how to save up calories for a cheat meal?

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  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    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... :wink:

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

    I don't think of it as cheating. To me, cheating is not logging something or logging exercise that you didn't do. Sorry, but enjoying a slice of pizza is not cheating. it's called enjoying life.
  • lynz4589
    lynz4589 Posts: 389 Member
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    I used to just eat a little of something I craved when I craved but since getting a new PT last week I was advised to have a cheat day a week. I chose a Friday to chill at the end of a hard week. From Monday - Thursday and all through the weekend I eat good, workout and stick to target. On fridays (even though Ive only just started) I still find myself eating really well and all the usual stuff throughout the week which is great because its clearly become second nature but I treat myself to my fav meal (usually lasagne or a potato bake etc) if I go over cals then ok just as long as its not a stupid amount and blows all the rest of the weeks good work out the window. So far it worked, already by last week within 4 days of trying the new technique I had lost 2lb that included my cheat day!
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I'm really interested to hear more about If people are sticking to a daily goal or prefer a weekly goal.

    I go week to week. I plan my grocery list bi-weekly and have a list of potential dinners and lunches that I figure in a weekly basis. It's much easier for me to do things on a weekly basis instead of a daily basis. Plus, some days I don't exercise at all, other days I work really hard. I like to take things one week at a time, then I figure a daily average. I like to play with numbers anyway. :tongue:
  • WendyTerry420
    WendyTerry420 Posts: 13,274 Member
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    I have to tell you I appreciate your comment and will most likely try your option. One thing I find the hardest about dieting, changing your eating habits or however you want to refer to it, is that there are so many horrible feelings about "slipping up" or "cheating". At least in my case there is. I don't want to feel bad about myself if I eat a slice of pizza. So thank you for your suggestion.

    A slice of pizza is NOT that heavy in calories, unless you are one of those tiny people stuck on 1200/day. I'm at 1700 and if I wanted, I could fit in a slice of pizza for lunch every day. I choose not to eat it every day though.

    Edit: I will add that you shouldn't feel guilty about eating food. That sets yourself up for a bad relationship with food. There is nothing wrong with eating food that tastes good. There is nothing to feel guilty over. Just keep logging and doing your best to stay within your calorie goal and your macros.
  • Helloitsdan
    Helloitsdan Posts: 5,564 Member
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    I'm not sure what TDEE is.
    I'm 5'2, 124 lbs,body fat 21%-ish, BMR is about 1600, I eat between 1200-1400/day, weights for 30-40 minutes three/four days a week and I am usually in training for a half marathon. My occupation is a desk jockey, very sedentary.

    I'm mostly happy with my progress (I've plateaued recently), but I just don't understand saving calories for a cheat meal. It doesn't seem like it would be beneficial, but since I don't get it, I'm just trying to understand what it means.

    She's almost to goal so a moderate deficit of about 20% is perfect for you.
    Eating below BMR daily....not so good.
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/654536-in-place-of-a-road-map-2-0-revised-7-2-12
  • matthew67899
    matthew67899 Posts: 58 Member
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    If you look at my diary, I've been over my calorie goal almost everyday since this past Friday. (Church festival, Knights of Columbus BBQ, night out with the guys, etc...etc...) Just out of curiosity I stepped on the scale this morning and out of all that "bad eating", I had only gained one half of a pound since Friday.

    My point is, just by being on this site to keep track of what you're doing you're 100% ahead of everyone who isn't worried about it. You will be alright if you get right back on the horse as they say. As long as it's not part of what you do everyday and only a few days here and there, you'll still lose weight over time. I've lost more than 20 pounds since February. It's been a very slow gradual loss, but it's still better than being stuck at 195 the last three years.
  • 1holegrouper
    1holegrouper Posts: 323 Member
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    I tend to disagree with the concept of regularly planned cheat meals and cheat days. I know it works for some people. ironically, I also think carb cycling, if done right, actually works. I just worry about always having a regularly scheduled 'cheat' situation. At least 'cheat' is an honest word!

    There are enough times where we get hit by cravings or get put into situations that are not ideal. That is why I think 'planned' cheat times are excessive for many. The other problem is that a cheat meal/day can really throw things off like your blood sugar and then trigger excess cravings and energy lows.

    But, there are times when you know there will be a meal or situation (celebrations, vacations, holidays, etc.) where you are facing more calories and/or less healthy choices than normal. Perhaps that is why you are asking this?

    One strategy is to reduce calorie intake prior to this event or to increase exercise calories burned or both. Just make sure that you are not undercounting your calories and overcounting your calories burned- which is an honest and common mistake and leads to so many threads here saying, 'help I'm not losing, why?'.

    ETA: more important than any meal (it takes appx 3,500 extra calories in theory to gain a pound of fat, keep that in perspective) is that we have a healthy mindset about this diet and weight loss thing. We need to avoid the extremes and also retain a healthy sense of humor during the process. One meal should never cause a freak out but at the same time its good to be mindful of that meal and how it may impact our weekly goals.
  • joecollins9385
    joecollins9385 Posts: 355 Member
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    when i save for a cheat meal, i eat a light breakfast and lunch so and get in a really good workout (sometimes 2) so that i have plenty of calories left over for my cheat meal.
  • thisisheatherr
    thisisheatherr Posts: 22 Member
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    I HAVE to cheat periodically to keep me sane and motivated. There are people who just have the iron willpower to never eat cheesecake again, and that's great to see and very inspiring, but I'm simply not one of them :-). The stark prospect of a life with no cheats for my entire foreseeable future would likely send me directly to the nearest Haagen Daaz! So yep, I cheat. Sometimes little cheats (a brioche instead of a whole-wheat vegan waffle), sometimes big cheats (a haute cuisine dinner with excellent company).

    I typically pay for my cheats with a combination of fewer calories (focusing on less fat too, because my cheats are usually pretty loaded with fat, yum!) and more exercise, often spread throughout the course of the week so that my nutrition doesn't totally suck for any given day. If it's a little cheat, I try to account for it that day or a day right next to it (directly before or after).

    At least that's what I shoot for. Application is likely less than perfect, but I'm getting pretty good results and enjoying the periodic cheat as I do it!
  • ladytxn
    ladytxn Posts: 97 Member
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    it does not reset at midnight just because your MFP ticker does.

    It doesn't?? Oh man... I thought I'd heard it resetting a couple of times, maybe it was gas .... :tongue:
  • Beee_B
    Beee_B Posts: 24
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  • kjw1031
    kjw1031 Posts: 300 Member
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    when i save for a cheat meal, i eat a light breakfast and lunch so and get in a really good workout (sometimes 2) so that i have plenty of calories left over for my cheat meal.

    ^^^^^^ I do this as well.

    I might also shave off just 100 calories or so from the day before and/or the day after.

    I think it's good for me to have a variety of higher calorie days and lower calorie days, but these just vary by a few hundred.
  • Rayzback
    Rayzback Posts: 73
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    Had my first free meal in 10 weeks yesterday.... I went crazy. Realized my appetite has changed and I can't comfotably eat as much as I was able to a few weeks ago. Some sweets are really really too sweet and a sugar rush actually does exist. Not as exciting as I thought it would be. Best part, I came away feeling like I'm not really missing out on anything by sticking to my MFP diet.
  • GeekGirl23
    GeekGirl23 Posts: 517 Member
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    I believe that "Cheat" meals is what got me to 360 lbs (back in 2005) in the first place. I don't believe in cheating. If you intend to eat something then eat it. But, plan to burn those calories off so you stay with in your goal net calories.

    If I want popcorn I don't feel like I have to cheat to have it... I plan a good burn early in the morning and go to the movies that night. If I want a cheeseburger, I plan accordingly and try to have it as a lunch meal so I have time to digest those fats and burn.

    Also, I allow myself one heavy carb meal a week, or a dine out meal a week. I preplan for it so that it fits into my daily calories but still spread out food the rest of the day. I always look up things before I go to any resturant. I always know what I want prior to walking in the door.... Pass on the bread or chips.
  • Ruthe8
    Ruthe8 Posts: 423 Member
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    Saving your calories up is not a cheat meal. I'm not sure how you don't understand how to do it. Just add up your calories for the week and see how many you have left.
  • tryinghard71
    tryinghard71 Posts: 593
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    I use MFP as weekly totals. Monday through Sunday. If I know on Friday I am not working out and going out to eat I will leave a 100 to 200 calories left in my diary a day. Then be over on Friday. But for the week I am still hitting my calorie goal. I also notice that some people get really down on themselves if they have one bad day. Say they went over 300 on their calories. I tell them don't be down on yourself. Just make up for it over the next couple of days. Works for me!

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