Cheat day!

I'm struggling with this eating healthy thing every day. I , like a lot of people, love the greasy food like pizza and chips and all the things that have made me the way I look today.Do you all give yourself a cheat day? And if so do you feel bad about doing it after its over. Do you feel like all progress is lost? I cooked a pizza for my fiance and taking it out of the oven, my mouth started watering. I want a piece so bad but I have been on a roll so far and don't wanna get off track. I need help!

PLEASE

Replies

  • kaustin515
    kaustin515 Posts: 18 Member
    I don't really give myself a cheat day, I've had a cheat LIFE, but depriving yourself can make you give up on your goals so I allow myself to have some things some times. If we're having pizza, I try to have just one piece and a really big salad or some veggies or fruit with it to keep from eating three pieces. Moderation and planning help for those times. And if you have a cheat day or mess up, forgive yourself and get back on track.
  • socajam
    socajam Posts: 2,530 Member
    My cheat day is eating ice cream once a week 1/4 cup pineapple coconut and 1/4 cup cherry vanilla (Haagen Daz), which I have found so far to be very satisfying . Usually it is either Saturday or Sunday evening.
  • Iallow myself one treat on a friday night but is still something quite small like a funsize chocolate bar. I'm tempted to eat rubbish everyday but then i think about how much happier i would be if i lost my excess weight.
  • lmd6410
    lmd6410 Posts: 1 Member
    I have cheat days once in a while! Usually only one meal though but I work out harder the next day! Its hard to eat healthy everyday but once you start doing it gets 10x easier!
  • babyluu80
    babyluu80 Posts: 58 Member
    I try not to deprive myself of anything because it will make it harder to stay with it. It's a lifestyle change for me and not a diet so I have to learn how to manage my cravings. If I'm craving something really bad then I have it but I make sure that I workout extra or just have a small piece of it. I don't beat myself up when I have bad days, I just tell myself that one bad day isn't going to destroy everything that I worked hard for and as long as my bad days aren't too often then it's okay.

    You're entitled to have a cheat day once in a while but just make sure that you try to get some extra movement in on those days and make sure the cheat day doesn't turn into cheat days. =)
  • RooBug88
    RooBug88 Posts: 55 Member
    I don't really give myself a cheat day, I've had a cheat LIFE, but depriving yourself can make you give up on your goals so I allow myself to have some things some times. If we're having pizza, I try to have just one piece and a really big salad or some veggies or fruit with it to keep from eating three pieces. Moderation and planning help for those times. And if you have a cheat day or mess up, forgive yourself and get back on track.

    Agreed! And if you do binge and eat half a pizza or something, just remember that a momentary lapse of judgement is not a reason to give up on the whole day---jump right back on that train, sister! Live in the moment and if you mess up, it just means you're HUMAN!
  • NYCNika
    NYCNika Posts: 611 Member
    I sort of have a cheat day once in a while (when going out with other people).

    I'm having one today!

    BUT... cheat day does not mean I get to stuff myself with donuts and fries with cheese, bacon and ranch sauce.

    It means - I have a yogurt for breakfast, light salad for lunch, and than for dinner... *drum roll* I will have an enchilada dish from my favorite Mexican place with 2 frozen Margaritas.
  • jzebracki
    jzebracki Posts: 112 Member
    No cheat days! You can have a cheat meal - not the whole day! If you go crazy for a whole day, it will be harder to get back on track and it will slow down your progress! Once you work hard and you see the weight coming off, you will want to "cheat" less. (But, once again, if you stay within your calories/macros you can eat anything you want!) Good luck!
  • violinkeri
    violinkeri Posts: 212
    I dont need to cheat! i eat what I like and stay under my goals. If i know im going out somewhere fatty, i throw in some exercise to make up the calories. depriving myself just makes me binge at the slightest provocation (aka during PMS)
  • jk1231
    jk1231 Posts: 23 Member
    I don't let myself have a cheat day BUT I do allow myself one small cheat PER day. I usually will have a fun size peppermint patty or small amount of dark choco m&ms. Just something to satisfy that craving. Also, I have found shortcuts to cheating :) For my pizza cravings I use the Flat Out flat breads to make pizzas. I use a lot of veggies like mushrooms and artichoke hearts. I use thinly sliced deli ham and low fat (small amount) of cheese. It still tastes like a pizza without all the cals and ONE flat bread is like 120 cals so the whole thing (I eat one by myself) is less than 400 cals.
  • I don't have a cheat dy but if there is something I want I eat it but keeping it within my count for the day. And usually it is only 1 meal or 1 snack item depending on what it is I am wanting. Don't beat yourself up if you slip just start over the very next meal or day.
  • I have made Thursdays my "cheat" days. Doesn't mean that I go all out and consume 5,000 calories on an extra large meat lovers pizza and 4 slices of cheesecake or anything like that. For example, I may go to McDonald's and have an egg mcmuffin breakfast combo instead of my usual breakfast smoothie I make at home or for lunch at subway I may get the 6in meatball sub or pizza sub with lots of southwest/chipotle sauce (still loaded with veggies of course) instead of my usual veggie or grilled chicken 6inch.

    I still do my workout for the day-I may push a little harder or workout a little longer but it's so worth it after treating myself to that "cheat" Crunchie chocolate bar.
    :wink:

    To be honest some Thursdays I don't cheat at all. I may have gone over my count the day before or just not feel like I need to cheat. It's all up to you. If you feel like you've earned a little indulgence then why not.
  • swillybay
    swillybay Posts: 61 Member
    I never have a day where I don't log in my calories (or almost never - one time I was exhausted and it was after midnight), but I will sort of "splurge" sometimes. Just the fact that I have to log my food keeps me from going bonkers, yet I do enjoy having a sort of binge once in a while and then getting back on track the next day. Usually just the fact that I have gone over by a good number of calories is enough to "sober me up" and get back on track. Remember - if you eat something that's not perfectly healthy, you have NOT committed a crime.
  • microscrubbers
    microscrubbers Posts: 22 Member
    Don't look at it as a whole DAY! If you eat pizza for lunch, well check your calories and make sure you balance it out with a smaller supper, or get some exercise to reduce the deficit!
  • aaronlawrenc
    aaronlawrenc Posts: 666 Member
    i cheat on Sundays. works for me but everyone is different.....sometimes Sunday turns into Monday and Tuesday too tho so be careful.
  • lewcompton
    lewcompton Posts: 881 Member
    I try to work in an occasional thing that is considered bad... A slice of pizza from Costco can be worked in an by buying a slice I can't eat the whole thing!
  • kellijauch
    kellijauch Posts: 379 Member
    NO CHEAT DAYS!!! Why ruin all the good work you've been doing. You should not have cheat days.

    That does not mean you can't eat those foods though. A lot of people assume they have to stop eating unhealthy foods completely. This is not true. You don't have to cut them out, just cut way down. You can have a slice of pizza, just make sure its only 1 and it fits into your calorie allotment for the day. I had m&ms the other day and stayed within my calorie goal. I had cheese fries and drinks with my friends a different day, still within my calorie goal. You can eat whatever you want, as long as you track it and keep your portion sizes in control.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    i party my *kitten* off all weekend, and just work out double during the week,
    IT WORKS!
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
    I'm struggling with this eating healthy thing every day. I , like a lot of people, love the greasy food like pizza and chips and all the things that have made me the way I look today.Do you all give yourself a cheat day? And if so do you feel bad about doing it after its over. Do you feel like all progress is lost? I cooked a pizza for my fiance and taking it out of the oven, my mouth started watering. I want a piece so bad but I have been on a roll so far and don't wanna get off track. I need help!

    PLEASE

    Sundays are my day to eat whatever I want. Pizza..yes! Fries..yes! Ice cream..oh yes! It would be a sad sad life if I was only allowed to eat 'diet' food for the rest of my days. All things in moderation!! I still log everything on Sunday and I keep to maintenance calories on that day.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    On average, I eat about 80-90% nutrient dense, "healthy" foods...lots of veg and fruit...lean proteins and healthy fats...and about 10-20% junk consisting of my favorite gummy bears, occasional pizza, soda, beer, whatever. I don't consider it cheating...I call it moderation.
  • tabik30
    tabik30 Posts: 443
    YES!!! I am a big believer in a cheat day or some just do a cheat meal. If I dont I just totally fall of the wagon! It is nice because anything that you are craving, you know if you just wait that you can have it that day. As long as you are right back to eating healthy the next day it's all good! Also sometimes it's necessary to get things... ahhheemm.... moving
  • BrendaLee
    BrendaLee Posts: 4,463 Member
    I'm a big believer in a once-a-week maintenance-calorie (give or take) day. As for pizza, what is life without it? A piece of a pizza and a salad is a great dinner any night of the week.
  • aaronlawrenc
    aaronlawrenc Posts: 666 Member
    I'm a big believer in a once-a-week maintenance-calorie (give or take) day. As for pizza, what is life without it? A piece of a pizza and a salad is a great dinner any night of the week.

    if by a piece of pizza you mean 4 and by salad you mean ice cream, i agree
  • aaronlawrenc
    aaronlawrenc Posts: 666 Member
    i party my *kitten* off all weekend, and just work out double during the week,
    IT WORKS!

    thats always a good idea
  • juliperry
    juliperry Posts: 10 Member
    I do have to say frozen lunches/dinners are enough for me and I'm not starving? Go figure.. and easy to count the calories! Dinner is another story....
    Wish me luck as the weekend comes and I dont work.. Easter dinner bring it on I can control