cheat meals

bmkxox

do you guys do cheat meals? Or even cheat days?

when you're having your cheat meal, do you eat as you normally would all day then have your cheat meal? OR eat extra healthy during the day and then cheat meal at night? do you notice a difference on the scale from having a cheat meal or does it not affect you?

Iloveyogaandchocolate85

Some cheat days are just that, all day. But usually once a week it's an evening and I still eat normal all day. And normal is calorie concious. To me cheat meals are very important for one thing it's a reward for healthy eating all week and sometimes I eat so much candy that I don't even want any for another week. Hehe

Kelly_Runs_NC

I'm not saying this is right or wrong...but I do have a cheat meal once every other week on Saturday for dinner. I keep my same good diet all day that day and have the cheat meal for dinner that night. I keep it in moderation. For eX: Last week I wanted a burger...I ate the burger and instead of fries I got a side salad. It's just one meal for one day of the week.

Others may do things differently - this is just my way. I may notice a little difference on the scale but I work out enough that it all evens out week to week. I find it helpful as it will kill any cravings I may have.

P.S. - I fully intend to eat a Reese's Egg in leiu of a cheat meal upcoming! haha

asdowe13

I don't have cheat meals, or cheat days.

I eat what i eat when I want to eat it, as long as I have the calories for it.

I tend to eat chocolate everyday in some form!

mlanders22

I don't have cheat meals, or cheat days.

I eat what i eat when I want to eat it, as long as I have the calories for it.

I tend to eat chocolate everyday in some form!

Pretty much this. I had a 1,000+ calorie brunch buffet last weekend and made it work.
The scale went up temporarily from water retention, but it's back down again now.

fat2skinny50

I have cheat meals from time to time, however I try to keep it within or close to my calories allowed for the day. But if I crave something I have to eat it or I tend to really go over.

Athijade

I don't have cheat meals, or cheat days.

I eat what i eat when I want to eat it, as long as I have the calories for it.

I tend to eat chocolate everyday in some form!

Agreed.

Tonight I am having crispy breaded pork chops with milk gravy, mashed potatoes, and green beans. It fits into my calories with no problem. But I also do TDEE minus 15%-20% and not something super low like 1200 because I believe that the vast majority of people don't have to eat a stupid low amount of calories to lose weight.

suremeansyes

I have a cheat weekend.

mschicagocubs

I guess I would say I cheat every day and that is why I have had success.

If I want ice cream, I work it into my calorie goal.

If I want to eat out, I work it into my calorie goal.

I do have days where I am out of town or on "vacation" and I don't log. But if I want a big breakfast while I'm out of town, I usually pick a better alternative for dinner.

If you are using the word "diet" you are doing it wrong.

SKME2013

My cheat is an ice cream from time to time. I usually make sure it fits into my daily calories.
Stef.

dacspace

I don't have cheat meals, or cheat days.

I eat what i eat when I want to eat it, as long as I have the calories for it.

I tend to eat chocolate everyday in some form!

This right here!

Maddalen101

If I eat something that's not consistent with how I am eating now, I do not call it cheating.
More, it's having something outside my current way of eating.
Like many responders to this post, I focus on keeping it within my MFP calorie guidelines.
and I log, log, log!
So ... if I want, say, Peeps or jelly beans, or a chocolate bar or a serving of cookies, or even a Starbucks lite frap with whip, I check my totals, and if I want, I have .. and I log it.
My suggestion: be VERY aware of how your body responds to the foods you are deeming 'cheats'. Chances are, they are making you even hungrier than you were before you had the goodie! Keep that in mind ...

tycho_mx

In general, no. What or who are you cheating, anyway? Yourself.

Put it this way. Your goal is to lose 10 lb in 12 weeks. You have a "plan" that involves a certain calorie restriction, paired with the necessary accuracy to record your caloric intake and activity level. This plan can be as strict or as loose as you make it.

So, what is a cheat? Not recording your intake? Or simply eating beyond the "plan" and acknowledging that you are going off-script?

When you track your progress 6 weeks from now, ideally you'd be approx. 5 lb lighter. If you're not, then something is happening:

a) your calorie intake records are wrong
b) your activity tracking is wrong
c) your basal metabolic rate estimate is wrong.

If you "cheat" and falsify your records, you have no idea what is it. You don't know if you need to be more accurate in your food records (buy a scale?). You don't know if you need to improve your activity tracking estimates. Or if simply your TDEE is wrong and you need to adjust it.

Not that this doesn't mean not eating some cake. Or all the cake. Weight management is only one aspect of our lives. In my case I have tried (at a different time and a different tool) an aggressive weight-loss program. It "worked", except that my cycling suffered - and that is the main reason I care about my weight. So I needed to pare down. I wouldn't have realized if I didn't keep a reasonably accurate record of my food at the time.

So if I REALLY want another peanut butter sandwich, I'll eat it. I'll try to "ride it off", but if I come up short and exceed my caloric budget that's it. When I get back to review my results, I can see what can be improved, and whether those improvements are worth it (I am not giving up my PB banana sandwiches!!!). But that is not cheating, is a failure to adhere to the plan, duly recorded and filed for reference if needed.

Or life happens. I had a vacation with my family abroad a couple of weeks ago. I was close to burning out with work/family responsibilities. So my vacation included my weight management. As a result, I regained most of the weight I had lost over Dec-Feb. But it was a reasoned decision. I am not happy I regained so much, but I am happy that my training is going well, work is going well, and I am not about to tear people's heads off at the slightest irritation.

So - don't lie to yourself. Accept that we have limitations in our diet, willpower, and even the control we have over some circumstances. As one coach once told me "what gets measured can be improved".

kbmnurse

Yes, usually either Friday or Saturday. I drink numerous beers and eat what I want. WILL NOT GIVE THIS UP.

Cheechos

I don't have cheat meals, or cheat days.

I eat what i eat when I want to eat it, as long as I have the calories for it.

I tend to eat chocolate everyday in some form!

I'm personally taking this route.

Timelordlady85

So far I have just been doing as others have mentioned and fitting any snacks I want into my calories for the day.

suremeansyes

I have a cheat weekend.

When you start spinning your wheels and don't know why, look back a your post.

I log everything and it fits into my weekly, so...there's that.

suremeansyes

I have a cheat weekend.

When you start spinning your wheels and don't know why, look back a your post.

I log everything and it fits into my weekly, so...there's that.

So then how exactly is it a "cheat weekend"?

It's junk. It fits my weekly calories (not my macros) but it's junk. Instead of spreading out the junk through the week, I eat it on the weekend. Works better for me.

Some people only consider un-tracked food a cheat, some people only consider junk a cheat, I don't think cheat has a specific meaning to the community as many people have different definitions of it.

Yeah, I'll lose weight slower. I don't even have a 3500 calorie deficit weekly, more like 1500-2500. Doesn't matter.

rebeccaLburchfield

probably once a week.. hard to pass up some foods