Cheat Meals: When Do You Have Them?

Domineer

I have my cheat meal on Friday typically, on the same day I weigh in. I eat small portions for a cheat meal. I believe having a cheat meal helps to curb cravings for the food I love. What is your take on it? When do you have your cheat days?

craftywitch_63

I have my cheat meal on Friday typically, on the same day I weigh in. I eat small portions for a cheat meal. I believe having a cheat meal helps to curb cravings for the food I love. What is your take on it? When do you have your cheat days?

Tonight! I guess you'd call it a cheat meal, I had four pieces of Papa John's spinach alfredo pizza, but I saved up the calories.

I prefer not to think about it being a "cheat" meal because that seems to give it more power. To me, it's just a meal, albeit a high calorie one. Even if I go over my calorie limit (that's rare) I shrug it off, log it and move on. And, possibly add an hour or so to my workout the next morning . . . :blushing:

ndj1979

I just eat what I want when I want, and make room for it in my diary ..

I have ice cream every night, to some that might be a "cheat meal" for me it is just a daily treat that fits into my macro goals and I still eat in a deficit…

I would say you are better off eating what you want and staying in a deficit or being at maintenance level and try to avoid the big blowouts except for a few times a year i.e. thanksgiving, christmas, birthdays..etc...

macchiatto

Ditto the pp. I've moved more toward IIFYM but I do relax a little a few times a year on my birthday, Christmas, anniversary, etc.

Domineer

Thanks for the posts guys. I have gotten used to waiting for the weekends for cheat meals, which are mainly appetizers at restaurants and I drink tons of water with them. I notice I hardly crave sweets which is beautiful. Hot wings are my favorite cheat meal, with the right blue cheese to go with it. I learned to stay away from pizza for cheat meals because it creates a lot of guilt. However, I came up with a quick recipe which allots for the pizza taste without having to order out and feel crappy. Also, pigging out on holidays is not an excuse. By practicing self control year round, you can treat holidays as a regular day in a sense. Higher calorie meals, smaller portions, lots of water, and lots of movement while the family loosens their belts.

canadafats

I just eat what I want when I want, and make room for it in my diary ..

I have ice cream every night, to some that might be a "cheat meal" for me it is just a daily treat that fits into my macro goals and I still eat in a deficit…

I would say you are better off eating what you want and staying in a deficit or being at maintenance level and try to avoid the big blowouts except for a few times a year i.e. thanksgiving, christmas, birthdays..etc...

This is exactly what I would have written. Well said.
I do usually go a LITTLE overboard on Friday or Saturday night as I'm sure you know, these are mandatory drinking nights in Canada. I have however started drinking Molson 67 which is, yup, you guessed it: 67 calories per bottle. It's nice for Molson to help me with my water intake for the day.

canadafats

Hot wings are my favorite cheat meal, with the right blue cheese to go with it.

YES! Tip for you. Buy fresh chicken wings, lightly brush them with olive or coconut oil, bake them until done, then lightly dip them in a bowl of blue cheese dressing. A little less "guilt" that way.

GertrudeHorse

Who are you cheating exactly? Your body knows what you're eating, as does your brain...I can't really comprehend where the "cheating" part is.

Sinisterly

I don't have "cheat days", I have "Damn it, I %#$!'d up" days.

snazzyjazzy21

I just eat what I want when I want, and make room for it in my diary ..

This. I have chocolate everyday because I don't want to lose my mind.

MBrothers22

I don't think I'm going to have a full out cheat meal until my birthday in late May. I will eat EVERYTHING. But other than that, I don't think I'll do regular cheat meals until I'm closer to my goal (I have a lot to lose).

jaya_lakshmi27

I do cheat meals once or twice a month, when I have my period. I find that my cravings are HORRIBLE then. It also helps me not binge the other 29 days of the month.

YukiValentine

all the time! my guilt grows and then I just work it off as much as I can

mbitely2004

My family and I all go out for Taco Tuesday at our local bar. THATS my cheat meal... I get a beer usually (nope not even light! I have to have my Rolling Rock!) and 2 soft shell tacos and 1 yummy fried in the deep fryer hard shell amazingness. haha. I know what I'm having so I keep my other meals pretty light that day but I dont worry if I go over a 100 or calories. (but im also set at losing two lbs a week so even a couple hundred calories a week I'm still in a deficiet, I'm sure)

kdeaux1959

I go over my calorie allotment from time to time.. I do try to average most weeks to be at or near my calorie goal. I don't call it a cheat meal per se... Actually, it is more a balancing out from day to day... If one cheats their log.. they only cheat themselves. It is the long-term results we are questing after... If on occasion we go over, big wooof.. It will be ok. If it becomes too regular and we stop seeing results... that is why we log... to keep us honest and to get us back on track.

kaaaaylee

To clarify, your post mentioned cheat meals and cheat days. I do cheat meals, not cheat days. That being said, whenever I have a free night and go out with friends, I eat a little worse and have a drink or two. Could be a Saturday or a Wednesday.

Jenjenthejetplane1

Every Saturday night! My husband & I both have our "cheat" meal though we don't call it that, we call it a EARNED meal! We usually plan it early in the week, like this weekend we plan to go get pizza! We bust our *kitten* all week and look forward to our earned meal at the end. :happy:

AntWrig

I don't have one.

silverinc13

Saturday is my "cheat" night/day. Generally I'll try to stick to my same calorie goal for food and then allow a few glasses of wine or bourbon or a few beers as uncounted overs. I usually let my protein macro slip by 20g or so and the carbs jump a little - it's good to take a day a week where I don't stress it all too much.

RomulanWarbird

I don't really have them. If I want to eat a big meal, then I workout extra so I have excess calories to eat. I can still pack in two sushi rolls or some pad thai and have room for it every other week when I can afford to go out.

geebusuk

I often have days where I have an entire pizza, tub of icecream and so on.
However, these days I make sure it fits my calories/macros - so will likely have done a load of cycling or similar on that day. Does make a good difference to consistent loss doing it that way from past experience where I haven't.

_lyndseybrooke_

I don't call them "cheat meals." I make sure I don't go over my weekly calories, so it's not technically cheating. However, I do save exercise calories for Saturday and Sunday. I say as long as your weekly average is at or below your goal, it's fair game.

Ice cream, pizza, Chinese food, etc. Go for it!

kluvit

I just eat what I want when I want, and make room for it in my diary ..

I have ice cream every night, to some that might be a "cheat meal" for me it is just a daily treat that fits into my macro goals and I still eat in a deficit…

I would say you are better off eating what you want and staying in a deficit or being at maintenance level and try to avoid the big blowouts except for a few times a year i.e. thanksgiving, christmas, birthdays..etc...

^^^^^THIS!^^^^^ If you work the foods you love into your plan, there's no need to "cheat" and the develop the habit of "cheating" that could ultimately rob you of your goal to lose or maintain. Creating a plan that you enjoy is the key to success.