Cheating

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Replies

  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I don't do that these days. I mostly just make things that taste really good but are actually good for me. I don't like to eat out often anymore either for a number of reasons anyway (money is a factor as well as the diet).

    But I would employ real cheat meal or whole cheat days in the past when I was a lot more active than I am now. I sit at a desk all day so I have to be a little more anal about things now.

    But I don't have any desire to really go on a big cheat either. Last time I did that was my birthday back in January before I started this cut. I went to Cheesecake Factory and went crazy. lol
  • sculli123
    sculli123 Posts: 1,221 Member
    I learned from the best.

    I mean reported :D

    =D

    tell SCC I miss them (all except cakes)
    Banderas.gif
  • Rainboots80
    Rainboots80 Posts: 218 Member
    I started my "diet" January 31st and so far I have not had a cheat meal.
  • AilinaHavalii
    AilinaHavalii Posts: 8 Member
    Cheat is a negative word. I find planned splurge to be much more positive.
    i don't believe in cheating, that word is not a part of my diet vocabulary. cheating implies you are depriving or restricting yourself and thus must "Cheat" to get what you want.

    i work in the foods i love into my plan. all in moderation and eating them all in a healthier approach

    These. I consider "cheating" to be a misnomer. The way I think about it, "cheating" (as on a test), is a way of getting the result you want without putting in the work to get it. A "cheat" meal, on the other hand, only wipes out a deficit and actually has the opposite result, by negating something you worked for and setting you back on when you'll see results.

    Now, I'm not saying that indulgences are bad. I've been using MFP for over two years, and while I have made great progress, I have certainly indulged both mindfully and by accident along the way. I just think that using the word "cheat" gives people the wrong idea about the concept, making it seem tempting and forbidden, instead of just something that undoes hard work if not planned for ahead of time.
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  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    These threads are always pretty standard. You'll have the OP who is asking about a cheat meal but most likely is really asking if he/she can have a binge day. Then there's the high horse group that "doesn't believe in cheating because I eat ice cream every day," as they sit and log the two tablespoons of it they ate. Then there's the few people that will answer honestly.

    When i eat ice cream i can guarentee it's more than 2 table spoons.

    I still don't consider it cheating, even if it isn't something i eat daily!
  • jenniferbertram7165
    jenniferbertram7165 Posts: 28 Member
    I love having a cheat meal. I have done weight watchers since January. They give you an extra 49 points per week, for just in case. I would stick strictly to my points each day, then one day have a cheat meal. Within two days of the cheat meal, the scales would drop. I can weigh every day and just drop a couple ounces over a few days, then after the cheat meal it'll be between a pound and two pounds.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
    I don't cheat. I just eat and try to meet my macros.
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  • kdcj17
    kdcj17 Posts: 73 Member
    I try not to 'cheat'.... If I want something bad enough, I work it into my calories. If I happen to go over, no huge deal. However, I try not to.
  • alisonmarytuck
    alisonmarytuck Posts: 68 Member
    Cheating is just so negative and punishing in tone and potentially makes one feel bad and a failure. I don't ban any food, I just cut to small portions of anything I fancy. I also think before eating it whether the pleasure is worth the potential consequences in calories; sometimes it is , sometimes it isn't! There are some things I just no longer bother with whereas something like my favourite home made cake is worth every calorie in a small slice!
  • bassclef19
    bassclef19 Posts: 53 Member
    I cheat Fridays to Sundays. I've always done this.. but there were some points that I was starting to not lose weight or gain because I was just eating too much bad stuff on the weekends and not exercising enough.

    So, now I still have my cheat weekends and continue to lose weight. I try not to put myself in a food coma by eating like crap throughout the whole weekend and increase exercise both during the week and on weekends.

    I find when I exercise during my cheat weekends I am less likely to eat as poorly.
  • mitch16
    mitch16 Posts: 2,113 Member
    I don't really consider it cheating--it's just part of my lifestyle. During the week I am pretty disciplined. Weekends, due to family obligations, are a bit looser--we tend to eat at restaurants and yard work or a family bike ride/golf outing tends to replace my normal intense workout. I don't go crazy with the food, but I don't hold myself to the same restrictions. I suppose I could lose more, faster, if I was disciplined every single day, but this way doesn't really seem like a big compromise. It seems to work for me--started gaining weight back when I treated every day like my weekend though!
  • ninav1980
    ninav1980 Posts: 514 Member
    How often do ya'll have a cheat meal? Do you cheat the entire day or just one meal? How is this working for you?

    Sorry if this has been posted before. Somewhat new here.

    Here is how it went for me

    Started out eating right mon-thursday cheated Fri-Sun, that didnt work, no loss

    Switched it up to only only one day-Saw slight improvement, so got a little more motivivated

    Switched again to only a cheat meal-saw much more improvement-again, got even more motivated

    These days, even when I have a cheat meal, its pretty healthy. For instance, I had salmon and a baked potato at my favorite steak place Saturday night. I figure I could do a lot worse than Salmon and baked potato.

    In time once you see results, its easy to scale down on cheat meals/days

    If you consider salmon and a baked potatoe to be cheating, you are doing it wrong!

    You dont know whats on my baked potato, do you :)
  • mstripes
    mstripes Posts: 151 Member
    My eating plan is not so rigid that I consider my going over cheating. Sometimes I go over in excess of 1000 calories, sometimes a bit more. Going over by 1000 calories if my logging is accurate enough just means I'll not lose weight that day. When I go over I realize I'll just have to exercise more to pay for it in the coming days. I try to think in positive terms, it works for me.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    How often do ya'll have a cheat meal? Do you cheat the entire day or just one meal? How is this working for you?

    Sorry if this has been posted before. Somewhat new here.

    Here is how it went for me

    Started out eating right mon-thursday cheated Fri-Sun, that didnt work, no loss

    Switched it up to only only one day-Saw slight improvement, so got a little more motivivated

    Switched again to only a cheat meal-saw much more improvement-again, got even more motivated

    These days, even when I have a cheat meal, its pretty healthy. For instance, I had salmon and a baked potato at my favorite steak place Saturday night. I figure I could do a lot worse than Salmon and baked potato.

    In time once you see results, its easy to scale down on cheat meals/days

    If you consider salmon and a baked potatoe to be cheating, you are doing it wrong!

    You dont know whats on my baked potato, do you :)

    Doesn't matter ! :smile:
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
    My eating plan is not so rigid that I consider my going over cheating. Sometimes I go over in excess of 1000 calories, sometimes a bit more. Going over by 1000 calories if my logging is accurate enough just means I'll not lose weight that day. When I go over I realize I'll just have to exercise more to pay for it in the coming days. I try to think in positive terms, it works for me.

    Look at it week to week not day to day!
  • bciloveme2014
    bciloveme2014 Posts: 213 Member
    I never "cheat". I fit items into my macros.
    Like Hershey's kisses today. And a slice of homemade birthday cake last night. Moderation is key, and it's not necessary to label foods as "good" or "bad", so that you have to feel like "cheating" to eat them.

    Just eat the cookie, pizza, or burger, and balance it with the rest of your day!

    this ^
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    I never "cheat". I fit items into my macros.
    Like Hershey's kisses today. And a slice of homemade birthday cake last night. Moderation is key, and it's not necessary to label foods as "good" or "bad", so that you have to feel like "cheating" to eat them.

    Just eat the cookie, pizza, or burger, and balance it with the rest of your day!

    This exactly (she says as she licks the lemon buttercream frosting from her fingertips...)
  • ninav1980
    ninav1980 Posts: 514 Member
    How often do ya'll have a cheat meal? Do you cheat the entire day or just one meal? How is this working for you?

    Sorry if this has been posted before. Somewhat new here.

    Here is how it went for me

    Started out eating right mon-thursday cheated Fri-Sun, that didnt work, no loss

    Switched it up to only only one day-Saw slight improvement, so got a little more motivivated

    Switched again to only a cheat meal-saw much more improvement-again, got even more motivated

    These days, even when I have a cheat meal, its pretty healthy. For instance, I had salmon and a baked potato at my favorite steak place Saturday night. I figure I could do a lot worse than Salmon and baked potato.

    In time once you see results, its easy to scale down on cheat meals/days

    If you consider salmon and a baked potatoe to be cheating, you are doing it wrong!

    You dont know whats on my baked potato, do you :)

    Doesn't matter ! :smile:


    wow, chuckling, please carry on, no advice needed from someone that thinks topping on food dont matter...
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
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    I'm going to the Rock's house for my next re-feed day... or cheat meal/day if you must call it that.
  • yo_andi
    yo_andi Posts: 2,178 Member
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    All's I'm saying is "cheat meals" or "days" have a way of becoming "cheat all the times". How about structuring your nutrition in such a way that you don't feel deprived of anything therefore never having to resort to "cheating."
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    How often do ya'll have a cheat meal? Do you cheat the entire day or just one meal? How is this working for you?

    Sorry if this has been posted before. Somewhat new here.

    What is this cheating? I try to eat food that fits into my daily calorie and macronutrient goals.
  • Mr_Bad_Example
    Mr_Bad_Example Posts: 2,403 Member
    images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTJBXH8zVp3sZSrLL4XZbCyNztXrBBjHwCDthYyRiKqadYH6A0q

    All's I'm saying is "cheat meals" or "days" have a way of becoming "cheat all the times". How about structuring your nutrition in such a way that you don't feel deprived of anything therefore never having to resort to "cheating."

    Not really. I can have a massive "cheat day" and it's out of my system - it doesn't roll into eating like that all of the time That said, I work foods I like into my day to day diet, so I never really feel deprived. Different strokes for different folks.
  • ShellF415
    ShellF415 Posts: 182 Member
    I don't consider it cheating but I give myself a free day every now and then. I don't schedule it once a week because I don't always feel like doing it but when there is something special going on, I allow myself to eat normally and drink a few beers without counting calories. That being said, I don't go nuts eating and it's a free day, not a free weekend or week. And the scale is affected for a day or two. But it keeps me from getting burned out and I work out the next day no matter how lousy I feel .
  • Timelordlady85
    Timelordlady85 Posts: 797 Member
    I don't really have cheat days. If I want something special like some ice cream or we plan to go out for dinner I just give myself enough calories or workout more to adjust for the extra calories. been working great so far for me.