Feelings after a cheat day?

Alluminati

No guilt or sadness. I just start all over again the next day. In fact I over ate tonight but forgot til I saw this thread.

NH_Norma

Eating above maintenance once in a while is the best thing you can do for your weight loss, in my opinion. You got rid of your pizza craving, and you did your body a favor. Don't beat yourself up or ruin pizza night with bad feelings the next day.

Why not just budget the pizza as is? You don't have to eat the entire thing...
A lot of people around here already eat "cheat meals" regularly and are losing weight.

A whole pizza is the perfect food to boost leptin levels, and that's a good thing. There are a lot of hormone-related things happening in your body when you restrict calories, and there are some things you can do to make the process a little easier. Luckily, pizza night is one of those things.

Where do you get this information that pizza will boost leptin levels? And if leptin levels are low due to fasting or very low calorie diet, wouldn't it be better to increase calories in a healthier and more moderate way than eating a large cheese pizza in a single sitting?

To the OP, I don't feel terrible. I try to reflect and figure out WHY I ate more than I should have of those "trigger" foods, but what's done is done. Log it and move on, regaining ground where you can by making small cutbacks elsewhere and/or being a bit more active (push harder or increase time).

darkrose20

I've been reading responses, and I wanted to throw in my two cents. When I "cheat" AKA eat something that sends me WAY over on calories or eat comething that i know is bad for me (like white bread, white gravy and canned chicken...all three servings), I do feel bad. Physically. Since I've been eating healthier (and not MUCH, mind you) some foods just make me feel physically sick/sluggish. I learn from it and move on. It won't ever NOT eat the chicken/gravy/white bread combo again. It tastes too good and reminds me of good memories of Nana and learning to cook and such. I'll just NOT eat the entire pot of it. All things in moderation. Granted, I haven't wanted this dish since I ate it, knowing it made me feel physically ill and sluggish. But I do have the ingredients (tho, I need to buy white (maybe whitewheat) bread). I will have it again when the mood strikes.

Also, I just adjust down for going over. ...and if anyone has looked at my logs--they're all over the map. There are days I make up for sleep lost working my crazy night schedule, so those are WAY under cals. :huh: :grumble:

Giovanna_Isabella_Santarelli

Thanks everyone

It is nice to know that there are others who feel the same as i did yesterday. Today i feel much better and i am going to eat healthy and workout,

I don't allow myself pizza because i can't have it in moderation, same with cheese. I eat too much of it so i rather cut it out of my diet...

Messier108

I always just feel like it wasn't worth it. I think cheat days are good when maintaining but when you're losing it jsut really halts things for a couple of days.

wild_wild_life

Where do you get this information that pizza will boost leptin levels? And if leptin levels are low due to fasting or very low calorie diet, wouldn't it be better to increase calories in a healthier and more moderate way than eating a large cheese pizza in a single sitting?

Carbs elevate leptin (for the short short term, in the long term it is tied to fat stores). Google it and you'll get a lot of hits. Picking a paper at random:

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10567012

Leptin declines with any calorie restriction, not just fasting or VLCD.

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Hildy_J

Had one yesterday I feel FANTASTIC! There was great food... there were cocktails... I wore heels and laughed a LOT. :-)

Only 1lb heavier today. TOTALLY worth it. :bigsmile:

featherbrained

Fortunately I do feel awful when I don't do what I say I will do. Otherwise I'd do it more often.

^^Best answer.^^

Sobeone

You did it, own it and move on, you filling bad is great, that means you care.

randomtai

Thanks everyone

It is nice to know that there are others who feel the same as i did yesterday. Today i feel much better and i am going to eat healthy and workout,

I don't allow myself pizza because i can't have it in moderation, same with cheese. I eat too much of it so i rather cut it out of my diet...

And this is why you binged. :flowerforyou:

featherbrained

You can't change it. Move on. Make a mental note "feel bad when whole pizza is consumed; don't do that again."

For me personally, 'cheat' days negate the work I'm trying to do in gaining moderation. But I don't deny myself. If I want to eat out or have pizza (we had Banquet fried chicken and mashed potatoes the other night, a RARE treat) then I do, but I use it as an exercise to flex my moderation muscle. I had two small pieces of fried chicken instead of half the box. That made me feel good.

And sometimes I fail and eat the whole thing. It's a learning process. Forgive yourself and try to do better next time.

Hildy_J

Forgive me for sounding harsh but a whole large pizza? Isnt that a little much even on a cheat day? I had a "cheat day" the other day and felt guilty about eating a whole personal pan pizza. I don't know maybe its just me but I think even on cheat days I would hate to throw out a good two-three days of workouts for a whole pizza.
On the other hand feeling quilty is probably good because this isnt your normal habits.

A WHOLE LARGE pizza? is y thoughts exactly, didnt make you sick? That is a little obsessive. I think the problem is in your head and not your stomach. Please talk to a professional.

Settle down, no need for drama.... Really.

HRLaurie614

I feel awful when i binge, but what's done is done. the best thing to do is realize that you're human and move on. at least you didn't get a good feeling from it. this will hopefully prevent any other slip ups.

^^^^ (nodding)

Francl27

Hmm nope. I cheated last night for the first time and it felt amazing. Just got to realize it's a once in a while thing.

ohaston

I have those feeling sometimes of "what in the heck did I just do" ???!?!?!?
But as far as pizza is concerned. I LOVE IT TOO ... and store bought just WON'T DO! So, I go to Pizza Hut, order a large Supreme Pizza on regular crust (instead of the thick that I use to drool over, because bread is my ultimate weekness) and I eat two slices (which equals 700 cals total) ... and luckily for me, I live in a town house and no matter how much I work out (because I do 5-7 days a week, I still hate CLIMBING UP AND DOWN THOSE STAIRS), so I take my pizza upstairs with a large glass of water and enjoy every little morsel of my two slices! It kills the craving and keeps me in my calorie range for the day.
NEXT, My husband, kids, and I have gotten really good with making homemade pizzas and I use the low cal flat bread from walmart (its rectangle shaped) and it has like 190 cals with around 8-9 grams of fiber (whole wheat too) and I use just a little cheese and a whole lot of veggies along with some chopped up cooked chicken breast and it really gets rid of the craving too!
Either way, this is not the end of the world, PICK UP THE PIECES and get back at it.

ndj1979

I don't consider any foods in groups of good or bad... I eat whatever it is that I want and fit it into my day. If I know I am going out for Pizza and Beer (which we are heading to the bar at 3 for the OSU game) then I will have a light breakfast and a small snack for lunch, got a good workout in this morning and save my calories for this afternoon so I can enjoy so Pizza and Beer and maybe a few wings.... Nothing worse than demonizing food, I eat alot of Lean meats, veggies, and grains but I also enjoy my ice cream, Pizza, and whatnot....... . Best of Luck...

This 100%. I have whatever I want pizza/ice cream/fast food, I just plan for it, fit it in and I never need to feel deprived or guilty. :drinker:

this

ndj1979

I am just going to add that pizza did not make you fat, overeating calories did..

That being said, IMO I think you are better off trying to plan for these things so that for the day you eat in a deficit or at your maintenance level. That way you can still eat the foods that you want and do not restrict them so that you are "craving" them and then end up binging on them.

Then again, overeating once a month or every six weeks is not going to kill you. I was over on Friday night by few hundred calories, but I know that I am under for the week...just as long as the "cheat" meal does not become a daily habit you will be OK...

papa369

I say use it as a learning experience. My birthday a few days ago I ate a big cheese burger and milkshake The next day I was so determined to get rid of the fat and then some that its been a few days now so don't let it get you down. you channel that anger or upset into a positive to make even bigger and better strives to improve.

cjohn2278

Pizza has always been one of my trigger foods...every week my family would order pizza and I would have one all to myself...I would literally eat until I was ill, but I couldn't stop myself. Now we buy our pizza frozen and I always make sure that one is a thin crust and on that day I usually eat less during the day so that if I want I can eat the whole thing if I want knowing that it is only 900 cal and that will not derail my budget as it is built in to my day. What is nice is that I am now under control enough to only eat about half of the pizza as I am learning better impulse control!! And who wants to be bloated and sick after eating...not this girl!

SherryTeach

I've never had a cheat day.
Budget the meals into your calories, the only person you're cheating is yourself.

This is also my philosophy. I am worth more than cheating on myself. But I also plan for special occasions and indulgence in foods I especially enjoy. That is not cheating. It's living.

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ImRemko

No cheat days here. I do have one cheat meal, like pizza, per week and always fit it roughly in my macros. Worst I'll do while cutting is hit my TDEE and thus have a day I break even. Normally I still hit my daily goals. Overeating is something that happens when you plan poorly, or perhaps don't plan at all.

swhiteism

I don't have cheat "days" but I feel awesome and satisfied after my cheat meal. I would lose my mind and say eff this lifestyle if I couldn't enjoy pizza every now and then. Infact, I had two slices of Chuck E Cheese pizza and a slice of chocolate cake for at my daughter's birthday party yesterday and it was yummy and I felt great afterwards. I knew it was coming and planned for it by working out that morning, and having an apple for breakfast and mixed veggies for dinner. No guilt, or bad feelings about giving in and I'm not even sure if I actually did go over my calories (I don't count on my cheat meal days because I'd rather not obsess about it). Today is a new day and I'm back to eating regularly. It's not a big deal unless you let it be.

ereck44

I try to incorporate foods like that.but even if you overeat for one day, it doesn't make a difference in the scheme of things and won't undo. the hard work that you have put in.

rduhlir

Does anyone else feel bad after eating unhealthy and what do you do to make you feel better?

No because I eat pizza all the time, I have just learned how to make a rounded meal using it. This is the problem I have when people cut things completely out of their diets. They will crave it and then when they get to have some go crazy because they haven't had it on a long time and then end up letting it go to their heads. When you allow yourself to have it now and then you allow yourself to enjoy it. And knowing that it isn't such a rarety will help kick those mega cravings you get for pizza.

My suggestion to you...don't toss out the ability to have pizza. Use pizza as the main dish and add to it. Add a side salad and some form of fruit for dessert. It rounds out the meal and allows you to enjoy something you love. Another thing you can do...invest in a pizza stone and make your own. Pizza crust is easy to make from scratch. Ree Drummond's pizza crust recipe is really good, and super easy. Then you get to make it as healthy as you want by using less cheese, less meat and loading on the veggies!

Hildy_J

'How do you feel after a cheat day?'

'I never have a cheat day, I am in absolute control of my food intake and incorporate those calorie-dense foods which I desire into my regime'.

'So you posted on this thread because.... because smug?'

'Pretty much'.

jonnythan

'How do you feel after a cheat day?'

'I never have a cheat day, I am in absolute control of my food intake and incorporate those calorie-dense foods which I desire into my regime'.

'So you posted on this thread because.... because smug?'

'Pretty much'.

You're setting up a straw man and mocking it. I'm not sure that does anyone any good.

The OP made it clear that she had been denying herself something she really wanted but thought of as "unhealthy." She eventually gave in and binged on that food because she couldn't maintain that level of self-discipline any more.

Surely even you can concede that it would be healthier and more beneficial to work said food into her regular plan. That's what these people are saying. They are better able to maintain control because they don't prevent themselves from eating any particular food.

tmpecus78

For some reason i was craving pizza after a very long time so i gave in and i ate the whole large three cheese pizza all by myself.
Now i feel guilty and angry at myself for wasting all my calories on pizza!
Pizza was what made me fat in the first place, i loved it but after eating it today i didn't enjoy it as much as i thought i would...
I guess having cheat days and eating junk doesn't make me feel good anymore, i would have enjoyed a salad or a nice healthy vegetarian stir fry...

Does anyone else feel bad after eating unhealthy and what do you do to make you feel better?

This is the main problem with restricting foods you really like from your diet. You should never feel bad for eating foods you like. Stop denying yourself of the foods you like, rather find ways to make them fit your daily caloric numbers. The whole "eat eating" nonsense only leads people to binge eat. Educate yourself on flexible dieting.

An8888

Cheat days only slow your weight loss progress, they don't stop it. Just get back on track the next day, and stay on track for awhile. If days like this don't become a regular thing, you'll bounce back and be fine, but it sounds like you'd benefit from re-evaluating your relationship with certain foods. You said that pizza made you fat in the first place, so I understand how you'd think of it so negatively. You feel extremely guilty because this particular food represents how you got to the weight you're at now, and maybe you feel that giving in to it means it's taking control again. But fitting it into your weekly diet would put you in control, not the cravings. Pizza should be a nice treat for you, not a burden. When I want pizza, I'll fit a LeanCuisine personal sized one into my daily macros, and that nixes the craving. I'll usually eat a big serving of vegetables, or a half a sweet potato before getting to the pizza, so I'm already mostly full and couldn't binge even if I wanted to. Maybe try something like that to begin with. Little steps at a time. Best of luck to you.