Feelings after a cheat day?

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.

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.

colortheworld

If I want pizza but am not craving it I make one with a low cal whole grain flatbread, throw on whatever veggies, cheese, maybe pepperoni, and it usually is around 300 calories, which easily fits in my plan. If I'm really craving pizza, I get it, and make adjustments the rest of the week.