Cheat meal...someone talk me off the ledge?

ixiHemlock

How are you defining cheat meal first of all?

What he said. It's all very relative to what type of food it is.

Lift_hard_eat_big

I have cheat days once a week, minimun, hasn't halted my progress one bit.

katcena

Formant86- Yes!! That is pretty common. A cheat meal (or cheat day where you go over your allotted calories) can actually give your metabolism a boost and you will lose weight. This is because your body starts to adapt to the amount of calories you take in over a period of time....a boost in the calories is a way to shake things up! Not a lessening of calories!!! This is important...as strange as it seems, lowering your calories can actually set you back because your body will compensate by slowing down your metabolism to conserve every little calorie you take in. But, a boost in your calories "tricks" (for lack of a better word) your metabolism into burning faster because, well heck, you've got extra to burn!
Hope that makes sense. You may have seen this same explanation many times here on the boards....if not, then I am glad to pass along some more info to those who may not know.

caseyp1122

I was thinking of a piece of pizza or two but no worries the craving has since passed.Thanks guys!

stubbysticks

DO IT. Why torture yourself? I do an entire free day every week & it actually keeps my weight loss going. Too much time in a calorie deficit tends to slow things down in my opinion. Breaking it up with 1 day of a surplus each week restarts keeps my metabolism chugging away. Plus it's fun.

writtenINthestars

**puts down piece of pizza**..

Fitting in a food that you enjoy into your new lifestyle now and then is not cheating...it's LIVING.

Now if you told me you were gonna eat a whole pizza or two...then I'd be concerned. If you have a craving and can adjust your cals, freakin have the food! It's not going to stop your progress!!!


**headdeskheaddeskheaddesk**

katcena

**puts down piece of pizza**..

Fitting in a food that you enjoy into your new lifestyle now and then is not cheating...it's LIVING.

Now if you told me you were gonna eat a whole pizza or two...then I'd be concerned. If you have a craving and can adjust your cals, freakin have the food! It's not going to stop your progress!!!


**headdeskheaddeskheaddesk**

Perfectly put!

ennaejay

Formant86- Yes!! That is pretty common. A cheat meal (or cheat day where you go over your allotted calories) can actually give your metabolism a boost and you will lose weight. This is because your body starts to adapt to the amount of calories you take in over a period of time....a boost in the calories is a way to shake things up! Not a lessening of calories!!! This is important...as strange as it seems, lowering your calories can actually set you back because your body will compensate by slowing down your metabolism to conserve every little calorie you take in. But, a boost in your calories "tricks" (for lack of a better word) your metabolism into burning faster because, well heck, you've got extra to burn!
Hope that makes sense. You may have seen this same explanation many times here on the boards....if not, then I am glad to pass along some more info to those who may not know.

:flowerforyou:

TavistockToad

i always thought of it as a treat, not a cheat... i had one treat meal per week and it never harmed my weight loss. enjoy!

Sidesteal

. A cheat meal (or cheat day where you go over your allotted calories)

^ This little snippet right here was what I was getting at specifically. Cheat MEAL is really irrelevant if you're still tracking it.

You either hit your macros or you fail to hit your macros, period.

Doesn't matter if you eat pizza and cake, if you still hit your calories and macronutrient targets (which you wont, if you eat too much cake/pizza), you are still making progress.

Cheating = bypassing your daily targets.

wagreen

Y deprive yourself like that? You should eat what you want and stay within your calorie range. If you go over than exercise off the excess calories. YOu will feel much better when you dont deprive yourself. I have a cheat meal once a week and it works for me. You want this to be fun and inspiring not something you are feeling lowsy about because you can't have it. Also the reply you recieved that starts with Formant86 is really great as well. Really...it's ok. Discipline yourself, you do have self control if you havent had a cheat meal in weeks...so you do have discipline and for that I say reward yourself. Bigmac combo or Chic Fil A combo?:laugh

wagreen

This is funny, thanx for making me think:laugh:

Kimblesnbits

Cheat away!

You're telling him to jump?! lol I'd say save it till next thursday! You've gone this far without a cheat meal so you can go just 1 more week! THEN INDULGE haha

foremant86

Formant86- Yes!! That is pretty common. A cheat meal (or cheat day where you go over your allotted calories) can actually give your metabolism a boost and you will lose weight. This is because your body starts to adapt to the amount of calories you take in over a period of time....a boost in the calories is a way to shake things up! Not a lessening of calories!!! This is important...as strange as it seems, lowering your calories can actually set you back because your body will compensate by slowing down your metabolism to conserve every little calorie you take in. But, a boost in your calories "tricks" (for lack of a better word) your metabolism into burning faster because, well heck, you've got extra to burn!
Hope that makes sense. You may have seen this same explanation many times here on the boards....if not, then I am glad to pass along some more info to those who may not know.

I do know this but thanks for reiterating it !!

I think too many people are terrified of going over their calories and end up harming themselves in the long run. It's ok to do it every once in a while and heck some people do it once a week on purpose and still have progress. Going over your calories by a few hundred once isn't going to destroy your weight loss.

HSingMomto7Kids

I'm not sure why everyone or most are saying to cheat. Isn't this a healthy life-style change? I used to have candy or ice-cream even when losing weight and I would feel guilty. Now I try to stay within my calories, and I feel great. I may have my 1/2 cup calories. Sure, there are days that I do go over. As long as it's moderation of the 2 pieces of pizza then I say go for it. Who says you can't have a few pieces of pizza. Try to account for it and not to go over if you can. I'm learning all of the time how to figure out my calories. It's funny tonight as eating dinner I'm like not going over my calories, so as I was eating dinner I was like okay didn't eat all of my chicken..oh I want a piece of garlic toast oh and I have to drink less milk. I still got a sugar-free fudgesicle in the end, and I had 10 extra calories. I think you'll feel better if you stay within range.

Good Luck in the Decision~

HonkyTonks

I just work extra hard at the gym if I want to go out for dinner and eat something that might be high in calories. Just consistently maintain your deficit and don't make yourself feel guilty for eating pasta every now and then!

Helloitsdan

A cheat meal is a must per week!
Or make it a cheat weekend!