I'm Done With Cheat Meals

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This past week has been one of the hardest yet most rewarding stretches of my "fitness" life. I ate cleaner than I ever have, as well as hit the gym every single day. Today was supposed to be my "cheat meal" day. The day I go out into my local burger joint and get drunk on beef, cheese, and ice cream. Well..I had one burger and a fry and I felt like I was gonna throw up. In fact I have no desire to touch another one anytime soon.. Now don't get me wrong, I aint turning vegan, I freaking love eating animals. But not when its dripping with fat and every time you bite into a fry it feels like the BP oil spill is happening on your tongue.. No, I have made the decision to give up "cheat meals" and go for a more fruitful reward to look forwards too. Being on a cutting diet currently I keep my carbs fairly low, so perhaps once a week I'll hit up my local Subway and order a foot long italian bmt or something.. Lesson I learned today; re-feed>cheat meal. What are your thoughts on this?

Replies

  • ellaloveslove
    ellaloveslove Posts: 166 Member
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    I'm cutting out all my cheat days for the rest of this month (I know only 2 weeks...but that's 4 cheat days!). Next month I'm going to try and cut my cheat days in half. So I'm in it with you! Good luck!
  • katythemommy
    katythemommy Posts: 437 Member
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    I have been clean eating for 6 weeks now and have no desire what-so-ever to eat junk like that. It's amazing how truly changing your lifestyle has such a huge impact on what kind of foods you enjoy and crave.
  • jamiesillimandunn
    jamiesillimandunn Posts: 270 Member
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    I agree !!! And funny @ I love eating ANIMALS Lol....I have a hard time with eating cleaner :( I have five children here this weekend and I'm making one meal for them and one for me ugh
  • RobynLB83
    RobynLB83 Posts: 626 Member
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    I'm stoked on your motivation. I've never scheduled "cheat meals," but that's mainly because I have an all or nothing mentality. Whatever works for you is great. Your desire to make another positive change for yourself is awesome (whether or not anyone agrees or disagrees with it).
  • larlo74
    larlo74 Posts: 45 Member
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    I've had the same issues lately. Too much grease and suddenly I've needing a copy of War and Peace in the bathroom.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    Do what works for you. Just don't become preachy about your clean diet. I am not giving up my beer, whiskey, wine, ice cream, hamburgers, milk shakes, pizza, chicken wings or tacos anytime soon. Granted I eat all of that in the context of a healthy diet but that's what works for me. So again, that's cool, just don't become "that guy."
  • soxx226
    soxx226 Posts: 89 Member
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    Never will I give up my mexican or chinese cheat meals! I can't really remember the last time I had french fries though, if I go to a fast food place I just usually get a burger or 2
  • Jonesie86
    Jonesie86 Posts: 446 Member
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    I can't holy roll on this too much because today is day one back at working out and eating right, BUT when I was at my best (working out 6 days a week and eating right) it had the same effect. I would try to eat something unhealthy when I went somewhere as a cheat and go sick every time I did. So yeah, cleaning out your body and then shoveling junk in for one day...I don't recommend it!!
  • GODfidence
    GODfidence Posts: 249 Member
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    What's the difference between a cheat meal and a refeed?
  • nicole_andan
    nicole_andan Posts: 127
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    I have cheat meals that are higher in calories and normally have a naughty dessert but they are almost always home made or in a nice restaurant. So they are "cheat" but they are not fast food / high fat count / unsatisfying 30 minutes later. It just makes more sense to me as a cheat meal.
  • UpEarly
    UpEarly Posts: 2,555 Member
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    Personally, I don't think a burger is any worse of an indulgence that a foot long BMT.

    I had a 1/3 lb. burger tonight. I made it with Laura's Lean 92/8 beef, topped it with some nice, sharp Irish cheese and baby bella mushrooms sauteed in garlic and red wine. I served it up on a crusty, artisanal roll. It was fabulous, filling and came in at 550 calories.

    A foot-long BMT (no mayo/no cheese) has more fat, less protein and 820 calories.

    I think the burger wins. :-)

    I'll also add - I don't believe in cheat days or cheat meals, either. I eat what I like every single day, as long as it fits in my (fairly generous) macros.
  • JeremiahStone
    JeremiahStone Posts: 682 Member
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    Do what works for you. Just don't become preachy about your clean diet. I am not giving up my beer, whiskey, wine, ice cream, hamburgers, milk shakes, pizza, chicken wings or tacos anytime soon. Granted I eat all of that in the context of a healthy diet but that's what works for me. So again, that's cool, just don't become "that guy."

    haha totally hear you on that bro! i guess this was more of a 'personal opinion' post, but def agree!!
  • JeremiahStone
    JeremiahStone Posts: 682 Member
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    What's the difference between a cheat meal and a refeed?

    I think a cheat meal is where you just go over your calories eating "junk" while a re-feed is where you go over macros eating somewhat "clean" food. I may be wrong though
  • tootchute
    tootchute Posts: 392 Member
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    What kind of burger joint are you going too? I mean all of them are bad, but to feel like your going to puke then this place must be really bad.
  • JeremiahStone
    JeremiahStone Posts: 682 Member
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    What kind of burger joint are you going too? I mean all of them are bad, but to feel like your going to puke then this place must be really bad.

    Whataburger, its usually reaally good..or at least before when i was "fatter"
  • glennstoudt
    glennstoudt Posts: 403 Member
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    Have always wondered who and what is being cheated.
    If it's a bonus goal reward trophy then why not call it that. "Cheat" seems not the right approach to me.
    I just had a full calorie as opposed to light beer. Is that a cheat beer?
    In the end I suppose it's just semantics. We can't cheat anyone but ourselves in this endeavor.
  • nikilis
    nikilis Posts: 2,305 Member
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    see, told ya. dont want it anymore huh. yep, wasn't as good as you remember right? yah once you eat good for a while some things are kind of disgusting.

    I remember I hadn't had a sweet cookie (i mean a totally sweet chocolate and toffe with biscuit base cookie) and I had two of them, it was so sweet and coated my mouth in *kitten* and the sugar made me feel sick.

    I also don't eat a lot of potato chips anymore. I used to love them, and i still have a few from time to time, my fav flavour is salt and vinegar, but they're just too salty now.

    in terms of burgers or pizza or fish and chips I make it al at home in the healthiest way possible. I even make single servings of cake with 30g of protein, which means you eat the cake and you are full. crazy right.



    I thought you might eat it and be like.... eew thats gross.
  • JeremiahStone
    JeremiahStone Posts: 682 Member
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    see, told ya. dont want it anymore huh. yep, wasn't as good as you remember right? yah once you eat good for a while some things are kind of disgusting.

    I remember I hadn't had a sweet cookie (i mean a totally sweet chocolate and toffe with biscuit base cookie) and I had two of them, it was so sweet and coated my mouth in *kitten* and the sugar made me feel sick.

    I also don't eat a lot of potato chips anymore. I used to love them, and i still have a few from time to time, my fav flavour is salt and vinegar, but they're just too salty now.

    in terms of burgers or pizza or fish and chips I make it al at home in the healthiest way possible. I even make single servings of cake with 30g of protein, which means you eat the cake and you are full. crazy right.



    I thought you might eat it and be like.... eew thats gross.

    get me some of that cake brah!!
  • PosterGuy1
    PosterGuy1 Posts: 163 Member
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    I'm stoked on your motivation. I've never scheduled "cheat meals," but that's mainly because I have an all or nothing mentality. Whatever works for you is great. Your desire to make another positive change for yourself is awesome (whether or not anyone agrees or disagrees with it).

    I began this journey on 1/1 and I weighed 420.2 pounds. I completely agree with you.
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
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    see, told ya. dont want it anymore huh. yep, wasn't as good as you remember right? yah once you eat good for a while some things are kind of disgusting.

    I remember I hadn't had a sweet cookie (i mean a totally sweet chocolate and toffe with biscuit base cookie) and I had two of them, it was so sweet and coated my mouth in *kitten* and the sugar made me feel sick.

    I also don't eat a lot of potato chips anymore. I used to love them, and i still have a few from time to time, my fav flavour is salt and vinegar, but they're just too salty now.

    in terms of burgers or pizza or fish and chips I make it al at home in the healthiest way possible. I even make single servings of cake with 30g of protein, which means you eat the cake and you are full. crazy right.



    I thought you might eat it and be like.... eew thats gross.

    Nik, have you tried salt and vinegar rice cakes?!!! OMG I love them and they aren't too fatty or salty like chips. You must get some.