One cheat meal is not going to hurt you

Fieldsy

I think if you don't have self control on food, you need to learn how to adjust to it. I couldn't imagine how hard it must be to never eat "bad" foods ever again. I was at a point where I had no self control, but I learned to adjust. It took a long time, but I am so happy I did it.

mfpcopine

I cant do moderation. I find calorie counting is the best method for me. I also can't do a cheat meal either because I end up feeling crushingly guilty about eating that its not worth feeling that crappy about.

I think that exercising moderation -- when moderation is what's called for -- is the HARDEST.

Complete deprivation or complete indulgence are no-brainers. Moderation requires you to think, make choices, sometimes make mistakes.

mfpcopine

I think if you don't have self control on food, you need to learn how to adjust to it. I couldn't imagine how hard it must be to never eat "bad" foods ever again. I was at a point where I had no self control, but I learned to adjust. It took a long time, but I am so happy I did it.

I didn't say "never." We all eat treat food from time to time. But some people do not do well with a system that sanctions the eating on a regular basis of food not on their normal plan. It would be a recipe for disaster, to coin a phrase.

Not doing a cheat day would be the proper exercise of self-control or willpower for people like that. If you have a tendency to overeat or binge, thus undermining your efforts, you don't schedule opportunities.

Fieldsy

I cant do moderation. I find calorie counting is the best method for me. I also can't do a cheat meal either because I end up feeling crushingly guilty about eating that its not worth feeling that crappy about.

I think that exercising moderation -- when moderation is what's called for -- is the HARDEST.

Complete deprivation or complete indulgence are no-brainers. Moderation requires you to think, make choices, sometimes make mistakes.

Losing weight is tough. Moderation is great when you get good at doing it. There is nothing wrong with making mistakes as long as you know you made the mistake.

angiechimpanzee

I think if you don't have self control on food, you need to learn how to adjust to it. I couldn't imagine how hard it must be to never eat "bad" foods ever again. I was at a point where I had no self control, but I learned to adjust. It took a long time, but I am so happy I did it.

I didn't say "never." We all eat treat food from time to time. But some people do not do well with a system that sanctions the eating on a regular basis of food not on their normal plan. It would be a recipe for disaster, to coin a phrase.

Not doing a cheat day would be the proper exercise of self-control or willpower for people like that. If you have a tendency to overeat or binge, thus undermining your efforts, you don't schedule opportunities.

I agree with this completely.

mfpcopine

I cant do moderation. I find calorie counting is the best method for me. I also can't do a cheat meal either because I end up feeling crushingly guilty about eating that its not worth feeling that crappy about.

I think that exercising moderation -- when moderation is what's called for -- is the HARDEST.

Complete deprivation or complete indulgence are no-brainers. Moderation requires you to think, make choices, sometimes make mistakes.

Losing weight is tough. Moderation is great when you get good at doing it. There is nothing wrong with making mistakes as long as you know you made the mistake.

I agree. Was just underscoring that moderation is just as hard, if not harder, than the extremes. In addition to the fatigue of making decisions, moderation is boring and sensible and there's no distracting drama. Just plod plod plod day in day out.

Still, that's usually the healthiest way.

angiechimpanzee

The thing about planning cheat meals is that it can definitely get out of hand for some people, regardless of how well you "planned it". The problem with most "cheat" foods is that they are very unhealthy, full of processed, highly concentrated fats and sugars and things that should just not go into your body period. Those things are quite literally addictive for some people, especially those struggling with their weight (how do you think they became overweight in the first place? it definitely wasn't by having "one treat a week") With some people, certain foods lead to a strong, almost insatiable desire for MORE MORE MORE. And if it was that easy for them to just stop at one bite or one meal, they probably wouldn't be overweight now.

the only unhealthy food is one eaten in excess.

but my point is, what is keeping someone who TRULY has a problem with junk food from eating it in excess? absolutely nothing. simple self control isn't even enough to keep a binge eater from grabbing another cookie, or another twelve cookies. Or having four more slices of pizza after their first.

well, no. that's exactly the thing keeping them from eating more. no one is forcing them to eat X amount of anything. you make a decision. do I eat that or do I not eat that. not eating something you might like to have/have more of? that's pretty much the definition of self control.

but that's basically the essence of weight loss in general - making the right decisions of what to eat, or to eat certain amounts of certain foods. the fact of the matter is, overweight people become so by NOT making the correct decisions, and eating too much of certain things (usually high fat, high sugar, etc). Once a person decides to lose weight, the self control doesn't pop up out of nowhere - it still is a battle every day to choose the right foods. But even MORE difficult (for many people, clearly not you though) is choosing a wrong food which one used to eat in abundance before they decided to change their lifestyles & lose weight, and then attempting to stop at just a little. It's much easier for them to avoid the food altogether because once they get that taste, there's the powerful urge for more that would NEVER have been there (or at least not to that extreme) if they had just not touched it in the first place. For people who struggle with this type of behavior, it is much easier to just not eat it than to eat it and try not to have more. The temporary pleasure of letting themselves have that "cheat food" isn't worth the massive amounts of willpower it would take for them to not eat more of that food. Again, this is people who struggle with trigger foods and binge eating and such. Not for your average Joe who can eat one cookie and not want another.

DeanneLea

The thing about planning cheat meals is that it can definitely get out of hand for some people, regardless of how well you "planned it". The problem with most "cheat" foods is that they are very unhealthy, full of processed, highly concentrated fats and sugars and things that should just not go into your body period. Those things are quite literally addictive for some people, especially those struggling with their weight (how do you think they became overweight in the first place? it definitely wasn't by having "one treat a week") With some people, certain foods lead to a strong, almost insatiable desire for MORE MORE MORE. And if it was that easy for them to just stop at one bite or one meal, they probably wouldn't be overweight now.

the only unhealthy food is one eaten in excess.

but my point is, what is keeping someone who TRULY has a problem with junk food from eating it in excess? absolutely nothing. simple self control isn't even enough to keep a binge eater from grabbing another cookie, or another twelve cookies. Or having four more slices of pizza after their first.

well, no. that's exactly the thing keeping them from eating more. no one is forcing them to eat X amount of anything. you make a decision. do I eat that or do I not eat that. not eating something you might like to have/have more of? that's pretty much the definition of self control.

but that's basically the essence of weight loss in general - making the right decisions of what to eat, or to eat certain amounts of certain foods. the fact of the matter is, overweight people become so by NOT making the correct decisions, and eating too much of certain things (usually high fat, high sugar, etc). Once a person decides to lose weight, the self control doesn't pop up out of nowhere - it still is a battle every day to choose the right foods. But even MORE difficult (for many people, clearly not you though) is choosing a wrong food which one used to eat in abundance before they decided to change their lifestyles & lose weight, and then attempting to stop at just a little. It's much easier for them to avoid the food altogether because once they get that taste, there's the powerful urge for more that would NEVER have been there (or at least not to that extreme) if they had just not touched it in the first place. For people who struggle with this type of behavior, it is much easier to just not eat it than to eat it and try not to have more. The temporary pleasure of letting themselves have that "cheat food" isn't worth the massive amounts of willpower it would take for them to not eat more of that food. Again, this is people who struggle with trigger foods and binge eating and such. Not for your average Joe who can eat one cookie and not want another.

From what I've seen and also been through...deprivation causes MUCH more damage in the long run than a simple "cheat" meal.

Moderation is much safer than deprivation when it comes to those that struggle with their weight.

Fieldsy

Deprivation from food seems so much worse than moderation, but whatever helps you hit your goals and KEEP your goals.

Serah87

I don't do cheat meals/days, I eat in moderation and within my calories!! :happy:

bje8503

I have one cheat day a week, but even on my cheat days I'm usually only 3-400 calories over my daily goal, which to me doesn't seem like its that bad. The last few weeks my cheat days have all been at baseball games. I just can't turn down the hotdogs and beer when I'm at a ball game!

Articeluvsmemphis

every day is a cheat day when you allow yourself to eat what you like, and learn how to weed out what you don't need in life period. there's nothing I'm eating now to lose weight that I won't eat at my goal weight nor is there anything I've eliminated that I'm waiting around to add back to my diet.

LovingLisa2012

i decided to "cheat" today . couldn't get away from tracking though (damn habit now)
i enjoyed 4 peices of pizza (medium cut into 8) and cheesy breadsticks YUM

and ya know i am only over by 500 calories (still under 500 from my normal *b4 MFP* days)

the pizza and sticks were really good and now im ready to go back to normal 2,000 calories tomorrow and i plan to make sure to drink plenty of water :drinker:

ETA: normally i do eat everything in moderation but pizza is 1 thing i have trouble limiting so i allowed myself to eat what i wanted and it wasn't 4 at once , it was over the course of the evening

Fieldsy

Pizza is just too f'n good to give up lol

lovecat1978

I like to have one cheater a week, but I limit it to one meal + dessert. I think a whole day would be insane!

LovingLisa2012

Pizza is just too f'n good to give up lol

that it is .. hahah

i bought this pizza from the deli at walmart and it said 1 /5th pizza .. im sorry but who cuts pizza into 5 ?? i worked at 3 pizza places when i was younger and we cut them into 8 ..

so i did the math
360 * 5 = 1800
1800 / 8 = 225 each peice ( since i ended up eating 4 total , i had 900 calories worth of pizza)

i wasn't going to track but i couldn't resist :laugh:

the way i see it, even when im 150 (or w/e) i am still going to be tracking calories and still enjoying pizza , burriots, chicken nuggets etc ..so i might as well enjoy it now as well :bigsmile:

christina41139

Has anyone heard of or used the raspberry ketone that dr. oz talks about on his show? I was just curious if anyone has had any luck with adding it as a supplement to their diet? Thanks

Elisa150LBS

this dpesnt wprk for me at all. I have hit such a wall, and I am sooooo bummed out over the last 3 months I have been doing the Insanity DVD's and even incorporated P90X along with crossfit training for the last 2 weeks. I have only list 8 punds. WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!! I try to drink at least 2.5- 3 liters of water a day ( I mainly stick to that M-F). i snack healthy (almonds, string cheese, fruit) I eat healthy (yogurt, oatmeal, salads, chicken). I havent visited a fast food place in the last 3 months! WHAT THE HECKAM I DOING WRONG??? so bummed . . . . .

mfpcopine

Pizza is just too f'n good to give up lol

I eat pizza.. I try not to eat too much of it and if necessary, I make up for it later on in the week. It's not something I can afford to eat regularly, but I like it.

DeanneLea

this dpesnt wprk for me at all. I have hit such a wall, and I am sooooo bummed out over the last 3 months I have been doing the Insanity DVD's and even incorporated P90X along with crossfit training for the last 2 weeks. I have only list 8 punds. WTFFFFFFFFFFFFFFF!!!! I try to drink at least 2.5- 3 liters of water a day ( I mainly stick to that M-F). i snack healthy (almonds, string cheese, fruit) I eat healthy (yogurt, oatmeal, salads, chicken). I havent visited a fast food place in the last 3 months! WHAT THE HECKAM I DOING WRONG??? so bummed . . . . .

Are you giving your body enough fuel?