Cheat Meals

lmkelly679
lmkelly679 Posts: 102 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Notice I said cheat MEAL not day lol. I'm just wondering how much more people weigh the morning after a cheat meal and how long it takes to lose it. I'm asking because last weekend I went to a BBQ and weighed I think 2lbs more the next morning, It took me 3 days to lose it and I still lost 2 lbs more at the end of the week. I had another cheat meal friday night for dinner and now I'm still up 2.5 lbs, I know I'll lose it and I'm not letting it discourage me and start eating horrible again I'm just curious as to whether others go through the same thing.
I'm not planning on another cheat meal for two weeks, but I do think we all need it once in awhile for our sanity and it seems to remind me that I don't like how I feel after eating badly.

Replies

  • Sporks42
    Sporks42 Posts: 44 Member
    Are you drinking lots of water? I usually pack on the pounds after eating something less than amazing, and it's always sodium retention. It's kinda counter intuitive, but way too much excess sodium dehydrates you cells and makes them grab onto every drop of water they find, the only way to get then to let go is to prove to them you're not dehydrated!
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Depends on how much over your TDEE you go.
  • lmkelly679
    lmkelly679 Posts: 102 Member
    last weekend I drank so much water the day after I felt bloated lol but it worked. Yesterday, the day after, I didnt drink much so I didnt expect much, today I cant put the water down! I just want to make sure that I'm not the only one who goes through this.

    I think friday I went over my daily allowance by maybe 400? thats just a guess, we went out to eat at a local place so they dont have any nutrition information available
  • genkiemi
    genkiemi Posts: 12
    Notice I said cheat MEAL not day lol. I'm just wondering how much more people weigh the morning after a cheat meal and how long it takes to lose it. I'm asking because last weekend I went to a BBQ and weighed I think 2lbs more the next morning, It took me 3 days to lose it and I still lost 2 lbs more at the end of the week. I had another cheat meal friday night for dinner and now I'm still up 2.5 lbs, I know I'll lose it and I'm not letting it discourage me and start eating horrible again I'm just curious as to whether others go through the same thing.
    I'm not planning on another cheat meal for two weeks, but I do think we all need it once in awhile for our sanity and it seems to remind me that I don't like how I feel after eating badly.
    A lot of that might be water weight, especially considering how sodium-packed BBQ food is. It shouldn't matter if you have a cheat meal or snack or anything else in the long run as long as you keep within your calorie limits.
  • tamadrummer001
    tamadrummer001 Posts: 71 Member
    Unless you ate like 4 or more pound of food, there is no way you gained 2 pounds of fat or muscle. Like another said, its water retention. On your cheat day/meal you have to up up up your water intake! I am drinking 2 gallons a day but that is because I work out for multiple hours each day with one day a week off at this time. I haven't had a cheat meal in a couple weeks and wont until I hit my goal of 200# even.

    As far as your gain, simply do a couple days of intermittent fasting where you eat all your calories from say, 11-12 break the fast, and then stop eating by 7pm. Make sure you drink lots of water, green tea, black coffee or whatever, diet coke maybe one or max of 2. On your cheat meal, up your water intake again even above what you are doing on your Intermittent fasting days then enjoy your meal.

    You may gain a little but as long as you maintain the water intake, your body should deal really well with the cheat.
  • VeeSis
    VeeSis Posts: 23
    I went on about a 36 hr trip out of town. Ignored my diet totally (I'm at the 1,200 calorie level) and ate with joy and abandon. When I came home I posted the closest matching items I could find. Discovered I ate around 6,000 calories one day, 8,00 the 2nd and a TON of sodium. All restaurant food. Within two days home I lost it all, mostly by flushing with tons of water, but also sticking to my diet religiously. A binge now and then will not kill ya...as long as you do not make it a habit. BTW, I gain 5.5 lbs in two days. That was Tues and Wed of this past week. It's all gone now.
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
    It takes me a couple of days, depending on what is in the cheat meal. Yesterday, I went to a cookout and ate hot dogs, chips, baked beans slaw and even a cupcake, but no bread and I was still down a half pound this morning. If I eat lots of refined Carbs though, I gain 1-2 pounds and take a couple of days to lose it. (My daughter made the cupcakes and has a good lower sugar recipe.)
  • Cyliesmom
    Cyliesmom Posts: 35 Member
    I don't think the concept of a cheat meal is a great idea. It could be just semantics, but if I know I am going out for a meal or a special event I just eat at a deficit for a few days before and after. For me it makes more sense for large meals with dessert and an adult beverage to be an occasion that I can feel good about about and truly enjoy, instead of feeling guilty because it was a "cheat" IMHO
  • curly1986
    curly1986 Posts: 98 Member
    Generally 1-3 days. My cheat meal is always a pizza, and within a few hours of eating it I'm dying of thirst anyway. So I start drinking a lot of water quite quickly. And I generally never feel quilty about my cheat meal. I enjoy every. little. bite! lol (But I love pizza and its the only food I refuse to make low cal or healthy!)

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