One cheat meal is not going to hurt you

jpuderbaugh

My boyfriend and I are going to PF Changs next Wednesday for dinner and I am definitely going to cheat for that meal. It's the first time I'll have "cheated" since starting my diet over a month ago and I am very excited about it.

:drinker: Who can blame you? :happy:

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.

It's only "deprivation" if you have the mental mindset that you need certain junk foods to be happy... there are many people who have completely changed their lifestyles from processed crap to whole foods and they would never go back even if you put a huge bag of mcdonalds right in front of them. Something can only be deprivation if the desire is there. If you lose the desire to eat things that are bad (even in 'moderation') then the absence of it is simply the absence of it - not deprivation.

I agree wholeheartedly with the trigger foods. I am one of those people, 100% and every day is a struggle. If I restrict myself completely from any type of dessert for a while, I'm absolutely fine. But once I let myself have one, I go into a tailspin all over again and lose control. It's like a drug. You get off it, and get over withdrawal (from drugs or alcohol I mean) and eventually you don't want it as much. But just one taste, just one puff of the cigarette, and you're hooked all over again. Trying to eat healthy and manage my eating can be so stressful that the emotional eating kicks in and I want the food even more. I need a cheat day or else I won't eat healthy at all. If you don't understand it, if you haven't ever experienced it, don't argue about it. How can one be "deprived" of bad for you food?! You don't need it at all, your taste buds and emotions just think you do. I know I don't "need" that food. Does it make me happy in the moments I'm eating it? Yes. Do I feel guilty afterwards? Sometimes, depends on my mood. Sometimes I think "to hell with all of it" and don't feel guilty. Sometimes I feel so guilty, but it still doesn't stop me from continuing the behavior for another week or so. I wasn't raised to be mindful of my eating. I was encouraged by my father to eat whatever I wanted, however much I wanted, because life is too short to not eat the foods you want. So self control doesn't come naturally to people like me. I wasn't raised on veggies or fruit. I was raised on sugary cereal, stromboli, grilled cheese, and fried chicken. I know that I can have all of these things in moderation, but if one piece makes me happy, 5 will make me REALLY happy (at least for the moment). But other things make me happy too. And I need to learn to focus more on them and depend less on food. Training myself to eat veggies (I struggle with them more than fruit, I think because fruit is naturally sweet and I love sweets) as an adult freaking sucks. I am trying to change myself for the better now, before I have kids, so I don't repeat the behavior and then my kids have to turn around and go through what I'm going through. Or if they don't try to get healthy, I'll have to sit there and watch them destroy their lives with food until it kills them. I don't want my kids to go through what I've gone through in my life. So like I said, if you don't understand, and haven't experienced binge eating like I've described, don't argue about it.

I do understand , I have experienced it and I will give my opinion on it...that's not an argument. Just because my solution is different than yours doesn't make it wrong. I was raised to comfort myself with food and not the healthy kind. I can only give my experience and my solution which has helped me. I no longer have an unhealthy relationship with food and haven't binged. I'd call that a success. Will it work for everyone? NO but it was my suggestion. So sorry you consider that an argument.

Please don't make judgments on what you think I've been through or haven't been through.

DeanneLea

I'm doing a cheat day if I need to. Been doing this for about 6 or 7 weeks, and I had one true cheat day where I ate at TGIFs for a work thing. Even then, I was sensible about it.

As much as I hate saying this, I think it's just a case of thinking realistically and knowing how the body works, in a sense? Like the OP said, one cheat meal a week isn't going to hurt, because unless you are starving yourself your body will not grab onto every calorie you put into it.

That being said, less cheat days = more healthy. But don't be afraid to splurge if you really want to .

It may not hurt YOU and it may not hurt HIM but it doesn't mean it won't hurt ME.....and either way who cares what everybody else is doing? If I don't want to have a cheat meal or day it's not hurting anybody else is it?

If somebody wants to have a cheat meal or day then by all means do it, but if you can't have one like me and some of the others here that's ok too. Nobody is wrong because it's each individuals journey.

I made this thread strictly for the people asking if its okay to eat a candy bar, cookie, or pizza. You shouldnt have to live life worried about having a bad day on your diet. A successful diet is one you feel most comfortable with and one you can enjoy.

I never said you have to have a cheat meal. If you dont care to have one then dont.

I understood the message your original post was trying to convey and I like it.

Only thing I disagree with is calling it a a "cheat" day. I just think that for anyone that has had that mental connection to food, calling it that isn't a good idea :

Fieldsy

I'm doing a cheat day if I need to. Been doing this for about 6 or 7 weeks, and I had one true cheat day where I ate at TGIFs for a work thing. Even then, I was sensible about it.

As much as I hate saying this, I think it's just a case of thinking realistically and knowing how the body works, in a sense? Like the OP said, one cheat meal a week isn't going to hurt, because unless you are starving yourself your body will not grab onto every calorie you put into it.

That being said, less cheat days = more healthy. But don't be afraid to splurge if you really want to .

It may not hurt YOU and it may not hurt HIM but it doesn't mean it won't hurt ME.....and either way who cares what everybody else is doing? If I don't want to have a cheat meal or day it's not hurting anybody else is it?

If somebody wants to have a cheat meal or day then by all means do it, but if you can't have one like me and some of the others here that's ok too. Nobody is wrong because it's each individuals journey.

I made this thread strictly for the people asking if its okay to eat a candy bar, cookie, or pizza. You shouldnt have to live life worried about having a bad day on your diet. A successful diet is one you feel most comfortable with and one you can enjoy.

I never said you have to have a cheat meal. If you dont care to have one then dont.

I understood the message your original post was trying to convey and I like it.

Only thing I disagree with is calling it a a "cheat" day. I just think that for anyone that has had that mental connection to food, calling it that isn't a good idea :

Call it yumyum day

bachooka

Saturdays are my days... If I want to go to the bar and get hammered, I do it. If I want to eat my body weight in chocolate... I do it (okay maybe not!) But I feel like it helps me more than it hinders me. It gives me some time to be a normal person and enjoy food instead of just counting calories.

Fieldsy

I can get hammered only once a week now if I wanna see results. Although now, I enjoy just being a social drinker. I used to hide my binge drinking as best as possible...glad I got ahold of myself.

sjiphone

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.

^^^ Yes! My cheat days are usually tacos or pizza, or something like it. It took a while for me to realize what was actually happening with the scale's next-day vengeance.

Pizza is one of my cheat meals too. I just bought the Weight Watcher's Pepperoni Pizza to try and tone down the calories a bit. I'm hoping it is edible.

kadins_momma07

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.

Totally agree with you and the OP. Although I don't do a whole day of cheating, I'll have a cheat meal, usually lunch or dinner, and the rest are decent. If I'm wanting something bad (like chicken chimichangas with extra cheese sauce and some rice!!!) then I'll have that one meal, enjoy the heck out of it, and get back on track the rest of the day & week. If you deprive yourself of having some things that you like you'll end up craving them more and going over board!

kadins_momma07

[/quote]
^^^ Yes! My cheat days are usually tacos or pizza, or something like it. It took a while for me to realize what was actually happening with the scale's next-day vengeance.
[/quote]

Pizza is one of my cheat meals too. I just bought the Weight Watcher's Pepperoni Pizza to try and tone down the calories a bit. I'm hoping it is edible.
[/quote]

The SmartOnes WW point pizza, is that the one you bought? I bought one yesterday and am hoping it's edible too LOL. I'll have it for lunch one day this week and see.

ambeer2

I think it all depends on the person, you know? I don't like have cheat days, I've tried them, where I scheduled them in. I have tried just having a quick meal, but for me right now, the only that works is restriction of the unhealthy foods. I am not the kind of person that can have just 1oz of chips, no i eat the whole bag, when we order pizza i can easily put away half of it. If I ever tell myself that it is ok, then I lose the control I need. I know some people who can't not have a cheat day. They eat what they like/love and still lose weight because they can do it moderation. i don't have that self control yet. I just can't tell myself that a little bit is ok and to go ahead because I mindlessly eat it all before realizing really how much I've had.

Do you substitute foods that you love and are unhealthy with the healthy version? This is another way to enjoy the foods you love without missing out....examples...

Pepsi> Diet Pepsi (or even the new Next)
Buffalo Wings> Grill some wings and add a little hot sauce
Egg Rolls > Veggie spring rolls

Just needed to butt in here — but just because something is lower calorie does not make it "healthy." Sure, eating lower calorie is the basis of losing weight, but it's not necessarily what makes your health overall better.

It just kind of drives me nuts when people say "healthy version" of something that, sure, might be better on your waistline, but not for your body.

I no longer eat meat, but I'm referring directly to your comment on Diet Pepsi. I drink diet soda on occasion, but I used to drink several cans of the stuff a day. Fake sugar is terrible for you.

I do, however, completely agree with spike days, or whatever you want to call them. I still refer to them as cheat days, but just because it's the most popular and recognizable term bantied about. Though I don't really consider myself to be "cheating" in maintenance mode. I am most often well under my calorie limit there, because I was so used to eating 500 less calories a day, that it takes some adjusting.

I still eat whatever I want, but I eat cleaner on most days. Obviously, different people have different methods, but my suggestion for anyone hitting a plateau would be to get rid of the processed junk from your diet. It will really do wonders.

wenmarie82

Cheat day sounds good to me. :happy:

I'm not sure about a whole day, maybe a meal.

Dare2Believe

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! I don't like the word cheat either, it is to negative. This is a lifestyle change for me & that includes eating things I want in moderation when I want them without beating myself up about it.

Fieldsy

I think it all depends on the person, you know? I don't like have cheat days, I've tried them, where I scheduled them in. I have tried just having a quick meal, but for me right now, the only that works is restriction of the unhealthy foods. I am not the kind of person that can have just 1oz of chips, no i eat the whole bag, when we order pizza i can easily put away half of it. If I ever tell myself that it is ok, then I lose the control I need. I know some people who can't not have a cheat day. They eat what they like/love and still lose weight because they can do it moderation. i don't have that self control yet. I just can't tell myself that a little bit is ok and to go ahead because I mindlessly eat it all before realizing really how much I've had.

Do you substitute foods that you love and are unhealthy with the healthy version? This is another way to enjoy the foods you love without missing out....examples...

Pepsi> Diet Pepsi (or even the new Next)
Buffalo Wings> Grill some wings and add a little hot sauce
Egg Rolls > Veggie spring rolls

Just needed to butt in here — but just because something is lower calorie does not make it "healthy." Sure, eating lower calorie is the basis of losing weight, but it's not necessarily what makes your health overall better.

It just kind of drives me nuts when people say "healthy version" of something that, sure, might be better on your waistline, but not for your body.

I no longer eat meat, but I'm referring directly to your comment on Diet Pepsi. I drink diet soda on occasion, but I used to drink several cans of the stuff a day. Fake sugar is terrible for you.

I do, however, completely agree with spike days, or whatever you want to call them. I still refer to them as cheat days, but just because it's the most popular and recognizable term bantied about. Though I don't really consider myself to be "cheating" in maintenance mode. I am most often well under my calorie limit there, because I was so used to eating 500 less calories a day, that it takes some adjusting.

I still eat whatever I want, but I eat cleaner on most days. Obviously, different people have different methods, but my suggestion for anyone hitting a plateau would be to get rid of the processed junk from your diet. It will really do wonders.

They are not "clean foods", but its much better for your diet than the real deal. If diet soda is one of my biggest issues with my diet, then my diet sounds pretty damn good.

Fieldsy

Cheat day sounds good to me. :happy:

I'm not sure about a whole day, maybe a meal.

If I can have just one cheat meal, I'd be thrilled...but usually it turns into a day

or weekend hehe

lifeskittles

Once you get closer to your goal the "cheat" days become less and less to see results..at least for me..I don't plan to have cheat days..If I want something sloppy and gross I eat it, and don't go over my calorie allotment..and work out a little more. However, if I'm going out to get drunk, MFP is not in my agenda for that night :P...I really enjoy food though..Vegetables and fruits are yummy in my opinion so if I'm filled with my favorite healthy foods all day then I'm usually satisfied and don't feel the need to eat junk food.

*but then again my calorie allotment is higher than most people set theirs for...at least 1700-2300 depending on a workout

jpuderbaugh

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.

It's only "deprivation" if you have the mental mindset that you need certain junk foods to be happy... there are many people who have completely changed their lifestyles from processed crap to whole foods and they would never go back even if you put a huge bag of mcdonalds right in front of them. Something can only be deprivation if the desire is there. If you lose the desire to eat things that are bad (even in 'moderation') then the absence of it is simply the absence of it - not deprivation.

I agree wholeheartedly with the trigger foods. I am one of those people, 100% and every day is a struggle. If I restrict myself completely from any type of dessert for a while, I'm absolutely fine. But once I let myself have one, I go into a tailspin all over again and lose control. It's like a drug. You get off it, and get over withdrawal (from drugs or alcohol I mean) and eventually you don't want it as much. But just one taste, just one puff of the cigarette, and you're hooked all over again. Trying to eat healthy and manage my eating can be so stressful that the emotional eating kicks in and I want the food even more. I need a cheat day or else I won't eat healthy at all. If you don't understand it, if you haven't ever experienced it, don't argue about it. How can one be "deprived" of bad for you food?! You don't need it at all, your taste buds and emotions just think you do. I know I don't "need" that food. Does it make me happy in the moments I'm eating it? Yes. Do I feel guilty afterwards? Sometimes, depends on my mood. Sometimes I think "to hell with all of it" and don't feel guilty. Sometimes I feel so guilty, but it still doesn't stop me from continuing the behavior for another week or so. I wasn't raised to be mindful of my eating. I was encouraged by my father to eat whatever I wanted, however much I wanted, because life is too short to not eat the foods you want. So self control doesn't come naturally to people like me. I wasn't raised on veggies or fruit. I was raised on sugary cereal, stromboli, grilled cheese, and fried chicken. I know that I can have all of these things in moderation, but if one piece makes me happy, 5 will make me REALLY happy (at least for the moment). But other things make me happy too. And I need to learn to focus more on them and depend less on food. Training myself to eat veggies (I struggle with them more than fruit, I think because fruit is naturally sweet and I love sweets) as an adult freaking sucks. I am trying to change myself for the better now, before I have kids, so I don't repeat the behavior and then my kids have to turn around and go through what I'm going through. Or if they don't try to get healthy, I'll have to sit there and watch them destroy their lives with food until it kills them. I don't want my kids to go through what I've gone through in my life. So like I said, if you don't understand, and haven't experienced binge eating like I've described, don't argue about it.

I do understand , I have experienced it and I will give my opinion on it...that's not an argument. Just because my solution is different than yours doesn't make it wrong. I was raised to comfort myself with food and not the healthy kind. I can only give my experience and my solution which has helped me. I no longer have an unhealthy relationship with food and haven't binged. I'd call that a success. Will it work for everyone? NO but it was my suggestion. So sorry you consider that an argument.

Please don't make judgments on what you think I've been through or haven't been through.

But have you experienced what the other girl and I were describing? I'm thinking you haven't since you kept arguing (to me) with her about it. Binge eaters, like me, don't have self control, and most times it is just easier to give in rather than fight the constant cravings for one more cookie, and then another, and then another, and then another. Nobody is forcing me to do it, like you said, but to me you obviously don't understand these cravings and this urge inside. It's not just emotional eating. It is an addiction. We are surrounded by food, and there is no getting away from it entirely. We can't become sober like an alcoholic can. Not saying alcoholism or drug abuse are easy to come back from, but food is so much harder because you always have to depend on it for survival. Yes we have an unhealthy relationship with food, and it needs to be corrected. But these urges and cravings are often so strong they will last for over a month if we don't give in to what we want. By then, I can't resist anymore and give in. Thus begins the downward spiral, and I just don't care for a while and keep feeding my face for a few weeks. Out of boredom, out of frustration, out of not feeling worthy of food therefore causing me to eat more of it to comfort myself. Does it solve these problems, absolutely not. Does it stop me from having cravings, absolutely not. Some cravings are small and will go away within a few minutes. Others are so strong that whenever food is around, all I can think about is that food I am craving. Sometimes I want it so bad I can taste it. Sometimes the craving is so strong I will be absolutely miserable and *****y and moody until I can have the food.

Can you say you've experienced all of this? And if so, aren't YOU the one passing judgement onto those of us who don't have it under control yet, like you? Saying that we should be able to control it and that nobody is forcing us to eat this way...