Cheat day

Deipneus

I don't plan cheat meals or cheat days. Lots of people use them successfully so if it's the right approach for you, go for it. My technique was to unlearn thinking of food as a reward or as entertainment. Tomorrow is Christmas and I won't be overeating. It's just how I do it.

Matt_Wild

For most people, cheat meals or indeed days (day? thats just an excuse, admit it, you are addicted to eating junk each week for a day) aren't really needed.

Sure they do help mentally because you are used to the flavours that junk may behold.

Diet wise, unless you are doing specific diet types (strict keto), aren't needed and don't help in terms of body chemistry.

A cheat meal for me would be a doubled size normal meal or admit to myself I just want some junk rather than 'justify' as it helping me diet. It doesn't.

Leptin and the thyroid hormones don't get adjusted after a day of excess calories, more toward week. And by then, you'd have put a fair bit of weight back on UNLESS you controlled that intake to maintenance/slightlly above. Most people don't.

Matt_Wild

It's a bit different for people who don't do shows and stuff. Most people don't have the high amount of discipline to eat clean like you do

Show or not, the fact remains.

Call it what it is. A lack of will to stay away from the foods that got you to the weight you want to lose. I'm still human and still like the flavour that junk food contains but know what eating it will do - make me crave more and less likely to succeed.

You don't get smokers to smoke, you don't get alcoholics to drink, you don't make drug addicts take drugs... food is stronger than most of the aforementioned, its arguably as many have said before the strongest addiction people have.

Find a way to break that mental link.

aggiegirl121

Howdy Ag! Class of '80 here. There's good advice on this thread already. It's okay to eat stuff you like. It's best if you can fit it in within your goal numbers. But going over for a special occasion is fine. We didn't gain the weight in a day; we won't lose it in a day. Long term sustainable habits are the goal.

"Working out" doesn't mean going to a gym and busting your hiney, either. Any place you can add some extra movement helps. If you're on campus, I know you're doing a lot of walking. Make sure you have your activity level set properly.

Howdy,
It's always nice to meet a fellow aggie on here, or anywhere for that matter! You're right, when I'm on campus I do get a nice workout in so I guess I should count that! I've been really hard and strict on myself lately because I really want to lose this weight, which is why I'm afraid to cheat but I guess i'll be a little easier on myself from now on!
Thanks for the great advice and GIG 'EM

Matt_Wild

It's a bit different for people who don't do shows and stuff. Most people don't have the high amount of discipline to eat clean like you do

Show or not, the fact remains.

Call it what it is. A lack of will to stay away from the foods that got you to the weight you want to lose. I'm still human and still like the flavour that junk food contains but know what eating it will do - make me crave more and less likely to succeed.

You don't get smokers to smoke, you don't get alcoholics to drink, you don't make drug addicts take drugs... food is stronger than most of the aforementioned, its arguably as many have said before the strongest addiction people have.

Find a way to break that mental link.

I think it's ok to have a cheat meal once every two weeks (I used to do it that way) as long as you remain on plan for the rest of the days. Personally, I don't do it like that anymore and subscribe to IIFYM where I just have snacks every day. I think both ways work fine because I had success doing both. It's really a personal thing to experiment and find what works for you, but to say that one way is wrong and one way is right is incorrect. There are multiple ways to go about this thing.

I didn't say do it my way. I simply said just call it what it is. Eating junk.

And yes, a meal every now and again is fine, but it is what it is. A day? No reason for that other than time away from progressing towards your goal, which was the OP's question.

And yes IIFYM (if it fits your mouth? ) does work, after all like you say unless you want stage shape, you'll get a similar outside of the body look. I do it after competing for about 1-2 months a year (IIFYM) but then revert to eating food that has health enhancing benefits.

For some tho, I would be concerned about how IIFYM internally effects me. Certainly omega 3 based fats in my diet offer much greater anti inflammatory properties over simply just fat and perhaps a longer healthier life. And then of course MCT's etc.

aggiegirl121

For most people, cheat meals or indeed days (day? thats just an excuse, admit it, you are addicted to eating junk each week for a day) aren't really needed.

Sure they do help mentally because you are used to the flavours that junk may behold.

Diet wise, unless you are doing specific diet types (strict keto), aren't needed and don't help in terms of body chemistry.

A cheat meal for me would be a doubled size normal meal or admit to myself I just want some junk rather than 'justify' as it helping me diet. It doesn't.

Leptin and the thyroid hormones don't get adjusted after a day of excess calories, more toward week. And by then, you'd have put a fair bit of weight back on UNLESS you controlled that intake to maintenance/slightlly above. Most people don't.

Ummmm I know this is a small victory but i haven't veered from my diet since I started on nov. 12th.. And I honestly have not wanted to. My christmas dinner will consist of salmon, Brussels sprouts with pancetta and maybe a glass of white wine.. Why I am even explaining myself to you is beyond me.. Maybe it's because you are so wrong about me being addicted to junk food everyday.. You don't know me to even make that assumption...

Matt_Wild

I used the word 'you' in terms of the the average every day person, not you personally or specifically.

Well done for the victory!

aggiegirl121

I used the word 'you' in terms of the the average every day person, not you personally or specifically.

Well done for the victory!

Oh ok, I am so sorry. I felt a little attacked which is why I got defensive. Once again, I apologize!

Matt_Wild

meh you can take pills for that at little to no calories used

Ok.

I'm not here to debate the good/bad sides of IIFYM.

IIFYM is based on the idea that you maintain an overall nutritious diet. Unfortunately, this part is sometimes lost in translation.

Even Layne Norton, one of IIFYM biggest advocates regularly states this.