Cheat meals: The low down

deathtaco

If you need a cheat meal, you're doing something wrong:


1) Not cheating if it fits your macros/calorie goals
2) Not cheating if you've been in a caloric deficit for at least 7 days and been working your *kitten* off (assuming low carb)
3) Not cheating if you keep fats low on this meal.


Seriously, if you need to cheat you're on a diet - not eating well. You shouldn't need to 'cheat.' You should be fitting good tasting foods into your weekly schedule somehow. You may not be able to eat the entire pint of ice cream, or you may have to sacrifice the little things. But if you want a 'cheat' meal so badly, make a sacrifice to fit it in.

spacevulture

One thousand percent agreed. Thank you.

juliapurpletoes

cheers to that!! life is for living!!

Just do it smartly :drinker:

l3xii

cheers to that!! life is for living!!

Just do it smartly :drinker:

2 thumbs up

lesliekae

I have to agree. There have been serveral days that I found after a good workout that I needed to eat something indulgent. LOL Sounds crazy but it didn't put me over on anything and I didn't have to feel left out when everyone else was enjoying a sweet. It is absolutely possible to plan those sort of things into your intake if you are reasonable about the portion.

modernfemme

Agreed!!

flutterqueen04

I have a cheat meal/day where I don't really count calories and eat what I want (but I do not go over board and get grease and all that. It is generally cheat as in just going over calories). And I lose a pound a week...sometimes 2 pounds a week. Hmmm...........................................................................:huh:



But I agree that if you want to indulge daily then you need to sacrifice to fit it in. But if you take a day or a meal to not care what you are eating and just eat and are still doing ok weight loss wise then that is all good for you. Everybody is different. There is no one size fits all approach to this whole weight loss thing.

PS: Its not a diet....its a lifestyle...just saying. That word is just nasty! haha :laugh:

taso42_DELETED

I'm kind of confused by what you're getting at with this post. Sometimes at the end of my "free day", I look at my diary and find that I've hit my calorie target and macros. This is sort of a failed free day. When that happens, I try harder the next day, and get a bacon cheeseburger and a beer or something.

deathtaco

I'm saying instead of throwing progress to the wind by having a "no count" day, or a "cheat day" where you eat what you want "in moderation," just incorporate the calories and such of said meal into your average day.

If you have 1/4 cup of Ben and Jerrys for example, and you FIT THAT INTO your daily calories and pro/fat/carb limits, then it's not cheating. It's just another meal, you've satisfied that craving and you don't even feel bad.

taso42_DELETED

Sounds like a valid technique, I guess. I would rather stay fully disciplined 6 days a week, eating as clean as possible, then have any sort of splurge I want on Saturday or Sunday. I go over 500-1000 calories very regularly. Do I look like I'm throwing my progress to the wind?

deathtaco

Missing my point man.

Lpfeifer419

Missing my point man.

"Cheat" to me implies bad/wrong. I'm sorry, but I'm an adult and don't need to "cheat". If I want something "bad", I am going to work it into my diary and make good choices the rest of the day. It may take some planning, but I consider it a skill I am learning because there will be times that I am going to have to eat "bad".

OP, is that close?

Winged_Victory

I'm of the mind that if having "cheat meals" works for someone on their plan, go for it.

It definitely does not work for me. I end up feeling guilty because I'm "cheating." Then I am more likely to (1) start eating emotionally to help myself not feel guilty, or (2) I'll cheat again the next day and tell myself I am really starting a new week so I can have an extra cheat day (then feel guilty for doing THAT).

"Cheating" also makes me feel like I am treating food as a reward. I get to cheat if I have been "good" all week. I have been trying to change my relationship with food and not see it in terms of good and bad, or like something I have to earn and reward myself with.

I have been putting foods in terms of nutrition, experimentation, and flavor, but I try not to think about it in emotional terms. This has helped me.

So cheat days are not for me, but it is not for me to say what works for others.

flutterqueen04

I'm saying instead of throwing progress to the wind by having a "no count" day, or a "cheat day" where you eat what you want "in moderation," just incorporate the calories and such of said meal into your average day.

If you have 1/4 cup of Ben and Jerrys for example, and you FIT THAT INTO your daily calories and pro/fat/carb limits, then it's not cheating. It's just another meal, you've satisfied that craving and you don't even feel bad.

I am confused. I have a free day once a week and I am progressing very good.
To each their own I guess. Again there is no one size fits all solution. Everyone is doing it the way it works for them and that is how it should be. If I had to lose weight by doing what people on here think should be the standard I would never be able to. I'd quit out of frustration and feeling like a failure cuz I ate a candy bar and put bad chemicals in my body and went over my calories. I tried the no cheat day approach for the good first part of my progress and I got so tired of being restrictive. Once I started to have a free day I noticed - FOR ME - that I actually lost more weight from it. I guess I threw off my metabolism or whatever the research had told me. Again...to each their own. People do what works for you and worry about you.

PrincessBTits

I sincerely hope that weight loss and muscle gain doesn't come with your know-it-all attitude.

deathtaco

I sincerely hope that weight loss and muscle gain doesn't come with your know-it-all attitude.

I'm trying to help people achieve their goals with as little pain as possible. Forgive me for sharing, enjoy.

milaxx

I couldn't agree more. I don't have cheat meals or cheat days. Cheat days imply this is a diet, a temporary thing. It's not, this is how I plan to eat for the rest of my life.

I plan my snacks and my meals. If I want a piece of chocolate, I figure out how to fit it into my calories for the day. I don't waste it on some cheap stuff either. I go for Godiva or Lindts or Perugina Baci chocolates. I'm gonna savor it and enjoy it and know I deserve that piece of chocolate for working hard and eating well.

fishermanwife

I couldnt agree more I eat all my regular foods just try to make it more healthy and the right size portions , I watch my sodium, sugar and carb intake bc I have found those have more of a reaction to my body but I eat whatever I want in moderation every day and I dont make special meals different from the family, I feel that if I have complete cheat days where I dont watch what I eat one day will become two then three then ill be right back where I started, I want this to be a lifestyle change not be on a DIET for the rest of my life.

sandyfeet10

thank you for posting!!! i agree with all the positive things on this page, but i can't believe the negativity of some comments! aren't we all on here to help each other?? why would you insult someone like that?? let's stay positive!

Forensi

I am going to have to disagree with deathtaco (no offence intended) and agree with flutterqueen04.

I am no expert but...

Based on some research I have done and articles I have read all over the internet I have found that having a cheat or free or whatever you want to call it day once a week is and can actually be a very good thing for a couple of reasons.

1. Psychologically: If you are restricting yourself of certain foods and restricting yourself of calories for a time eating whatever you want and not counting your calories for a day is good for the mind and for some people (not all) can help them stay on track to their target. I have found myself that having a day off calorie restriction helps me to keep focused and I am easily able to stay with my assigned calories every day during the week.

2. Metabolism: By restricting calories we are telling the body that there is less food/nutrients available than what I thinks it should be getting. The longer you do this the more your body adjusts and eventually it will go into what is called starvation mode, where the metabolism shuts down and stops processing food as fast, hence a halt in fat burning. I have learnt that the metabolism is in direct connection with a hormone called Leptin. When leptin levels drop in the body, the metabolism shuts down and fat burning stops. This can take about a week to occur. I have also discovered that you can correct this and restore leptin/metabolism back to optimal levels by having an over-feeding/cheat/free day once per week because it only takes 12 hours to restore the damage done to ones metabolism.

If you want a better explanation of this go to the link in my signature. This is the guy who came up with this concept (or one of the guys), I've used his program before.....it's very good.

These are the reasons that flutterqueen04 is seeing such consistent results, because she is restoring her metabolism and by staying with her calorie goals for the rest of the week it is allowing her body to be at maximum fat burning efficiency.

This is not a personal attack at anybody this is just my opinion and what I have discovered works for me and many other people. I personally lost 1.5kg (3 pounds) last week and at the start of that week on the Sunday i went 2000 cals over my daily goal. If you're telling me it doesn't work, I'm walking proof that it does.

allybtucker

I've been counting calories and making better food choices for a month now, and have lost 12 pounds. I had my first planned, monthly cheat meal last night. I ate normally all day, and for dinner I had a half a Red Baron cheese pizza with added broccoli, onions and bbq sauce. Yum. It felt so great to just enjoy, and not feel guilty since it was all part of the plan. I felt so satisfied the rest of the evening. Today I feel mentally ready to start the next month of relative deprivation, compared to pizza anyway :-) I say yay cheat meal!

ProudMomoftwo

:flowerforyou:
Not "cheating" and not seeing this as a diet but a life-change is also working for me.
I know...I know ...everyone is different and kudos to you if what ever you are doing is working for you.
I eat in moderation whatever I work my butt off to get in that day.
I don't deny myself b/c I am trying to have a totally different relationships and respect with food and yes...I admit it, I was an emotional eater and have issues to come to terms with.
This isn't JUST about food and cals and exercise for me.
It is the whole healthy package for me.
I am glad you posted DeathTaco.
If what you are doing is working for you, by all means keep doing it.
If it is NOT working for you (at least not like you think it should) then maybe you will get the motivation you need from his post as it was intended.

flutterqueen04

Thanks Forensi for your insight!! I don't want anyone to think I was putting the O.P. down. Last night I got on MPF and there seemed to be thread after thread of people saying "THIS is what you do and if you don't do it this way you won't lose" and it really was just their opinion of what was working for THEM. Most of these threads came off kind of rude or harsh as to if you aren't doing what they are doing it then you are doing it wrong and you just must not care about your weight loss progress. I'll say it again.........................weight loss is flipping HARD! There is NO 1 solution that works for everyone. Everyone has to find what works for them. I did, and what works for me is to have a "free day" and I am making great progress. In fact I lost another pound this morning and guess what yesterday was for me? That's right my "free day"! :happy: As someone stated before this is suppose to be a support site. If you find something that works for you, like the OP did for him in regards to cheating then good for him, seriously its a great accomplishment! JUST REMEMBER it worked for you, it may not work for everyone. You can, by all means, post that it worked for you and what you did and how it helped. DON'T get on here and post that because this is what worked for you there for it is FACT and if you aren't doing it then YOU are WRONG. (I am using a generalized "you" not directing it solely at this OP) I hope that made sense. Again, it just seemed like last night the threads I was reading were very condescending and high and mighty to be frank. This one just hit home to me because I am a "cheater" if that is what you want to call it and I was reading how cheating was throwing away my progress when clearly - FOR ME - it wasn't. That is the point I am trying to make.

ShapeUpSidney

Well said. I think of it in terms of opportunity costs. Most days my normal diet is sufficient to meet my calorie goals, as long as I'm paying attention.

Sure, bad days happen...sometimes poor planning, lack of resources, etc

But I certainly dont "plan" a cheat day. I may plan to hit the treadmill for an extra 20 so that I can have steak. But again, that's just opportunity costs

wildon883r

What's a cheat meal considering the only thing a diet means is the food we eat to live. Why to people trying to lose or maintain have to make it such a complicated thought process? I had German chocolate cake on Saturday. I didn't feel like i was cheating, I wanted it. I had pizza for supper. I might of went over as i didn't bother to count. I'm sure to lose another 1.5-2 this week with the way i eat now. It's when i reach my target that i'm gonna have to figure how to raise it to maintainance weight.

Azzrielish

I'm saying instead of throwing progress to the wind by having a "no count" day, or a "cheat day" where you eat what you want "in moderation," just incorporate the calories and such of said meal into your average day.

If you have 1/4 cup of Ben and Jerrys for example, and you FIT THAT INTO your daily calories and pro/fat/carb limits, then it's not cheating. It's just another meal, you've satisfied that craving and you don't even feel bad.

This is what I do and it works well for me.

There are a couple of things I 100% avoid because I know that giving in to the craving will just make the craving worse and that NOT eating it gets easier with time (thinking of potato chips here). That's just an individual trait that I know I have.

I love tortilla chips and salsa. LOVE! So I will workout longer or harder, or if its a day where my calories are are already a little low, and weigh out an ounce of chips and work it into my day.

Likewise with Sharon's Passion Fruit Sorbet - I measure out a cup and savour every mouthful of it.

pittielover23

Again, people, what works for some does not work for others. Having one "cheat meal" a week where I don't over analyze the calorie content works for me, for now. You know why? Because if I have a little treats throughout the week I tend to binge. As in, I can't have just one. But apparently you know my better than I do...

Now take a step off your high horse.

Noctuary

I agree! I find I can still eat things outside of my normal eating plan (like pizza hut pizza)and still be under my goals in all categories. I only count it as a cheat if it's actual way too much sugar because of being Diabetic.

pittielover23

thank you for posting!!! i agree with all the positive things on this page, but i can't believe the negativity of some comments! aren't we all on here to help each other?? why would you insult someone like that?? let's stay positive!

The negativity comes from being told that what is working for you is wrong, and that they way someone else does it is right.

There are have been so many threads like this lately and it is driving me bonkers.

What works for one person does not work for every person. Each person has to find what works for them. Just because it is different does not make it wrong.

ladydove5

I don't have cheat meals either. I eat what ever I want that fits into my calorie count for the day. I am careful about serving sizes . I hardly ever eat fried foods because it doesn't agree with me. I don't feel like I am on a diet at all. I am losing weight now...slowly but surely and in the mean time I am learning to eat better and enjoying the things I like to eat. This is something I can live with. I suppose everyone must find what works for them. I am no expert...I'm just an everday person.

MsMouseMouse

I don't know if it's right or wrong, On the internet you can read hundreds of different opinions.
It all works for someone. Low carb, Low fat, counting points, counting calories, Zig Zagging.
We can only hope to be able to find out what works best for us. I personally am like an Alcoholic so
for me cheat days/ meals or treats can be dangerous. I might end up over eating for days before getting back on track.
I was very proud of myself today. I refused birthday cake at work. I was out to the movies last night and had popcorn with butter and sprinkles. That was my treat for the week. Having the piece of cake would have been lower in calories, fat, carbs and sodium. How ever I had made my choice and I was very happy to be able to say no to the cake.

I think the cheat days would fall under Zig Zagging. So from now on. Instead of saying cheat days or cheat meals, one just has to say.. This is my Zig Zag day. It's suppose to keep you from the dreaded Plateau.