One cheat meal is not going to hurt you

Fieldsy

I have seen so many people who went on this hardcore diet, have a cheat day, and totally fell off the wagon. This has happened to me so many times when I yo-yo'd.

I feel like the best way to go on a diet and stay with it, is baby steps and moderation. Pick out one cheat day a week where you are not worrying about what you are eating. You don't even have to track. If the other 6 days are well planned out, this one cheat day will not hurt you. It will keep you sane.

spekkio12345

Sounds good. If a whole day off is more that you can handle, then a single meal can go a long way in keeping you sane. I like McDonalds once a week myself.

dg09

I cheated every Sunday for months, don't do it now.

I think the biggest reason people freak is due to the gain they see on the scale the next day from water retention.

Fieldsy

I cheated every Sunday for months, don't do it now.

I think the biggest reason people freak is due to the gain they see on the scale the next day from water retention.

Id gain anything from 6-9lbs over a weekend (2 cheat days). It used to scare me, but I know that its just water weight. For some reason I carry a lot of it if I have a huge sodium day. It comes right off and then some by the next weigh in.

schillewis

I don't pick a day to "cheat" but I do allow myself to eat a LOT when I'm super hungry, LOL. And if I happen to go over my calorie goal for that day (which typically happens when I'm really hungry) I log it and move on. However, these days don't happen too often (less than once a week for sure).

I agree with you that deprivation isn't the answer. By knowing that I'll eat what I want when I'm truly hungry, it' allows me to relax and just ride out this journey. Most days I'm thoroughly content with the heatlhy options I choose and feel very good about myself. And on the few days when I'm craving something over the top, I eat it, enjoy and exercise :glasses:

HMVOL7409

We would have a cheat meal once a week. It use to be a day but I started to get sick from the junk and hate feeling that way, so we cut it back. Yesterday was ours and we had wings, cheesy fries and went to a movie so of course popcorn and M&Ms; I was down a lb today still this morning! Our cheats have never hurt me and while I enjoy it in that moment I don't crave cheating anymore for many days after so we are stretching it to once every 2 weeks now. It gets those cravings out of your system and eventually you won't even need it anymore.

Fieldsy

Also, if you want the cheat day early, do it. Just make up for it.

Theres so many threads on here with people asking is it okay if I eat *insert bad food*

coconutbuNZ

You are soooooooooooo right and thank you!

Fieldsy

You are soooooooooooo right and thank you!

No problem!

anitab47

Went to a session at work with a speaker that was on the Biggest Loser TV show. He said they had a cheat day every week while at the ranch. They would allow them to go eat anything they wanted that day and then they got back on track the next day. Today was a bad day for me, but I'll get back on track tomorrow.

knightreader

I cheated every Sunday for months, don't do it now.

I think the biggest reason people freak is due to the gain they see on the scale the next day from water retention.

Id gain anything from 6-9lbs over a weekend (2 cheat days). It used to scare me, but I know that its just water weight. For some reason I carry a lot of it if I have a huge sodium day. It comes right off and then some by the next weigh in.

i think this is me. can go out to dinner and put on five pounds over a weekend, with normal eating and then a large meal out. frustrating that then i take the first few days of the week reversing the damage from the weekend. any advice?

rachaellynn91

If you take away everything that you love than you are def gonna have a lot of cheat days. My rule of thumb; don't completely forget the things you love to eat. I love chocolate and I know if I had cut that out completely I would just go nuts! So instead I switched from fatty king sized chocolate bars to Skinny Cow chocolate bits or Special K chocolate pretzel bars (which are both amazing!) Its still the chocolate I love but in a healthier way. Also there is nothing that says that we have to get rid of our favorites completely if you have some chips with a meal its not the end of the world or if you go out to dinner and go over your calories of the night its okay the point of this I think is to not only be healthier physically but mentally as well. And mentally if we deprive ourselves completely than well I don't think that is healthy. If that makes sense. :happy:

Fieldsy

I cheated every Sunday for months, don't do it now.

I think the biggest reason people freak is due to the gain they see on the scale the next day from water retention.

Id gain anything from 6-9lbs over a weekend (2 cheat days). It used to scare me, but I know that its just water weight. For some reason I carry a lot of it if I have a huge sodium day. It comes right off and then some by the next weigh in.

i think this is me. can go out to dinner and put on five pounds over a weekend, with normal eating and then a large meal out. frustrating that then i take the first few days of the week reversing the damage from the weekend. any advice?

You may gain 5 lbs, but its just water weight. If the rest of your diet is good, it should be off in about 2-3 days. Yes, it is a little detour, but if you don't take a break sometimes, you have a better chance of completely falling off the wagon.

To those of you who don't have to have that cheat meal/day and still kick *kitten*, that is great. I wish my brain only wanted to eat the right foods all of the time.

Fieldsy

If you take away everything that you love than you are def gonna have a lot of cheat days. My rule of thumb; don't completely forget the things you love to eat. I love chocolate and I know if I had cut that out completely I would just go nuts! So instead I switched from fatty king sized chocolate bars to Skinny Cow chocolate bits or Special K chocolate pretzel bars (which are both amazing!) Its still the chocolate I love but in a healthier way. Also there is nothing that says that we have to get rid of our favorites completely if you have some chips with a meal its not the end of the world or if you go out to dinner and go over your calories of the night its okay the point of this I think is to not only be healthier physically but mentally as well. And mentally if we deprive ourselves completely than well I don't think that is healthy. If that makes sense. :happy:

Right

My big thing was drinking. I used to get drunk almost every day. I'd eat poorly almost every day as well. I cut this down to 4x a week, then 3, then 2.....right now I am at a point where I have one, maybe 2 cheat days a week. I'm very active so I know my body can handle it.

sharonuk10

I don't cheat...I EAT. I do not understand this cheat thing. What exactly is one cheating on... Do people plan on going the rest of their lives without eating out or eating cake or whatever else. That is why diets fail. You need to work these things into your lifestyle. All things in moderation. It works.

avafrisbee

That's what I do. No tracking on Sundays and if I want an ice cream, that's the day I get it.

I can have a cheat day and keep going the next day. Some people can't we all have to do what works for us.

mlbrowninsc

I agree with this post completely. By saying that you are never again going to eat this or that will only set you up for failure. I pick out one day a week (generally Saturday) that I don't track anything. I start the day off with my normal breakfast, but then for the rest of the day it's whatever I feel like. It has worked great for me for the last couple of months and for the first time I feel like I am in an eating program I can stick with. It is much easier to stay with something for six days knowing there is a reward as I like to think of it later on.

81Katz

I just prefer to not allow myself cheat days. DH and I still eat out from time to time, certainly not as much as we used to. I still pick the best (i.e healthiest) option on the menu though. That's 'cheat' enough for me.

To each their own.

Fieldsy

I don't cheat...I EAT. I do not understand this cheat thing. What exactly is one cheating on... Do people plan on going the rest of their lives without eating out or eating cake or whatever else. That is why diets fail. You need to work these things into your lifestyle. All things in moderation. It works.

Its just a nickname.

ElizabethRoad

I don't cheat...I EAT. I do not understand this cheat thing. What exactly is one cheating on... Do people plan on going the rest of their lives without eating out or eating cake or whatever else. That is why diets fail. You need to work these things into your lifestyle. All things in moderation. It works.

Its just a nickname.

Words mean things though. If you call it a cheat day, you're telling yourself that what you're doing is bad and wrong.

Hoakiebs

My favorite meals are bad for me. Now, instead of eating them each weekly, I reserve them for special occasions and modify some of the recipes to make them healthier.

ninerbuff

I don't cheat...I EAT. I do not understand this cheat thing. What exactly is one cheating on... Do people plan on going the rest of their lives without eating out or eating cake or whatever else. That is why diets fail. You need to work these things into your lifestyle. All things in moderation. It works.

This is the philosophy I teach my clients. EVERY diet works if you follow it, but the problem is that every diet has some sort of restriction and that usually happens to be the one that people like to eat. So how long can they be on that diet? Pick a lifestyle, stay within calorie limits and there shouldn't be an issue. Clients that eat what they want have an easy maintenance compared to the ones I put on diets (I did it years ago) then tried to revert to maintenance and gained most of the weight back they lost.

A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
IDEA Fitness member
Kickboxing Certified Instructor
Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition

neanderthin

Just don't deprive yourself then......don't fall for the plethora of diet traps that insist there's certain foods you require to lose weight.

HURLEYX3RO

Ive kept the rule NO CHEAT DAYS.
But a cheat meal is good, but you dont want to
eat all of your calories for 2 days in one meal.
I always keep in mind "sure, go ahead and cheat
but in moderation watch your portion size".

Im addicted to pasta. So on my cheat meals Ill get wheat pasta and for the sauces I try to go with lowest in Calories, fat and sodium. **MODERATION** :P


Also, when I get a sweet tooth I eat a Skinny Cow Icecream. Yum.

sarahdee2007

I try not to do a whole cheat day. It makes it harder for me the next few days when I do that. I do a cheat meal and one cheat snack. I still log everything so I know how crazy I went with it. It really is easier to stick to your "diet" when you make the rules work for you

cbtbnbhbmb

This is good advice I think.

Fieldsy

I don't cheat...I EAT. I do not understand this cheat thing. What exactly is one cheating on... Do people plan on going the rest of their lives without eating out or eating cake or whatever else. That is why diets fail. You need to work these things into your lifestyle. All things in moderation. It works.

Its just a nickname.

Words mean things though. If you call it a cheat day, you're telling yourself that what you're doing is bad and wrong.

Okay, then call it Sunday food day or magic day. I just give my bad day a nickname and dont think twice about it. People can name it whatever they want or not name it at all.

NoAdditives

I don't cheat...I EAT. I do not understand this cheat thing. What exactly is one cheating on... Do people plan on going the rest of their lives without eating out or eating cake or whatever else. That is why diets fail. You need to work these things into your lifestyle. All things in moderation. It works.

Exactly this!! I plan on eating pizza, ice cream, cookies, etc. once in a while after I reach my goal weight. I generally eat the way I plan to for the rest of my life, so I eat those foods sometimes. This whole "diet" thing has taught me to figure out sustainable eating and exercise habits. It's not just about losing weight, it's about being healthier. Eating these foods that some call bad has not stopped me from losing weight.

SmartAlec03211988

"Cheat" days work for me. I eat within my calories six days a week, then eat double my BMR on Sunday. Being able to eat cookies, ice cream, and anything else I normally can't fit into my usual calorie allotment without sacrificing an entire meal keeps me going, otherwise I'd never be able to sustain this lifestyle change. Reserving one day for junk IS part of the lifestyle change.

Reserving one day for junk is better than reserving all seven for them, which was what I was doing that got me 80 lbs overweight in the first place.

My weigh in day is the day of my junk food day, so I don't weigh myself and freak out the next day when it will inevitably show a gain. Weighing in the day of, before the junk day begins, shows my true weight. I've lost 6 lbs since incorporating my 'cheat' days into my weekly routine. I actually credit the 'cheat' days for getting me to goal, because prior to them I was in a plateau for over a month, then suddenly the last 6 lbs dropped off.

ArroganceInStep

I tend to think having a cheat day (or refeed, or magic special rainbow fun day, or whatever the **** you want to call it) is a better philosophy than being completely 100% on 24/7. I feel it makes sticking to the diet easier.

For some people though, particularly early on in weight loss, it's not that easy. It's very difficult to keep a cheat day or meal to just one. For those folks, it might be better to start off more strict at first, and then work towards adding in a cheat day.

Kylabgeek

I am trying to learn this and incorporate it. For example, I know that on the weekends that my hubby and I don't have our kids we tend to eat out and do things, since it's just us too. I will still exercise on those days and maybe throw in some extra. But I also know when we go to bdubs I am getting either my fave salad (not a healthy one lol) or buffalitos and will be having some fried shrooms! But I also try to eat sensibly the rest of the day. And I try to avoid empty calories. I still drink my unsweet tea and avoid alcohol. And if we go to the pub after I make sure and dance the night away!

But, I don't spazz over it anymore. I enjoy that time with my hubby and get right back at it.