Cheat Meals - Your Experience
dfonte
Posts: 263 Member
I'm looking for your own actual experience with cheat meals and whether or not they helped out out and if so...how (mentally, metabolically, etc.)?
I'm not looking for links to studies here, just people's actual experience.
I'm not looking for links to studies here, just people's actual experience.
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Replies
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It really depends on the person and the way their mind works. For me personally, I plan them into my calories, workout extra hard that day, and enjoy it! It helps me not blow everything by snapping and eating a whole pizza. Having a slice every few weeks helps keep me sane. It's also been helpful for keeping me from getting too hard on myself about going over calories sometimes. As for metabolism, there was a short period of time where my weight sort of stalled out, and after totally indulging on my birthday (half a pizza and a slice of cake), my weight started dropping again. People say that having a day of going over can help restart things if you plateau. I don't know how true it is, but it seemed to happen to me. Overall, if you can control yourself well enough, 'cheat' meals are awesome.0
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Mentally it helps me because there are high calorie foods I love, and if I thought I could never have them again I'd probably just throw in the towel completely. I plan around that meal so it fits in my calories for the week. This is truly just 1 meal per week where I get whatever I want. I still log it, and I don't trick myself into thinking I can do that 3 or 4 times per week.
It has seemed to help my weight loss in the past. I don't know if the confusing your body idea holds water, but it makes sense to me. Last year around this time I went out of town for a conference and ended up having several days of high calorie meals. I thought I would undo all my progress, but my weight was stable that week and I lost the following week. Last week I had a "cheat meal" on Friday and I still lost weight at my Monday weigh in. I had my cheat meal last night and I will find out tomorrow morning whether it effected my progress.0 -
What is a cheat meal? I'm always baffled by this term. Eat food...meet your calorie goals. I personally like my diet to consist of 80-90% nutrient dense whole foods, but nothing is off limits. Your diet (noun) should be lifestyle sustainable.0
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What is a cheat meal? I'm always baffled by this term. Eat food...meet your calorie goals. I personally like my diet to consist of 80-90% nutrient dense whole foods, but nothing is off limits. Your diet (noun) should be lifestyle sustainable.
I'm not a fan of the term, but there's nothing wrong with people having a meal that's more about enjoyment than nutrients. If they want to see it as a 'cheat', then let them. Eating well most of the time and having one 'bad' meal every so often is actually very sustainable, and that's the whole point of it. Eating healthy 100% of the time isn't sustainable for most, hence why 'cheat meals' exist.0 -
Some people say it's just 'unhealthy foods' they eat, but still fit into their goal net calorie intake.
Some people say it's a meal where you just don't count calories at all regardless of how much you may be over your goal intake.
Some people do whole days without counting calories.
My maintenance is still hard to gauge after even logging calories for months because of body composition. By the online calculator standards, it should be around 2100. This week I'm averaging a net of 2400, but maintaining my weight and more importantly to me...my body composition. I had 2000 calories over my maintenance last night, which didn't affect water weight at all. I always throw them into a very active day and they do work for me.0 -
I agree the term cheat meal or day is in some ways encouraging people to go off track. I work on the theory that nothing is off limits as long as it's within my goals. I stick to the healthier options the majority of the time but will occasionally have something that is counted as bad for me but in moderation. My food intake (I'm not on a diet) is for my sustainable long term future. As soon as you tell yourself you are cheating you are not considering what you are doing as a lifestyle but a short term diet which imo is where a lot of people fail.What is a cheat meal? I'm always baffled by this term. Eat food...meet your calorie goals. I personally like my diet to consist of 80-90% nutrient dense whole foods, but nothing is off limits. Your diet (noun) should be lifestyle sustainable.0 -
I researched with hundreds of people who wanted to lose weight. It was true for most that having a cheat day was helpful but not for all. Leaving one day for a cheat DECREASED deprivation and provided more success. There were a couple who needed to go all or nothing, so it actually depends on the person. If you are an all or nothing, black and white issue person cheat days may not be for you. You may feel you slipped. If you are completely honest with yourself you will find the truth for you. We are all different. My approach is psychological since everything starts in the mind as well as metaphysical (all about being balanced physically, emotionally and spiritually.)0
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What is a cheat meal? I'm always baffled by this term. Eat food...meet your calorie goals. I personally like my diet to consist of 80-90% nutrient dense whole foods, but nothing is off limits. Your diet (noun) should be lifestyle sustainable.
THIS
If I'm eating something "unhealthy' I just make it fit in my calories... end of story.0 -
I don't do cheat meals because for me, it sets me back in terms of my self control with food. Once I have one bad meal I feel like I can have another, and another... I may eat what I want on a special occasion- my birthday, etc... but I don't have regular "cheat days".0
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I don't do cheat meals that go over my calories, only cheat meals that ignore my macros, and only occasionally. I can't binge and feel at all good about myself afterward, and that feeling can last for days.0
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I dont really do a cheat meal. I eat poorly at times but I try to stay within my calorie allowance. I try to think of it like shopping. You have to have enough money to buy things just like you have to have enough cals to eat things you enjoy. I try to eat more good than bad and watch portions. If i am going to do this, i still want to be able to have my wings every now and then!!0
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For me, I do a cheat meal every one-two weeks. I don't include it in my calories but I will work out more the next day. They keep me on track with eating clean the rest of the time because I know I'll be able to splurge soon enough. I've lost 40 pounds doing this so it's worked for me.0
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Just my thoughts ....
It's not a "cheat" if you allow room for it in your calorie budget. A cheat meal or a cheat day is when you allow yourself to eat TDEE or above. For some, they allow one day per week that they simply don't count calories at all. Some say 80/20. If you eat right, (healthy, nutrient rich foods) 80% of the time, you can eat junk 20% of the time. Dr. Oz promotes this. However, everyone's goals are different here. Some are eating donuts for breakfast, fast food for lunch & dinner and still making their calorie goal. Others will not put anything into their body that isn't natural, whole, unprocessed, organic ... etc.
So rather or not you call it a cheat and how you cheat is going to be different for everyone.
Me personally, I def have a cheat day once a week. It's not a day full of cake and donuts or pizza and beer, (although it may be ONE of those on occasion or two glasses of wine with my smoked salmon dinner.) But it's one day a week that I allow myself to eat at TDEE and for me personally it doesn't seem to have an affect on my metabolism or rather or not I'm going to get back on track the following day. I personally look forward to them. It's kind of a reward for a very disciplined week.
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Everyone is different, but I think they're a bad idea for people with binging issues.
It makes the cheat meal a binge in disguise.
If you're trying to fix your relationship with food, especially in regards to binging, I don't think cheat meals are the best... You should focus on incorporating a little treat every day, meeting your calorie goals, and not stressing if you go over your calories every now and then!
My input 0 -
I prefer to call it my "casual day" - as oppose to "cheat day". that seems to trigger my head to say - okay sure have the few oreos and maybe a slice of pie after dinner - but not go hog *kitten* wild and throw the whole day lol.
My whole life up to this point has been a 'cheat day' lol - so now I have 'casual day'
whatever helps the mental ya know? haha.0 -
Another thing.. for CLEAN EATERS, .THEY should have a cheat meal.. otherwise that means that they'll live their entire lives missing out on certain foods and not eating certain foods EVER again... such as, ice-cream
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I prefer to call it my "casual day" - as oppose to "cheat day". that seems to trigger my head to say - okay sure have the few oreos and maybe a slice of pie after dinner - but not go hog *kitten* wild and throw the whole day lol.
My whole life up to this point has been a 'cheat day' lol - so now I have 'casual day'
whatever helps the mental ya know? haha.
I really like this!0 -
I've struggled a lot with binging in the past and I've tried to just once in a while have a nice cheat meal but sadly it just makes it hard for me to stay on track and instead of having a cheat meal I eat my entire fridge and then just start to give up all together. But, I think, if you can handle it and it doesn't ruin your whole fitness mentality then they're a great.0
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What is a cheat meal? I'm always baffled by this term. Eat food...meet your calorie goals. I personally like my diet to consist of 80-90% nutrient dense whole foods, but nothing is off limits. Your diet (noun) should be lifestyle sustainable.
I'm not a fan of the term, but there's nothing wrong with people having a meal that's more about enjoyment than nutrients. If they want to see it as a 'cheat', then let them. Eating well most of the time and having one 'bad' meal every so often is actually very sustainable, and that's the whole point of it. Eating healthy 100% of the time isn't sustainable for most, hence why 'cheat meals' exist.
That's my point. I'm a foodie...all of my food is about enjoyment. I think people get into the mind set of this is bad and that is good, etc...when in fact, even something as "junky" as pizza has essential fats, protein, and carbs. I think the mindset of this is good and that is bad is what leads people to binge and "cheat" or whatever.
If I've gotten all of my nutrients in for the day and hit my protein goals and viatamins and minerals in check, then how would a slice of pie or ice cream for desert be "cheating" so long as I'm hitting all of my goals? If I'm going to have a big, high calorie meal on a given day, I make it fit...I made it fit when I was losing and I make it fit at maintenance, nothing has really changed in terms of my overall diet (noun)...except the amount of calories. I'm eating the same stuff either way.0 -
I think my biggest problem is holding out until the next meal! I seem to have windeled my lunch down to half
A sandwich made with one slice of bread filled with ham, together with celery, a sliced tomato with a little salt
Tangerine and apple. My mother makes my packed lunch before I go to work which is sweet of her. When I'm
Not working I find it more difficult to stick to this little as I get easily bored and convince myself it is ok to eat
More. Mum told me just now that I have suddenly come out of a psychological phase where I could not control
My eating and now she can really see a difference. I find it hard watching my parents eat if I visit them and I
Have to tell them I have already had a meal. I find it easier and more relaxing eating alone and I know that I dip
Out of family meals too often to try to save on calories. This is fair enough but I need to get through say six
Hours without eating at all. Mum says one oat biscuit is ok! Yes this tends to stave off cravings to stop making
Another meal. I honestly don't know what I would do without my parents that I can talk to plan meals with and
Rely upon for moral support. I have finally realised what's making me so unhappy that I really would love to have
A best friend and a fan/ moral supporter as a married partner. I have been treated badly by men in the past in business
Uni all walks of life and am looking for a partner with a difference but am drastically scared who will find out and
What questions I will be asked. I have tried cutting communication drastically to try and partner myself with someone
But I'm dreading things going dreadfully wrong as I know people see me as an individual. My fatness has become
My identity I would love to get out of people expecting to see me a certain fatness and weight. I was eating extra meals
And cheat meals to fulfil a visual expectation by people when they see me. I am now focusing on trying to hook up with
A magical damson and forget everyone else if this is possible!!! I simply need to cut eating and not eat the food in the
First place!0 -
I like them. I do not call them cheat meals though. I come from a background of eating disorders (anorexia and bulimia) so using negative words with regards to food, is a no no for me now. Everything in moderation and also enjoy life and weight loss, it does not have to be a drag/boring/tedious...I like flexible eating. A day or two at maintenance or even topping out at 3000 cals for me recently has helped. I do not feel drained/deprived/tired, etc. In fact I am still in fat loss phase and on my active rest day (I go for a long run) I eat a little below maintenance and carb up. My body seems to like this as it is still losing an average of about 1.45 lbs per week. : )0
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I eat 3000 calories+ at least once every 10-12 days. Without fail. Usually I gain about 3-4 pounds overnight and it's gone in 3-4 days. To me, a "cheat day" is not "fitting it into your day" ....that's what I do every day. A "cheat day" is going OVER my calories and eating what I want to eat--I try to show some restraint because putting down 6000+ calories isn't that hard.0
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Ten or more years ago when I did a keto diet, I had a "cheat meal" and that was when I could eat carbs. That did not work for me. My cheat meal turned into a cheat day turned into several cheat days a week / month turned into just not caring any more and gaining all the weight back. I don't do "cheat meals" in the sense that I can eat anything I want and it doesn't count. I fit in stuff that I want, pizza, chocolate, etc. into my calorie budget for the day, but I try to get most of my calories from real, whole, nutrient dense food. On extremely special occasions: my own birthday, our anniversary, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, etc. I will give myself a larger than normal calorie allowance, but I still log everything. If I screw up and eat too much one day because of stress or whatever, I log all that too. I use my data to try to find out what went wrong and how to better prevent another problem later on. Edit to add: my "extra calorie" allowance is generally 400 more than my normal daily limit.0
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I dont really do a cheat meal. I eat poorly at times but I try to stay within my calorie allowance. I try to think of it like shopping. You have to have enough money to buy things just like you have to have enough cals to eat things you enjoy. I try to eat more good than bad and watch portions. If i am going to do this, i still want to be able to have my wings every now and then!!
I do this. If my "allowance" is spent. I either earn more, or I don't get the food item.
I do talk to myself first to see if I really want it, or if I just want the taste. Just like the money I earn at work. How many hours did it take me to earn that?0 -
I tried it yesterday, and it was a very bad idea for me. My boyfriend is away on business and he has allergies to some foods I love, so our roommates and I bought everything boyfriend can't have and just pigged out. I had a peanut butter cookie, Reeses cups, pad thai, beers, kettle chips....it was bad. I felt horrible after. Bloated, nauseated, just awful. I ate way more than I should have. Even after a late night gym session I still felt like garbage, and the scale is up four pounds from a combination of the food and retaining water from all the salt. I learned that I hate feeling stuffed, have no self control around peanut products on the once-yearly occasion I can actually eat them, and that cheat meals just make me feel guilty. They're not for me. From someone with a history of ED behaviour, it was way too tempting to go full-on binge and I wanted to purge way too badly. I didn't, but that kind of temptation isn't a good thing for my mental health, and the gym visit was really just another way to purge, mentally. So yeah. No more cheat meals. Only reasonable quantities of "bad" foods that fit into my day.0
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I don't do cheat meals--I prefer to fit what I want into my daily calorie goals. If, for some reason, I'm abnormally hungry or PMSing bad, I'll go up to maintenance calories for the day (which isn't much of a leap for me, since I'm only trying to lose half a pound a week). And I went near maintenance for a couple of days before yesterday's half-marathon to make sure I was fueled properly for it. But on long run days I typically burn 800-1000 calories, so it's not difficult to have favorites like pizza, burgers, wine, and ice cream and still lose weight.0
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I wouldn't have made the progress I have if it weren't for "cheat" days.0
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What is a cheat meal? I'm always baffled by this term. Eat food...meet your calorie goals. I personally like my diet to consist of 80-90% nutrient dense whole foods, but nothing is off limits. Your diet (noun) should be lifestyle sustainable.
This. I have pepperoni pizza every week. I plan for it, it works out just fine. If I want a cookie I have a cookie. This is for life, I have to make it sustainable.0 -
Well this turned into a thread about peoples opinions on if they're good or not rather than peoples actual experience pretty quickly.
If you live a 'fit' lifestyle, you can't eat crappy food all the time because it doesn't support your lifestyle. Make a decision about what's more important in your life - performance or food - and it will become really easy to make good decisions.0 -
cheat meals turn into cheat days which turn into cheat weekends.... i find its better if i just always log everything. Whenever I've had the urge to eat outside of my goals I don't feel like it was worth it anyway, so I don't. Exceptions are things like holidays and special occasions, where I just try to eat a reasonable amount but dont worry about the count.0
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