What's your favorite "Cheat" Meal?

fitgirl4life
fitgirl4life Posts: 111 Member
edited September 21 in Food and Nutrition
I try to be very disciplined during the week and stick to my calorie limit. I like to see the green number at the bottom when I complete my food diary (even if, like on Wednesday, it only said "1"!). But on Saturdays, I allow myself a "Cheat Meal". This is the one meal each week I don't weigh/measure/obsess about. I just let myself enjoy it! It reminds me that I can still eat whatever I like, and I'm not depriving myself of anything (ok within reason...I won't eat an entire chocolate cake for my Cheat Meal!).

Cheat meals are also a good way to keep your metabolism burning. It confuses your body, after 5-6 days of calorie deficit, thus avoiding the dreaded plateau. Also on Saturday I have my biggest cardio session of the week, so I don't feel guilty at all having my Cheat Meal then.

I give my Cheat Meal a lot of thought. After all, it's only once a week, so I better make it good! Usually it's a restaurant meal, but as we enjoy cooking, it could also be a delicious home cooked meal out of Jamie Oliver's books (oh the man is passionate about olive oil...and double cream....how is he not the size of a house?).

Tonight, out Cheat Meal is something different again. This past week, I was lamenting to Paul how I miss those nights where we'd open a bottle of wine, put out a few nibbles, and just have a picnic in the lounge. Suddenly, we both looked at each other, and exlaimed, "Cheat Meal!".

So tonight, our Cheat Meal consists of a mediterranean picnic feast: giant green olives, napoli salami, parma ham, thinly sliced chorizo, manchego cheese, crusty bread with olive oil and balsamic vinegar to dip, breadsticks with pesto dip, and a beautiful bottle of Chianti. (Sorry I just had to wipe the dribble off my screen). I can't wait! This might be my favorite Cheat Meal yet, I just love eating nibbly-types of food.

I want to know: what is your favorite "Cheat Meal"? Is it home-cooked, is it a take-away? Is it ethnic (Chinese, Indian?) or is it good old British/American fare? Do you indulge your savoury tastebuds, or sweet ones? Or do you skip the meal altogether and go straight for the alcohol? Inquiring minds want to know!
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Replies

  • luly727
    luly727 Posts: 202 Member
    WOW Your cheat meal sounds wonderful ( dripping drool ) lol.

    I have only had 2 days of "cheat meals" and that was at the Chinese Buffet and I really dont think I did too bad, I still lost weight that week. Chinese food is my downfall :):)
  • balance9
    balance9 Posts: 160
    My favorite cheat meal WAS pizza ...with everything...until I just read yours! I think we have a new cheat meal! I have one cheat meal every week too, IF I've had 6 'perfect' days in a row. We call it a celebration meal! It keeps us going during the week when we have a craving. If I had to never eat something again, it would be tough to stay on plan. But to wait 6 days...I can do that!
  • khk2010
    khk2010 Posts: 451 Member
    I haven't been having a cheat meal. After reading your post I think I should start!
  • AnnaPixie
    AnnaPixie Posts: 7,439 Member
    Cheat meals are great. I'm going to limit my cheats to once a fortnight tho. Once I start drinking wine, I enjoy eating anything Indian or Italian :)

    But wine and food is what got me here in the first place, so I'm trying to be careful :blushing:
  • SaraTN
    SaraTN Posts: 536 Member
    I tend to "indulge" with wine and cheese. My most recent "indulgencel" was semi-healthy and very enjoyable. I made a grilled guyere cheese with granny smith apple, a slice of applewood smoked bacon and some homemade sweet red onion jam on an artisan bread from the local bakery. Served with grilled green beans (perfect alternative to fries... and just as easy to eat with your fingers). I had a few glasses (OK... it was a bottle) of a nice savignon blanc. :bigsmile:
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    I dunno, I eat what I want and simply log it, I don't eat like I used to or crave food like I used to so having a cheat meal to me is a bit foreign. It always throws me off when I hear the word. Sounds sneaky. LOL

    I don't feel a need to be sneaky anymore:wink::laugh: and who we sneaking from exactly anyhow? :wink: :laugh: Only person I was fooling in the past was myself!:blushing: :tongue:

    Maybe I'm the only one that doesn't get this 'cheat' concept?? I don't think of what I'm doing as a 'diet' so where does the cheating part come in? For me changes I"m made over the last few years are ones I'm loving and plan on continuing for a lifetime so 'diet' and 'cheating' aren't words in my vocabulary anymore. :drinker:
  • AlyssaStarr
    AlyssaStarr Posts: 11
    I don't have just "One" favorite cheat meal! LOL...One of my favorites are Mexican food. We go to this restaurant that just has outstanding Mexican food and margaritas. I love the chili rellenos, enchiladas and tacos.

    Another favorite cheat "dessert" is cinnamon rolls, with the cream cheese frosting. Oh my goodness! For me, if I do a cheat meal, I tend to ween off the road of success, so I don't really allow myself to eat them. Not yet at least! I know it's not realistic to be that way for the rest of my life, but just not now. I know myself too well!
  • mkhebebrand
    mkhebebrand Posts: 1
    I think mine would have to be either Chinese take out, or some of my boyfriend's Chicken Alfredo. And I think you have a valid point about having a cheat meal. I'm doing the hCG weight loss diet. And it cuts out everything that I love (breads, Chinese, pasta. etc) for about three to six weeks. And I am beginning to wonder if I don't treat myself for losing a pound or two a day by this diet, that my body will start to just plateau, because it will only do so much before reaching a point to where I just level out and neither lose nor gain weight. Which I think I have. I've held steady at 215 (down from about 223-ish) for about two days now (and you're suppose to lose 1-2 pounds a day) and I would like to keep losing weight, but I think I've hit a plateau with this diet. On a 600 calorie/day diet, do you think after a point that a "cheat meal" would do good at keeping up a metabolism? Would it maybe give my metabolism yet another kick start to continue to help me lose weight? Now not only am I doing the drops but I'm constantly walking each night about 2.5 miles a night. I know that is probably helping me some. But I wonder if cutting out as much as this diet calls for is not only helping but hendering in the weight loss goals I have in mind.
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    On a 600 calorie/day diet, do you think after a point that a "cheat meal" would do good at keeping up a metabolism?
    WHaaaaaaaaaa??? :huh: 600 cals a day is all you EAT???:noway: I'm not sure you need a cheat meal as much as you need to add in another 600+ cals of healthy food depending on your weight, maybe more. Yikes, this is pretty unhealthy and not terribly realistic for life long living. How are you doing workouts with only 600 cals going in your body each day?

    Pretty scary stuff! Not surprised you're on a plateu at all.....your body needs way more nutrients to simple exist let alone move and all the other things we call upon our bodies to do each day.
  • Rynatat
    Rynatat Posts: 807 Member
    If I only ate 600 cals I'd be passed out! If I'm under 1200 I almost pass out! Those fad diets are not good long term (trust me, been there, done it, didn't last!). To do a cleanse once in a while is not a bad idea, though you really do not want to exceed 48hours on such low cals - your body will go into starvation mode and shut down and when you try to eat healthy, it won't know what to do with it and either just hold onto it or just get rid of it, nutrients and all!

    Now, about that cheat meal: since I have Celiac's (gluten allergy), there is a lot I can't eat, but I enjoy the food I can eat, and once in a while our roommate will pick up some filets steaks, cook them on the grill (medium rare:happy: ) and I eat what I want without measuring out my little 3 or 6 oz. I still log what I eat by weighing the whole steak before I eat and then weighing it after I eat my fill & log the balance. Although, I have to admit, last couple times he cooked, I couldn't eat as much as I wanted since I can't hold as much at a time, so I only ate the 3 oz serving and had the rest the next couple days :ohwell: It was like having a treat for the next few days :tongue:
  • themommie
    themommie Posts: 5,033 Member
    Oh a cheat meal sounds really good. I love chinese food. Lately one of my favorite things to eat is terriyaki to go's honey chicken rice bowl YUM , it is alot of food and I only eat 1/2 of it and save the other 1/2 for another meal so it is only 240 calories for the 1/2 I eat, it feels like I have totally cheated but well within my eating plan YUM. I want to find more meals like this, that feel like I am cheating but I am not, heehee
  • raymj61
    raymj61 Posts: 142
    Yeah, at least one meal a week, I eat whatever I want, sometimes 2. I just try not to totally overdo it when I do. Last week it was teriyaki chicken with fried rice at the mall, earlier this week it was a two piece spicy at popeyes, and today it was barbque'd brisket, potato salad and dirty rice. I went to the courts and played pick up basketball today though and probably worked a lot of it off.
  • iDreamNEON
    iDreamNEON Posts: 112
    Veggie Burger And FRIES!!!!!!! LOL I Know To Some People That's Nothing But I Love Fries. In High School I Would Skip Eating Lunch And Just Get A Large Order Of Fries With A Side Of Ranch. It's Sort Of A Fast Food Fix In A Way As Well Without All The Guilt.
  • nettip
    nettip Posts: 113 Member
    hiya

    ok so yesterday was my 10th day and i have always been under my 1500 cal a day goal but about 200-400 cals and lost 5.5lbs in 7 days. so last night i was watching a film with my oh and sister and decided to treat my self stupid now i know but i ate a full 150g bag of mars planets, which when i logged it took me over my goal by 82 cals so mine was a cheat snack!
  • allie7383
    allie7383 Posts: 865 Member
    My friend and I usually go for sushi on Tuesdays, so I make that my Cheat, and I make sure to get a good workout that day, so I don't mind having the spicy mayo next to my crunchy spicy salmon!
  • kerrymh
    kerrymh Posts: 912 Member
    I think I'm kind of with Healthy Changes..I don't cheat. I just eat in moderation and don't eat the foods that I used to binge on because for me they are like drugs. But If I wanted to have a nice meal, well rounded but that wasn't ..super healthy or low fat...ie a salad and grilled chicken what ever..then I have it. I log it and I go on my merry way no guilt no worries and I'm off to the next meal on my journey to be healthy. I had grilled cheese with prosciutto and nice bread the other day it was lovely and if I decided to have it again tonight I'm not at all worried about it making me fat..I've made the changes to know I can do this if I just make this a complete lifestyle change. If I went back and had a "cheat night" ie eat like I used to for one meal a week I'd be completely screwed...my addiction would come back and I'd be craving the junk all the time. And I don't want to live like that no thanks!
  • carol2609
    carol2609 Posts: 6
    Yesterday we went out with the family, stopped at a lovely pub,everyone had the carvery so did I:mad: according to this programme that's 900 cal, I was so shocked didn't eat again in the evening just had a glass of wine to console myself :drinker: today I had lost 3lbs at my weigh in, so thats it I am going to cheat once every week! Maybe a carvery maybe just a meal out!
  • HealthyChanges2010
    HealthyChanges2010 Posts: 5,831 Member
    Yesterday we went out with the family, stopped at a lovely pub,everyone had the carvery so did I:mad: according to this programme that's 900 cal, I was so shocked didn't eat again in the evening just had a glass of wine to console myself :drinker: today I had lost 3lbs at my weigh in, so thats it I am going to cheat once every week! Maybe a carvery maybe just a meal out!

    What exaclty is a 'carvery ' US girl here:wink:
  • nhendri
    nhendri Posts: 236 Member
    I have to agree that I dont have what you would call a "cheat" meal, I am not dieting I am being healthier. I would say one of my most favorite unhealthy meals that I try not eat often would be........ nacho's with a draft beer. Its fun while watching a game with friends and I never eat it alone.
  • Jacole18
    Jacole18 Posts: 716 Member
    Mexican food is always my cheat meal. My cheat meal is usually Sunday nights....I have an order of nachos from Senor Taco....I look forward to them every week. :)
  • chrisdavey
    chrisdavey Posts: 9,834 Member
    The main time I "cheat" (always log everything though) is when I am somewhere with limited food choices. This really does annoy me when you have no control of eating healthy. I ate a dagwood dog for the first time in about 10 years the other day. I am pretty sure I haven't been missing out on anything!

    I suppose my other "cheat" is japanese beef curry. It isn't really unhealthy though except for white rice is higher GI. Comes in at around 600 cals with a fair amount of protein and I usually eat half 2/3 at lunch time and 1/3 later on to spread it out.

    And probably my other one is almonds. Although high in fat and cals per gram they are a healthy fat so I can justify that I think.

    Sometimes, if I have a bad day I have this mindset change of "well, maybe I should just start to bulk up a bit?" :P
  • lkm111
    lkm111 Posts: 629 Member
    My latest was this past Sunday. For breakfast I had a 1/2 order of bisuits and gravy, very crisply fried hash browns and some scrambled eggs to counter the carbs. This was at a local diner that makes everything from scratch. Even the eggs are locally produced (which is good considering the egg recall). With a hot cup of coffee, it was simply devine!
  • Beautifulbridgittlee7
    Beautifulbridgittlee7 Posts: 352 Member
    Mexican or pizza, and some dessert
  • ChronicOptimist
    ChronicOptimist Posts: 558 Member
    I don't know if it's technically considered a "cheat" meal because I do still log everything and arrange my day and my work outs to stay under my calorie goal, but I do enjoy a special meal now and again! And you know - I previously thought the whole idea of giving your metabolism a jump was a myth but after last night, I may be a believer!

    Last night, I went out to a local restaurant and had two glasses of white wine and a big helping of shrimp and grits. I ate about half of it in the restaurant at around 6:15pm and the rest on my friend's back porch at around 11pm. Darn it if when I weighed the next morning there wasn't a pretty significant loss from the day before!

    Again - not a regular occurrence for me, but I am a big believer in making this a lifestyle, not a diet, and my lifestyle sometimes includes shrimp and grits!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I don't have many cheat meals, typically it's just getting dessert at the restaurant but I still get a healthier entree and typically end up at maintenance.

    The times I actually didn't care about calories were Eastern Europe food (and I was so disappointed too), Red Robin, some Mediterranean restaurant, a steakhouse (ribs and chips), Italian (the best of all) and a good old fast food chain with the best cheese fries. And Holidays at home, obviously, but that's about it in 1.5 year.
  • focusedonfitness2015
    focusedonfitness2015 Posts: 240 Member
    Love my cheat meal! It helps to get me through the week. Since it is once per week, I like to make it really good. I usually do pizza or some type of pasta but last night I had Red Robin. It was extravagant! Calories were insane but I didnt care. It was my one cheat meal of the week and I was gonna live it up!
  • B0rnC0nfus3d
    B0rnC0nfus3d Posts: 422 Member
    Indian, Chinese, Mexican, fish & chips (fries), KFC ...... So much more! I just love all types of food.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    i don't cheat. But i guess i could choose the Chinese buffet as a cheat meal. It seems dumb to cheat on your diet. Why not just cook delicious foods and you never feel deprived??? I never have gotten why people want to do all the hard work of counting calories and exercise all week just to have a cheat meal that sets you back a few thousand calories. It always amazes me that these are the same exact people on here whining that they cant lose weight...just saying. I say keep trying new and delicious recipes. THen the whole family can eat good but healthy for :drinker: all the meals.
  • cincysweetheart
    cincysweetheart Posts: 892 Member
    First off… I rarely even think about having a cheat meal anymore. I don't feel deprived or hungry with my new way of eating… so I don't know what the point of a cheat meal is. I eat everything I want anyway…. just in moderation. Also, I find my body doesn't react very well to restaurant food anymore (which is usually what I've saved my cheats for)… so my cheat meals, rather than being enjoyable...make me feel lousy.

    Also, I don't know if it counts as a cheat if I'm still within my calorie goal for the day.

    But all of that being said… there is one thing I've got on my radar for a cheat meal. Pancakes and/or waffles are my weakness… and with syrup… the calories are sky high. So far, I've been able to have some in moderation. But I miss just eating as much of it as I want until I'm satisfied. So, that is on my list for my next cheat meal.

    FTR: I know the term "cheat meal"…. but I don't really feel like it's a "cheat." It's just called part of life. I prefer to refer to it as my "free" meal.
  • Swiftlet66
    Swiftlet66 Posts: 729 Member
    Don't really care for cheat meals... I eat whatever I want within my grocery budget which is about $30 per week. There's usually not a lot leftover for special treats... :x
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