Cheat day?
Replies
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Like someone else said, I don't consider it cheating I consider it treating. And yes, I will treat myself every once in awhile. That doesn't mean every week or every other week but once in awhile. For instance, we live in Germany right now and I am missing some of the resteraunts back in the States. Ramstein has a Chili's and next month Dh is taking me there for dinner. I will have been on my "diet/healthy eating" for a month (I just started MFP this past week) and one meal out of an entire month is not going to make or break me.
If I were on a diet that I couldn't treat myself to something I loved every once in awhile I would never stick with it. Now that doesn't mean I am going to go to Chili's and have the most fattening thing there, I will still probably choose something healthier. But, it will still be a treat and I won't feel bad for eating it because I know that other than every once in awhile I eat extremely healthy.
*Um, I eat extremely healthy except for the Mt Dew I wiggle into my daily meals. I am a Mt Dew addict and I am slowly trying to break that habit, lol. Going from 4-5 a day to 1 is a big change:)0 -
I have thought about the cheat meal too. We eat at church every Sunday but, I didn't last Sunday because I was too new to the counting calories thing. And I'm still not sure I want to do that.0
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:drinker:My thought is always " WHO am I cheating?"
:floweforyou:
Excellent thinking!0 -
I wouldn't plan on a cheat day but I wouldn't beat myself up for cheating a LITTLE bit. I have just started MFP a week ago but it took me 18 years to grown to the size I am. I find that I am having to reeducate myselft on calories and nutrition and MFP is a huge help. I am not in a hurry to lose my weight. I acquired it a pound or two at a time and I plan on losing it the same way. A healthy diet is a lifetime commitment even though we have a goal weight. I am afraid to say that I have cheated every single day and my daily calorie cout has been an eye opener. It doesn't mean I haven't made progress. Any effort is better than what I was doing. I have lost 1.9 pounds in a week. I love that moment when you finalize your calories and exercise for the day. MFP tells you what you would weigh in 5 days. THAT is motivation. If you have cheated, that number alone should be enough to scare you. It certainly scares me!0
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If theres one thing i have learnt about dieting, it is dont cut out the things you love! I have found that when i go on a diet and avoid all my loved things, when i lapse a little i find it hard to stop and end up over indulging to the extreme!
I joined Weight watchers before christmas and have learnt that i can have nice things, i just have to make sure i choose the right type of nice things and monitor what im eating in the day so i can enjoy the nice things often. On my diet I enjoy biscuits/crisps daily, every now and then il have a lovely WW choc brownie pudding and i still loose weight (1-2lbs) every week
and thats without exercising!
xxx0 -
If theres one thing i have learnt about dieting, it is dont cut out the things you love! I have found that when i go on a diet and avoid all my loved things, when i lapse a little i find it hard to stop and end up over indulging to the extreme!
I joined Weight watchers before christmas and have learnt that i can have nice things, i just have to make sure i choose the right type of nice things and monitor what im eating in the day so i can enjoy the nice things often. On my diet I enjoy biscuits/crisps daily, every now and then il have a lovely WW choc brownie pudding and i still loose weight (1-2lbs) every week and thats without exercising!
xxx0 -
I used to have a cheat meal (or sometimes day) every couple of weeks, but now, instead, I just eat my maintenance calories every six days (on my rest day) and don't feel the urge to have that cheat anymore. I'm getting better results this way too. I did totally cheat at Thanksgiving and Christmas, and I felt like crap for it.0
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You are trying to change your lifestyle. This means that there are going to be times you treat yourself to something. Remember though...you are just one meal or snack away from being back on track. You can HAVE pizza...just not all the time.0
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I don't think I will have a cheat day but will do what my parents do. They are very conscientious about what they eat and exercise daily. Fridays are pizza night though. Fridays have always been pizza night and now they just incorporate it into their plans. They have been eating this way since my dad had his heart attack 18 years ago. It's not really a reward to them as much as allowing themselves everything in moderation. My mom is very strict with their meals and controls her diabetes with diet but knows that they can't always eat to the extreme. Everyone deserves that one thing that they love. Just do it in moderation and incorporate it into your meal planning. They eat so healthy that they had to add snacks just to increase their calorie intake.0
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Perfect timing.
Years ago I was on WW, thiis being my only experience with dieting/healthy eating/changing lifestyle whatever you call it, I had a cheat day. I would weigh in and that day would be my cheat day. My day was always Saturday. All week I knew in the back of my mind that if I really ,really wanted or craved something I could eat it on Saturday without guilt or feeling like a failure. This also kept me from having that excuse of "Well, I ate something not on plan, I already blew it so I may as well just say screw it and keep eating bad stuff since the "perfect" eating day is already ruined" You could end up with alot of those days some weeks.
We've all heard that voice in our head before.
When I went to bed last night I knew today would be my day off as I call it. No measuring, no writing down(although I will do this now) no fighting the urges, I will still try to exercise because I am so not into that part yet and need to get my mojo going, we'll see. Funny thing is for me itis ALWAYS PIZZA! Every week , every saturday it's pizza. That's it just pizza and a diet coke. I usually eat 3-4 pieces of a medium ch/pepperoni and thats it. I'm full, so if thats all I eat all day I'm probably not over that much.That is the only food I would probably jump in the water, fall off the pole on survivor for. Those who watch reality shows you know what I'm talking about.
So today I am eating pizza and tomorrow morning I am right back on track. One meal once a week did not get me fluffy and I know I would fall off the wagon completly if I dont get me some yummy badness once in a while:drinker:
Hope you do what works for your body.0 -
We do a "biggest loser" family edition thing in my family. We always do weigh in's on Saturdays. And generally speaking we all cheat on dinner on Saturday. Whether is me who has breakfast (my biggest weakness is hashbrowns) or my mom who has steak and homemade chips at the restaurant. In all the books I've read on dieting (Curves, Atkins, etc.) the only one that suggests a cheat is Curves (I think that's the one). But their cheat is a daily small treat. If you feel like you want something sweet, do 60 cal Jello cups or 1 piece of chocolate (like a kiss or 1 square of a hershey's bar). Really how much could that much chocolate add or put you over? A few calories maybe. There's a study somewhere I heard about that suggests if you eat the 1 Kiss daily it will keep cravings in check. Will power is the thing.
For me personally, it used to be Dr. Pepper. I lost 20 lbs by quiting soda altogether. Diet didn't do it, so I had to dump it all. Once a week during the football game I would go to 7-11 and buy 1 bottle of Dr. Pepper. I had to wait to drink it during the game. Used to kill me but I did it. I used to drink upwards of a 12pk a day. 1 bottle once a week was horrible. But by the end of the football season, I'd dropped 20lbs and I was weened off the soda. Now I rarely buy a soda and when I do it's a can from the street vendor near work. I used to drive 10 miles (I work in the middle of no where lol) for a can of soda nearly every day. Now I don't.
Small steps. Anticipation will make that little cheat all the more worth it. You can do it!0 -
The idea that a "Cheat" is a "Treat" sounds like an opposite to me.
That something we know is bad for us is a reward.
That a reward of food is good.
That is a slippery slope.
....whoever said (above) that, "Rewarding ourselves with food is not a good idea, that is what got us overweight," - that is what I think is the correct thought here.
Food is energy and nourishment. Period. Not a reward, or a coping mechanism.
Good, healthy food replenishes you. Sugary, complex-carbohydrate-laden foods deplete you.0 -
I have used a cheat meal to break a plateau before (sometime is it good to shock the system a little bit!) but the whole cheat day thing seems like a bad idea. I would think that would just throw off all your efforts for the week, and it would be harder to get back on track. I know for myself, a cheat day can turn into a cheat weekend...cheat week...etc...
This is very true for me as well. I have found that I hit a plateau about once a month and if I up my calories or "cheat" I break my plateau but I only allow myself a "cheat" meal. Also by being active and changing my lifestyle I have found that I make better decisions when going out, I'm just not tempted anymore which feels so good. :flowerforyou:0 -
The idea that a "Cheat" is a "Treat" sounds like an opposite to me.
That something we know is bad for us is a reward.
That a reward of food is good.
That is a slippery slope.
....whoever said (above) that, "Rewarding ourselves with food is not a good idea, that is what got us overweight," - that is what I think is the correct thought here.
Food is energy and nourishment. Period. Not a reward, or a coping mechanism.
Good, healthy food replenishes you. Sugary, complex-carbohydrate-laden foods deplete you.
Yes food is energy and nourishment but come on, every once in awhile there is nothing wrong with eating something because it tastes good. All things in moderation, yes?0 -
The idea that a "Cheat" is a "Treat" sounds like an opposite to me.
That something we know is bad for us is a reward.
That a reward of food is good.
That is a slippery slope.
....whoever said (above) that, "Rewarding ourselves with food is not a good idea, that is what got us overweight," - that is what I think is the correct thought here.
Food is energy and nourishment. Period. Not a reward, or a coping mechanism.
I didn't get fat because I ate treats. I got fat because I got lazy and stopped exercising. I like a cheeseburger every now and then. Am I going to have it every day? No. So it's a treat. I worked hard all week and ran my miles every day and stayed within my calories every day....so *kitten* yeah I'm gonna give myself a treat today.
For me it's a treat. I know that having a cheeseburger today isn't going to throw me off the wagon. I have discipline. I have a bikini that I need to look fabulous in by May so tomorrow.....I'll be back on the plan.
It's called moderation people. Portion control. Don't eat off giant sized plates or bowls. Don't go back for seconds.0 -
I am not an expert but I really think a cheat day is a good thing. If not, I know for myself I will get easily discourage. But when you cheat DON'T go over board with it. Cheat day for me might mean 1 small piece of cake, NOT A WHOLE DAY OF BAD THINGS. I hope this helps.
p.s. I have a really bad sweet tooth so I allow enough daily calories for me to have a sweet treat which really helps. I have a couple of pieces of sour patch kids (my favorite candy & they are fat free) and wash them down with my water. This works for me and I am less likely to eat really fattening sweets.0 -
The idea that a "Cheat" is a "Treat" sounds like an opposite to me.
That something we know is bad for us is a reward.
That a reward of food is good.
That is a slippery slope.
....whoever said (above) that, "Rewarding ourselves with food is not a good idea, that is what got us overweight," - that is what I think is the correct thought here.
Food is energy and nourishment. Period. Not a reward, or a coping mechanism.
I didn't get fat because I ate treats. I got fat because I got lazy and stopped exercising. I like a cheeseburger every now and then. Am I going to have it every day? No. So it's a treat. I worked hard all week and ran my miles every day and stayed within my calories every day....so *kitten* yeah I'm gonna give myself a treat today.
For me it's a treat. I know that having a cheeseburger today isn't going to throw me off the wagon. I have discipline. I have a bikini that I need to look fabulous in by May so tomorrow.....I'll be back on the plan.
It's called moderation people. Portion control. Don't eat off giant sized plates or bowls. Don't go back for seconds.
I agree. My weight gain was a due to two years of depression, which led to my becoming VERY sedentary and starting a drinking habit. Alcohol is INSANELY caloric!
My friend and I called our day a "cheat day" but in reality it was a Saturday night meal. Even then we pre-portioned out our drinks and food so that we wouldn't go too crazy.
I also totally agree that moderation is the key. We all need to live a healthy lifestyle and treat food as fuel for our bodies, but I don't want to live a life where I can't allow myself a VERY occasional snack or drink or food that isn't good for me.0 -
I (used to) do a cheat meal once a week...and I truly like the idea of calling it a "treat meal" instead of a "cheat meal." For me (and I mean exactly that, For Me..) it takes the negative connotations away. It was something I can look forward to each week, usually Friday night after a long week of working out and eating well. One meal. And I go back to eating the right way the very next meal.
You know what I've found since I bought my heart rate monitor? I'm seeing exactly how many cals I'm burning at the gym and it is pushing me harder, to work out longer, etc. and then I don't want to have the treat meal because I know I've worked hard all week. Before when I didn't have the HRM and couldn't trust the numbers on the cardio equipment, it was always a guess at how much I burned. It made it much easier to have the treat meal Friday nights. Now I see exactly how much I burn and a huge meal becomes not worth it.
Can I say that this coming Friday I won't want a cheeseburger dripping with mayo and ketchup? Nope. And I might have it too. Hard to say. I'm not depriving myself of those kinds of things. Just cutting back and trying to find a way to fit them in once in a while.0 -
hi, i try not to do the cheat day thing or even a meal! i really like the idea of finding healthier versions of all the naughty things i enjoy eating, it makes it a challenge and im left feeling happy that i can still take enjoyment from the meals i make with my family without suffering on the scales later!
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I believe in a cheat MEAL, hehe, usually once a week, usually sat or sunday, the only day the family is together to eat dinner, but its not really a BAD meal, its like spaghetti or lasagna or something that I dont count every calorie (but I guess or try to control portion for the most part) orrrrr we go out, or have pizza night.. or whatever.. and i enjoy it and dont feel bad...
BUT, I cant have leftovers in the house, and it definately cant be dessert thats laying around... so its best to go AWAY to eat it or make sure theres only enough for that meal or that somebody else will eat the rest up tmrw that wont be me...
Christmas was rough because there was so much stuff AROUNDD so it turned into cheat week... but i find one day/meal a week keeps me going, also I lose weight more because my body doesnt get "stuck" at the set amount of lower calories...
It gives me something to look forward to the week and I can tell myself "just gotta get through the next few days and then Ill get a reward!!" and helps me not binge or misbehaive in the middle of the week!! and then monday rolls back around and im back on track.
However if i had been "bad" during the week or hadnt lost weight I would probably cancel my cheat meal.
Tonight was to the extreme and went out for dinner and am way over my calories... but I'll try and make up for it with exercise!
If your somebody who after one "taste" of bad has to keep eating and eating, i dont think its for you, not yet anyways.. I think after a while you get so used to eating healthy and that one "bad" meal doesnt ruin you
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I completey agree at Cheat Meal... Not a whole day. You dont want to deprieve your body of everything you enjoy. So bring on that special meal just dont overdo it until you can not move. I know if me and my husband are going on a date. I will cut back on my snacks earlier in the day then order what I would like. It works. :drinker:0
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To My Knowledge, You should not believe in cheat days or do them. I would switch it to cheat meals. I pick one meal a week i can cheat on. Its usually either breakfast homemade french toast or dinner fettuchini alfreado. I don't do this every week but every other week. If i were you i would go for 1 cheat meal a week.0
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I think a cheat day on occasion is okay. I will have a day when I might have an extra cookie or a rib-eye steak, but I do that on days I know I will or have worked out a bit extra. I try to burn the calories first before I indulge in extra. Also a "cheat day" for me is not doing any form of exercise at all other than the usual work around the house. 0
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If you look at this as a lifestyle change. There is no such thing as cheating. You plan for times that you may not eat the healthiet. For those meals, you exercise a lot more and cut back on other meals in the day. The following day you are right back on track with eating healthy.
Cheating has such a negative connotation. Why make it sound do bad?0 -
???? :noway:
II think that to schedule a "cheat day" is like premeditated sabatoge of your own diet! To schedule a "cheat day" is NOT the same thing as allowing yourself a hamburger for dinner as a treat, expecially if you keep your calorie count for the day under control. But to me, the whole concept of pre-planning a day of cheating is like pre-planning to fail.
But, to each their own. What works for one will not always work for everyone. Whatever works for you, as long as it is working toward your success, then that is right for you. 0 -
I did body for life about 2 yrs ago and lost 30 lbs. I loved it and it made me work harder for my cheat day. I am thinking about giving my self a cheat day again but I plan to only get the cheat day if I lose 3 lbs that week.0
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