cheat meal struggles

elifissoreeli6790

Hi everyone. I guess i would simply like to vent a little bit: i stick to my diet the whole week. Do what i must, train, eat egg whites... then the weekend comes and i know i can have my so desired cheat meal. Problem is: once i start, i can`t stop myself! to the point that i go to bed feeling sick sometimes! any tips?

Nony_Mouse

Tip, don't have cheat meals.

It's very, very easy to undo an entire week's calorie deficit, and more, as you've discovered.

It's perfectly okay to save up some calories during the week so you can have extra at the weekend, or choose to have a maintenance day and accept slightly slower weight loss, but the 'I can eat whatever I want today' approach often backfires.

Plan it, stay within your calorie allotment for the week, or don't do it.

saintor1

Make it every two weeks. I do a full cheating day every two weeks, still lose.

mmapags

Nony_Mouse wrote: »

Tip, don't have cheat meals.

It's very, very easy to undo an entire week's calorie deficit, and more, as you've discovered.

It's perfectly okay to save up some calories during the week so you can have extra at the weekend, or choose to have a maintenance day and accept slightly slower weight loss, but the 'I can eat whatever I want today' approach often backfires.

Plan it, stay within your calorie allotment for the week, or don't do it.

This ^^. If you have to have "cheat" meals (a term I despise), then maybe your approach is not sustainable and too aggressive.

sardelsa

It sounds like what you are doing or how you are going about it is not a good fit for you. Why not try eating more balanced during the week so you don't feel so deprived come the weekend?

Nony_Mouse

@mmapags raises a good point re aggressiveness. OP, have you perhaps set your calorie goal too low? Unless you are very short, given that you're working out, you should have enough calories to eat a decent amount, including fitting in the occasional treat.

What are your stats (height, weight, age)? Are you eating back at least 50% of the calories you earn from exercise?

windra06

Don't treat it as a cheat meal treat it as banked calories, make sure you log the meal but allow yourself those extra calories you banked.
Once your in the mindset of anything goes it's super hard to step back

nighthawk584

I don't believe in "cheat" meals. Just incorporate foods that you enjoy but a lot LESS of them. Stay within your calorie deficit consistently or maintenance calories and plan on doing this the rest of your life (that is if you want long term success) . Of course, nutrition is important, but if you deprive yourself of certain foods, this will lead to binges sooner or later.

Annie42019

I had cheat days but only a few times per year: My birthday, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years Eve, Mother’s Day. While loosing I did bank extra calories for Saturday nights. In maintenance I keep the same calories as when loosing six days a week but allow an extra 500 on Saturday nights.

lemurcat2

windra06 wrote: »

Don't treat it as a cheat meal treat it as banked calories, make sure you log the meal but allow yourself those extra calories you banked.
Once your in the mindset of anything goes it's super hard to step back

This worked for me. I ate a little less for 6 days and then had a more indulgent dinner (usually an interesting restaurant meal) one day. I'd usually not go over maintenance on the 7th day anyway, but my loss was no less than planned due to the banked calories.