why cheat?

FussyFruitbat

WHY DO PEOPLE DO THINGS THAT FEEL GOOD IN THE SHORT TERM?! WHY? I DO NOT UNDERSTAND?? < OPINIONS!

Contrarian

I don't cheat. I have "spike days". Most are scheduled, but some are not.

I have never had a food binge and have a fairly healthy relationship with food.

operation_cute

I havent been here long, but the short time I have been here I'm quite happy with my results (feeling a million times better and a little weight loss) I think the main thing I've learned is it's not a diet, its learning to change, and make better choices... and mostly moderation. I don't schedule cheat days, but I don't deprive myself either, I earn extra calories through workouts and make the food I'm craving fit into my meal plan (making sure I get my nutrients at the same time) because of this I haven't had a whole lot of urge to cheat, just temptations I've had to resist because it just didn't fit that day. I might have a day some time down the road that I will want a day of just carefree, but as long as there not frequent (I think once a week is excessive) 1 day isn't going to hurt

KrazyAsianNic

I agree. I do not understand cheat days. This is suppose to be a lifestyle change and if you are withholding stuff, you are just going against yourself. Everything in moderation, all about the cals in vs cals burned.

SmartAlec03211988

Because I want to.

Simple concept, really.

gracetillman

If you plan for a day or a meal where you go over your normal calorie consumption is it cheating or still part of the plan? I think it is still part of the plan and you would perhaps make up for this day by ensuring that the other days that week were at the lower end of your calorie allotment or perhaps you increase your exercise plan that week or what ever it is you do. It is part of the plan - it is learning and getting flexible with the new lifestyle you are living.

If you do nothing more than eat like garbage for one day a week and you live for those days -- you are not really changing your habits you are testing your willpower on the days between the days you eat like garbage. There is no plan and no change. I am not sure you have long term success with weight loss if you don't change what it is you want to eat or how you approach food. For me -- I cannot treat food as a "reward" or some type of "prize" -- its food. Some tastes better than others and some is better for me -- I need to find the balance. I am a work in progress. I have lost significant amounts of weight in the past (60+ pounds) only to gain it all back because I never fixed my perception of food. I was rewarding myself too much after I reached my goal that pretty soon I fell right back into the old eating habits and I was right back up to the old size!!

I think it is true -- you need to find what works for you. For me "cheat days" don't work -- I need to incorporate the foods I want to enjoy in a more planned or healthy way. It sounds like quite a few people who consider it a "cheat" because they consume a meal which is not traditionally thought of as healthy yet they stay within a range of designated calorie consumption -- I don't think that is cheating. Its planning.

BeachGingerOnTheRocks

I cheated all the way to goal. Once a week or once every two weeks usually, and I still lost a lot of weight.

Then when I got to goal, I decided to bulk. I changed the terminology to "daily caloric intake."

Then I started a cut and changed the terminology again to "re-feeds."

Eating more than I should once in a while makes me happy and sane, that's why I "cheat."

susanswan

I'm on the fence and all over the map on this one. THIS time I set out to lose 30 pounds. I was dedicated 100% to my diet for 90 days......which turned into only 82 days because my birthday came along and I had a "birthday dinner". Filet Mignon, and chocolate mouse the main culprits. IT was a 1000 calorie typical upscale restaurant dinner. I knew I was going out and planned and then got right back on the horse the next day. But what I noticed was when I was staying strong and dedicated 100% before that it was really empowering to me. I'd never been 100% faithful to a "diet" before. I had no idea I could do that, but I did.

Fast forward to reaching my GW of 135 pounds. I got there, but then went to 132.6 looking for that 3 pound cushion then the holidays came. Figured I was below goal, why not have a piece of pie? Bake Christmas cookies? 5 months later I was still complaining about my "Holiday Weight Gain".... in MAY!??? 9 pounds of it 6 months after I rang the "open season" bell!

I have since decided food and sweets/baked goods are a very slippery slope for me. Labeled myself a sugar addict. Knowing is power. 1 Oreo or 100 is not enough. Pretty much like 1 beer for the alcoholic to "keep him from going crazy". No, that is how going crazy starts. At least for me.

We are all individuals here. I'm sure you'd hate my "healthy lifestyle" choices and I'd hate yours. So do what works for you! Let others who have issues find what works for them. If anyone figured this out for themselves the first time out of the gate, I salute you! I'm still working on finding out what makes me tick and what keeps me going after my own healthy lifestyle choices that I know are right for me.

I don't mind the occasional rant from someone in the front lines who has been there. It gets the discussion going. Proving that once again what works for one does not work for another. It is through reading and learning from others experiences and successes and failures that I have reached mine...even temporarily..... and I suppose I'll always be a work in progress as many of us will. Some won't , but then lucky you!

geekette411

I have cheat days once a week and have made good progress. These are not days where I eat everything in site, but merely days where I can have those few foods I have been looking forward to enjoying that are not especially healthy. Cheat days should involve reasonable portions, junk food, and no calories/macro math. Mmmmmm, Cheetos....

geekette411

I have cheat days once a week and have made good progress. These are not days where I eat everything in site, but merely days where I can have those few foods I have been looking forward to enjoying that are not especially healthy. Cheat days should involve reasonable portions, junk food, and no calories/macro math. Mmmmmm, Cheetos....

clobern

Hmmm, I have a date night every Saturday with my wife. We eat out. I had a hamburger and onion rings on our date night last weekend. I was still under my goal and it was delicious. Is this a cheat day? I don't know... I had one meal that I made a bit healthier for me by removing some of it, (condiments, bun, etc.) that I normally don't eat. I don't consider that a cheat day, I consider it date night. I guess we'll see what happens weeks and months down the road if it is causing me to not lose weight to exercise 5-6 days a week, eat healthy for 20 meals and 14 snacks and eat one "bad" meal...

ElyseL1

I understand your argument, but i dont agree with it. When I first started losing weight, I had a cheat meal once a week, bc i wanted too. It didnt hinder me from losing any weight and sometimes you need to eat what you want and not always what you know you should. Now that I have lost 51 lbs with 31 more to go I only have a cheat day abt once a month bc my weight loss has slowed down. And a cheat day for me is still much healthier than what i used to eat on a daily basis. Preferences change, eat what you want, work out, and keep going. If I treated my life like I was constantly dieting I would be miserable.

Jennloella

I eat what I want in moderation, I don't consider anything off limits. so when my husband and I want to meet for a margarita and nachos, I don't call it cheating on my diet I call it life. Why does it matter so much to you what others have to do to get through? they are not asking you to run an extra mile for them.

Mr_Bad_Example

This is simply a rant but I hate hearing people talk about their cheat days. This doesn't make any sense. You work you but off to lose weight then admittedly sabotage it and for what? Flavor? Wooo! That last about 4 minutes. Now in not referring to people who at at or near goal weight, it then becomes a personal choice for maintenance. I am also not referring to people who have a bad day because who hasn't? What im talking about are the people who have a lot of weight to lose who plan on eating like crap on a weekly basis. These are the same people who whine because they have only lost x amount of weight in x amount of time. Lose the weight and then eat like crap. Right now you are trying to lose weight, not maintain so quit destroying your work for food, thats why we all got fat in the first place...

I had a cheat day every week when I was losing - still got rid of the extra weight. I have cheat days now that I am maintaining... once per week... and I haven't gained back a single pound. I never whined about not losing fast enough or how much time I had to lose it in - hell, if I hadn't had those days, I never would have succeeded.

Different strokes, I suppose. If cheat days aren't your thing, don't do them. Maybe you should try rant days instead.

closenre

*points to ticker*

How bout you do you, and I'll do me? Sound good? Great.

Nice ticker... its pretty... you can do you.. def dont want you doing me.. wifey wouldnt like that...

closenre

Bro.....Do you even lift?

sure do..

wiltl

This is part of a reply I posted in a thread in response to the 5k cal thread:

"I have not purposely given up any single food item or group in the last year. I have reduced serving sizes, frequency and made some substitutions. I no longer binge out of deprivation or feelings of failure. I take what I call "no count" days once month or two, where I don't fill in my diary or measure my foods. I feel this has been one of the biggest factors in me losing 62 lbs in the past year and for keeping it off for this long. ( I've been plateaued for a few months now, but haven't had a net gain either.)

I'm not now and never again will be on a diet and I can live this way for the rest of my life. It helps to make me Happy, which is a huge thing for me.

In fact, in an attempt to get off this plateau, this past Sat-Mon was all no count. I lost some of the water weight I've been holding and came back from the weekend two pounds down. I did eat more than usual and things I don't have on a regular basis, and didn't feel sick or that I failed. (I had one of the most amazing burgers with Gruyere, bacon, garlic aioli on a ciabatta bun with hand cut fries with truffle oil on Saturday, with a spiced Washington apple cider mixed drink. I've subbed drive through burgers with the ones like this). Tuesday morning I started logging again with no problems. "

To add - I had another no count weekend on Mothers Day and came out of it another pound down. I'm hoping these breaks have gotten me of my plateau and I'll see a steady loss again.

To each their own. We all need to find the right way for each of us to do this thing, and its not going to be the same for everyone.

CyberEd312

*points to ticker*

How bout you do you, and I'll do me? Sound good? Great.

QFT OP it all comes down to adherence and for some of us (well mainly speaking for myself but I am sure others may do this as well) when I was 560 lbs. and eating 10,000 calories a day the only way I was ever going to get out of my own way was by devising a plan that I could live with. After all I had to fix what was broken in my head before any of the weight was ever going to come off. So I made a plan, Twice a week I would be allowed to eat out, I could have anything off the menu but it had to be eaten there and nothing could be brought home. Normally these meals fell on Wednesday supper and Friday or Saturday Supper. The rest of the week I adhered to my meal plan that my nutritionist and I had put together.. Only other vise I kept was my Diet Pepsi but I also had to get in around 100 ounces of water a day... Fast Forward 4 years and 312 lbs.lost, I still use this concept only I may shift those 2 meals to the same day on some weeks like I did Saturday when we went out for Mexican at lunch and hit the Pizza joint for Supper... Then back on point on Sunday... Adherence is the key and people need to find that which will allow them to make this a Lifestyle change and if that includes a cheat meal/refeed/whatever you want to call it to be able to sustain success then by all means do what you gotta do to make it work for you...... :drinker:

Achrya

I can understand where you are coming from. I saw a post, last week I think, of someone who was planning a 5,000 calorie day. I'm not sure why they were going for that specific calorie amount, but to me that would undermine any progress I had. I can understand maybe going out having a little 'extra' of something, but that 5,000 calorie day just confused me.

That woman was 5'1 and 91 pounds with a goal of gaining weight. Her 'cheat' day does not have the same implication of someone elses cheat day.

Also 5000 isn't that much: I once ate a whole coldstone cake in a day which is roughly 6000 calories (and delicious.) and still had dinner later. I'm always skeptical of people who are all "Oh my gosh 2000-3000-5000 is just so much food!" Nah, not really.


And now I want coldstone.

devil_in_a_blue_dress

This thread again?



Doesn't actually affect your efforts, so quiet down.