Why "cheat"?

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  • Losingitin2011
    Losingitin2011 Posts: 572 Member
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    That is a good point. I think we really need to call things what they are, instead of making up less hurtful names for it. If you choose to eat a pan of brownies, that isn't cheating, that is binging. You need to dig deep, even if that means getting some psychological help, and find out WHY you are slipping back into those patterns. That brings in the whole mental illness issue though, which is such a "bad" thing in our world, when SO many people suffer from it. It's sad.
  • TS65
    TS65 Posts: 1,024 Member
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    **Please note this is just MY opinion as I've learned from MY experiences... "Cheating" may work for you**

    I can't cheat. This time around, I realize this is a lifestyle change that involves everything in moderation. I eat or drink whatever I want, whenever I want - as long as I log it and count it. There WILL be days I can't log or follow a "diet" (this weekend will be the perfect example - camping with a group of people where food is provided). I still will not consider it cheating - I will do my best to monitor my portions and do what I can. Life is about living. If you let a "diet" rule your life, you won't succeed. Your eating plan needs to blend into your life in order to be successful. (that's still not an excuse to eat crap all day, but to do what you can with the circumstances you are given.)

    As stated above, cheating implies I'm doing something I shouldn't be doing. That's not the case. My opinion - as long as people treat this as a diet and not a lifestyle change, they're going to consider it "cheating." Cheating leads to guilt, which can lead to over-indulging (the mindset of "well, I've already blown it I might as well have more") which can sometimes lead to continued over-indulgence (the inability to "hop back on the wagon.") It's a slippery slide that can lead to failure.
  • mericksmom
    mericksmom Posts: 222 Member
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    Cheat is a no no word in my vocab. I say I had extras for the day.
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    Yes, I so agree! I do not call it that. I do say "indulge" if I eat something that is no longer part of my normal eating.

    The other thing that is annoying is if someone says "oowww" if I do eat something unhealthy. I'm like oh no you don't lol I still decide what I eat and I do so without guilt!
  • Losingitin2011
    Losingitin2011 Posts: 572 Member
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    Yes, I so agree! I do not call it that. I do say "indulge" if I eat something that is no longer part of my normal eating.

    The other thing that is annoying is if someone says "oowww" if I do eat something unhealthy. I'm like oh no you don't lol I still decide what I eat and I do so without guilt!

    I think I would go off on someone if they did that to me. I get touchy about people judging me because I indulge myself sometimes. I figure it's better to just go with it than to binge on it later because I denied the craving.
  • Brandicaloriecountess
    Brandicaloriecountess Posts: 2,126 Member
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    Yes, I so agree! I do not call it that. I do say "indulge" if I eat something that is no longer part of my normal eating.

    The other thing that is annoying is if someone says "oowww" if I do eat something unhealthy. I'm like oh no you don't lol I still decide what I eat and I do so without guilt!

    I think I would go off on someone if they did that to me. I get touchy about people judging me because I indulge myself sometimes. I figure it's better to just go with it than to binge on it later because I denied the craving.

    THAT is exactly why I do it. If I were to go months without indulgances I KNOW i would not stick to my changes for a lifetime, and THAT is my goal!!!
  • stefraab
    stefraab Posts: 402 Member
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    I don't cheat - I work my calories around some of the more unhealthy foods that I enjoy, or I eat smaller portions. I don't eat them all the time because it's not healthy, but I don't feel guilty when I have some chocolate or pizza.
  • wewon
    wewon Posts: 838 Member
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    I see 'cheat' as simply acknowledging that it's a day that you are eating things that are usually off limits.

    I see calling it a 'free' day as just as good to get the point across.
  • foxxybrown
    foxxybrown Posts: 838 Member
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    Not a cheat meal but a treat meal!
  • ItsCasey
    ItsCasey Posts: 4,022 Member
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    Different strokes for different folks. Some people like ( maybe even NEED) to verbally acknowledge that eating pizza is a departure from the norm. This is especially true for people who are new to the weight-loss process.

    I know when I first started trying to lose weight, I could not even begin to comprehend the idea of building chocolate or fast food or whatever into my normal diet. I just didn't see how I could ever be successful with that. I had to start by establishing better eating habits overall, and that meant admitting to myself that there is my "diet," and then there are exceptions to my "diet" that I'm allowed to have every now and then.

    Now that I'm almost at my goal weight, I have such a dramatically different perception about it. There are some things that I will never eat again, save for unforeseen circumstances. But there are things that used to be "off-limits except on cheat days" that aren't off-limits at all anymore. I've learned to control portions. I've learned how not to let one bad day or bad meal turn into a week-long binge. I've learned how to take a day or two off my workout program to let my body recover without it turning into 5 or 6 days off and then completely falling off the wagon.

    But very people, especially those with a lot of weight to lose, can start off on a weight-loss journey with that kind of perception. If they could, they wouldn't have so much weight to lose in the first place. It takes time to build up to that, and if calling a bad meal a "cheat meal" works for them, then it's really no one else's business.

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