Is it this considered a cheating diet and is it healthy?
HankHill4321
Posts: 9
I am currently on a cutting diet averaging 1650 calories a day. I use the zig-zag or calorie cycling method, so one day I might eat 1450 calories and then the next something like 1780. Over 7 days my calories would average to 1650 on the dot.
I would, however, like to indulge myself once in a while with something junky like ice cream or pizza. My question is on a day where I can eat 1800 to 1900 calories, is it okay if I eat 1000 junk food calories and 800-900 regular/healthy calories (ie vegetables, lean meats, healthy carbs)?
Since this would "fit" into my daily caloric goal would this still be considered cheating? Even though I am not probably getting the most essential nutrients from the junk food calories it would still be within my caloric range.
Lastly, would doing this once a week be healthy or should I only do this once or twice a month. Any help would be great. Thanks!
I would, however, like to indulge myself once in a while with something junky like ice cream or pizza. My question is on a day where I can eat 1800 to 1900 calories, is it okay if I eat 1000 junk food calories and 800-900 regular/healthy calories (ie vegetables, lean meats, healthy carbs)?
Since this would "fit" into my daily caloric goal would this still be considered cheating? Even though I am not probably getting the most essential nutrients from the junk food calories it would still be within my caloric range.
Lastly, would doing this once a week be healthy or should I only do this once or twice a month. Any help would be great. Thanks!
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Replies
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Pizza has carbs/fat/protein, what's the problem?0
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I go on net calories for the week, so long as the whole week isn't over or under, including any burn, I'm fine with it.0
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I find to really hard to stick to my sodium if i get junk food - i really do have to watch my sodium, which is set to 2000, which is lower than the MFP given 2500 because it bothers me that much
some people on MFP have said that their loss is influenced by WHERE they get their cals and nutrients from, but other people dont, i guess it just depends on the individual
if you can treat yourself to a couple of slices of pizza etc and still lose weight, go for it!
) 0 -
Define "once in a while"? Are we talking a slice or two every few weeks or half a pie once a week? Nothing wrong with pizza or ice cream, in moderation.
One of my biggest downfalls in my earlier struggle to lose weight was my ability to convince myself that eating crap "once in a while" won't matter. Ask anyone who collects pennies, they will tell you the little things add up over time. A lot has to do with your goals and how soon you want to meet them.0 -
One thing I found after being on MFP, is that now one piece of pizza is good enough. There was a time when I could keep up with my husband in the number of slices.
I am not sure if it is the foreknowledge of the calorie count or not. But I am full.
I agree with the previous comments, as pizza has the carbs, protiens, and fats, just keep track of the calories. If you are worried, eat back the calories with a good brisk walk.
Good luck and have fun!:flowerforyou:0 -
That is hugely cheating... The main rules are simple and constant, calories in must equal energy out or you will lose or gain weight.
Even if your calories are lower than your limit for the day you will put on fat and lose muscle. By spending over half of your calories for the day on one meal you are effectively starving your body for the rest of the day with the lower calorie meals you will need to stay under your limit.
I would suggest (just from experience, not a pro and please correct me if any facts are wrong) as a pizza contains high levels of carbs which are stored in the body for 2-3 days as glycogen, that you should cut your carbs to bare min and try eat lean proteins with veggies and salads for the rest of the day. Protein is generally only in your system for approx 3 hours and your body needs a constant supply or it will start eating muscle.
Or just have a slice of pizza or a half the ice cream... Actually youtube healthy pizzas, you can make one on a wrap that tastes amazing and is about a quarter of your calories0 -
I don't get why pizza is considered terribly unhealthy - it's bread with veg and cheese, and sometimes meat. Quite a natural meal, as meals go. I guess it's more about portions - if you eat a whole one, that is a pretty big meal!0
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The main rules are simple and constant, calories in must equal energy out or you will lose or gain weight.
This part of your post is true, although the OP is trying to reduce weight I believe, so he is creating an energy deficit on purpose.. Most of the rest isn't and I'll try to explain. I'm not intending to pick on you here, I just want the OP to get a good start to this.Even if your calories are lower than your limit for the day you will put on fat and lose muscle.
What are you basing this off of without any information about the OP's macro intake or training protocol? How will he GAIN FAT while eating at an energy deficit?By spending over half of your calories for the day on one meal you are effectively starving your body for the rest of the day with the lower calorie meals you will need to stay under your limit.
You can retain LBM quite sufficiently on a very low number of meals. Calorie partitioning (what I mean specifically by that is, how you break your intake into meals) isn't nearly as important as you think it is. It's critically more important that the OP takes in sufficient protein for the day and doesn't create too big of a deficit. Given the data he's provided, it's probably going to HELP to cheat a bit considering his average intake is only 1650, but as you'll see, I'll get that information before commenting further.I would suggest (just from experience, not a pro and please correct me if any facts are wrong) as a pizza contains high levels of carbs which are stored in the body for 2-3 days as glycogen, that you should cut your carbs to bare min and try eat lean proteins with veggies and salads for the rest of the day. Protein is generally only in your system for approx 3 hours and your body needs a constant supply or it will start eating muscle.
Since you're asking to be corrected: You'll very likely maintain ample amino acids for several hours after a meal and moreover, the larger the dosage of protein the longer it will take to digest. Protein types will vary a bit but you have WAY longer than 3 hours (especially given a large meal).
OP:
Can you please state your weight, your activity (how do you train and how active are you outside of the gym), and your macronutrient intake in GRAMS (p/f/c) (averages).0 -
I am currently on a cutting diet averaging 1650 calories a day. I use the zig-zag or calorie cycling method, so one day I might eat 1450 calories and then the next something like 1780. Over 7 days my calories would average to 1650 on the dot.
I would, however, like to indulge myself once in a while with something junky like ice cream or pizza. My question is on a day where I can eat 1800 to 1900 calories, is it okay if I eat 1000 junk food calories and 800-900 regular/healthy calories (ie vegetables, lean meats, healthy carbs)?
Since this would "fit" into my daily caloric goal would this still be considered cheating? Even though I am not probably getting the most essential nutrients from the junk food calories it would still be within my caloric range.
Lastly, would doing this once a week be healthy or should I only do this once or twice a month. Any help would be great. Thanks!
You're fine, keep doing what you're doing as long as you're seeing the scale move in the direction you want. Also, listen to Sidesteal he's an information powerhouse when it comes to this junk!0 -
The main rules are simple and constant, calories in must equal energy out or you will lose or gain weight.
This part of your post is true, although the OP is trying to reduce weight I believe, so he is creating an energy deficit on purpose.. Most of the rest isn't and I'll try to explain. I'm not intending to pick on you here, I just want the OP to get a good start to this.
*ha ha no worries, im always open to different opinionsEven if your calories are lower than your limit for the day you will put on fat and lose muscle.
What are you basing this off of without any information about the OP's macro intake or training protocol? How will he GAIN FAT while eating at an energy deficit?
*Im assuming his limit set is correctBy spending over half of your calories for the day on one meal you are effectively starving your body for the rest of the day with the lower calorie meals you will need to stay under your limit.
You can retain LBM quite sufficiently on a very low number of meals. Calorie partitioning (what I mean specifically by that is, how you break your intake into meals) isn't nearly as important as you think it is. It's critically more important that the OP takes in sufficient protein for the day and doesn't create too big of a deficit. Given the data he's provided, it's probably going to HELP to cheat a bit considering his average intake is only 1650, but as you'll see, I'll get that information before commenting further.I would suggest (just from experience, not a pro and please correct me if any facts are wrong) as a pizza contains high levels of carbs which are stored in the body for 2-3 days as glycogen, that you should cut your carbs to bare min and try eat lean proteins with veggies and salads for the rest of the day. Protein is generally only in your system for approx 3 hours and your body needs a constant supply or it will start eating muscle.
Since you're asking to be corrected: You'll very likely maintain ample amino acids for several hours after a meal and moreover, the larger the dosage of protein the longer it will take to digest. Protein types will vary a bit but you have WAY longer than 3 hours (especially given a large meal).
*What would your recommendation be for his other meals around the cheat meal be?
OP:
Can you please state your weight, your activity (how do you train and how active are you outside of the gym), and your macronutrient intake in GRAMS (p/f/c) (averages).0 -
Thanks for all the replies everyone! I guess what I'm afraid of is gaining fat while indulging in a "junk food" once in a while. For the most part I would be eating very healthy but some days (maybe once a week or once every 2 weeks) I would like to reward myself with one meal of high calories which is why I posted this question.
For example:
6oz greek yogurt w/ blueberries, raspberries, and flax seeds: ~170 cal
100g baby carrots: 35 cal
7oz alaskan cod: 163 cal
100g broccoli 34 cal
100g zucchini 15 cal
6oz chicken thighs 200 cal
spinach salad 50 cal
protein shake 120 cal
_____________________________________________ _______________________
total calories before junk: 787 cal
cookies with ice cream 1000 cal
____________________________________________________________________
total caloric intake: 1787 calories
I planned this out so as a diet for the "cheat meal". It consists of a low calorie but high nutrition meal before the junk food intake. The rest comes from ice cream. And yeah it's a day where I am literally indulging in ice cream. 10oz to be exact! I've only done this once a few weeks ago and I gotta say that I was very happy. The following week I think i was more enthusiastic to work out.
But I realize it is a large amount of junk with high fat and saturated fat for just one meal. I don't HAVE to do this if it is going to be terrible for me because I'd much rather choose my body than food. I can even do it with less calories. But if I can "cheat" then I would like to do so once in a while because like all humans I enjoy eating any delicious food whether it's healthy, unique, or just bad for you.0 -
I am 5'10". I was 185lbs about three months ago and I am currently 150lbs with a muscular build. After losing all my belly fat (which is not too much longer away) I plan to maintain my weight at 165 lbs. I am living a very active lifestyle. I lift weights 3 days a week and do HIIT cardio the other 3 days of the week.
Except for the last week, I have been maintaining a diet of ~1500 calories a day. Since last week I have upped it to 1650 on a 40 carb/30 protein/30 fat diet. My meals are usually very healthy with carbs coming from fruits, vegetables (ie sweet potatoes and berries). My fats mostly come from nuts, avacados, and dark chocolate. My protein comes mostly from poultry.
I have never done a cheat diet except that one time where I ate 10oz of ice cream
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Also another reason why I posted this is because of the idea of the cheat meal itself. Is it that bad for you?
Like I stated above I usually maintain a 40/30/30 meal plan now at 1650 calories. But obviously the cheat meal will cause me to deviate from this ratio. Since this is just once a week or maybe once every two weeks, is it really that bad for you to do this since it is also within my caloric budget? For one day will eating a higher amount of carbs and fat going to harm my progress of fat loss or even maintenance? Or will this be detrimental and cause fat gain?
It is not something that I have to do but I have been on a fat loss plateau lately and I was researching ways to get over the hump. I used to just eat exactly 1500 calories every day with no deviation. But since the plateau I heard that eating with shifts in calories can help. I thought of a step further by thinking that maybe I can even have reward days to look forward to where I eat a high calorie junk meal.0 -
I don't know, I think it's not so complicated. You can eat anything in moderation. You could eat ice cream every day, just not 10 oz of ice cream everyday. And if you did eat that much everyday, after a few days of that you probably wouldn't want to because you'd feel lousy, not having enough energy to fuel your lifting and work outs. Just aim for moderation.0
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I don't know, I think it's not so complicated. You can eat anything in moderation. You could eat ice cream every day, just not 10 oz of ice cream everyday. And if you did eat that much everyday, after a few days of that you probably wouldn't want to because you'd feel lousy, not having enough energy to fuel your lifting and work outs. Just aim for moderation.
I'm not asking if it is ok to do this everyday. I have just been asking if it is ok to do this once a week or once every two weeks. I'd prefer not to eat in moderation when it comes to junk food even if it can be everyday. I'd rather just have a big junk meal once in a while (like a big reward) rather than everyday or every other day in moderation. Eating junk in moderation would make me just cave in and crave it all the more.0 -
This is the way I see it, if you eat like a slob and never exercise everyday of your life life, then eating one healthy meal and doing some cardio for one day isnt going to make you healthy, and vice versa.
ETA: I'm not saying you eat like a slob, just the opposite in fact. Have your treat day, its good for the soul!0 -
Pizza has carbs/fat/protein, what's the problem?
Yes, this!
Most of my dinners are around 800-1000 calories, so my meals of pizza, which typically happen once or twice a week, fit right in.0 -
I like it0
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So you want to know if it's ok to have periodic junk food binges? Not sure why you'd choose binging over moderation but if you don't feel compulsive or distressed about it, have at it.0
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In the context you're putting it (once every week or two), it's fine unless it creates problems with craving/binging. If you're staying below your TDEE and eating healthy most of the time, it's not going to hurt a thing. You may be a pound or two heavier the next day from water retention/bloat if you take a lot of sodium onboard, but it's not going to kill your weight loss.I'm not asking if it is ok to do this everyday. I have just been asking if it is ok to do this once a week or once every two weeks. I'd prefer not to eat in moderation when it comes to junk food even if it can be everyday. I'd rather just have a big junk meal once in a while (like a big reward) rather than everyday or every other day in moderation. Eating junk in moderation would make me just cave in and crave it all the more.
Some experts actually advocate a "cheat day" or "re-feed day" every couple of weeks. Everybody is different about this kind of thing. There are those who NEVER stray from eating pristinely clean who view it as a mortal sin; others who are more relaxed with their diet see no problem with it. My personal point of view is that I like to keep my diet as flexible as possible and maintain a healthy relationship with food and eating. I eat decently "clean" most of the time, but have no problem blowing it completely out of the water once in a while - and I've still managed to lose 31 pounds in just over 5 months.
[edited to add]: Read this article by Lyle McDonald: http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/flexible-versus-rigid-dieting.html
Lyle is highly knowledgeable and is considered an expert in the field by many, and he explains his viewpoint on this topic. While you're there, he has a lot of other articles that are definitely worth reading.
[edited again to add]: Oh yeah, and listen to Sidesteal (above in this thread). He knows his stuff and always dishes out the straight scoop.0 -
I make my own pizzas BUT I make sure they never go above 500 calories by loading up on veggies. I also try to use high quality products. If you can get a really, really thin crust pizza - you could make yourself something you'd enjoy BUT you still have to count everything. The key I think is loading up on veggies. I actually barely put 1/4th of a cup of cheese on my pizza and I actually enjoy it.0
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By the way, I agree with the poster that it's the calories in and exercise part that matter. You can't eat over or you'll just gain weight. If you do tons of smaller healthy meals throughout the day and stick to your calorie count to loose weight it will happen.
But, healthy foods (high quality) do help. If you buy real food (not processed junk), you'll see that helps.0 -
So you want to know if it's ok to have periodic junk food binges? Not sure why you'd choose binging over moderation but if you don't feel compulsive or distressed about it, have at it.
Ok, I can see where 1000 calories of ice cream might be a binge, but 1000 calories in pizza... that's just a meal. It's about the same calories as two McDoubles and a small french fry from McD's. It's not THAT much food.
Maybe I just define binge differently. I think of it as a large consumption of food that doesn't fit in your calorie and macro goals.
I had pizza last night. Bacon cheeseburger thick crust pizza. It was divine. 900 calories for the 4 slices I had, with 39g of protein. It's macro split is 53% carbs, 17% protein and 30% fat. I aim for 50% protein, 25% protein and 25% fat. It's pretty easy to balance out my breakfast, lunch and snacks that day to get the numbers to fall in line. Even easier if you go by weekly averages instead of daily.
If I were someone dead set on never going over 1200 calories, then, yeah, that pizza would be a calorie bomb. I'm not. And neither is the OP.0 -
Thanks for all the replies everyone! I guess what I'm afraid of is gaining fat while indulging in a "junk food" once in a while. For the most part I would be eating very healthy but some days (maybe once a week or once every 2 weeks) I would like to reward myself with one meal of high calories which is why I posted this question.
For example:
6oz greek yogurt w/ blueberries, raspberries, and flax seeds: ~170 cal
100g baby carrots: 35 cal
7oz alaskan cod: 163 cal
100g broccoli 34 cal
100g zucchini 15 cal
6oz chicken thighs 200 cal
spinach salad 50 cal
protein shake 120 cal
_____________________________________________ _______________________
total calories before junk: 787 cal
cookies with ice cream 1000 cal
____________________________________________________________________
total caloric intake: 1787 calories
I planned this out so as a diet for the "cheat meal". It consists of a low calorie but high nutrition meal before the junk food intake. The rest comes from ice cream. And yeah it's a day where I am literally indulging in ice cream. 10oz to be exact! I've only done this once a few weeks ago and I gotta say that I was very happy. The following week I think i was more enthusiastic to work out.
But I realize it is a large amount of junk with high fat and saturated fat for just one meal. I don't HAVE to do this if it is going to be terrible for me because I'd much rather choose my body than food. I can even do it with less calories. But if I can "cheat" then I would like to do so once in a while because like all humans I enjoy eating any delicious food whether it's healthy, unique, or just bad for you.
Perfect, in the end you stay below your calorie limit, get your nutrients from the other meals and to be honest a cheat meal keeps you sane when dieting. Enjoy!! (Think I might even use that for my cheat meal rather than going cold turkey and slipping)0 -
I am 5'10". I am currently 150lbs with a muscular build
You might want to post pics and also provide an example of your goal build. Chances are good that you shouldn't be eating at a deficit given the above stats.0 -
That is hugely cheating... The main rules are simple and constant, calories in must equal energy out or you will lose or gain weight.<snip>
Unless your metabolism does not want to readily liberate 'weight' (fat or muscle?).
Why should an energy deficit automatically result in the liberation of fat in proportion to the caloric degree?
It doesn't.
The 'main rules' are neither simple nor constant.
We have a biological problem that is not best solved with a mathematical solution.0 -
That is hugely cheating... The main rules are simple and constant, calories in must equal energy out or you will lose or gain weight.<snip>
Unless your metabolism does not want to readily liberate 'weight' (fat or muscle?).
Why should an energy deficit automatically result in the liberation of fat in proportion to the caloric degree?
It doesn't.
The 'main rules' are neither simple nor constant.
We have a biological problem that is not best solved with a mathematical solution.
Did anyone make the above claim in bold?0 -
I eat about 1200 calories a day 6 days a week and on my day off I eat what I want in moderation. Honestly, when I start eating "junk" I have what I call "eater's guilt". Then I think, its gonna take 45 minutes to burn that off. But, as long as I do not go over during the week I do have an ice cream bar (250 calories) or a couple of cookies (300 calories) on my day off. I figure I deserve it!0
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That is hugely cheating... The main rules are simple and constant, calories in must equal energy out or you will lose or gain weight.<snip>
Unless your metabolism does not want to readily liberate 'weight' (fat or muscle?).
Why should an energy deficit automatically result in the liberation of fat in proportion to the caloric degree?
It doesn't.
The 'main rules' are neither simple nor constant.
We have a biological problem that is not best solved with a mathematical solution.
First Law of Thermodynamics states that neither matter nor energy can be created or destroyed. Math is everywhere if you know what to look for0 -
I also think that you need to have unhealthy foods once in a while if you plan to make a lifestyle change. They arent cheat days, they are normal eating days as long as you do it in moderation. I am unsure if you are a cooker but you should try to lighten up the so called junk foods.
I live in NJ with some of the best pizza parlors in the world and I make my own at home because 1. its healthy 2. it tastes a 1000 times better. Making your own ice cream is also a plus. I love making my own chinese/japanese/thai food too!
If you are interested in new cooking methods, feel free to add me!!0
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