention grains and lentils too making it harder for me. And I cant eat nuts and other stuff. So my list is very strict. But if course I'm not allergic to junk food - go figure lol

    What foods do you think of as 'junk'? And if allergies make your diet restrictive to start off with, why would you restrict it further by cutting out foods unnecessarily?

    (And how come you're allergic to grains but not to pizza?)

    Because pizza is processed grains. Processed foods dont affect me like natural foods do. Which I'm working on with my allergy doctor on foods I can and should eat and ones to stay away from.

    Thats quite unusual.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    nooboots wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    Hey everyone so I found out the helpful solution for cheat meals (not cheat days). And I decided to schedule mine every 10 to 12 days leading to only have a cheat meal twice or three times a month.

    This may help with my over indulgent weekend of bad food and then me eating great 5 days (or 4) days a week.

    Eating healthier for longer extended periods no matter how boring the food is or bland but it will be beneficial.

    You do know that eating healthily doesn't have to be boring or bland, don't you?

    If by 'eating healthier' you mean the highly restrictive list of nutritionally inadequate foods you listed in one of your other threads, then I strongly recommend you rethink completely. 'Healthy' means a balance of all nutrients in moderation, including fat. 'Healthy' means psychologically healthy, as well as physically healthy, and frankly trying to live on only vegetables, fruits, and a few low-fat protein sources is neither.

    I have alot of allergies especially towards fruits and vegetables and not to mention grains and lentils too making it harder for me. And I cant eat nuts and other stuff. So my list is very strict. But if course I'm not allergic to junk food - go figure lol

    What foods do you think of as 'junk'? And if allergies make your diet restrictive to start off with, why would you restrict it further by cutting out foods unnecessarily?

    (And how come you're allergic to grains but not to pizza?)

    Because pizza is processed grains. Processed foods dont affect me like natural foods do. Which I'm working on with my allergy doctor on foods I can and should eat and ones to stay away from.

    Thats quite unusual.

    Some people have problems with fiber, so it's possible, but what I don't understand is why limit an already limited diet even more?
  • AquaMeow
    AquaMeow Posts: 296 Member
    nooboots wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    ceiswyn wrote: »
    AquaMeow wrote: »
    Hey everyone so I found out the helpful solution for cheat meals (not cheat days). And I decided to schedule mine every 10 to 12 days leading to only have a cheat meal twice or three times a month.

    This may help with my over indulgent weekend of bad food and then me eating great 5 days (or 4) days a week.

    Eating healthier for longer extended periods no matter how boring the food is or bland but it will be beneficial.

    You do know that eating healthily doesn't have to be boring or bland, don't you?

    If by 'eating healthier' you mean the highly restrictive list of nutritionally inadequate foods you listed in one of your other threads, then I strongly recommend you rethink completely. 'Healthy' means a balance of all nutrients in moderation, including fat. 'Healthy' means psychologically healthy, as well as physically healthy, and frankly trying to live on only vegetables, fruits, and a few low-fat protein sources is neither.

    I have alot of allergies especially towards fruits and vegetables and not to mention grains and lentils too making it harder for me. And I cant eat nuts and other stuff. So my list is very strict. But if course I'm not allergic to junk food - go figure lol

    What foods do you think of as 'junk'? And if allergies make your diet restrictive to start off with, why would you restrict it further by cutting out foods unnecessarily?

    (And how come you're allergic to grains but not to pizza?)

    Because pizza is processed grains. Processed foods dont affect me like natural foods do. Which I'm working on with my allergy doctor on foods I can and should eat and ones to stay away from.

    Thats quite unusual.

    Some people have problems with fiber, so it's possible, but what I don't understand is why limit an already limited diet even more?

    Like I said, allergies. If you have other foods I should incorporate in my diet please tell me. That would be great cause I know I'm pretty limited but I would like to be more open with healthier options.
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
    Problems with fibre I can understand, as I suffer with that myself. But thats not an allergy. Its about digestion.
  • SueSueDio
    SueSueDio Posts: 4,796 Member
    AquaMeow wrote: »

    Like I said, allergies. If you have other foods I should incorporate in my diet please tell me. That would be great cause I know I'm pretty limited but I would like to be more open with healthier options.

    You might want to ask your doctor for a referral to a dietitian, to help you figure out what you can and can't eat. But I'd agree with the others about not restricting yourself unnecessarily - if you already have many foods that you can't eat, don't limit yourself even more by labelling food as "bad" or "junk". Figure out what you CAN eat, then look for ways to make it slightly healthier if that's what you want to do.
  • LyndaBSS
    LyndaBSS Posts: 6,964 Member
    Eat it. Log it. Own it. 😌