Finally Understand the Cheat Day Idea

Junisahn
Junisahn Posts: 166 Member
edited September 20 in Health and Weight Loss
Yesterday, I worked all day - I only work full days once every other Saturday. I have a desk job, so it's not taxing. However, I felt terrible all day - lightheaded, extremely hungry, and nauseaus from the hunger, even though I was eating really good stuff. I had oatmeal, fruit, yogurt, pork loin, veggies, yogurt, more fruit, nuts, a hardboiled egg - at least 12 cups of water...

Came home, and called off the diet for the evening - stopped measuring and ate whatever I wanted. I was tempted to get a pizza, but thought about it and realized that I didn't really want a pizza - I just wanted to eat without restriction.

Anyway - I went back to my old habits and had a huge ice cream sundae! I didn't log anything because I didn't want to have the guilt associated with it - I just needed a break. I logged it this morning, and WOW! My old way of living was heavy! I logged nearly 3000 calories yesterday - an ovearage of over 1300. Of course, these are estimates in retrospect, but I feel better for having logged something.

Onward and upward! Today is a new day, and I'm starting fresh again!

I really think I needed that cheat time... is that terrible?

Replies

  • staps065
    staps065 Posts: 837 Member
    I haven't really been able to buy into the cheat meal or cheat day thing. Not that I can't easily blow a diet plan! I can, but when I'm trying to lose or at least maintain it is too unnerving for me to eat over my goal. I think that's a good thing? And don't feel bad; while logging but in a funk and not really paying too much attention to a diet plan, I have consumed over 5,000 calories in a day! :embarassed:
  • amberpaigee
    amberpaigee Posts: 74
    Noooooooooo everyone needs a day off sometimes! As long as you jump right back into it the day after it's fine! :)

    :flowerforyou:
  • dmags
    dmags Posts: 303
    I believe in a cheat meal. For sanity and continued weight loss! I used to say day, but I have learned that I am satisfied with a meal. And when an occasion comes up, I don't let myself stress about how I am going to get through the night.
  • Amy_B
    Amy_B Posts: 2,317 Member
    I have found myself breaking through plateaus in the past by having a "treat meal" every now and then. Since this is a lifelong journey, you have to realize that you're going to eat a treat every now and then. The key is not doing it all the time. We are all human, and we need those treats occasionally.
  • mromnek
    mromnek Posts: 325
    I am proud of you for logging your cheat day! While we all need to enjoy life, and not punish ourselves, I think it is important that we be honest with ourselves and at least see what we have chosen.
  • scotty_81
    scotty_81 Posts: 59
    Everyone is different. As long as you can have your cheat meal/day and then go back to counting the calories its fine. Some people just can't do it. For me its essential! I also find that I lose weight easier when I cheat for a day - makes no sense at all!
  • tutujoli
    tutujoli Posts: 104 Member
    It's not bad, in all honesty, as long as it's what I call "Controlled Cheating." LOL

    In other words, you're not feeling out of control, you're not eating everything in sight. You've made a concious decision about what you actually want, with full knowledge that it's not on plan, and that you will have to be back on plan in the morning.

    I had a really weird week last week. Not only did I stop losing, but my weight was EXACTLY the same (To the OUNCE) every single day for 8 or 9 days straight. I was actually starting to wonder if my scale was broken. LOL I was also getting really irritable, and HUNNNNNGRY and having a hard time staying on plan. I went and had my favorite fast food meal....really greasy bad stuff, with a milk shake and everything. I woke up the next day feeling good and ready to conquer the calories again. And then lost just short of 2 lbs this week.

    Sometimes you really just need a break.
  • Junisahn
    Junisahn Posts: 166 Member
    That's kind of what was happening to me. I had 4 days straight at the exact same weight - down to the 10th of a pound, and I just kept getting hungrier by the day until it seemed unbearable yesterday. I feel fantastic today - renewed and ready to go.

    I gardened for 2 hours, took a Kundalini yoga class (first one ever), and budgeted calories perfectly for going to a friend's house for dinner tonight - no clue what she's making, so I left room for not knowing! This will be the first time I've eaten away from home since starting to track calories 12 days ago.
  • Happyoceangirl
    Happyoceangirl Posts: 1,993 Member
    I have found myself breaking through plateaus in the past by having a "treat meal" every now and then. Since this is a lifelong journey, you have to realize that you're going to eat a treat every now and then. The key is not doing it all the time. We are all human, and we need those treats occasionally.

    Well said! I like your word choice of "treat" vs. "cheat".... it inspires an entirely different feeling - the ability to enjoy my choice while being realistic about the bigger picture. This is a "treat" not a regular occurrence - so no need to feel guilty or punish myself. I guess we're all different though - and we each have to come up with what works best for us. Thanks for sharing that perspective.:flowerforyou:
  • seventeenlucky77
    seventeenlucky77 Posts: 92 Member
    I'm finding that my "cheat day" items are becoming more healthy. I think it keeps me sane knowing I have one day a week I can indulge. It makes me actually push myself harder.
  • kwardklinck
    kwardklinck Posts: 1,601
    I have to take a day off from diet and exercise every week. I don't log anything. I eat whatever I want. If it doesn't feel comfortable, don't do it. I just know for me, having a treat to look forward to keeps me honest the rest of the week. It also "shocks" my body by adding some unexpected calories and makes it possible to start losing again if my loss is stalled.
  • xonophone
    xonophone Posts: 474 Member
    There is nothing wrong with the occasional "cheat day." Remember this: there was once a time where every day you ate like it was a cheat day! So feel good about the healthy changes you have made up to this point. And yes, I agree it is hard to log those extra calories, when you really just want to say to yourself, "Oh, I know I went way over my daily limit so why bother logging them, I'll just start over tomorrow!" When I do that though, I find myself going back the next morning to yesterday's diary and logging them all in, which motivates me to have a successful today.

    In my opinion, this isn't about a restrictive diet, it's about rethinking the way I look at food, and making smarter choices about what I choose to sustain myself.
  • tkrall
    tkrall Posts: 109
    I completely agree with the "treat" day. It makes this whole journey a little bit easier. I usually have my treat day Saturdays, because I begin my work outs on Sunday. I push my self 5-6 days a week between cardio and strength training. Pushing myself harder each day. Then Saturday, I feel I have earned it. Knowing I did better then my best, I can "afford" to have a treat! I feel it helps me lose more weight when I have this day to just be...
  • arewethereyet
    arewethereyet Posts: 18,702 Member
    IDK...I have issues with calling it cheating, I guess. I found that 1/2 of my finally losing all of this weight was mental. I coulnd't stand the thought of never eating a slice of pizza----so I ate 3!! :laugh:

    When on caloric restriction I worked my favorites into my daily eating. I made sure pizza was homemade with turkey pepperoni, veggies, homemade sauce and low fat mozzerella. They now have icecream in little $1 serving sizes-perfect to work into my Sunday meal.

    Food is going to be with us forever, we must learn how to live with it, or we will go straight back to being obese.

    I am glad you logged it all. Nothing like the reality slap to stop you the next time!!

    Now no guilt there girl................your back to your NEW self............old self BE GONE!! :drinker:
  • eiffel
    eiffel Posts: 2
    No, don't beat yourself up. All that does is continue the bad cycle. I should know I have plenty of experience with the bad cycle. Tomorrow is a new day and I'm starting in with you!
  • mromnek
    mromnek Posts: 325
    I'm finding that my "cheat day" items are becoming more healthy. I think it keeps me sane knowing I have one day a week I can indulge. It makes me actually push myself harder.

    This is why I praised her for recording her treat. So that as time goes on, the treats do become more healthy, and eventually, a treat is just part of your normal healthy diet. (diet: as in overall food intake --- as opposed to DIE-et: the depriving oneself of food)
  • Junisahn
    Junisahn Posts: 166 Member
    Yeah... I didn't say this before, but I actually felt pretty disgusting, physically, after eating that sundae. Way too full... won't be doing that again any time soon.
  • Junisahn
    Junisahn Posts: 166 Member
    Yeah... I didn't say this before, but I actually felt pretty disgusting, physically, after eating that sundae. Way too full... won't be doing that again any time soon.
  • Emmagarratt2010
    Emmagarratt2010 Posts: 12
    I find if i dont allow myself any treats i end up having a mass binge session in the evening or at the weekend and pile back on lbs ive lost from the previous few days so i tend to allow a few calories a day for a treat after my evening meal - even if its just a jaffa cake or something so once ive eaten well all day and done my exercise i am able to have a lil well done which is still within my calorie intake. Therefore i dont feel guilty x
  • kdiamond
    kdiamond Posts: 3,329 Member
    A cheat meal = life. One cannot be overly consumed by the calories and, what they are eating. You need to let loose once in a while...that being said, just because you let loose one meal doesn't mean it should continue towards a downward spiral. Don't feel guilty, have fun, and move on to the next day!
  • jmmsunshine
    jmmsunshine Posts: 11 Member
    I don't call it cheating - I call it choices. And kudo's for recording it. I was shocked to see what "unrestricted eating" looked like for me. I found that after each time, I made different choices the next time - and overall they were healthier. I keep trying to remember, this is not a "diet" this is all about choices I'm going to make for the rest of my life to have a healthier me.
  • questionablemethods
    questionablemethods Posts: 2,174 Member
    After a week of so-so eating (desperately trying to stay under my calories, feeling RAVENOUS and usually going over a tiny bit and feeling angry with myself) yesterday I just found myself feeling so cranky and so defeated. So, I decided for dinner I would say "eff it!" and I went out to pizza with my boyfriend. I ended up not even eating my whole pizza (they were Neapolitan personal-sized pizzas). Then, we wanted dessert, so we got cupcakes. I decided NOT to buy ice cream at the grocery store because then the leftovers would just be in the freezer the next day.

    This morning I feel SO much better. I just needed to let myself have an unrestricted meal. It wasn't even that crazy but mentally I feel revived and able to re-focus my efforts.

    Good job logging it and way to recognize what you needed and not let it spiral downward into just giving up all of your good habits.
  • Elokyn
    Elokyn Posts: 448 Member
    I'm going to post something that my sister said on here to me when I asked about cheat days, because I think it sums it up perfectly.
    I don't really like the terms cheating, or "being naughty", or anything that puts a negative connotation on eating. To me these things signify "diet", and I'm not on a diet, I'm on a new way of life - If you look at it from a lifestyle change point of view, those things just don't make much sense. Eating better should be a lifelong thing, and become routine, and hopefully (eventually) won't be a daily struggle. So if you're eating healthy overall, and you want a cheeseburger (or anything else) one day, than eat a cheeseburger - just work it off afterwards or adjust your day otherwise 4 out of 5 meals being healthy in a day is ok.

    I would also say eventually you won't want that stuff anymore - I already don't like coke anymore, and I didn't stop drinking it for any reason - just because I liked tea better. I also ordered a pizza today, and it was the first time ever I wished I didn't eat a pizza - it was just unsatisfying and slightly disturbing.

    People who live healthy lifestyles "naturally" probably don't sit around saying "Oh, I can only eat cake on Friday"....they just incorporate healthy decisions overall to make less healthy food ok every once in awhile. You really have to think about whats going to happen when you reach your goal - what you're doing today, should be something you're able to continue at that point, and forever, or else you'll be lost and won't know what to do. Are you doing to do cheat days for the rest of your life?

    Annnddd I don't believe in rewarding yourself with food (partly for the reasons above)....a cheat day says "If i'm good all week, I can splurge Friday" and turns your motivation to the cheat day rather than being motivated because you're doing a very good thing for yourself. Intrinsic motivators seem to work out the best usually =)

    However, I suppose if you're having a hard time starting off and its impossible for you to resist cravings, a cheat day might be a better alternative because without one you wouldn't have a real rule and might splurge everyday.
This discussion has been closed.

Categories