little "cheats" here and there

EhRiKuh

So I started this last Monday and I've lost 5lbs so far. BUT, I've been catching myself cheating here and there and I'd like to STOP! What does everyone do to not cheat? Do you replace your fav cheat food with healthy ones?

Ughh. This stinks!

pinuplove

:ohwell: I can't handle little cheats. 1 Hershey's kiss will turn into 20! The only way I can handle treats is if I work it into my day by planning prior. I make myself record everything. It does get easier - after a whike your cravings will subside. I rarely ever crave sweets or chips (my biggies) any more.

Sexynvoluptuous

I had to exercise a lot this past week tomake up for things I kept stuffing into my mouth. I ended up still losing which is good.

Russellb97

So I started this last Monday and I've lost 5lbs so far. BUT, I've been catching myself cheating here and there and I'd like to STOP! What does everyone do to not cheat? Do you replace your fav cheat food with healthy ones?

Ughh. This stinks!

I plan them. It's about control, does your food control you or do you control your food? Honestly I think everyone "cheats" sometimes on their diet so why not just plan it and control it. I don't think you plan on giving up "treat foods" forever. People who have long-term success are in control and have learned how to live with indulging and being healthy.

Anyway don't make yourself feel guilty, honestly the guilt is worse for you than the cheating.

EhRiKuh

Well yesterday I cheated a little bit but I used V-Day as an excuse. Haha as silly as that sounds. I have planned that only holidays deserve cheating at its finest. So the next cheat day would be St. patty's next month.

But for example, chocolate isn't an issue. I have been eating ONE fun size chocolate ever other day just to kill that desire. BUT, I notice that lately I've been getting SO HUNGRY after I lock in my meal plan for the day, and eating fruits just isn't cutting it.

What do you guys do to kill late night cravings?

liog

Accounting for every crumb of food that goes into my mouth makes me consider my foods much more carefully. I had a DQ Blizzard for Valentine's Day. I don't look at that as cheating. I just don't like that word. I chose to eat it and I am okay with that because it isn't something I do every day. I keep healthier foods in the pantry and fridge. I don't buy things like chips and cookies and candy because I know that I will not eat just one if they are in the house. If I want something like that I have to make an effort to go to the store and get it. Drinking water also helps to curb my snacking.

nitka653

Anyway don't make yourself feel guilty, honestly the guilt is worse for you than the cheating.

I completely agree!!! I've been battling this cycle for decades. I typically do well for 4-7 days then I blow it and feel so bad about it I give myself permission to start again on the ever famous "Monday."

I'm beginning to break that cycle, but it is very very hard. Your post was a subtle reminder that it can be done!

Thanks!!

Back on subject: I also agree with a few other posters when they said you aren't going to give up these tasty treats forever are you? I want to live and eat like any normal person, which means you get to splurge from time to time, but you make it up either through healthier eating the rest of the day or exercise (or both ;-D)

SergeantSunshine_reused

I save more calories for night so I don't get the cravings

taso42

what does cheating mean to you?

cansmith80

I'm not trying to be funny, but I go to sleep. I have a really hard time at night.

ericcumbee

cheating from time to time is what makes my diet work. if i wanted the peanut butter cookies at subway i would just ask myself "do you want to use that many of your calories on that?" if the answer is yes so be it, i log it and move on.more often than not i say no though.

pigwidgeon82

i just track everything. i don't consider it "cheating" because i should be allowed to eat what i want in moderation. i just track it as soon as it has happened so i am always aware of how many calories i have left for the day. most days i am within my calorie goal even with a few treats here and there. the key is to keep track!

NamsdnaL

Russellb97 is right.

Hey I cheat and I put it in my food log and I own it. I control the food it doesn't control me. Chocolate is my total down fall but I am trying to learn to control my cravings. Good luck don't be to hard on yourself we all get cravings.

thepetiterunner

Little cheats are a part of life, you can't cut them out forever. Little cheats are what keep you sane.

If you're working hard and being diligent 95% of the time, it's okay to slip a little. I mean, are you really planning on NEVER slipping for the rest of your life? This is a lifestyle change, not a short-term, drastic diet fix to drop a few pounds, right?

kittenmitton

It's about control, does your food control you or do you control your food? Honestly I think everyone "cheats" sometimes on their diet so why not just plan it and control it. I don't think you plan on giving up "treat foods" forever. People who have long-term success are in control and have learned how to live with indulging and being healthy.

Exactly. If you deny yourself the foods you crave, you're only putting yourself at risk for binging on them if you keep pushing back the cravings. I know. I've been there before many times. I just made the decision one day to step back and say "now wait a minute food. You're inanimate. I call the shots here" and ever since then I've learned that yes, I can eat a little bit of chocolate or some pretzels or a cookie and still manage to lose weight. I ate 100 calories worth of chocolate today and still managed to stay under my calorie goal. Because I know I have the power to control my food.

A lot of people have argued with this by trying to say "moderation doesn't work for me" or "you're skinny, you can eat whatever you want." Well guess what? I have so little willpower, yet moderation has still lost me 6 pounds in 2 weeks. Also, (1) I'm not skinny, I'm an average weight and (2) I so cannot eat whatever I want. Well, I could, but I'd be 400 pounds.

liog

Well yesterday I cheated a little bit but I used V-Day as an excuse. Haha as silly as that sounds. I have planned that only holidays deserve cheating at its finest. So the next cheat day would be St. patty's next month.

But for example, chocolate isn't an issue. I have been eating ONE fun size chocolate ever other day just to kill that desire. BUT, I notice that lately I've been getting SO HUNGRY after I lock in my meal plan for the day, and eating fruits just isn't cutting it.

What do you guys do to kill late night cravings?

Are you hungry or is it just habit? If you are truly hungry, maybe you need to up your calories a bit. If it is habit, try change your routine.

Bexx435

If I think that I can't have something, I'll crave it even more. I don't consider it cheating because I usually make room for it in my daily calories. Somedays I may snack more than others, but no matter what, I always log it.

EhRiKuh

haha. SLEEP!

that's another thing! I go to school full time and work so any time I get, I USED TO take naps but I would wake up super hungry! I've tried to cut naps out so that at night I can go to sleep.

Cheating to me is, eating after you've eaten a big meal like lunch or dinner. I can eat dinner, like about 2 hours ago I had a turkey burger, a little homemade guacamole with 10 scoop chips. Then about an hour later I'm hungry!

It could be a mental thing. You all seem like Vets here, I'm the rookie since I just started last week.
So maybe my mind set about handling cravings has a long way to go, right?

stubbysticks

the guilt is worse for you than the cheating.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
A million times THIS.

I like to think of my calories as a bank account. When I exercise I put money into the account. It costs me an average of 500-1,000 calories a day to lose weight. Normally I try to be pretty frugal & try to get more for my money by eating healthier stuff. But if I'm at the end of the day & I've still got 1,100 calories in my account, I can spend 100 on a mini red velvet cupcake (which I just did, & it was delightful).

I prefer to be frugal most of the time, then every once in a while splurge on something REALLY YUMMY. It's no different than budgeting your money to pay your bills & limiting your extraneous spending, then splurging on a night out every so often. It's fun, & assuming it's moderated it won't keep you from meeting your financial goals. Same goes for your calorie budget. Nothing wrong with blowing a big chunk of them on something delicious once in a while, or budgeting a small chunk of them every day for something decadent. As long as the majority of your calories are spent on good stuff & you're not spending more than you're earning through activity, you're fine.

thepetiterunner

haha. SLEEP!

that's another thing! I go to school full time and work so any time I get, I USED TO take naps but I would wake up super hungry! I've tried to cut naps out so that at night I can go to sleep.

Cheating to me is, eating after you've eaten a big meal like lunch or dinner. I can eat dinner, like about 2 hours ago I had a turkey burger, a little homemade guacamole with 10 scoop chips. Then about an hour later I'm hungry!

It could be a mental thing. You all seem like Vets here, I'm the rookie since I just started last week.
So maybe my mind set about handling cravings has a long way to go, right?

Well you might also just be thirsty. A lot of people mistake that sensation for being "hungry". Try drinking a glass of water and wait 10 minutes next time this happens and see if your hunger pangs go away. I learned that 80% of the time I think I'm hungry, I really just need more water.

EhRiKuh

"I learned that 80% of the time I think I'm hungry, I really just need more water. "

My mom said the same thing!
So I think since today I didn't drink my full 8 glasses, that could be it!

Makes sense! :happy:

jazzedorange

It does get better and the more you continue on your 'Healthy Journey' the more it gets better But the late night cravings for me.... I have a cup of hot tea with honey. It helps me and its only 30ish calories!

jazzedorange

Just a trick.... Drink a glass of water before every meal It will fill you faster and you will get your daily water.

junyr

Eat what you want, make sure it fits into your log, log it, and move on. If it fits it's not "cheating".

EhRiKuh

Just a trick.... Drink a glass of water before every meal It will fill you faster and you will get your daily water.

AWESOME!! I'll start using that trick tomorrow!! Thank youuuu

EhRiKuh

Eat what you want, make sure it fits into your log, log it, and move on. If it fits it's not "cheating".

Agreed.
Since I've started I've worked out and have always been "under" my daily meal log intakes. Yay!

Alisha_countrymama

I noticed I cheated more, when I was having more carbs in my diet. The less carbs I eat, the more in control of my eating i stay. I noticed it was a vicious cycle. And I finally broke it.

snookumss

I never "cheat" per say. If I want a treat, I fit it in and only then can I have it. The times I went over, it was usually planned to make up for underages....

Try to make a cheat worth it, and not something you can go back for more of! I hate buying single candies because the bag just stares at me making me really want it and I have trouble with that

atjays

So I started this last Monday and I've lost 5lbs so far. BUT, I've been catching myself cheating here and there and I'd like to STOP! What does everyone do to not cheat? Do you replace your fav cheat food with healthy ones?

Ughh. This stinks!

Ideally if you can find a "cheat food" that is healthy, that is the best solution, however, myself and others typically view cheating as okay so long as you're not binge eating. Most days of the week I feel like I have a fairly solid diet. But on some days I will grab a handful of chips or have a meal that is not technically "healthy" but still withing 3-400 calories so it fits with my daily intake. It's not very good to just say absolutely no cheat foods, cuz then when you do you will typically cheat in a big way. It's okay to give in to the craving. I like to "Reward" myself for a good week either on the diet/exercise or if I did really well on an exam, I'll purposely go out and get a cheat meal. In the big picture you're not hurting anything. Just have to control portions and make sure it's rare enough to not cause problems.

EhRiKuh

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Just have to control portions and make sure it's rare enough to not cause problems.
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Totally agree!! Thanks for the tip!

ashleynicoleh04

I have a HUUUUUGE sweet tooth! you should check out pure2raw for raw healthy cheats! They have THE BEST recipes and the food is good for you so you wont feel as bad!