Cheating or indulging????

lfcutie

Does anyone cheat or indulge? Even if you go over your calories for the day do you post it? or do you just not sign in that day?

I had a pot luck at work and first decided to not post anything because i knew I would go over my calories.,.,,but then i want to be accountable for what i eat good or bad.,.,.,so i posted and feel alot better that i did it shows me that i can eat and not be scared of seeing how much everything was and also maybe next make better choices

ErinGiam

Oh girl I definitely indulge and I always try to post it on here just so I can see what kind of an effect it had on my overall calories. It is painful sometimes to be honest as far as keeping track of every single thing you eat but in the long run it is definitely worth it

LongMom

I don't log my food all weekend :P I rely on my new lifestyle to get me through and it's working. I've got the portion control down and I usually try and be more active if I'm indulging

One of the tips I read for "Weight Loss Success" said don't expect to be perfect. If you try to be perfect your inperfections will affect you negatively.

blh_1010

I post it....yesturday I went over by 600!!! cals!!!! yeah I know, right? But I went to spend time with a friend I hadn't seen in awhile and we had italian food from a local place. Yeah it is a lot of cals to go over, and no I didn't get to work out that night...but I am still accoutantabe for them. I feel bad that I let MFP friends down...but more so I left myself down...BUT I had a great time with my friend, and if I had to do it over again, I would totally eat that pizza again. It was good, and after a whole week of eating pretty healthy...I think I derserved somethings that I really wanted. I saw it, and am trying to be better today. For example (today I went out with a friend for lunch (i know again with the eating out) but I put down what I would be having and even added more cals onto that (like added more bbq sauce then I really ate, etc) so it would kind of be similar to what is on the site (another local joint, another place that isn't on MFP). I have around 525 cals for supper tonight...I know that I might go over again...plan a 4 mile walk somewhere tonight. But really it makes me feel better knowing I am trying to follow this MFP, and trying to do good and eat healthy. We are all allowed some good things in life too (so allow yourself...dont' feel too bad...just make the next day healthier! )

nikki_zav

We all indulge sometimes. If you are truly serious about wanting to loose 200 lbs like your profile says, log every morsel that goes in your mouth. Every time I stop logging, the lbs come back. It's that simple for me.

tommygirl15

This is a great question, I actually asked myself that question a few days ago. It's tempting to just not post and pretend it never happened but then I realized that's exactly what this webpage is for - to help keep me accountable!

The only time I'm not going to bother doing my food journal is an upcoming weekend out of town, won't have time to post and definitely won't have anything flattering to post, that's for sure! I'm going to try my best either way!

angelae39

I indulge. I don't like to think of it as cheating because this is supposed to be a change not a diet. I just log it when I do and if I am over I am over, but at least I am still in the habit og logging. Just because I don't log it doesn't mean it doesn't count.

metco89

i log everything the good, the bad and the ugly. I learned from my prior experience of yo yo dieting that not logging does me more harm. I tend to get off track and stay off however if i log and look at what i have eaten on bad days i get back on track alot faster. wishing you much success.

Amandac6772

I log it all, even the bad days. Then I can try to correct the whole week in the days after the misstep. It's all about balance and moderation.

SoldierDad

I always stay under my calories. I made a commintment to God to be healthy for my family. I also have a responsibilty to be a role model for my friends on here. If I can't do it how can I tell them that they can. I log everything i eat (but not ll my exercise).

Sumatra

I post everything I eat. I'm not posting it for anyone but myself so I just want to see everything I eat. I have not been completely depriving myself of anything, but I have been limiting quantities. Still, I post everything I eat and drink. If it's a big calorie day, then if at all possible, it's also going to be a very good exercise day. I've been trying to get in lots of exercise early in the day so that no matter what I eat, I've already burned a bunch of calories. Then, if I've eaten more calories than my goal with exercise, I'll do some additional exercise. I haven't gone over my goal (with exercise calories) since I've been tracking it, but if it does happen one day, I won't beat myself up about it, I'll just be sure do do better the next few days and get right back on target!

stormieweather

I post everything. No matter how ugly. It's the only way to get an accurate picture of what's going on with my diet, in my opinion.


<<<4 chocolate chip cookies today /cry>>>

cparter

It is about accoutability and balance. I had to eat beyond what I prefer when I was on vacation but I tried to estimate my intake as close as I could because it is important to me to be in control and honest with myself always.

In this for life and no use in hiding secrets from myself.

luckyinlife

Wine is my downfall :drinker:

AriesGrl

My husband and I try to hae a "cheat" day once a month so that we can get whatever we are craving out of our systems and focus on eating good the rest of the month...I find it really helpful.....and yes we always post here no matter what so we can look back and say ok we had a bad day here, but look how great the rest of the month is......

jrich1

I eat and live normally, sometimes I do eat bad, but I still log everything

south_side

I log everything down, even though it's not pleasing to see that you've gone over your calorie limit. I just make sure to squeeze in an extra work out to help even things out.

Becka77

I don't have cheat days, because I'm not on a diet. I have changed my eating habits and my lifestyle to be more active. I don't deny myself anything, I just make better choices and I use portion control. If I want to indulge on something, like a piece of cake or a few beers with my friends, then I just try to adjust the rest of my meals or I do an extra workout to make up for it. That's not to say I don't ever go over my calorie goal, but it's just that, a goal.

I do track everything, no matter what the result is going to be. I think it's crucial to be honest with myself. I usually track my meals throughout the day so I know where I'm at and I don't get a big surprise at the end of the day, but on the days when I'm out running around and not near a computer then I just track my food on paper and then put it in MFP when I get home.

Serenifly

I feel soemtimes like I'm having an affair with food. Sometimes, at lunch when I'm running errands, I'll sneak in a taco bell Fries supreme lol

worst part is, I hardly feel guilty! BUT I do hide it from him! hhaha

KendalBeee

I log it. I was over by 1000 cals one day last weekend. It sucks to see it, but I'm proud that I faced it. I have been losing VERY VERY slowly because I wouldn't log my "bad days." I started logging at least Monday-Friday (and some weekends) for the past two months and I have done better now than I had in the 6 months prior to that.

Just don't let your slip ups become a regular thing. (and try to make up for it the whole next week or two!)

MaggieD3

I just joined this week and I am posting every thing - I've seen the help it has already given me! I think that if I don't track every thing, then why try in the first place? Stay honest with yourself and watch the results get better; at least, that's what I've found. Hang in there! We're all in this together, in many ways!

jrsmithne

I am fairly new to MFP, when I first started logging my foods, I dont think I really tried that hard to log everything. The past couple of weeks I have been logging everything that goes in my mouth. Like today I had a bag of M&Ms. I really dont feel too bad about it, I have been eating much better lately and exercizing everyday. Sometimes walking in the evening also. I am shooting for a goal of 150 to start out, then reevalutate once I get there. My husband is supportive, but really does not think I will get there. I will do it just to spite him.

That is quite a ways away, I weighed in yesterday at 192. So like I said, I have a long way to go.

servingthealiens

I allow myself one MAJOR indulgence a week, usually on the weekend. During the week, I keep to my calorie goal or just under (we're talking 10 calories or less under). If I do go over, I try to do at least enough exercise to make up for it, and it's never, ever, EVER an unhealthy choice that lead me to go over. I probably just got hungrier than I thought I would due to not making a smart/filling enough choice earlier in the day, or being a little more active. But if I am hungry, it's always a healthy food that I pick.

I do log my weekend indulgences, though. To me, I don't see the point of not logging "bad" foods or not signing in when you eat them. You still ate it, didn't you? :drinker:

ETA: I should add that I do eat some unhealthy foods during the week. For example, dessert last night was half of a giant vanilla Tootsie Roll. But, I always keep to at or under my calorie goal, even if I do eat "bad" foods. If I want extra, and it'll put me over, it's always something good, not candy, cookies, or chips. I'll usually eat an extra helping of whatever I had for my meal, or if it's between meals, I'll pick a protein bar or some fresh or dried fruit.

flannan

I went over by like 1000 one day this week and logged it and everyone can view it lol. Im not going to fool myself by not posting.
Plus logging it helped me say" i wont do that again- lets move on" instead of " oh well, i went off the diet, might as well keep snacking".

purpleprose

I have logged every little thing that has gone into my mouth for the past month.

Not posting it isn't going to hide the fact that I ate badly one day, because I'll still know that I've done it and there's no point in lying to myself. Not posting is only lying to yourself and not taking accountability for your actions, good or bad.

Indulging is okay, so why not record it?

IsMollyReallyHungry

This is a life time journey so try not to think of it as cheating. Indulge yes, but cheat no. You made a decision to have something that was not planned. Consistency not perfection is key.

To get off the soap box now. I log it all. If I am tempted to not log it, it is because my diary is open for my friends to see. When I don't want them to see how aweful I have been, I make it private for a while.

When you don't log it you are only hurting yourself. See it all so you will know how to make better choices the next time you are presented with a tempting situation.

metizzy2

I think it's important to log EVERYTHING you eat, even if you go over your calorie intake. It really does hold you accountable, which is the biggest reason I love this site so much! I puts things into perspective and if you go over one day, you know NOT to do the same thing the next.

kittytrix

I try to always post unless I'm away. But when I indulge I also try to get in a little extra workout.

Keep track. It keeps you honest. Not posting it doesn't mean you messed up, it means you are looking at what you did and the next day you will do better.

metizzy2

*IT puts things into perspective*

Sharont213

This is so funny because I knew I was going to be over a little today so while I was making dinner, I was thinking "should I log or not".. and tehn I thought to myself - if I don't log, the only person I am hurting is me. I need to keep myself honest. It's okay to go over as long as I don't make it a habit. And even if I did go over, I am still going to lose weight - just not quite as fast.

So I say - yes, log the indulgences and remember, you are building good habits, not hiding bad ones.