Cheat meals?

I have one every few weeks. I wouldn't say chicken and salad would be a cheat meal, it sounds like a regular meal. If I do have a cheat meal, I definitely still log it in, but I enjoy it and then move on.

I eat chicken and salad most weeknights, as my diet food. That's not a cheat meal haha. With that being said, I do allow myself a cheat meal on Friday nights, sometimes Saturdays. I don't go crazy, but I order what I want at a restaurant. I eat pretty lightly the rest of the day so I don't feel guilty about it. Enjoy!

I agree with the others, chicken and salad is in no way a cheat meal. That's the kind of thing most of us eat on regular days.

That said, when I was losing successfully ( I've had two pregnancies since I started MFP and haven't been focusing on losing weight) I would take one day a week where I wouldn't log calories. Sometimes I ate whatever I wanted all day long, other days I just had one meal at a local restaurant and didn't worry about hang to find something equivalent in the database. Either way, I still lost 25 pounds in about 6 months, which was a normal, consistent, and healthy rate of loss.

Once a week or every two weeks but I keep it very strict. Like this week I had a small slice of pizza and a breadstick did it kill me no did I burn it off yes? You have to live every once In a while.

Agreed! FritAly, what is a normal meal for you? My son encouraged me to have a cheat DAY every week. Any time I think I want something bad for me (which doesn't happen often, interestingly enough) I just tell myself I only have to wait a few more days and then I can go ahead and have it. I can eat whatever I want and however much I want. It's is a great mind trick because by the time cheat day comes, I usually end up eating the same way I always do. The traditional "cheat" foods don't taste as good as I remember and leave me feeling unsatisfied to the point where I say "was that worth it?" and it is easy to return to the regular diet the next day...which is not really even a diet anymore. Make sense?

I did that with pregnancy cravings. Instead of running out to the store every time I wanted something I told myself that if I still craved it the next time I was out, I would get it. Almost every time I forgot about the craving and didn't have to buy whatever food, generally junk food, that I had wanted. It's a great way to eat healthier on a daily basis. And, like you, I find that most of the "cheat foods" I would want while late trying to lose did not taste as good, or actually made me sick after I had changed my daily diet. And now that I know how many calories are in treats I won't indulge if it isn't worth it. I'll pass on grocery store birthday cake because I know it's a lot of calories and doesn't compare to my homemade cupcakes. Waiting for something that is truly incredible is so much better.