I can't EVER have a cheat day? HELP

chardi7

If you do mostly cardio...try switching things up a bit. Do some weightlifting at the gym or just some body weight exercises like pushups and body squats. These bodies of ours are amazing and confusing all at the same time. I have experienced times when I eat clean all week and dont seem to make much progress...and then other times I will fall off the band wagon for a week or more and when I come back I have actually lost or maintained...WTF???

But just stick with the basic's of loggin your calories, watching what you eat, exercise, etc....but dont go crazy. Dont feel bad for cheating...just log it and move on. Also...I fall into the category of eat more protein vs more carbs...however, what I say and what I do can be two different things. Thats my 2 cents...and oh yeah...give it some time, Rome wasn't built in a day.

tejasmh87

I get the contraceptive injection so I don't have TOM exactly.

Also, as I said and you read, I weigh most days for a valid reason.

And it's not going to be an over-estimation, cos when I wear my HRM, it's always way over MFP. MFP will give me 200, and HRM will say 350 etc. But anyway, I'm going based on my actual daily goal, not eating back exercise calories, so it doesn't actually matter.

Tossing in my 2 cents.

I am on the 5 year IUD (about to get my 2nd IUD, did the Shot for a year) and haven't had a period in years (glorious!) however I will still have what I call "estrogen moments/days" where I get the moody/easily upset emotional cr@p. I also will gain about 3 lbs of water weight. I know the BC is working but I still get these during my 'normal' TOM time. Usually just 3 days of emotional (but water weight says for nearly a week).

So its possible if the timing is right you *could* experience some TOM affects even on the Shot/IUD. Just make note next time and see if there is any corrolation Took me a while to connect the dots.

I hope others can offer you some great advice food/exercise wise!

Lina4Lina

I would agree that eating out usually means more sodium. Dairy can also bloat you. I weigh daily to watch fluctuations. I weigh 3 lbs heavier today than yesterday. I ate 1800 calories yesterday and exercised. I can tell you that it takes 10,000 calories to gain 3 lbs so I know I didn't gain 3 lbs of fat.

Our bodies are composed mostly of water and water fluctuates based on numerous factors.

beckydunks

I've got to this point where i'm not as obsessive with counting calories, i've lost 9lb so another 5 and i'm happy

However i have days where i don't record my calories in my diary, for the past 3 weeks, my weights gone up and down, but i'm not worried about

You shouldnt worry as you are a normal weight and the less amount of weight you want to lose the harder it is!

i'd focus on maintaining you weight and not get too hung up over the number on the scales! after i lost 7lbs, i'd lost 2 inchs on my waist and hips, which made me feel great!

Good luck and eat what you like! moderation is the key don't become obsessed like i was e.g counting calories in ketchup and diet coke!! haha

Koldnomore

I have had previous issues with eating disorders for 8 years, but I've been 100% recovered for over a year now, and in recovery for around a year before that, so I'm unsure if it would be anything to do with that still.

I'm on 1622 a day, so it's not like my body's starving or anything.

You look TINY, you're 5'4.. How do you have 1622 calories a day? is it possible you are actually eating so close to maintenance for your size/weight that those extra calories are putting you over? Just saying because I'm 2 inches taller and probably 80 - 90 pounds heavier and I'm at 1700 daily also with activity included. From what I have seen the smaller you are the less you need unless you're a beast in the gym - but you haven't said you are. Have you adjusted your calories back from when you were heavier?

LCgymnast

Maybe it's what you eat on your cheat day. Usually when I have a "naughty" day, I'll eat something small that's not particularly healthy for me such as ice-cream, soda, 2 cookies, etc. This past weekend though, I totally blew that away (It was carbs city with lots of bread and like 4 cookies), but I know for the week that water, fiber, and fruits are my best friend to clean it all out of me. Try to incorporate more fiber and fruits into your diet so when you have a cheat day the water and fruits will help get of your system quicker. Hope this helps you out. Good Luck!

maryjay51

hey i lost 80lbs and i would be lying if i told you i never had junk food during that time frame.. first 50 lbs i lost i had chips and dip and ice cream with caramel sauce on it a few times a week.i had it in monderation though which is a problem for me. i mean one helping of chips as opposed to the whole bag is a big step for someone like me . even with ice cream. when i measured out one serving i almost fell over but i figured it was a start to changing my bad eating habits. so when i really want something i shouldnt be eating , i will have it and i will eat it in moderation.

meg7399

to gain a pound you need 3500 calories. You did not go over 3500 calories so you did not truely can that weight...the body fluxuates regularly. If your cheat days are an additional 3500 calories then you can worry!

peter236uk

I have noticed alot of people put down exercise which they do every day ie walking in your job as an example. I would not include any exercise I do ever day as I understand it the body gets used to this level of activity.

I think if you do exercise then it should be that ie you should be flushed I think the word is when you have finished.

peter236uk

Oh and you have to have something you enjoy or else whats the point. Please feel free to have a look at my diary it seems to be working for me. I only log exercise that i do outside my normal day ie I take the dog for a walk every morning.

sylrog

Hello:
I read your post and can understand your frustration. It may be worth to take a trip to the doctor to make sure you do not have any thyroid issues. It is a simple bloodtest. Also, please make sure you are getting enough calcium and iron. Good luck and hang in there.

ravengirl1611

First - throw out your scale - as others have said with all of the many factors involved your weight can fluctuate as much as 5 pounds per day
2nd - check this link and re-evaluate your numbers - you may not be on a solid, no movement plateau but you sound to me like you are on a plateau
3rd - again - as others have said - get in some different types of exercise - I'd suggest some type of strenght training
4th - track your inches - not your actual weight - lean muscle is denser than fat it takes up less space and makes for a better way to track loss - especially when you are so close to your goal and only have that last little bit to lose
5 - if you have your numbers set right you dont need cheat days or even cheat meals - I eat whatever I want - I just adjust the other meals to keep within my numbers
ie - this morning I had a bowl of Lucky Charms for breakfast - lunch today is fruit and dinner will be a lot of veggies with a slightly larger portion of protien because Im going to the gym tonight.
6 - I'd tweak your % of Carbs/Protien/Fat to more like 30%/35%/35% (of the right kinds of fat) - 50% carbs is a lot of carbs.

Here's the link to get your numbers more in line

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12

Hope it helps!

CaseRat

I have had previous issues with eating disorders for 8 years, but I've been 100% recovered for over a year now, and in recovery for around a year before that, so I'm unsure if it would be anything to do with that still.

I'm on 1622 a day, so it's not like my body's starving or anything.

You look TINY, you're 5'4.. How do you have 1622 calories a day? is it possible you are actually eating so close to maintenance for your size/weight that those extra calories are putting you over? Just saying because I'm 2 inches taller and probably 80 - 90 pounds heavier and I'm at 1700 daily also with activity included. From what I have seen the smaller you are the less you need unless you're a beast in the gym - but you haven't said you are. Have you adjusted your calories back from when you were heavier?

^^ Please disregard this post. Any less than 1622 a day for you and I'd be saying you're undereating. I'm almost inclined to say you're close to eating too little as it is.

1: The fact you do 7 hours of walking a day for your job isn't 'lightly active'; you should have that factored in for a higher setting if you're on your feet all day.

2: You need more protein.

3. Stop weighing yourself every day.

Edit: 4. Try weight training. It'll help, A LOT.

creedy333

Hi hun by any chance, are your fluids on your cheat days alcohol, only asking cos i know for a fact that. its fluid your gaining and not all fat, even though i dont drink anymore wen i have a cheat day i want to cry the next day cos there is always a gain, but not as much as in the past wen id have a couple of drinks.
Anyway hun only tip i can give u is dont get weighed the day after and drink loads of water to flush your system out , good luck with the rest of your weight loss. :flowerforyou:

ShelleyStev

I know it's so frustrating. I'm a lot like you. I've been on here since April and I, also, weigh every day, which I HIGHLY reccomend. You CAN have cheat days...maybe cheat MEALS.....maybe once every 2 weeks. But, if you are really using portion control, you can still have most anything you want, just in lower portions. I ate at El Chico on Friday and had a cheese/onion enchilada and beef taco w/ a few chips (about 6 or 7) and queso. I put in the numbers in MFP and this morning I've lost another lb. I think when you're looking for the CHEAT day, you're having a mindset that's going to ultimately trip up your weight loss. Eat what you want every day...just within your numbers. Then you don't need a cheat day. I've lost 34 lbs which is about 5 or 6 lbs a month. It's a little slow, but it's steady. My goal is another 115 lbs. Weighing every day helps you to know your body and how the food/exercise is affecting you. Weighing once a week, in my opinion, will throw you into depression if you think that you've worked hard all week and then when you weigh, you are up 3 lbs. You won't know exactly what you did to gain that weight. I recently read that research has shown that those who weigh daily lose more over a period of time than those who weigh weekly or monthly. And, finally, be honest with yourself and MFP. No one else sees it, so you'll be able to see exactly what you are/are not doing. Blessings to you!

SophieC19

I don't have cheat days but I have a meal off every saturday evening with my other half and aslong I'm being healthy for the rest of the week I don't gain. Been doing it since february this year I don't think theres anything wrong with a meal off at all

osualex

I would agree that eating out usually means more sodium. Dairy can also bloat you. I weigh daily to watch fluctuations. I weigh 3 lbs heavier today than yesterday. I ate 1800 calories yesterday and exercised. I can tell you that it takes 10,000 calories to gain 3 lbs so I know I didn't gain 3 lbs of fat.

Our bodies are composed mostly of water and water fluctuates based on numerous factors.

^^^this. Are you weighing yourself the day after you cheat, or even worse, right after you eat? Of course the scale will be up! If you eat salty foods or if you haven't digested everything yet, the scale will reflect that, not your actual weight. Weigh in once a week or even once a month, it's a lot easier that way.

taiyola

I would say that you can't just gain the weight that fast, but then a consistent 1lb a month isn't exactly loads.

However, You don't weigh a great deal as it is so you can't expect it to drop off at 1lb a week either! It could be that 1lb a month is appropriate.

Hmm, good thought. 0.25lb a week overall sounds very low though! Mind you, better than nothing. It's just that I've been this weight before, and then gone up, and now back at it 2 months later. I don't want to keep going up 2lb, losing 2lb... etc and still be the same weight in a years time!

taiyola

I might have misunderstood, but if you have set your activity level on the basis of doing 7 hours' a day walking at work, why did you log 5 hours' walking on Saturday as exercise? If anything you would have done *less* exercise* that day, surely?

Sorry if I've misunderstood. Also, I would never have a whole cheat day- just one cheat meal. I think a cheat day sends some people right off the rails with food.

Finally, I'm near my goal and my weight loss is incredibly slow. It might just be the same for you.

Said this 3 times now lol... I only log it to make sure I get off my *kitten* at the weekends when I'm not at work. I don't intend to eat my calories back from logged exercise.

And it's never a whole cheat day usually (it is sometimes though), but usually one solitary item (something sweet or carby usually) that has me be 300-500 over and then I've gained. And I fight so hard to get that off, before it's back again!

Maybe I'm just expecting too much. According to MFP I should be losing 0.6lb a week. I'd be happy with that.

LorinaLynn

Lots of items in your food diary don't have sodium listed that definitely have quite a bit of sodium. Like rolls and wraps. Double check everything you enter in your diary.

denisebatalha

I'm going to chime in... what is a typical cheat day for you?? Is it an entire day?? If so, your efforts may be in vain due to a whole day of cheating. There are several articles on studies about cheat days: pretty much stating it negates anything you've done during the week. Also, I read you were on the contraceptive shot... I'm not a fan of birth control due to the havoc they wreak on our systems. Of course, the choice is yours, but be aware, the shots specifically make most women gain far more than the pill. Two things to think about. Also, make certain you're eating enough for all the exercising you do. It may not make sense, but the fewer calories you are eating may have the opposite effect you're going for. A book that helped me is Tom Venuto's Burn the Fat, Feed the Muscle. Helps a great deal in learning how food is processed, how exercise comes into play, how much you should be eating, etc. Worth looking at.

Now, if you're like me that you're up in arms regardless of what you do (and I've competed in physique competitions, no less) and no specialist, or physician has any clues either, then you'll have reason to worry. I'm utterly depressed, actually...

MB_Positif

Usually I am the nicest person ever, but honestly every time someone offers you valid advice you complain about how that won't work for you. It really is frustrating to read. You are already at a pretty healthy weight. You will not consistently lose anything close to a pound a week. Instead of arguing try something different and see if it works for you. And you've got to try it for a few weeks at least to see if it is working. Don't expect overnight results.

sunshine_gem

I had the same problem. My trainer worked it in that I could have a cheat day every week if I'd stuck to my goals for the rest of the week. Massive failure! The way I do it now is if I can fit something small into my daily goal then I have it. I love chocolate so ocassionally I have it. I also love soda so once a week maybe I'll let myself have some. If I've been on track for a couple of weeks then I have a free meal. I don't necessarily go crazy but I don't think about what I'm eating either. If I go out for a meal with friends I don't want to be thinking about every calorie or macro on the menu, I wanna enjoy myself. Don't think of it as being allowed to go crazy because then you will go crazy and it won't work. Calorie counting sucks. I hate it, so sometimes I have to not worry about it too much. Also I find not calling it a 'cheat' day/meal works better as 'cheat' makes me think I'm doing something wrong and I'm not really, I'm just enjoying myself. Make sure your water intake is up too. That will help you flush out the salt and crap in whatever it was you ate. Hope any of this helps! Congrats on sticking with it so far and don't give up!

taiyola

I have had previous issues with eating disorders for 8 years, but I've been 100% recovered for over a year now, and in recovery for around a year before that, so I'm unsure if it would be anything to do with that still.

I'm on 1622 a day, so it's not like my body's starving or anything.

You look TINY, you're 5'4.. How do you have 1622 calories a day? is it possible you are actually eating so close to maintenance for your size/weight that those extra calories are putting you over? Just saying because I'm 2 inches taller and probably 80 - 90 pounds heavier and I'm at 1700 daily also with activity included. From what I have seen the smaller you are the less you need unless you're a beast in the gym - but you haven't said you are. Have you adjusted your calories back from when you were heavier?

I'm not massive or anything, but I'm not skinny either. My bodyfat is quite high. I want to lose another 14lb.

Basically, I used to eat at 200-1000 a day for years. I would sometimes binge, but I would mainly starve. And a binge to me wasn't always a lot of calories, it was just a crazed mental shove-it-all-in kinda thing! Anyway, I got treatment, left treatment of my own accord when they were rushing me to eat 2000 calories a day (was never gunna happen!) and I felt they just wanted to write me down as 'recovered' so it looked good for them, and they weren't comfortable with it taking me YEARS to get to 'normal'.

After a year or so going it alone, I felt a lot better. I've been fully recovered (nothing ed related at all) since May 2011.

I started eating at 1200, then went up to 1300, then to my BMR of 1440. I lost a few pounds. I then read about TDEE and that I should be eating more once I got an active job. I'm on my feet for 7.25 hours a day, 5 days a week. 1722 was too high, so I went down to 1622. Started losing again. GREAT! Until I cheat with ONE bad thing that takes me over my goal.

If I eat 1200 and then a naughty treat for 400, that's fine. If I eat 1600 and have a 400 treat, then I gain. I should just maintain. It's not that 1622 is too high for me. It's simply that when I go too far over it, I gain and can't get it off. It seems that on a weekend someone may eat a good 1000 calories over, and still be able to lose that week. I eat over by 500 and gain that week.

rotill

If you have had an eating disorder, your metabolism may be screwed and not yet recovered. Have a word with your physician.

My experience with weightloss: My metabolism is messed up due to a thyroid issue, and I can't have two glasses of wine, even if I am under the calorie goal. If I do I gain one kilo (two punds), and struggle two weeks to lose it. If it was just water weight, I would think the losing would be a little quicker, but I also know I tend to retain water if I eat carbs or alchohol, so I suspect it's a mixture - a little bit fat, mostly water.

If this is what's going on, then no, you can't have a cheat day. If your metabolism is out of wack, you have to find your comfort zone and work at maintaining it to a much greater extent than others. If you do go over with sugar or alcohol, be prepared to pay for it. And now that I am much closer to a normal BMI I have to be even more careful, as losing is harder. Since you have already reached the upper limit of your normal BMI, that will be even more true for you

Yes, it's deeply unfair, particularly when the rest of my family eat everything they like and never gain any weight. Sadly, it's genetics, and nothing I can do. I can't kick my own genes.

kluvit

Rather than having "cheat" days which throw you off course, consider eating some of the things you enjoy throughout the week (within your macros), so you don't feel deprived and go crazy for a day or weekend. Plan for these "treats" by eating lower calorie/fat options for your other food that day, or by eating a little less than your macros on other days to "save-up" for them, so that overall for the week, you are still at or slightly below your macros.

The key to creating a new "lifestyle" is to make good choices everyday...determine whether a treat is "worth it" --- worth not meeting your goals, worth giving up something else to fit it into your macros, or worth the extra exercise to fit it into your macros. Everything you put into your mouth is a choice...just make sure that each thing is "worth it" to you. My morning Starbucks and evening angel food cake w/ ice cream are "worth it" to me almost daily, so I think about that when I'm offered a cookie or cake or something else tempting. Would I rather have that treat now, or do I want my evening dessert, or do I want to run 2-3 miles when I get home? All my choice!

This way of thinking has helped me be successful this time in a way like never before. I'm now maintaining 6-8 pounds below my original target. Even on days when I give myself permission to "pig out," I find that I just can't do it. I may order chili cheese fries because I worked out like crazy to earn them, but then I find I can only eat half of them. My "training" during my weight-loss phase continues to help me make better chices and refrain from returning to my old habits. Maybe it will work for you, too.

taiyola

Usually I am the nicest person ever, but honestly every time someone offers you valid advice you complain about how that won't work for you. It really is frustrating to read. You are already at a pretty healthy weight. You will not consistently lose anything close to a pound a week. Instead of arguing try something different and see if it works for you. And you've got to try it for a few weeks at least to see if it is working. Don't expect overnight results.

That's because people post what they think is 'advice' which doesn't relate to what I have posted.

'Why are you logging exercise?' 'You ate under your goal that day' - No. I originally stated that my acitivity level is set at LIGHTLY ACTIVE and I only add exercise to keep me MOTIVATED.

'You're eating too much' - No, I have an active job. I am LOSING weight on this number.

Fair enough, they maybe didn't read the post properly or understand what I am asking, but don't say I'm unwilling to accept advice because it doesn't relate to me or what I have asked.

Some people have understood what I have asked, and posted back some things about my Depo injection, carbs to protein ratio, changing up exercise routines, etc etc. Those things I consider and take on board. I've since changed my goals to 35% carbs, 30% protein (hard for my to reach at the moment without whey & little funds) and 35% fat. I'm going to write down in my diary each day how much I am over or under for the week.

denae1986

try measuring yourself. lots of people gain muscle when exercising so much. you might be losing inches.

chrisdavey

I would say that you can't just gain the weight that fast, but then a consistent 1lb a month isn't exactly loads.

However, You don't weigh a great deal as it is so you can't expect it to drop off at 1lb a week either! It could be that 1lb a month is appropriate.

Hmm, good thought. 0.25lb a week overall sounds very low though! Mind you, better than nothing. It's just that I've been this weight before, and then gone up, and now back at it 2 months later. I don't want to keep going up 2lb, losing 2lb... etc and still be the same weight in a years time!

why?

body compositions can change a lot at the same weight. Hence why relying solely on the scales is not a good idea to track progress. (especially if you are already at a healthy weight for you're height)

tobnrn

The scale is not a reliable indicator of fat loss. Try using other methods as well like a tape measure.

According to the scale I fluctuate the same 3 lbs for the last 1 1/2 months but my clothing size has dropped.