Cheat Meal Advice...

OkRebeccaJay · March 2013

I know there are a few different stances on cheat meals and their validity on a weight loss journey. I have decided that personally for me, I like cheat meals. They keep me motivated, stop me caving in and bingeing due to having to be good ALL the time, and I feel that it keeps my body guessing and may help avoid plateau.

Whether you love them, hate them or aren't bothered either way, I need some advice on cheat meals.

Should you stick within your calorie limit for the day and the 'cheat' element comes from the source of the calories being not as healthy foods?

Or does it not matter if you go over your calorie limits for that one day if having your cheat meal pushes it over?

Im off to TGIs tomorrow with a friend, and Im not sure if I should go for the grilled chicken (healthy-ish choice from largely unhealthy restaurant which I could probably still fit within my calorie goal for the day) Or do I throw caution to the wind and have that oh-so-delicious-but-also-calorific rack of ribs?? (which would almost definitely push me over my daily calorie goal, unless I eat nothing until i go...which is not a clever plan!)

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Lesa_Sass · March 2013

Well its according to what you are looking for. Do you want to be skinny or healthy?

If you want to be healthy, grilled chicken. If not, eat the nasty ribs.

If you learn how to make the right choices in all circumstances then you will ensure a happy healthy life.

A spike meal ( I do not believe in the word cheat) means you are spiking your calories, not staying with in a small goal. This helps your body not get used to the same amount of low calories.

ottermotorcycle · March 2013

Personally, if I were staying within my calorie limits I wouldn't really consider it cheating, just a little treat. A morale booster.
If I'm going to cheat it'll be on liquor and pizza! :drinker:

usmcmp · March 2013

Well its according to what you are looking for. Do you want to be skinny or healthy?

If you want to be healthy, grilled chicken. If not, eat the nasty ribs.

If you learn how to make the right choices in all circumstances then you will ensure a happy healthy life.

You can eat ribs and still be healthy and happy. One meal isn't going to suddenly cause you to be fat, just like eating healthy one day a week wouldn't cause someone obese to suddenly be healthy.

Personally I allow myself more calories on a treat day. I try to stay under my TDEE and I usually pick a day where I am going to be working out extra hard. Find what works for you.

TheDarlingOne · March 2013

ambicion6's view makes sense.

idea is - lifetime change - not temp. fix. So, we know basically it takes 3500cals to make a pound. if you can average out on other days - to counter act the tgif splurge - then there ya go! All about maintenence

and as Lesa_Sass mentioned - kinda risky territory to call it a 'cheat' day for some - may imply let's fall off the rocker and go buck wild and eat a few tubs of honey boo boo cheese balls and sketti - or something you know haha.

I chose the term 'casual day'. as in - i record my calories (that's always a big big deal!) - but by the end of the day if i'm over by x amount - i think towards the rest of the week how to juggle things so that i still average a 1lb loss at least for the week.

I think the term "cheat" is up for however you interpret it. you could 'cheat' by not eating a 'clean' meal during your day....or you could 'cheat' by eating whatever you wanted that day...
...but it's all about the long term. so if you go off the radar a bit - just think ahead to how you can juggle things for the rest of the week.

mvb72292 · March 2013

As long as you are on average eating the correct amount of carbs/protein/fats, one cheat meal a week shouldn't really make a difference.

links_slayer · March 2013

Do you want to be skinny or healthy?

Both are relatively ambiguous terms and are not necessarily mutually exclusive.

cnlargent · March 2013

Don't view it as a cheat meal. Eat what you wish, and adjust throughout the week if it causes you to go over your calories for the day. One rack of ribs will not erase the rest of your hard work. Yes, this is a lifetime change, but you still have to make it work in YOUR life, and if ribs fit in there once in a while, great

skiersteve12345 · March 2013

Depends how often the person has them, I normaly have 1 cheat meal a month but when I have it I don't count a darn thing and eat what and as much of it as I want

OkRebeccaJay · March 2013

Thanks everyone! Lots of interesting and sensible replies - I like the term Spike meal (I never really liked 'cheat' meal myself but didnt know an alternative!)

If the purpose is to spike the calories, then that in itself answers my question!

It also makes sense to average out over the week rather than just focus on each individual 24 hour period.

usmcmp - "You can eat ribs and still be healthy and happy" exactly what I wanted to hear! haha
If I up my calories to my TDEE rather than TDEE -20% then I can fit the ribs into my spike meal without going over daily calories anyway.

Eeh, you guys are great. Cheers for the advice! and yeah, its a once-in-a-blue moon thing. Im not going to ruin EVERYTHING with one meal. Sometimes i think this calorie counting makes me a little TOO controlling. The world will not end and I will not regain everything over one rack of ribs.

feel much better now!

MsLilly200 · March 2013

On cheat days, as long as I don't go above maintenance I can eat whatever I want. Cause y'know, I don't want to GAIN weight, it dosen't really matter all that much if weight loss is slowed down, but I definitly don't want to start going backwards not even for one day.
And this way I can have more cheat days.

Cheat Meal Advice...

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