Do you ever cheat or knowingly go over calories?

RKA625

So out of the blue, my brother in law suggested we order out tonight. Had today been one of my exercise days, I'd have plenty of calories to eat left over, but I am down to 554 calories, so no steak and potatoes for me. While we do order out occasionally, we don't order from steak house type restaurants regularly, and that's where we're ordering from tonight.

So yeah, I'm ordering the grilled chicken salad, which is ok, because I like it anyway and usually get that when we dine here, but *today* I kind of was craving a big juicy steak. I can be strong though, once I phone the order in, there's no going back anyway.

On the other hand, I don't like either of the low fat options for dressing they have and was thinking of ordering normal dressing, even though it's probably like a million calories.

AND, last rant, they don't have any flippin' nutritional info. :grumble: I found it on here, but I'm wondering how it got entered and how it can be correct when they don't offer nutritional info on the website or in their menu's?

RKA625

So out of the blue, my brother in law suggested we order out tonight. Had today been one of my exercise days, I'd have plenty of calories to eat left over, but I am down to 554 calories, so no steak and potatoes for me. While we do order out occasionally, we don't order from steak house type restaurants regularly, and that's where we're ordering from tonight.

So yeah, I'm ordering the grilled chicken salad, which is ok, because I like it anyway and usually get that when we dine here, but *today* I kind of was craving a big juicy steak. I can be strong though, once I phone the order in, there's no going back anyway.

On the other hand, I don't like either of the low fat options for dressing they have and was thinking of ordering normal dressing, even though it's probably like a million calories.

AND, last rant, they don't have any flippin' nutritional info. :grumble: I found it on here, but I'm wondering how it got entered and how it can be correct when they don't offer nutritional info on the website or in their menu's?

TamTastic

Well, in my opinion, you are allowed to relax some days......and eat a meal you'd like (and not count calories for that meal), as long as you can trust yourself to get back on track the next day.

If you think a splurge like this would be just that and you can continue on your plan tomorrow, then I say go for it. Having a meal once in awhile like this is a huge part of what has kept me going for 16 months and why I didn't feel deprived. I just kept it at once in awhile and not every day.

Your weigh-in might not be exactly what you'd like this week, but just keep on, keepin on and next weeks will be better! :happy:

alf1163

To your topic question: Of course!!! Who doesnt??? :laugh:

Just estimate your calories from the info on the site. This meal could be your "cheat" meal of the week...don't worry about it so much, going over or "cheating" is not going to hurt you as long as you dont do it too often. Enjoy your dinner!!! :flowerforyou:

psyknife

Do you ever cheat or knowingly go over calories?

Yes, but when I do it's because I'm making a strong decision to do so, and not letting my emotions lead me into a binge. Sometimes it's nice to have an indulgence, ya know?

neurogirl

Um, yeah, I do splurge on occasion and I find that it acutally helps me sometimes when I hit a plateau. I just splurge on one meal for the day and then I usually go right back to my usual calorie watch. I just look at it as a typical life with the occasional splurge.

lnjwilliams1432

Well, in my opinion, you are allowed to relax some days......and eat a meal you'd like (and not count calories for that meal), as long as you can trust yourself to get back on track the next day.

If you think a splurge like this would be just that and you can continue on your plan tomorrow, then I say go for it. Having a meal once in awhile like this is a huge part of what has kept me going for 16 months and why I didn't feel deprived. I just kept it at once in awhile and not every day.

Your weigh-in might not be exactly what you'd like this week, but just keep on, keepin on and next weeks will be better! :happy:

I agree 100%!!!!!!! I feel if you dont give yourself some slack than you just get burned out on it too quickly than giveup entirely....ENJOY that steak my dear!!!!!!! HA HA HA HA:laugh:

RKA625

Thanks ladies, I just feel like I'm still so early on in the "game", lol, that if I eat so much and see the scale rise too much, I'll get discouraged. So I'll probably stick with the salad and order regular dressing as a cheat. I have not gone over my calories since Jan 17th (I know, it hasn't even been a week yet) but I am proud of myself for doing so well, so I don't think I want to go over by that much (steak, steak sauce, potatoes, rice, etc.)

briblue72

yes!!

I try to keep the "splurging" to one meal per week.

Think of it this way - MFP is already cutting 500 of your cals per day for weight loss, so you don't have to worry about weight gain until you've gone 500+ cals OVER...

cheri822

Yes sometimes I do cheat. I think that if you deprive yourself of something you really want, your going to keep wanting it and your diet is going to be miserable. At least for me it is. So if I'm really craving something I eat it. But not every day, or not every week even. So if you want a juicy steak, HAVE IT. But tomorrow, go straight back to the diet and exercise.

TamTastic

Thanks ladies, I just feel like I'm still so early on in the "game", lol, that if I eat so much and see the scale rise too much, I'll get discouraged. So I'll probably stick with the salad and order regular dressing as a cheat. I have not gone over my calories since Jan 17th (I know, it hasn't even been a week yet) but I am proud of myself for doing so well, so I don't think I want to go over by that much (steak, steak sauce, potatoes, rice, etc.)

Do what you are comfortable with at this point. I can understand your hesitation. In time, you might feel more confident in things.

I started in September of 2007 and allowed myself to enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Super Bowl Sunday junk.....a dinner out here and there, including a big filet mignon dinner on my birthday. Each time I "relaxed" a bit, I grew more and more confident in myself and trusted myself to be back on track the next meal or day. Also, I wouldn't watch every little thing but I wouldn't go crazy either. I would stop when I was full, which is a HUGE accomplishment!! :laugh:

Take care and enjoy your salad! :bigsmile:

DjBliss05

I think it is good to work in high calorie days once in a while. It keeps your metabolism guessing and keeps you from going sane.

The key to that is only doing it once in a while though... that is the tricky part!!

RKA625

Gah, I cheated! I got the darn steak. I know I'll be back on track tomorrow. It was the darn pasta I had for lunch today that threw me over. I sat there and thought about it and decided I can do this today, because we don't order steaks very often.

little_wolfie

Good for you! Last night I totally cheated and it was so worth it. In fact, I lost 2 lbs this morning. Ok, so it may not be related to that, but I like to think that sometimes if you give your body a break, it'll give you a break.

(right? maybe? please?)

And CURSE YOU. Now I want steak.

punka274

Do you ever cheat or knowingly go over calories?

Yes, but when I do it's because I'm making a strong decision to do so, and not letting my emotions lead me into a binge. Sometimes it's nice to have an indulgence, ya know?

Ditto..... this is my third week of eating great( fell off the wagon during the holidays).I had a cheat meal yesterday because i thought i deserved it. I was thinking about having a cheat meal for most of the week(And i also hoped it would confuse my body a bit so the scale would start moving )

So to answer the question...yep,sure do! Before i was introduced to MFP i would allow myself one cheat meal a week....

Good Luck:flowerforyou:

punka274

Gah, I cheated! I got the darn steak. I know I'll be back on track tomorrow. It was the darn pasta I had for lunch today that threw me over. I sat there and thought about it and decided I can do this today, because we don't order steaks very often.

Good for you!:flowerforyou:

Schaff

I wouldn't even look at it as "cheating". Its important to recognize that you crave something and to have it once in awhile, and in a reasonable portion size. You need to still enjoy food and if you don't let yourself have something you enjoy, you will begin to resent this whole process. Also, even if you splurge one day, it is not physically possible to gain any significant amount of weight from it. Even if you weigh yourself the next day and you see some gain, just remember, its water weight, and it will be gone by the next day. I know without a doubt that if I see a delicious cupcake, I CANNOT resist it! So I let myself have it, and I REALLY enjoy it! And then I'm good, I don't feel too bad that I had one, and I feel satisfied by it because I savored it.

RKA625

Yeah, I will definitely enjoy it, I haven't had a steak in a while, even before counting calories.

It's really the potatoes that are going to throw me over, I got a salad as one of my sides, because I do love salad. And I added both from the MFP database, I still have 47 calories left, but I know the potatoes, salad dressing and A-1 will bring me over that.

msujdak

It's ok because you may have some days where you are under you calories, so just burn a little extra at the gym tomorrow and don't look back!

kolbif

I say - don't worry about it! Once in a while is not bad at all - keeps you sane! It's the consistent bad-eating habits that make us gain weight! One steak ain't gonna make you gain anything - especially if you work hard tomorrow!

Ten10

Yes, I have actually knowingly gone over my calories and then I get right back on track. Enjoy your meal and savor every morsel and don't feel guilty about it. Good Luck!!

get_fit2009

I am actually planning (or bracing) to go over on Superbowl Sunday. I don't drink beer very often, but when I do I like the kind that is 300 calories a bottle. And I know I won't have just one. :devil: So, between that and the food, I am sure I will go over even with exercise and that's ok because I am mentally prepared to get back in the swing of things on Monday.

tscotty

Ah, don't kick yourself too much. Listen to your body. If you are craving a steak, have 8 oz. or less! Moderation I find is key. That way your body gets satisfied and you don't feel horrible (hopefully!) and over stuffed. After all, you should enjoy your diet! Not make it a chore
oh- and EAT SLOW, savor every delicious morsel!

RKA625

Well I went a bit overboard. I had in front of me: one roll (with honey butter), a ceasar salad (no croutons, but regular dressing), mashed potatoes and a steak.

I ate the roll, the salad, and 1/2 of the steak, almost all of the mashed potatoes. I was pretty much full from the salad and roll but the time I got to the steak and potatoes, lol.

KatieEppers

Good for you! I think it is important to allow yourself meals like this at times. I had the same trouble tonight, we ate out and the restaurant doesn't post nutritional info on their website and I didn't ask at the restaurant. I got a chicken salad but regular dressing and drank only water. I estimated my meal to be around 600 calories, and that put me over by almost 200, but I am at peace with that. I made a deliberate choice, not an emotional one like a poster before said. See I had an epiphany today, though it is small, it was big. See, I have thought that my struggle for the past eight years has been with my weight, however I now know that my struggle has been my relationship with food. I really feel that since I have joined MFP, I have been able to work on that a lot and that is super exciting to me. I am glad you had that steak. I am glad I had that gigantic salad. I am also glad that I will be hitting the gym hard tomorrow. :flowerforyou:

RKA625

^ lol, me too!

I have spin class tomorrow and am really going to push myself to work those calories off.

KatieEppers

I will try to post here tomorrow to let you know I did it. We will hold each other accountable. LOL

RKA625

^ good idea! :-)

whitneykt

Here's the thing you all need to think about . . .

If you are thinking you are "cheating", then you are on a diet!

I don't know about anyone else . . . but, I am NOT on a DIET. I am changing my LIFE!! Which means, yes, I will go over my calories once in awhile because LIFE HAPPENS!!

What do I do when LIFE HAPPENS? I go on to the next meal and/or the next day and continue to make better choices. We are not always going to make good choices . . . but if you are aware that you are making a bad choice, don't beat yourself up about it . . . go on to the next meal or the next day and make better choices.

I DO NOT deprive myself of anything. There are times that I eat a 3 muskateer bar, eat at McDonalds or Chick fil A when I'm out shopping . . . is it good for me? NO? Do I tell myself I can NOT have it? Absolutely NOT! It's called eating in moderation.

If you deprive yourself of the things that you enjoy, you will never succeed if you think there are foods that you CAN NOT eat! You WILL crave them and then when you do eat them you will BINGE eat them and BEAT yourself up afterwards for eating them.

If you tell yourself that you can have them once in a while, then you won't crave them and you WILL succeed in your weight loss journey and become a much stronger and healthier person.

Okay - I'm off my soapbox now. :blushing: And, in answer to your question . . . YES I do KNOWINGLY go over my colories but, I NEVER CHEAT!!! :happy:

RKA625

^ That's a good way to think about it.

Well I am just checking in, to say I did my spin class today. In case anyone was wondering, lol! :bigsmile:

whitneykt

Yea Kelly - you spinning girl!! :flowerforyou: