Cheat Meals

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megannnn15
megannnn15 Posts: 36 Member
in Food and Nutrition
What are people's opinions on cheat meals? Do they often turn into cheat days? Are they at the same time every week? How much 'cheat' is in your cheat meal? How do you feel afterwards? I'm looking for all the support and experience anyone has to offer.

Thank you!
-Megan
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Replies

  • derkin2005
    derkin2005 Posts: 282 Member
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    I don't do it often, but now that I am trying to maintain weight I do so with a little more frequency. Last night I had chicken and waffles and was up and at the gym at 3:30 this morning to make up for it.
  • katew221
    katew221 Posts: 82 Member
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    Idk, but I think 'cheat' is not a useful word, for me at least. 'Cheat' to me sounds like it somehow doesn't count, which is does. Calories are calories, whether they're 'cheeky' 'naughty' 'cheating' however you want to cute-sy it up, however, I definitely do have days when I go over my calorie goals, and they haven't seemed to cause problems this far :smile:

    Usually they are just one meal (e.g. a lunch out or an evening meal) that is so high in calories that I would need to work out for hours to burn it off. That doesn't mean I don't exercise at all on that day and just think 'sod it' and eat tons and tons, I just accept that I am going to be over my goal and do my best for 'damage limitation' :laugh:

    Over-calorie days are around once every two weeks for me, on average. The thing is, the only person you're cheating on is you!

    Hope this helps! :smile:
  • the_great_beyond_
    the_great_beyond_ Posts: 157 Member
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    I find it easier to stay the course if I am being consistent all the time. I use the IIFYM approach (which means being aware of what I am eating and focusing on portions) and so I don't need "cheat meals."
  • megannnn15
    megannnn15 Posts: 36 Member
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    I find it easier to stay the course if I am being consistent all the time. I use the IIFYM approach (which means being aware of what I am eating and focusing on portions) and so I don't need "cheat meals."


    Do you use that as maintenance or to lose weight and build muscle. I am still new to the macros approach to eating. Thanks for the input!
  • F00LofaT00K
    F00LofaT00K Posts: 688 Member
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    The "diet" I am following is really just slowly changing my lifestyle to something I can continue with forever. I still eat all of the foods that I like. So I do not have "cheat days." I allow room for error. I eat at a deficit during the week and aim to stay under my current maintenance calories on the weekends. Sometimes I go over my goals and that's okay, but I never plan anything like a "cheat day." For me, personally, that would be setting myself up for failure since I'm working on a new way of eating forever. Scheduling a meal or a day to forget about it would be counterproductive for me.

    But everybody has to figure out what works best for them.
  • DawnieB1977
    DawnieB1977 Posts: 4,248 Member
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    I prefer to think of it as a treat, rather than cheat. I don't do meals, but rather have a nice dessert. I haven't done this for a while as I was pregnant, but now my baby is 4 weeks old I need to get back on it. My plan is to be good all week, and then at the weekend make a cake or something, that way my older kids can have a treat too. I don't really like huge meals, or things like pizza, so I'd rather have a normal healthy meal, and a slice of cake and coffee after.
  • lemurcat12
    lemurcat12 Posts: 30,886 Member
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    I don't call them cheat meals, but I have at least one more extravagant meal, usually at a restaurant, per week. It's not insane calories or anything, just something where I eat more like I was in maintenance and having a nice meal out, without worrying about fitting it into my usual dinner calorie allowance. It's good for my motivation, something I enjoy, and part of my social life.

    It does not become an all day thing--I still log it (estimated, of course) and generally eat a bit less or lower calorie the rest of the day to allow for it or work for it with a significant workout (ideally that day, sometimes the day before or after). It's different than other meals since in theory it's okay to go a bit over calories for the day (I try to focus on weekly calories), but because of workout calories I usually don't. I tend to do longer bike rides or runs on Saturday and that's usually the day I eat my more extravagant meal.

    I'd say just figure out how it fits into your overall plan.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    What are people's opinions on cheat meals? Do they often turn into cheat days? Are they at the same time every week? How much 'cheat' is in your cheat meal? How do you feel afterwards? I'm looking for all the support and experience anyone has to offer.

    Thank you!
    -Megan

    I don't like the term "cheat"! How does cheating pertain to the way I eat? What constitutes cheating?

    I follow the IIFYM lifestyle, and it works great for me.
    I have been losing steadily since i started paying attention to what i eat.
    I will continue this through my weightloss journey and continue it into maintenance/bulking if i choose to do that.

    Good luck on your journey!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Makes no difference to me between a cheat day and a cheat meal... I can't eat over 3500 calories a day anymore really, so that's what it typically ends up at (but I don't drink, so it helps).

    But IMO it should not be a weekly thing... just a 'once in a while' thing. I've had more lately (although none in 2 weeks) and it's slowed down my weight loss significantly (it basically negates my deficit for a week... not good). And yeah I typically feel awful and stuffed after... MUCH rather try to fit what I really crave in my calories.
  • green83eyes
    green83eyes Posts: 16 Member
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    I do one "treat" day a week (within reason), where I don't count my calories and eat what I want...it's important for me to treat myself if I go to the gym and track my calories 6 days a week...it pushes me to make sure I hit the gym all of those 6 days knowing that I get to have that one day a week.
  • megannnn15
    megannnn15 Posts: 36 Member
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    Thank you all for the awesome input! I appreciate it!

    -Megan
  • jeannettemancini
    jeannettemancini Posts: 58 Member
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    I don't really schedule one, but if I have an event/party, I allow myself room to have fun.

    For example, two weeks ago my daughter had a B-day party and we made ice cream sundae's... i made a small one too.
    The next weekend we had a 40th B-day party. I stayed within calorie goals, but had foods I wouldn't normally eat.
  • La_Malfaisante
    La_Malfaisante Posts: 1,509 Member
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    I try to stay away from cheat meals because most of the time they turn into cheat days. If I really want something i'll have it but with moderation by trying to stay in my Macros! If it fits....I eat! :smile:
  • nicoleambersumpter
    nicoleambersumpter Posts: 48 Member
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    I have a "TREAT" meal once a week, something that i've been thinking about that i really want. I don't count the calories on that meal, i just have it. It works for me at maintenance and i find that if i don't have it i lose weight, which i don't want to do now i'm at goal... I don't like the word "cheat" .. I'm not cheating over anything, i work for that meal off... and i bloomin' well enjoy it! :D
    I don't see it as a cheat... i'm not 100% virtuous. I'd go mad if i didn't look forward to a meal off every now and then. I, like most people still crave high fat/high whatever foods... and a little of what you want goes a long way... I know i'd fail ultimately if i never had any kind of "off the record" treat.
  • thavoice
    thavoice Posts: 1,326 Member
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    What are people's opinions on cheat meals? Do they often turn into cheat days? Are they at the same time every week? How much 'cheat' is in your cheat meal? How do you feel afterwards? I'm looking for all the support and experience anyone has to offer.

    Thank you!
    -Megan
    I usually have one a week, the evening of the day I weigh in.

    I fast so the day I have my cheat meal I usually fast that day until dinner and then consume 2000-2500 that evening.

    Which......in reality, is at my TDEE so even on a day I ahve a cheat meal I am not really doing any damage!

    Win-Win.
  • besaro
    besaro Posts: 1,858 Member
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    i have had one weekly since starting and have lost 100 pounds doing it. we call it date night! drinks, apps, dessert, the works! We have turned it into a real treat, we find new restaurants and can even go to fancier ones cause we are only going out once a week, typically. it gives me a way to turn down cravings, I can say, only x amount of days and i can have that, whatever i am craving.

    Now with less to lose, and eating closer to TDEE daily, date night makes more of an impact, but without it for me, i would struggle with daily choices. thats just me.
  • maz504
    maz504 Posts: 450
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    I really can't stand the term "cheat meal"... it denotes that what you're doing is wrong and bad, which, to me, is hardly helpful. I'm a human being, perfect in my imperfections, and sometimes I lose my willpower, eat a whole wheel of baked brie and down it with a bottle of chardonnay. The next day I buck up, stay within my deficit and maybe go to the gym. And I still lose weight, in part I think because I don't use a system that makes me feel guilty or writes in certain days where I should "cheat".

    /rant. Sorry! Back to my cheese...
  • Snow3y
    Snow3y Posts: 1,412 Member
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    What the heck is a cheat meal :)
  • KylaDenay
    KylaDenay Posts: 1,585 Member
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    I think if you eat what you want and all of your favorite foods in moderation daily, you can just skip all the thinking that goes into a cheat meal.

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