how to save up calories for a cheat meal?

If I know I am going to be going out for a favorite meal later in the week, I will eat a couple hundred less than normal each day earlier in the week so I have the extra calories come time for that meal. Plus try to get a good workout in that day.

Don't cheat. :sad:
Either substitute part of the meal with a healthier choice (Baked potato or salad instead of fries).
Or only eat half a portion.
It helps to drink a lot directly before you go, too. That way you're not as hungry.
Or do an extra cardio session to earn more calories.

Usually you get around being over the limit quite comfortably...

Why not? It's okay to "cheat" every now and then. It won't kill your goal.

You eat light healthy food to save most of your calories for your cheat meal and make sure that you're doing some sort of exercise to balance it out.

Doesnt work that way.

For someone who is dressed up as a video game character, you sure do a good job at destroying people's dreams.

It sure does work that way, by the way. Also, your normal calorie goal for the day is probably around 500 or so less than you would eat to remain the exact same weight. If you want to splurge and go over one day on the weekend or something, just do it - it is not going to throw off your routine.

If you want to stay exactly on target, pig out a little bit today and eat less tomorrow. The food in constantly moving through your digestive track, it does not reset at midnight just because your MFP ticker does.

I have heard time and time again from fitness experts that cheat days are essential to maintain your sanity and keep you on track for your goals. "Essential" is probable the wrong word, but you get my drift.

Enjoy.

@Marvelscale

What I meant with don't cheat is more of a you don't necessarily have to with all the tips and tricks. In the end nobody ever does not exceed his limits from time to time. That is absolutely true! :blushing:

Go for it

I don't call it 'cheating' either. I call it.. My Mom's birthday dinner is on Sunday and we are all going to Red Lobster I already know I'm going to be eating at least 1000 calories so I ate a little less yesterday - had about 600 calories left over which I will then eat on Sunday. I average my calories over a week and since I only weigh in once a week it makes no difference if I have 1100 calories one day and 2300 another.

This is also why I don't stress if I eat too much on one day because I know the next day I will eat less. I plan to be doing this for the rest of my life and quite frankly if I have a special occasion or feel like going out for a nice meal I refuse to stress out about it if I happen to go over or have a slice of cake for desert.

I think I didn't ask the question clearly. I understand cheat meals, and I think they are necessary if only so that we keep our sanity intact. But, what does working out Monday-Thursday and saving those workout calories have to do with a cheat meal Friday night? It seems that some people believe that you if you create a calorie deficit days prior to an indulgence then the indulgence doesn't quite count or do as much "damage" as if they hadn't "saved calories" for that particular event. It's as if they work on total calories for the week instead of the day, and I've been just going day-to-day instead of weekly. So in that regard, does total weekly calories mean that you can save workout calories for a cheat meal?

I cheat. But I don't call it cheating. I call it eating....I know I can't be 100& discliplined all the time, and I don't beat myself or even feel a little guilty for an indulgence. I've still lost twenty pounds, so I know it works for me. But I've plateued, so I wonder if this approach, the weekly calorie approach is something I need to try.

I read in the August edition of Health & Fitness magazine that overindulgence in food creates weight gain more rapidly than once thought. It used to be thought that if you eat well and over eat only once in a while you won't gain weight because you aren't constantly over eating. This isn't entirely true. A study at Oxford showed that within 3 hours of overindulging, fat droplets deposit themselves onto your adipose tissue. So, if you don't burn those extra calories you will gain some weight. Operating on this research, saving calories during the week for a day in the future won't work but eating a bit less before you have that big meal couldn't hurt.

Don't cheat. :sad:
Either substitute part of the meal with a healthier choice (Baked potato or salad instead of fries).
Or only eat half a portion.
It helps to drink a lot directly before you go, too. That way you're not as hungry.
Or do an extra cardio session to earn more calories.

Usually you get around being over the limit quite comfortably...

Seriously... This is a lifestyle change. People want to eat like a normal human sometimes instead of eating healthy food 24/7.

To OP:
My take on this.. eat what you want, when you want. As long as it fits your macro's/calories, then you are good.

Even if you do go over by a few, it won't make much of a difference since it takes 3,500 calories extra to lose/gain a pound.

Cheating is for cheaters LOL

I don't have any research to back my theory but that makes sense to me, thanks for sharing. I look at my calories day to day as well. If I know I have something coming up then my plan of attack is to eat less calories for prior meals AND get in a cardio workout to burn the calories. For example, if I have a wedding to attend on a Saturday, I may get out for a very early run. I mostly "save" calories by earning them through a good burn;-).

I've read some here in the message boards about saving calories for a cheat meal. What does this mean, exactly? I've been on MFP for a while, but I don't really understand this concept.

Thanks,
Shannon

to keep it real simple -- cheat days undermine what you are trying to do. You want a "bad" meal you know shouldnt be part of your diet on the daily? Have it- dont eat the whole thing if thats an option and eat well leading up to and after it. Workout - extra if you can - but you should be anyway. Then dont make cheat meals a regular thing. The regular thing should be proper meals. Life happens and when it does - enjoy it- just go right back to whats REALLY right as soon after as possible.

Ive been logging on for 50 or so days- no cheat meals- opportunity has not yet been there to think about it. However- I have a wedding next week and will plan accordingly- and wont over indulge- but either way I will work out all weekend and choose carefully at the dinner. May or may not have dessert - if its blah wedding cake- skipping- if its good- I just may have some sweets for the first time in 2 months.

Just my thoughts on the the whole cheating thing - but others feel differently and you have to do what you feel you can do for the long haul or this will just be another 'diet' that ends and eventually all the weight sneaks back on.

It's the idea of eating below your net goal during the week so you can apply them to a cheat meal at some point during the week, evening out the week's net goal.

You don't HAVE to do this though to have a "cheat meal".

listen, your human. Your gonna want to eat a big bowl of pasta one night.. so do it. If you have been strict like crazy for a long time.. then I say pig out for 1 meal, what I do if just make sure I do a lot of exercise that morning/afternoon so by the time its dinner and i pig out my metabolism is already fast and burning through the extra calories.