Do you feel guilty when you cheat?

angellepen

So far I been on a strict calorie diet and so far I have maintained it well. I mostly eat natural foods fresh/sauteed veggies whole fruits beans and natural whole wheat. I cut out everything that is processed for the most part. But today I ate one to many sweets and now I have that full bloated feeling that makes you feel gross. I am kind of upset that I couldn't resist temptation. I literally stuffed myself and now kind of feel sick. How do I resist this temptation especially at a gathering event when every one around you practically is throwing it in your face??

KayteeBear

Nope. At least not usually but that's because when I cheat is by a small amount. I will only eat one small cookie or one small bowl of ice cream or whatever. If I'm at a friend's or something for birthday cake we'll say I can usually turn cake down UNLESS it looks really good and I want to try it...then I eat one or two small bites from my boyfriend's plate.

Either way, I allow myself to cheat a bit because I know I can hold myself back to just a bit. Some people can't allow themselves ANY treats because they'll just go crazy and overindulge every time.

I do think it's important to have GUILT FREE treats because the guilt only makes it worse. Sometimes that guilt can be erased by putting in an extra workout though.

But in the case of food pushing people, the best you can do is to keep saying no. Sometimes I have to say no ten times before they stop pushing it on me but they eventually stop. Though I'm not usually real big on sweets anyways. Maybe try to remember this sick feeling next time?

AmazonRDH

no i dont feel guilty at all. i feel like i actually lose weight better when i have my weekly cheat day. keeps my body from freaking out and hanging on to every ounce.... it's like.........OH OK, I still get a kit-kat every now and then.........LOL!

Confuzzled4ever

My boyfriend would be upset.. and we don't want that.. so i don't cheat..

oh.. you mean with eating..
eh.. if I cheat then I'm on a diet.. so I don't cheat.. I eat what i want and make it fit into my day.. Learning to eat properly does not allow for cutting out of food or having 1 day where you can eat anything. It means having everyday be the day you can eat anything, but you make the choice to eat properly. Which does not mean never eating a brownie again. It means eating one, instead of the whole pan.. mmmmm brownies..

I'm gonna have to bake this weekend.. LOL

PS.. i was joking.. my first sentence.. I'd never cheat on him either.

pseudomuffin

I feel guilty if I cheat by eating fast food. I don't feel so bad if its a date night.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

Maybe if you weren't as restrictive day to day, events and occasions wouldn't be as big a temptation?

metacognition

Not really. I am already close to goal weight and the thought of "cheating" and shame associated with food seems terribly sad and unhealthy. I do fret sometimes about food but mostly fear of regaining the weight - I was after all overweight for most of my life!

I had a delicious chocolate brownie yesterday and no regrets.

tlcmac

I don't cheat - for me this is not a diet, it is a lifetime change. I know there will be days when I eat more than I should and I just compensate the next meal or day. Or I work out more. If I am going to lose the weight and keep it off, I know I can not live on just "healthy" food. I think that is why all my previous dieting has failed. When I am restricted to certain foods, all I want are those forbidden foods. This time I have given myself permission to eat whatever I want - I eat around 1400 calories a day and if I want chips, I adjust my other food so I can have a serving. I am down 62 lbs over the past year (tomorrow is my one year anniversary). I still have more to go, but it has been much easier that any diet program that I have been on.

AllonsYtotheTardis

on my food intake? hell no.

Marcellus_08

I totally do! I feel like a complete pig when I cheat. I feel bad if I go over 100 calories even if its fruit haha. But I think its a good thing. It just means that we are trying to do better and we know we shouldn't be eating unhealthy stuff. Don't beat yourself up every time, I'm told sometimes your body needs it.

Marcellus_08

I totally do! I feel like a complete pig when I cheat. I feel bad if I go over 100 calories even if its fruit haha. But I think its a good thing. It just means that we are trying to do better and we know we shouldn't be eating unhealthy stuff. Don't beat yourself up every time, I'm told sometimes your body needs it.

pinkraynedropjacki

Nope... cause I don't cheat & never have. Easy as that. Only person I would be cheating is myself & I have no need to do that

mrsgeneric

I dont have any cheat days but today was a emotional day so i saved my calories for drinks... Not a good idea but it happens but generally i wont cheat if i used up my calories then i have to ignore my cravings

Spadowski

So far I been on a strict calorie diet and so far I have maintained it well. I mostly eat natural foods fresh/sauteed veggies whole fruits beans and natural whole wheat. I cut out everything that is processed for the most part. But today I ate one to many sweets and now I have that full bloated feeling that makes you feel gross. I am kind of upset that I couldn't resist temptation. I literally stuffed myself and now kind of feel sick. How do I resist this temptation especially at a gathering event when every one around you practically is throwing it in your face??

Just record it in your diary, forgive yourself, and then remember that tomorrow is a new day and you can start fresh. If you're too strict you're in danger of setting yourself up for failure with that type of 'all or nothing' thinking. I think my calorie intake for Christmas day was like 2500 thanks to some chocolate martinis and Christmas cookies. Oh well. It's Christmas! Also, digestive enzymes have helped DH and I when we overindulge and feel bloated.

If you're attending an event where unwanted food is going to be in your face, eat a healthy snack or meal before you go, then brush your teeth so you are less tempted to eat the unwanted food. If you give in to temptation, then embrace it and enjoy every second of it and resolve to start fresh tomorrow. A splurge every now and then is good for you, but now and then doesn't mean every day ending in Y.

Another fun dynamic is that some of us have friends/family who think we don't love them if we won't eat their pie/cake/potato salad. I have a grandma like this. She's fat and bossy and I love her, but I have to be assertive with her. If you run into someone like this and they will not take "No thank you" for an answer, here's what I do: I'll take a small piece of pie/cake/potato salad, have one small bite, hang onto it as long as I can, and then when no one's looking I throw the rest away or put it on my husband's plate. He's blessed with the metabolism of a hummingbird so it's a fair play IMHO. This way you can honestly answer how you liked the food if the cook asks. This validation is what cooks live for, especially bossy grandma cooks. It might seem rude to waste the food, but it's much ruder to pressure someone to do something that makes them uncomfortable in the first place.

Fittreelol

Whole foods and I have an open relationship so they don't mind if I see ice cream on the side.

aliciagetshealthy

Guilt? Shame? About food? Never. It makes me extraordinarily sad when people use these words in reference to food =/

Be kinder to yourself, people.

SammiSpring

Nope. And that's the reason I've stopped yo-yo dieting. I'm changing my life-style. It's unrealistic for someone to eat 100% perfect every day for the rest of their life. If I have a bad day, I shrug it off and eat right the next day, maybe even make up for it a bit. One bad day, or even one bad week, is nothing compared to going off plan for months. I use to beat myself up over them, until I realized there really is no such thing as cheating, especially once you learn to get back on track immediately.

3nchantress

Nope. I run a calorie deficit most days and figure that having days under and days over the goal are just a part of life - and a healthy part of it too. So, If I go overboard one day (like today - potluck at work, had to try everything), it's no biggie because in the grand picture it all evens out. They key is to limit the indulgent times and keep accountable Feelings of guilt (the "I should not have done that / I should have done better) or shame (I'm bad in some way for not keeping to my goal) are counterproductive and really move this from being a positive lifestyle change to being a burden - and no one can, or should, carry that kind of burden.

Spadowski

Whole foods and I have an open relationship so they don't mind if I see ice cream on the side.

Brilliant!

JJordon

There is no cheating. There is no retreat and definitely, no surrendering to the forces of unnecessary kilocalories. The line has been drawn here and no further! I will drive these evil, irregular undesireables from my temple to be banished forever and ever, amen.

Any questions?

3nchantress

Whole foods and I have an open relationship so they don't mind if I see ice cream on the side.

Brilliant!

Love it!

cutie_patootie

As long as the cheat is only a treat and not a whole meal, no, i don't feel guilty. And if I do go overboard on a rare occasion, I pull myself right back on track.