Tired of this being so hard...

jonielena

You aren't alone! If I cheat on the weekend, my weight sky-rockets pretty quickly. But I can't live without at least one cheat meal a week... it's what I live for lol.

Here's my solution: I usually "cheat" on Friday or Saturday, and on Sundays I do a mini juice cleanse all day. I have a juicer (don't do it w/ bottled juice - only fresh), and I juice fruits and veggies 5x/day all day, and don't eat anything else. By Monday I feel great and all my weekend ugghh is gone!

Also, my good friend who is a holistic nutritionist gave me these "words to live by:" for every meal that you eat, make sure half of your plate is green (veggies/fruits). It's great advice. Now, if I go to eat a plate of chicken wings, I eat a salad first.

Hang in there! You aren't alone in this, and the results WILL be worth it in the long run!

Patovader

Go back to grass roots, weigh all your food and don't guess anything. I see lots of people's diaries with one cup of this and one cup of that, if I look in my own cupboards I have several different cup sizes so that sure would confuse the life out of me! I doubt very much that you ate an extra 7000 calories with one cheat meal and gained 2 pounds, as previously stated it is most likely water weight. Just out of curiosity how often do you weigh yourself?

You should probably try to eat a little more as well if you are hungry, I would recommend you up your calories to your BMR and see how you get on with that. I lost consistently throughout this and was never hungry. Also try to eat more foods that will help keep you filled up for longer, for example two small apples will be around 100 calories (less than half a Mars Bar) and I guarantee you that you will feel fuller after the apples and for much longer.

Good luck.

Tracy_03311981

We have all been there, but having that type of negative attitude towards your weight loss journey isn't going to help you lose more weight.
I actually have an entire cheat day, my aunt's personal trainer recommended it. It shocks your body so that you aren't doing the same thing all the time which the body can get "used" to.
Are you drinking enough water? Have you looked into lowering your sugar intake (when I say this I don't mean carbs I mean actual sugar)? Most of us don't realize that when that sugar reaches our system it turns into fat, so it helps to have a good balance of everything. Have you tried increasing your protein intake? How is your sodium intake? Are you weighing yourself during your time of the month or even a week before, typically we all have that "water" weight.
Remember, pasta is loaded with sugar, and most pastas after eating them you are hungry shortly after, unless you eat it with a good amount of protein.
Life is too short to not have your desserts or cheat days or meals, you want to enjoy yourself too!
I know how hard it is to lose weight, and I truly don't believe that going over 500 calories once a week contributes to an entire 2 lbs. gained, there has to be other mitigating factors.
Hope that helps, you can add me if you would like!

djsupreme6

A suggestion could be...just toss that scale somewhere and don't even worry about it. Take your measurements, write them down and get out there and do your work. Make healthy eating choices as well. One cheat meal a weekend is not going to ruin your weight loss attempts but focusing on a number on the scale very well can. Go on measurements and how you feel to determine if you are improving. Do a weigh in around 2 weeks from say...today, so with measurements, feel and scale number you have 3 units of measure for you hard work

kiachu

I'm very thankful for the weight I have lost since the end of May but over the last month I'm finding this a lot more difficult to stick to it. I'll have one cheat meal on a weekend and it will blow my weight loss for the week. It's very frustrating to read people posting that you need to eat 3000 over to gain a pound. Obviously they have never had my body as I gain 2 lbs from being 500 over. I guess I need to do some tweeking again. I've had more pasta than usual lately so maybe that's the issue. It's just so difficult to stick to this and I'm just tired :sad:

This is something that has puzzled me from the day a started this site almost 2 monts ago....If you are trying to lose weight and change your eating habits and life style why in the world would you want to have a cheat day???? Purposely cheating is not a concept that I believe fits in to a weight loss program. If you happen to go over a little one day that is another thing but it seems to me that when a person begins to incorporate the concept of purposely cheating on the weekend or any day you set yourself up for the strong possibility of not being successful in keeping the weight off over the long haul. Just my opinion take it for what its worth.

Cheat meals can help with weight loss, especially if your at a severe deficit. And they can give a psychological boost. Problem is most people make their diets TOO restrictive when they don't need to (aka following MFPs stupid blanket 1200 calorie requirement) and then when they do "cheat" they go nuts. Cheat meals should be planned and timely.

kuntry_navy

If you wait a few days before you step on the scale, it will be back to normal. Gaining a few pounds extra on cheat days is pretty much always water weight. Unless you're going crazy overboard

cheryldianebennett

This is helpful. Thank you!

BerryH

I just checked your diary and you're only eating 1200 calories a day, which is way too few for most people. Without getting mired in hard sums, go back to your MFP goals and reset them to lose no more than 1lb a week. I bet it gives you more to eat! Also you're not eating enough of your exercise calories, on some days you still have a deficit of more than 400. Aim to eat at least 75% of them back, to allow for a margin of error in whatever calculation method you use.

Make these changes and you won't need a cheat day. :flowerforyou:

djsupreme6

I'm very thankful for the weight I have lost since the end of May but over the last month I'm finding this a lot more difficult to stick to it. I'll have one cheat meal on a weekend and it will blow my weight loss for the week. It's very frustrating to read people posting that you need to eat 3000 over to gain a pound. Obviously they have never had my body as I gain 2 lbs from being 500 over. I guess I need to do some tweeking again. I've had more pasta than usual lately so maybe that's the issue. It's just so difficult to stick to this and I'm just tired :sad:

This is something that has puzzled me from the day a started this site almost 2 monts ago....If you are trying to lose weight and change your eating habits and life style why in the world would you want to have a cheat day???? Purposely cheating is not a concept that I believe fits in to a weight loss program. If you happen to go over a little one day that is another thing but it seems to me that when a person begins to incorporate the concept of purposely cheating on the weekend or any day you set yourself up for the strong possibility of not being successful in keeping the weight off over the long haul. Just my opinion take it for what its worth.

Cheat meals can help with weight loss, especially if your at a severe deficit. And they can give a psychological boost. Problem is most people make their diets TOO restrictive when they don't need to (aka following MFPs stupid blanket 1200 calorie requirement) and then when they do "cheat" they go nuts. Cheat meals should be planned and timely.

agreed fully here....that 1200 calorie thing drives me nuts lol

bcattoes

Depends on if you want to lose fat or lose water. You have to eat 3500 calories OVER maintenance to gain a pound of fat. Which most people can't do in one meal.

But you can gain water weight and food weight from over eating. Especially if you eat more carbohydrates than normal. Your body will bind water molecules with glycogen and store that in your muscles, when that is full that extra will spill over into your adipose tissue(fat under the skin). Normally if you get back on track it'll eventually go away again. I've gained 5 lbs + over night from a cheat.

Don't get discouraged.

This ^^ I see so many posts on MFP giving the rule for losing/gaining fat as a rule for losing/gaining weight. They are not the same thing. All weight is not fat. If you like pasta you don't have to give it up, just know that if you eat lower carb most of the time then have a high carb meal that you will get a temporary jump in water weight and don't sweat it.

jeanice66

I hate to say this but I am so glad to read this post because it is the same thing I do over and over. I feel like I loose the same three pounds every single week! I do so great thru the week - eat right or at least decent and exercise then comes the weekend .. one or two beers and maybe Friday night pizza- and its done the one or two pounds I lost thru the week ...right back. Just glad to know I am not the only one who does this same exact thing.

akillaah

No worries hun - just think about it...no matter what the scale says, you are doing good things for your body. Try taking measurements of your body instead of relying on the scale if you find the numbers on the scale intimidating. Or just weigh in once every 2 weeks instead of once a week or however often you're doing it. You need to remember that this is YOUR journey and some things that work for others or seem to be easier for others will not be the same as you. You just have to really evaluate yourself and get to know your body and figure out what works for you. I found for myself, cutting wheat out of my diet for the most part has greatly improved my weightloss and when I have those bad days where I eat junk food, it doesnt seem to impact me the same way as it would if I was eating wheat. Also mixing up your exercise and shocking your body really helps with weight loss and muscle gain. Try eating different things...lower your carbs...eat stir fry on bean sprouts instead of on rice or eat zuccini or squash spagetti with pasta sauce and some parmesan cheese. Just play around with things for say, a month at a time and see what kind of results you get until you learn what really works for you!

but like I said, just remember, no matter what the scale says...this is a POSITIVE thing you are doing for your body, and no amount of chips and mcdonalds is going to make you feel any better in the end.

moreen2

Its is okay! Do not keep beating up for being normal. Remember it is just one meal. Move on to the next meal. Keep tracking the good and the ugly. You will figure out what is normal for "you". Week -ends are tough enough. Keep plenty of fruit and veggies around for quick snacking. I cut up plates of fruit and veggies. I also have a culvers burger with a side salad. I make skinnytaste recipes with pasta. I keep my family eating what I eat. They love the fresh salads, and beef and pasta recipes. I also have been known to have a double portion. Keep exercise part of your daily plan. Like a daily dose of medication. Exercise is important so track it daily.

bpwparents

I'm very thankful for the weight I have lost since the end of May but over the last month I'm finding this a lot more difficult to stick to it. I'll have one cheat meal on a weekend and it will blow my weight loss for the week. It's very frustrating to read people posting that you need to eat 3000 over to gain a pound. Obviously they have never had my body as I gain 2 lbs from being 500 over. I guess I need to do some tweeking again. I've had more pasta than usual lately so maybe that's the issue. It's just so difficult to stick to this and I'm just tired :sad:

This is something that has puzzled me from the day a started this site almost 2 monts ago....If you are trying to lose weight and change your eating habits and life style why in the world would you want to have a cheat day???? Purposely cheating is not a concept that I believe fits in to a weight loss program. If you happen to go over a little one day that is another thing but it seems to me that when a person begins to incorporate the concept of purposely cheating on the weekend or any day you set yourself up for the strong possibility of not being successful in keeping the weight off over the long haul. Just my opinion take it for what its worth.

I didn't say "cheat day". I said cheat meal and I never said that I do this all of the time because obviously I wouldn't have gotten as far as I have. And for everyone else, I'm very aware of sodium intake. I do track sodium now because of this. For the most part the only thing I drink is water and lots of it.

quiltingducky

You're only experiencing what almost everyone goes through when on a diet. I know, I know - I'm not supposed to say diet, but it is when we are trying to change our eating habits. Maybe try changing up the variety of what you are eating, maybe more fruits and veggies, or finding alternatives for the pasta (like spaghetti squash). I know for myself I do not consciously plan for a cheat meal, but when something comes up and the choices are not always figure friendly, I'll make a conscious decision to only eat a certain amount and then box up the rest to take home If it's a restaurant. When I want something that I know is not great for me, I'll tell myself that they will still be making that food when I am thinner, so I talk myself out of it.

And remember too, that we as women have those lovely hormones that play havoc with our bodies. I was down 3 pounds one day and then up 3 pounds for the next 5 days straight and then back down again. I ate the same quantity, not straying from my calories, and I knew eventually it would show again. In the past, I used to get discouraged, but since keeping track of everything I am eating, I knew it was just a temporary thing my body was doing.

I hope you stick with it and give it time. Maybe give up the cheat meal for a week and see if you can make it through and see if having a cheat meal really makes a difference in how you mentally feel. Another thing, I am eating pretty much anything I want, just in moderation, so that it doesn't seem like deprivation - even ice cream. I just figure it into my calories so that I know it will work with my limits.

Again, I hope you don't give up. It's a mental game sometimes and you can beat it!

transvenouspacer

I weigh myself every day, sometimes more than once just for the hell of it. Guess what? My weight can fluctuate by as much as 5 pounds. I don't worry about it, I just watch the general trend. If my weight were to stay up and keep increasing, then I would be worried. But even then I realize I would just have to really watch my calories for a little while and exercise more. Remember this is not a race. Just keep trying and try not to deprive yourself. You've already lost 36 pounds, that's a great victory!! Focus on your overall progress. You can do this.

Cruxthemystic

Ok I'm going to make a suggestion.....join a group or two. I'm in two groups one for people with thyroid problems and one that we just have fun and encourage each other. Find ones with the same interest you have. It helps to have people you come to know and can talk to.

larryc0923

Depends on if you want to lose fat or lose water. You have to eat 3500 calories OVER maintenance to gain a pound of fat. Which most people can't do in one meal.

But you can gain water weight and food weight from over eating. Especially if you eat more carbohydrates than normal. Your body will bind water molecules with glycogen and store that in your muscles, when that is full that extra will spill over into your adipose tissue(fat under the skin). Normally if you get back on track it'll eventually go away again. I've gained 5 lbs + over night from a cheat.

Don't get discouraged.

Thank you for a very informative post.

astronomer25

It could be several things in combinations
1) You have metabolic syndrome/insulin resistance --- more insulin is secreted when you eat carbs. Insulin is the fat hormone, when it is present it promotes fat storage. If your cheat meal is high in carbs, the increased insulin will result in more fat storage for excess carbs consumed.
2) Your cheat meal is higher in sodium than you are used to. Depending on the diet, the increased sodium will result in water gain (this would not be true for a ketogenic diet however (I consume 3-4 grams of sodium daily without any issues and I am insulin resistant).
3) Calories in - Calories out may not be necessarily entirely true, with regards to hormone problems-- like insulin resistant people. Researchers have done studies in mice which show they can gain weight even on a very low calorie diet due to hormone issues.

Insulin resistant person
Your cheat meal will cause an inordinate amount of calories to be stored as fat compared to a non Insulin Resistant (IR) person.
(Read research summarized by Gary Taubes)...
Read "Why we get Fat" by Gary Taubes

He summarizes weight loss research. I would start with him and expand to other authors if you want to learn more about the research.

annwyatt69

I'm with you. Just a couple hundred over and my weight goes up a couple of pounds. MFP's 1200 cal and exercise caused no weight loss for me. I didn't start seeing results until my doctor cut the calories down to below 800, increased my protein, and decreased the carbs. Hope something works for you! I know how frustrating it is!