Cheating

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  • k1979k
    k1979k Posts: 94
    I also made brownies that had black beans instead of flour (it was crazy good!),

    Any chance of a recipe? Woudl love to try these!!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    I also made brownies that had black beans instead of flour (it was crazy good!),

    Any chance of a recipe? Woudl love to try these!!

    There's a whole thread on these - My recipe is on the 2nd page (the only one I can personally vouch for). The trick is to make sure you blend the mix in the food processor long enough (longer than you think you need to) - this ensures the beans are fully chopped up and not in larger pieces.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/77275-black-bean-brownies?page=2
  • kaymd
    kaymd Posts: 470 Member
    See, the SUPER COOL thing about this program is, it's NOT a Diet! I can't emphasize that enough. What this really is, is a way to begin to realize what true portions look like. So I agree with what the others say, if you want pizza, go ahead and have it but in MODERATION and plan on either working out extra that day to accommodate it or the next. This is about a lifestyle change not dieting :)


    I can't agree with you more. I have lost weight just by changing proportions and still eating what I like. I can live with this kind of change but not a fad diet change. I LOVE MFP!!!
  • plifsey
    plifsey Posts: 24
    I think if you start denying yourself, then you set yourself up for failure. I think in moderation it is all right, you all ready have all the tools you need. So sure, cheat a little....enjoy it!!!
  • supernovadark
    supernovadark Posts: 31
    I cheat. Once a week or every other week. Just don't count calories. All day. Period. And I still lose weight. Love it!
  • inskydiamonds
    inskydiamonds Posts: 2,519 Member
    I wish I could have a cheat meal....but unfortunately I am to the point of avoiding any type of greasy fatty foods because my stomach doesn't agree with it anymore...

    Just one meal at McDonalds or Burger King has me stuck in bed the whole next day with gastro cramps...not something I enjoy, so I just don't bother.

    My cheat meals often end up at Subway, and even then I opt for the 6 inch turkey sub.

    I think that's actually REALLY good. That kind of stuff should make you sick. It's kind of sad how immune to it we get. :-/
  • naguilar210
    naguilar210 Posts: 88
    All of these responses are amazing.
    Thank you so much!
  • SparkleKittie
    SparkleKittie Posts: 127
    I cheat. I think it's healthy to eat some things AS TREATS to tell yourself "good job." If you tend to eat large amounts of food throughout the day "normally," you should only allow yourself one heavy cheat meal a week. But if you're not that heavy of an eater, allowing yourself an entire day of little cheats might be good. You are your own best judge, weigh honestly. Haha Although I'm going to add that once you've established and maintained real healthy eating, you probably won't enjoy those foods when you do have them. It's hard to go back once you've started, because the foods that made you fat in the first place taste gross after you haven't had them in a while. But still, allowing yourself a cheat day is healthy. Since I'm vegan, my cheats include vegan baked goods and such. Not counting calories one day is good, just make sure it's ONE DAY. That's my bit. Hope it helps. :)
  • lt3ag4s
    lt3ag4s Posts: 835 Member
    Be honest with yourself.
    Does your body know it is cheating and ignores what you have eaten?
    Keep track of it all. If you eat it, do the activity to make use of it.
    If you are going to plan to be bad, save up calories in order to do so.
  • Yarrum84
    Yarrum84 Posts: 57 Member
    I find that if you completly stop eating the things you love, then you will soon crash and burn. You'll end up bingeing out on it. There is an exception to a few people who can carry on without these foods, and well done, but most of us will crave.
    So, what I do is, I don't have a 'cheat DAY' but I'll let myself have a packet of crisps once during the week, or perhaps a choc bar.
    But I found later on, I didn't want these things anyway :D
    Well done with the loss :)
  • eveunderground
    eveunderground Posts: 236 Member
    I don't believe in "cheating" - I think a normal diet* includes some "indulgences" or whatever you want to call it. Very few people would have the willpower to eat perfect all of the time. I PLAN some treats/indulgences/super yummy goodness into my food plans on a regular basis.

    The best thing you can do for yourself, though, is try to find healthier, satisfying treats that you can indulge with, instead of the sugar-laden, unhealthy foods like traditional cookies/cake/soda/etc. For example - I learned to make my own version of nutella as an occasional treat (spread on crackers/bananas/whatever), I also made brownies that had black beans instead of flour (it was crazy good!), and I made soft-serve bananas - which is basically bananas in the consistency of soft-serve ice cream. I eat stuff like this (omemade, all natural goodness!) and don't even miss candy/baked goods and other stuff that is loaded with processed sugars, salt and other stuff I don't want in my body.

    Edited to add: You can apply the above to the foods you talked about too - homemade pizza, burgers, etc. are so much healthier and more satisfying (in my experience) than fast-food/pre-made ones!

    *I use diet to mean what you eat, not some crazy starvation short-term plan or anything like that... lol
    I 100% agree with this.
  • raven58
    raven58 Posts: 9
    Interesting question. I decided this isn't a "DIET", it is a lifestyle change for me, my health, my apperance...So, it isn't cheating, really. I make informed decisions. My husband and I went to Taco Bell last weekend, I love soft tacos, but the crunchy ones are fewer calories. So, I got two crunchy tacos and felt like I got a treat and still kept within my calories for the day (used to be two soft tacos and nacho supreme, which is why I'm making a lifestyle change). I was craving a particular treat when I first started, but it was a lot of calories so I kept putting it off. Now, I don't crave it anymore. If I really want it, I can plan my exercise to off set the difference.

    You are doing this for you, so the only one you are cheating on is...You! If you feel it is that important, go for it. But, log it so when you weigh in and don't see what you want, you can see why. Keeping the food diary has changed my whole perspective and I LOVE that my clothes are starting to feel loose, instead of wondering if the seams will hold when I sneeze.

    Good luck!
  • Mindful_Trent
    Mindful_Trent Posts: 3,954 Member
    Since we're talking about "cheating" and whatnot - there's one more thought I had:

    Someone may have already said this - but I think a very important thing is to log EVERYTHING - even on "cheat" days if you choose to look at it like that. Allowing yourself a special treat (or a cheat day, or whatever) doesn't mean that you shouldn't be accountable for what you are eating. You may just find that you realize after logging everything on a few of these days, you find out that it's just not worth it to you anymore, or you'll work to find better ways to fit in reasonable treats/indulgences that don't cause your sodium/fat/sugar/whatever to go sky-high.

    A few people mentioned they don't log anything on their cheat days (either on this thread or another one), and I think that's a VERY bad idea. I know that personally, that's how I got to where I did with my weight - I figured an occasional day or two here or there wouldn't hurt. I just wasn't aware of what I was eating. Awareness of what we are eating is KEY to making progress and changing habits.
  • JoyceJoanne
    JoyceJoanne Posts: 760 Member
    Since we're talking about "cheating" and whatnot - there's one more thought I had:

    Someone may have already said this - but I think a very important thing is to log EVERYTHING - even on "cheat" days if you choose to look at it like that. Allowing yourself a special treat (or a cheat day, or whatever) doesn't mean that you shouldn't be accountable for what you are eating. You may just find that you realize after logging everything on a few of these days, you find out that it's just not worth it to you anymore, or you'll work to find better ways to fit in reasonable treats/indulgences that don't cause your sodium/fat/sugar/whatever to go sky-high.

    A few people mentioned they don't log anything on their cheat days (either on this thread or another one), and I think that's a VERY bad idea. I know that personally, that's how I got to where I did with my weight - I figured an occasional day or two here or there wouldn't hurt. I just wasn't aware of what I was eating. Awareness of what we are eating is KEY to making progress and changing habits.

    Trenton, I TOTALLY agree!! I do have 'cheat' days where I don't make the healthiest choices, but I DO LOG EVERYTHING!!
    It puts my 'cravings' into perspective. Was that big mac, fries and m&m Mcflurry REALLY worth 1750 cals and 79g of FAT??!! (Yes, check the website [http://nutrition.mcdonalds.com/nutritionexchange/nutritionfacts.pdf] , and NO I don't eat this!) In most cases, I think probably not.
    If you are one of those people that can go without cheat day, I applaud you, I can not. At least not now.

    I've been here for three weeks and I am down 10lbs. I have made some very good choices and a handful of not so good choices. I believe that the accountability has kept me in check.
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