Feeling guilty about my "guilt free eating day"

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  • MsHaether
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    Can't a guilt-free day technically end up defeating the purpose of the entire week? Like if you have 4,000 calories, and that's 2000 or so above your maintenance, wouldn't that mess up 4 days of the -500 calories/day weight loss plan someone might have to lose a pound a week?

    That's how I feel! I work hard all week long, I'm not about to have that all be for a 'cheat' day and undo the progress or worse! I try to give myself something indulgent from time to time as long as it fits in my calorie limit, say like a fun size candy bar because I love candy!! But I don't think cheat days are healthy. I think you have to make life style changes and commit to the new lifestyle to have any lasting success. Just my opinion though..
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    For all those that say it is bad, have you ever tried it? I have 14 months worth of data that show it works for me. If you have data that show it doesn't work for you, I'd be happy to listen.

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  • crlyxx
    crlyxx Posts: 186 Member
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    For all those that say it is bad, have you ever tried it? I have 14 months worth of data that show it works for me. If you have data that show it doesn't work for you, I'd be happen to listen.

    I wouldn't say it's "bad" really, but it would take away a decent amount of your hard work from earlier in the week. Since I have 6 pounds to lose in 5 weeks, it's definitely not for me.
  • Yeller_Sensation
    Yeller_Sensation Posts: 373 Member
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    You should look at my food diary for today then. It's all planned ahead of time.

    While I don't eat this way and this much every Sunday, I comfortably do not give a flying rat's *kitten* how my macros look.

    I also want to point out two things:

    1) I did not start this manner of eating until after 14 months of working my friggin' butt off in the gym and the kitchen. For 14 months I counted and weighed every single damn thing 7 days a week. I never missed a single workout. AT ALL. No excuses.

    2) To each their own. This is purely my lifestyle and my choice. It certainly has not set me back at all on my push to 18% body fat in the last 3 months. And I am pretty confident I will have no problem reaching 16% body fat. I am just not in a great hurry to get there.
  • togmo
    togmo Posts: 257
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    Yeah, I don't know about the idea of an entirely guilt free day, eating all those donuts, chocolate chip cookies and fruit loops can't be a healthy thing no matter how good you are for the rest of the week but whatever works for you, if you can do that and still achieve the goals you want to achieve then so be it.

    I love a refeed day once every second week (I am having one today actually) but I only try and eat roughly my maintenance TDEE which since I am on my TDEE - 20-25% means 20-25% more food. I try and eat these additional calories in complex carbohydrates also (rice, bread, beans stuff like that) which still gives me the feeling of eating way more food.

    Technically though crlyxx you are right. Say someones TDEE is 1250kcal (8750kcal per week) and they are on 1000kcal a day to lose weight, if they then ate 3000kcal on one day and ate 1000kcal on the other six their average caloric intake would be 9000kcal for the week which is actually on average higher than their weekly required caloric intake to maintain their current weight of 8750kcal so they would actually gain weight that week. Ofcourse most people underestimate their activity levels and thus set themselves lower TDEEs than they actually have so this person would probably still be under by a couple hundred calories and would technically still lose weight...
  • ShellGetsFit
    ShellGetsFit Posts: 604 Member
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    Don't feel guilty! It was a special day and I hope you enjoyed it at the time. Just remember for next time you're able to go out for a special meal how you felt this time. It will more than likely help you make a different choice next time. Don't beat yourself up over it, it's only one day and like you said, today is a new day. :smile:
  • kms1320
    kms1320 Posts: 599 Member
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    Do not feel guilty. Feel empowered. Feel happy. It will not set you back in the long run. But it is only effective if that one day of indulgence results in a worry free week of compliance. If it makes you feel so guilty you get the "screw it's" the rest of the week, it may be detrimentl rather than effective.

    *snip*

    So, go forth and cheat but only if it works for you. It is not for everyone. But if it doesn't nuke you mentally, rest assured it will not hurt your progress.

    How in the world can you say eating more calories than normal doesn't set you back in the long run? If you ate 1000 over for a meal, that's 1000 more you have to make up the other 6 days to get to the same point you would if you didn't have the cheat meal. That IS setting you back in the long run. Simple math is simple.

    A whole day? No.. a meal? ok, I can behind that, if you have trouble staying on track.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    You wanna argue with this data?

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  • baileybiddles
    baileybiddles Posts: 457 Member
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    Guilt is a useless emotion. Get rid of it. Ignore it. Forget it. It won't help you in your journey. I know it's not what you're looking to hear, but it's true.
  • LyninVT
    LyninVT Posts: 11 Member
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    I did exactly the same thing, and felt guilty while eating it. I figured out that I'm not one of those people that can have a cheat day. Lesson learned early on in my road to a healthy life. So I guess it's worth it, right?
  • JessicaN1979
    JessicaN1979 Posts: 142 Member
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    I read a lot of having 1 day a week where you dont worry about everything you eat ..

    Last night was date night with my husband .. while I did not eat the whole restaurant .. I am way over on my calories for the day! like 1000 calories over .. at least .. I sort of guessed on a few things from the restaurant...

    I have been on track all week ... and today is a new day .. but I cant help but feel guilty for last night :(

    I always feel guilty when I have these days and I do as you did ate healthy except for one meal of the day and can totally blow it in a meal. I just try to get to the gym or do a workout that day or maybe add an extra 60 or 90 minutes of cardio that week. 1000 calories is minor when you look at the whole picture. Don't stress over it, we are not perfect :) I do not do a "cheat day" per se, but I also eat things I enjoy. Today I had a McDonald's McChicken (I know horrible for me), but only 390 calories which was within my cals and macros. If I cut out everything I enjoy then I will never stick to this way of life. I do however only eat out about once every two weeks.
  • togmo
    togmo Posts: 257
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    You wanna argue with this data?

    weightloss20130414.png

    I don't think anyone will argue with the data. It is working for you and you are happy so keep doing what you are doing.

    One could argue that without that guilt free day you would be better off (and technically they would be right, in that on those days you are pausing your weight loss for the day or at worst actually reversing it) but you could argue that without that day you may have given up (in which case that trend would be reversed and you would obviously be much worst off) or may be eating more on average every day which means that they would be wrong in that particular case. If you are able to have a guilt free day (or even two) and still lose weight (or not gain weight at least) and you are in no rush to lose weight then who cares really,

    As I have said, keep doing what you are doing, it is working for you!
  • Pinkylee77
    Pinkylee77 Posts: 432 Member
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    How ever you eat that get the results you want is good as long it becomes a way of life and not a temporary "diet". You can not forever skip a wonderful meal with friends and family. You will still have holidays. I do not have a planed day where I can eat what I want I will plan for a special meal or a day when work is having a potluck and my diet will not be so tight. I don't get worried I just exercise more or eat less some other meal. Life is too short to have guilt only learning experiences.
  • kms1320
    kms1320 Posts: 599 Member
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    You wanna argue with this data?

    weightloss20130414.png
    A sample size of 1 is not scientific data.
  • kms1320
    kms1320 Posts: 599 Member
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    You wanna argue with this data?

    weightloss20130414.png

    I don't think anyone will argue with the data. It is working for you and you are happy so keep doing what you are doing.

    One could argue that without that guilt free day you would be better off (and technically they would be right, in that on those days you are pausing your weight loss for the day or at worst actually reversing it) but you could argue that without that day you may have given up (in which case that trend would be reversed and you would obviously be much worst off) or may be eating more on average every day which means that they would be wrong in that particular case. If you are able to have a guilt free day (or even two) and still lose weight (or not gain weight at least) and you are in no rush to lose weight then who cares really,

    As I have said, keep doing what you are doing, it is working for you!

    Exactly, without cheat days you'd have done better. The fact that the cheat day may or may not have warded off a binge is intangible and irrelevant data, thus does not apply.
  • Dulcemami4ever
    Dulcemami4ever Posts: 344 Member
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    I don't have a cheat day, but a cheat meal. I think it's a bit harder to recover from eating whatever you want all day, then eating one meal you really wanted. Doesn't effect my weightloss and seems to help me lose.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    Exactly, without cheat days you'd have done better. The fact that the cheat day may or may not have warded off a binge is intangible and irrelevant data, thus does not apply.

    I'll take 2.5 lbs / week average weight loss. You do what works for you and I'll do what works for me. I have 56 cheat days under my belt and 62 lbs less body fat to show for it. And for you to tell me I could do better is arrogant.
  • hooee71
    hooee71 Posts: 8 Member
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    I kind of look at this challenge (losing the weight) like quitting smoking was for me 8 years ago. I knew that if I cheated once, it would become twice. Then I'd slide back to smoking only in the evenings after work. Then only 1/4 pack a day. Then only 1/2 pack a day. For me, the challenge with smoking and eating were the same: it was mostly mental. My wife says I should give myself a break now and then, but I refuse. I know I would have failed and still been smoking today if I took that approach, but that's because I have an addictive personality anyway... I have a propensity to become addicted to stuff. :) I'm so serious about it now that I carried my food scale to my mother-in-law's for Easter dinner. Birthday parties have more cake for everybody else now. I know if I don't take this extreme approach, I could be headed down a path of poundage all over again.

    Having said that, I agree with another poster... If you can make that a meal and not an entire cheating day, maybe that works for you. If you have the willpower to call it a day after a meal that is otherwise off the menu once and a while (and maybe not once a week, but once a month), then maybe it will work.
  • KellyRUNS2Bthinner
    KellyRUNS2Bthinner Posts: 13 Member
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    I read a lot of having 1 day a week where you dont worry about everything you eat ..

    Last night was date night with my husband .. while I did not eat the whole restaurant .. I am way over on my calories for the day! like 1000 calories over .. at least .. I sort of guessed on a few things from the restaurant...

    I have been on track all week ... and today is a new day .. but I cant help but feel guilty for last night :(
    Let it go.... I take Saturdays as a cheat day and the best thing you did is count your calories. Trust me you would have eaten more if you didnt track it. I weight lift ajd run exc. The cheat day reves up your metabolism and it keeps you from falling off the wagon. One day of joy is important if you get frustrated eating healthy all the time you are gonna quit because everything will seem to stressful. Enjoy your one day. I cheat on Saturday and to rid myself of my guilt I do an extra hour at the gym on Sunday. Look at it as a reward for your clean week. Just try to stay between 200-1000 over calories. If you go too far out over its self defeating.
  • tomcornhole
    tomcornhole Posts: 1,084 Member
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    A sample size of 1 is not scientific data.

    In your opinion. Should we all switch to your way?