Thoughts on cheat meals?

Allegi32

I'm curious what everyone thinks of cheat meals (not cheat DAYS).

When I was super thin in college, I was extremely disciplined with my food - well, I had an eating disorder, potato/potahto. J/K. Anyway, one day a week, I would visit my friend at her college in the area and would eat an insane amount of food for one night. Next day, back at my regular routine. I stayed very thin and it was never a problem.

Since I've gained all this weight, I've noticed a pattern. The times where my weight loss has stalled, sometimes I would say "screw it" and go eat an entire pizza. The next day, I'd wake up 2 pounds lighter. It was like my body jump-started or something.

Now, I've gained and lost the same 30 pounds I don't even know how many times, but this time I'm trying to really think of things differently. I'm really viewing it as a slow-approach, not a quick-fix and am taking my time. I have been a member of MFP for years but haven't really used it regularly. I've decided to really commit to logging. Anyway, for the past 2 weeks (I think it was 2 weeks), I have stayed under my calories and lost a grand total of 3 pounds. Woo hoo. LOL I've also been exercising and I already know that my body has responded, I feel very different and my husband has commented that he has noticed a difference. Last night I decided to have a cheat meal. I ate very well all day long and just had that cheat meal and that was it. I'm not surprised I woke up about 5 pounds heavier - I'm sure all that food is sitting in my stomach and I'm sure the sodium content was off the charts. But I don't feel bloated and I feel like it makes me more committed to staying on program because I know every week or 2 I can have that one cheat meal and I don't feel deprived. And I also feel like it's more indicative of a successful long-term program. You can't expect to never eat a fattening, sugary meal ever again, but if you're eating well 95% of the time, isn't that more reflective of how a successful program should be?

While I feel like it's good psychologically (because after years of living with an eating disorder, I just want to be healthy, physically and psychologically), I'm just wondering if it is going to sabotage my results. I'd love to hear what some people think about the cheat meal, from a psychological standpoint as well as a physical one. I'd especially love to hear from people who have incorporated it into their program and how it has affected them.

Francl27

Cheat day, cheat meal, same result IMO.

Do a search. Dozens of thread on the subject.

rileyleigh

The whole strategy of this "program" is to make sure that you eat fewer calories than you burn. You can choose where you want to get your calories. I personally have started eating a couple of "healthier" meals based around more vegetables on some days, but i also eat the same old "unhealthy" foods on other days. When i choose "unhealthy", i simply eat a smaller portion than i would have in the past.

But you are right when you say you can't expect to go forever without ever having a high sugary/fatty meal. Thus, when i really want to, i most certainly have a larger portion of pizza/dessert than i should. This would constitute a cheat meal i suppose. I can usually counter it with some exercise, or eating a little bit less in other meals. But even if i don't complete cancel out the calories i ate, one meal wont cause me to undo everything i've done so far.

That being said, if you let a cheat meal turn in to an all out binge-fest, you could quite easily eat enough calories to negate days or even weeks worth of caloric deficits.

So, to summarize. I eat whatever i want in moderation, but don't feel bad if i go over my calorie limit slightly every once in a while.

muzzychris

Sometimes you need them to keep sane! Do the maths, if a pound of fat is 3500 calories roughly you couldn't gain 5lbs! Your water weight will fluctuate sometimes up to a stone! Like other people have said as long as it's one meal and not a day/ night as you could soon undo your weeks work!

Irenaekl

I don't 'get' cheat days or cheat meals. Who or what,exactly, are you cheating?

If you have set yourself a calorie allowance and stick to it 90% of the time - going over your 'limit' occasionally isn't the end of the world. If you 'deprive' yourself of certain things, you're just going to want them more.

You say you 'gained' 5lbs after your meal - no you didn't, unless your meal had 15000+ calories. Your meal just hadn't passed through your system when you weighed. It's silly eating a huge meal then weighing and being surprised that you're heavier.

I follow the 5:2 way of eating. I don't see it as a 'diet', I eat anything I want - I just don't eat a lot of it! If I have a slice of calorie laden cake one day, I have a smaller slice than I once would have had and I just eat a bit less of other things. If I know I'm going out for a meal in the evening, I just eat very little during the day.

It's about sensible eating - not depriving yourself then feeling the need to 'cheat'

FindingAmy77

I don't 'get' cheat days or cheat meals. Who or what,exactly, are you cheating?

If you have set yourself a calorie allowance and stick to it 90% of the time - going over your 'limit' occasionally isn't the end of the world. If you 'deprive' yourself of certain things, you're just going to want them more.

You say you 'gained' 5lbs after your meal - no you didn't, unless your meal had 15000+ calories. Your meal just hadn't passed through your system when you weighed. It's silly eating a huge meal then weighing and being surprised that you're heavier.

I follow the 5:2 way of eating. I don't see it as a 'diet', I eat anything I want - I just don't eat a lot of it! If I have a slice of calorie laden cake one day, I have a smaller slice than I once would have had and I just eat a bit less of other things. If I know I'm going out for a meal in the evening, I just eat very little during the day.

It's about sensible eating - not depriving yourself then feeling the need to 'cheat'

yep totally this. why cheat???? just eat good stuff and keep your stomach satisfied while doing it and staying within your calories. you can eat anything and still lose. I do. I just do it smart

Allegi32

I don't 'get' cheat days or cheat meals. Who or what,exactly, are you cheating?

If you have set yourself a calorie allowance and stick to it 90% of the time - going over your 'limit' occasionally isn't the end of the world. If you 'deprive' yourself of certain things, you're just going to want them more.

You say you 'gained' 5lbs after your meal - no you didn't, unless your meal had 15000+ calories. Your meal just hadn't passed through your system when you weighed. It's silly eating a huge meal then weighing and being surprised that you're heavier.

I follow the 5:2 way of eating. I don't see it as a 'diet', I eat anything I want - I just don't eat a lot of it! If I have a slice of calorie laden cake one day, I have a smaller slice than I once would have had and I just eat a bit less of other things. If I know I'm going out for a meal in the evening, I just eat very little during the day.

It's about sensible eating - not depriving yourself then feeling the need to 'cheat'

I agree it's a bad term, I definitely don't like to think of it as "cheating" because I'm looking at this as a lifestyle choice. But it's easier to say than "eating-food-I-normally-wouldn't-eat-in-quantities-I-normally-don't-eat" day. LOL

Oh I wasn't surprised at the 5 pound difference - maybe you read my post quickly, I definitely was expecting that, and obviously I know I didn't gain 5 pounds of fat overnight. I fully expected to see that, just because of the volume of food and sodium. It was more of a curiosity thing in terms of getting on the scale.

Branstin

I don't 'get' cheat days or cheat meals. Who or what,exactly, are you cheating?

...

It's about sensible eating - not depriving yourself then feeling the need to 'cheat'

Exactly!

I work any food I wish to eat into my calories, even if I have to eat at my maintenance level from time to time. Cheating isn't needed!