Cheat Meals

DeathKitty23
DeathKitty23 Posts: 64 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Does anyone out there have cheat meals. If so how often. Just started gettign serious with my diet and exercise again but get conflicting advice about the cheat meal to avoid/break plataeu

Cheers for advice in advance:)

Replies

  • merzback
    merzback Posts: 453 Member
    Why do you call it a cheat meal? There will be times when you eat more than others- and I'd say maybe 1 meal week is good. Why do people call it CHEATING?
    That word just makes me cringe, I am sorry. When you call it a cheat meal, you're calling yourself a cheater. You aren't a cheater. You are just a person who ate more.
  • DeathKitty23
    DeathKitty23 Posts: 64 Member
    Well to ne fair I would call it cheating as I have quite strict routine when i diet and when I eat more calories etc I get the guilty feeling lol
    I have been reading though that if you constantly do the same thing your body gets used to it and stops the weight loss....just looking for advice and wondering what other people do
    :)
  • Mendelianparakeets
    Mendelianparakeets Posts: 45 Member
    Friday is now officially my cheat day meal, haha. It's strange, but the dining hall here has orgasmic mac and cheese but it's pretty high in sodium and such. I just make sure to get a decent serving and make sure I eat a balanced meal. Only once a week anyway.
  • runningfromzombies
    runningfromzombies Posts: 386 Member
    Well to ne fair I would call it cheating as I have quite strict routine when i diet and when I eat more calories etc I get the guilty feeling lol
    I have been reading though that if you constantly do the same thing your body gets used to it and stops the weight loss....just looking for advice and wondering what other people do
    :)

    Make it a lifestyle change instead of a diet--that way, you're not cheating. You're incorporating foods you love into a new lifestyle. Certainly less of them, but not eliminating them. For example, I will never give up chocolate or ice cream entirely. Or brownies. Or cookies. I just fit 'em into my macros (most of the time) and if once a week they put me over calories and macros, that's fine! One day a week will not destroy your progress.
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
    I don't do Cheat jDays. Sure, sometimes I end up eating more than intended (and I try to make up for it over the course of the week), but to schedule a weekly sanctioned day to overindulge?

    No.

    A Cheat Day reinforces the notion that you can plan to overeat, and there's no guarantee you'll stop at a reasonable level. It undermines all the behavioral changes you're trying to make the rest of the time.
  • phoenixgirl81
    phoenixgirl81 Posts: 309 Member
    I don't have cheat meals that send me over my calorie goal (well, not any more...I have had 2 all up in my 140-odd days of being on MFP). I've always exercised either before I have a big meal, or afterwards, to make sure I have enough calories in my "allowance" to cover it. Having said that, I've been eating out at least once, sometimes twice, per week throughout this whole purpose. Sometimes those meals are 800 cal worth, but I budget for it.
  • fwalz3
    fwalz3 Posts: 31 Member
    Friday night is PIZZA night!
  • leeanneowens
    leeanneowens Posts: 319 Member
    I ususlly have one cheat day a week. My mom cooks for us on Tuesday evenings and that is the day that I use as my "cheat" day. I love mama's cooking.:smile:
  • mathera26
    mathera26 Posts: 90 Member
    Fri 09/14/12 05:07 PM

    I don't have cheat meals that send me over my calorie goal (well, not any more...I have had 2 all up in my 140-odd days of being on MFP). I've always exercised either before I have a big meal, or afterwards, to make sure I have enough calories in my "allowance" to cover it. Having said that, I've been eating out at least once, sometimes twice, per week throughout this whole purpose. Sometimes those meals are 800 cal worth, but I budget for it.



    This is the most level headed response... I agree!
  • luispujols
    luispujols Posts: 1
    I just had a pb&j sandwich as a treat for being so good today and this whole week. For me, it really comes down to budgeting the calories and other nutrition criteria to make sure I don't surpass my daily and weekly goals. I've been tracking for a month now and I am making this a lifestyle. So, if I still feel like "cheating" or treating myself, it all depends on how good I have been and whether or not I truly deserve to be bad. :)
  • morningmud
    morningmud Posts: 477 Member
    Lasagna, I only allow myself to have it a few times per year.
  • pamperedlinny
    pamperedlinny Posts: 1,679 Member
    cheat is a bad word... I do have TREAT days though where I throw caution to the wind and eat anything I want. Usually once every month or every other month. Normally it's a special occasion (my birthday, anniversary, a trip somewhere). I behave really well for a week before and a week after. I also have a treat meal about once a week but I eat better the rest of that day and exercise.

    As long as you continue on your journey (weight loss, toning, etc) with only a mild setback from your treats I don't see why it's such a bad thing. Also figure that if something is coming up and you want to have a treat day remind yourself all week that if you really want that item you're craving you only have to make it to then. It helps to have a goal no matter how short term.

    I know some people don't agree with me but I'd rather go nuts once in a while than worry everyday over every bite.
  • Sheilav330
    Sheilav330 Posts: 57
    I think people are confused to cheat meals and cheat day....cheat meal is when u keep ur day clean and allow ur self a not so healthy meal....and i happen to do it once a week...a cheat day is when u eat not healthy all day :) but i do the cheat meal once a week and it doesn't hurt me one bit...just eat in moderation of course and keep it moving :)
  • KodiakAndrea
    KodiakAndrea Posts: 12
    pizza doesn't have to be "cheat" or overinduldge. I know mine isn't and I have it at least once a week. I just make it myself and put more healthy ingredients in and on it...
  • Rogus1
    Rogus1 Posts: 60 Member
    It's NEVER cheating if you plan for it.
  • Webona293
    Webona293 Posts: 39 Member
    I found a really good cheat meal.....if you LOVE chicken alfredo at olive garden (which is over 1400 calories for one plate) there is a dish which cheese ravioli called Shrimp Mezzaluna with white wine sauce and it is....wait for it.....630 calories!!! you can substitute chicken for shrimp I suppose but it was just as good as the alfredo. Just don't eat more than 1 breadstick they are 110 EACH. Fill up on salad.
  • lynda155
    lynda155 Posts: 112 Member
    I don't have cheat days or meals. I decided when i began this journey that it would be a permanent change. I am learning so much along the way. I still have my pizza, tacos and burgers but on a much healthier and surprisingly tastier scale. I have also incorporated portion control, I was eating enough to feed three with my meals.

    So dont have cheat days! Have a lifestyle change and make it fun!!!!! Good Luck and Be Healthy!!! :drinker: :bigsmile: :smile:
  • trs80
    trs80 Posts: 15 Member
    I don't have a cheat meal, but on vacation to Cape Cod recently, I had a cheat WEEK because I just
    can't resist the seafood there. (it's sort of a tradition)

    Fried scallops, fried clams, lobster tails w/french fries and corn on the cob.... oh nuts, look out fridge!
  • LindaDab
    LindaDab Posts: 5
    I agree with Rogus--it is not cheating if you plan for it. I recently went to a wedding downtown in a large city at a fancy hotel and I drank several glasses of wine and ate most of the dinner. I tried to eat light during the day and also walked that morning but these occasions arise and life is too SHORT not to have these occasional delicious meals. I've never thought about a "cheat" meal but I occasionally go out to eat or have a dessert--to me it is just part of life and I need that enjoyment. If I eat out at a special occasion and don't lose that week but also don't gain, I'm very happy!!! Be good to yourself.
  • wastelander92
    wastelander92 Posts: 25 Member
    I agree that your diet should be a lifestyle change and you should never cut out your favorite foods, as long as you're not consistently over eating, and are staying balanced you should be perfectly fine. When I feel like making my fatty mushroom stew or my calorie heavy curry spaetzle I just make sure I work out enough and keep it in moderation =)
  • LadyBeryl
    LadyBeryl Posts: 344 Member
    I "cheated" on my birthday by eating more than I should to LOSE weight but not more calories than I burned that day. I'll likely do it again around the holidays.

    A few years back, I was successful keeping my weight down by just logging EVERYTHING -- even when I'm eating more than I would normally.
  • barnybyrd
    barnybyrd Posts: 11 Member
    I don't really do cheat days....if I want candy or cake I eat it. I do use the small snack size candy 80 calories each but not daily. If I want cake I get a cupcake and half it and freeze the other half for another time. If I am going to have something like that or pizza, I make sure I do enough exercise to cover the calorie intake. Basically I haven't cut anything out of my diet, just eating in moderation. Since May 29 have lost 27lbs and plan to keep losing.
  • Webona293
    Webona293 Posts: 39 Member
    ^^^ BUmP!

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