One cheat meal is not going to hurt you

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,691 Member
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    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
    neanderthin Posts: 10,017 Member
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    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
    HURLEYX3RO Posts: 269
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    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
    sarahdee2007 Posts: 257
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    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
    cbtbnbhbmb Posts: 1
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    This is good advice I think.
  • Fieldsy
    Fieldsy Posts: 1,105 Member
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    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
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
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    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
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
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    "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
    ArroganceInStep Posts: 6,239 Member
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    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
    Kylabgeek Posts: 47 Member
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    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.
  • Sweetncgal78
    Sweetncgal78 Posts: 99 Member
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    This is the one reason I have been successful this time around! I swear by it!
  • HeidiMightyRawr
    HeidiMightyRawr Posts: 3,343 Member
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    I prefer not to plan cheat meals/days as I go over occasionally anyway (part of life) so would rather not do it on purpose.

    I fit all the foods I like into my daily calories/macros so I don't feel deprived. Everything in moderation :smile: Although sometimes I go out for a meal or drinks and it's not going to fit in my calories, I accept that and get back on it the next day. It's not all the time, why spend ages beating yourself up over it?

    Last night I had a chinese takeaway - because I had a craving for it. I haven't had one in quite a while. I was 448 calories over my goal by the end of the day, which is probably 100 calories over my maintenance. That's nothing! Sure I was all bloated this morning and looked pregnant, but a couple of hours later my stomach was back to normal.

    Same as last week, my friend had a party, I went along, had a few drinks, some snacks etc, was around 1000 calories over my goal, bloated and all that the next day but ate normally again and by the day after that (Sunday - weigh in day) I still managed to loose 2lbs (in 2 weeks)

    This is why I focus more on weekly deficits instead of daily.
  • LauraSmyth28
    LauraSmyth28 Posts: 399 Member
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    I do it a little bit differently. Now and again (maybe once every 4-6 weeks) I take a few days off from calorie counting altogether. I eat when I'm hungry, and enough to satisfy my hunger.....and whatever I feel like eating. I find my appetite is a lot smaller than it used to be anyway.

    Taking these few days never results in a gain, just a stall in weight loss. It always gives me more motivation to keep going. I had most of last week 'off', so this week I'm newly determined.

    Whatever makes a long term diet works for YOU has to be a good thing.
  • itsirkmr
    itsirkmr Posts: 24 Member
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    For me, having a "cheat" day has enabled me to stick with it this time. If I am struggling one day, I just tell myself in 6 (5, 4, whatever) days I can have this if I really want it. It allows me to be moderate. In prior attempts to lose weight I would be rigid, black and white, and extreme. If I had one piece of chocolate, it caused me to tailspin into days and days of overeating. For me, having a "cheat" day is about learning to be moderate. Many of my thin friends do this naturally - eat very well for most of the time, indulge every now and then, and then go right back to eating very heatlhy most of the time.
  • HMVOL7409
    HMVOL7409 Posts: 1,588 Member
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    I guess if we want to knock the title of cheating then the same can be said for the term diet. I call it cheating bc I try to eat natural, organic foods that are good for me all the time and I'm not depriving myself of anything. I can't believe now how we use to eat, pretty much Paula Deen style every day and I refuse to go back to that. I hate the word diet and I wish people would stop saying that. That's setting you up for failure just as much as most think cheating/depriving yourself is. It's a lifestyle change and one you should make for all time not a certain time frame.
  • amanda8o
    amanda8o Posts: 352 Member
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    I have my cheat day every Sunday,and I have to say it's been working for me,sometimes it's my motivation to kick my butt through my workouts knowing that come Sunday I can enjoy myself and not have to worry so much about what I'm eating,I still workout on Sundays but I get to enjoy my food instead of stressing over calories.I still log everything and sometimes unknowingly I'm still at or under my calories.
  • kitinboots
    kitinboots Posts: 589 Member
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    I tried the whole cheat day thing but I would use it as an excuse to stuff my face. Chocolate, crisps, bread and cheese. I would consume 3000cal easily.
    If I don't give myself that, then sure, I might slip up here and there, but only by 300cal. It makes more sense to me to accidentally go 300 over than purposefully go 3000 over.
    But that's just me. I can see how it would work if you have more restraint.
  • Jezebel_Barbie
    Jezebel_Barbie Posts: 198 Member
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    You know, I don't even think of them as 'cheat' days/meals/whatever. This is a lifestyle change right? Do you think a person who has never struggled with their weight considers it bad if they eat a big meal, or a slice of cake, or has some beers? Probably not; they just enjoy these treats for what they are. When I'm at my goal weight I don't wanna be obsessing over meals out with friends, takeaway nights with my boyfriend or drinks out with the girls, so I'm not going to do it now.
  • ElectricMayhem
    ElectricMayhem Posts: 214 Member
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    You know, I don't even think of them as 'cheat' days/meals/whatever. This is a lifestyle change right? Do you think a person who has never struggled with their weight considers it bad if they eat a big meal, or a slice of cake, or has some beers? Probably not; they just enjoy these treats for what they are. When I'm at my goal weight I don't wanna be obsessing over meals out with friends, takeaway nights with my boyfriend or drinks out with the girls, so I'm not going to do it now.

    AMEN!! I refuse to treat food like the enemy as some people on here do...i love food, always have and always will, but i've just learned to have a healthier relationship with it! I had a yummy shaved ice with my son last night which put me over my calories, but it was a nice treat for us both and i know that one treat won't send me spiraling out of control. I actually enjoy food much more now vs when i used to eat whatever i wanted :smile:
  • scottywor
    scottywor Posts: 140 Member
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    Great post, couldn't agree more!

    CHEATS FTW!

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