What do you consider as a cheat meal?

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  • MrsDestanyRodriguez
    MrsDestanyRodriguez Posts: 11 Member
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    For me it would be something that could possibly put you over your reccomended calories Usually a night out to dinner at a resturant or something that you have been craving and dont normally eat on your diet.
    If i have enough calories for pizza and i want pizza then i will eat some i dont consider that a cheat but thats just me.
  • runlilyrun
    runlilyrun Posts: 140
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    I still have days where I feel like I goofed when I see that I'm over on protein or sodium or whatever, but I know I'm still learning and the weight is coming off, so I'm doing something right.

    Isn't being over on protein a good thing? I'm nearly always under and I know I ought to get more protein into my diet!
  • newsuzq
    newsuzq Posts: 3
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    Love it! That's why so many people are overweight! GUILT!!! Self imposed or from a family member. It's so completely mental! :)
  • sweet_blasphemy
    sweet_blasphemy Posts: 129 Member
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    I haven't completely banned myself from any foods, although there are some that I am temporarily avoiding until I can 100% trust myself that I won't allow them to trigger a binge.

    For me, a "cheat" would be considered deliberately making the choice to eat or drink things that would put me over my limit for the day. Like my birthday - I made the conscious decision to have a big dinner, drink a pint+ of rum and have some vegan cake. I knew it would set me over my goal for the day, but I did it anyway. I don't feel bad about it because I planned for it in advance with extra exercise and cutting down on calories the rest of the week. So I guess it's not really cheating if I don't feel guilty? That sounds horrible if taken out of context, haha!

    I would however, feel guilty if, during a moment of weakness I succumbed to a trigger food that would lead to an all out binge - in which case, when I start binging the logical portion of my brain checks out for a short vacation and returns the next day and has to deal with the damage. THEN I would feel bad because I would've let myself down for giving in when all it would take to get me out of that situation is to take step back and have a moment to think about my choices. This hasn't happened yet...

    But like others have said, it is completely mental (for me, anyway) and I guess guilt and other negative emotions wouldn't come into the equation for someone with a healthy relationship with food. But that's the difference for people who already have a solid relationship with food and those who are coming from a background of dysfunctional/emotional eating... It certainly CAN be overcome though if you put your mind to it.
  • saraann4
    saraann4 Posts: 1,312 Member
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    a slice of pizza? really?

    A cheat meal for me would be a half of a pizza along with some cheese bread. It's usually a day where I don't worry about calories.
  • reddaddie
    reddaddie Posts: 121 Member
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    pretty cool! Is Thanksgiving dinner a cheat meal? just need some clarification!

    I have changed my life style and that includes the whole life. Feasts at the big holidays are part of that lifestyle, and are not cheat days but are part of life that needs to be taken into account. I don't feel bad for these feasts.

    We do make some dishes differently and switch out some of the old dishes for new healthier dishes (no more Jello salad YAY!).
  • septembergrrl
    septembergrrl Posts: 168 Member
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    If I go over my calories on purpose eating food I enjoy, it's a cheat meal. (If I go over my calories by accident, like if I don't check the app and guess wrong about how many calories something has, that's what we call a learning experience.) My last cheat meal was my birthday -- wine, salad with blue cheese, mussels, fries, chocolate layer cake.

    But I have pizza/ice cream/cookies when I want them, as long as they fit into my calories. Just, y'know, not as much as I used to.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,372 Member
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    Cheat meal would be something over 1000 calories, basically anything that makes it hard to stay under my goal once I count it.
  • Nikoruo
    Nikoruo Posts: 771 Member
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    candies, icecream, chips kinda stuff. Anything that isn't worth the calories it consumes (that being, not filling and likely raises your macros a lot)
    Those things would probably not raise your protein a lot, just carbs, fat, and calories.
    mhm! that's the point, they raise all the 'bad stuff' way more and because they take up sooo many calories you dont have many calories around them to raise your daily protein enough lol
  • mohdghosh
    mohdghosh Posts: 9
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    Example:

    Maintenance: 2500 calories
    For Fat loss: 2000 (take out 500 calories)

    Cheat meal: 2500, ONE day per week... Is a cheat meal and will not kill you as long as you get back to your diet strictly !!!

    Conclusion,

    Eat what ever you want but don't go over 2500 calories (If your maintenance level is 2500 calories)
  • Stephanie198907
    Stephanie198907 Posts: 163 Member
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    deep fat fried foods and high sugar foods are considered cheats for me. I don't care if they fit into my daily calorie range or not. Fried foods wreak havoc on my body (bloating and gas for days after) but they taste so good! Also, my skin because dry and blotchy for a few days after eating high sugar foods.
  • vanguardfitness
    vanguardfitness Posts: 720 Member
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    I would say to me, a cheat meal is where I simply over indulge and end up with lopsided macro nutrients for the day. Something like eating a pint of Ben N' Jerry's would tip my carb intake over a cliff.

    I would like to consider pizza a cheat meal. But if I get chicken pizza then I don't think it's actually that bad. And the pizza place near me never lets their pizza get really oily.

    So generally any processed sugary crap is my cheat meal. Metrx 100g bars, fruit candies, poptarts, cookies (especially italian with powder)
  • RawFoodBelle
    RawFoodBelle Posts: 10
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    Eating something that you don't eat (for health reasons) on a regular basis. If you allow yourself anything (in moderation), a cheat meal would be eating anything with no moderation.

    If your lifestyle is low carb, a cheat meal would be high carb.

    My lifestyle is high raw pescetarian, a cheat meal would be a cooked steak.
  • MysteriousMerlin
    MysteriousMerlin Posts: 2,270 Member
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    I don't do cheat meals or cheat days. I have found that by using MFP I am able to enjoy foods that I like, just not as much of it as I was eating. So instead of half the pie, I eat 2 pieces of pizza and skip the wings. If I tried to cut it all out, I'd be miserable. Right now I'm not in the mindset that I can just give it up. My emotional attachment to various foods is too strong. I'm working on it, but it will take some time.

    I hope to be able to disassociate certain foods with boredom, excitement, parties, celebrations, etc...Eat to live, not live to eat.
  • MaryJane_8810002
    MaryJane_8810002 Posts: 2,082 Member
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    I don't believe in cheat meals, when you moderate yourself you do not have to worry.
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
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    I don't consider any type of food a cheat. What am I cheating on? I eat ALL the food in moderation.
  • suzend
    suzend Posts: 155 Member
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    NOTHING!!! I eat anything I want, in moderation. As long as I don't go over my base calories + my exercise calories per day I'm A-OK with it.

    ^^^^This for sure! However, I've also learned that going over my calories one day or even two days is not a deal breaker. I just make up for it during the rest of the week. But, I didn't get that "relaxed" about my eating until I was over halfway through my journey. As you progress, you will figure out what works and DOESN"T work for you. I've never been a fan of the term "cheat" in reference to living a healthier life. I think putting certain things off limits completely, makes me(and I'm sure a lot of people) just want that forbidden item more. But you have to know your triggers and you have to be honest with yourself about your ability to have just one or two servings of something "not so healthy."

    EXACTLY THIS!!! ^^^^^
  • walkinthedogs
    walkinthedogs Posts: 238 Member
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    What's your definition of a cheat meal?

    Anything you pretend you didn't eat.

    Yep, this.
  • climbing_trees
    climbing_trees Posts: 726 Member
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    My cheat meals usually revolve around high amounts of alcohol. I love to party!
    Once or twice a month I'll let myself just go totally nuts and have a ton of fun and not care about counting/tracking/limits/macros.

    The last time was a disaster though... I was blacked out so I couldn't even remember how delicious all the peanut butter oreos were that I ate at four in the morning >___< haha oops
  • Ang108
    Ang108 Posts: 1,711 Member
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    I think eating a slice of pizza is considered as a cheat meal.

    What's your definition of a cheat meal?

    A cheat meal or cheat day is part of the group of words ( " hangry " and " eating clean " belong to that group among others ) I can't even understand and are absolutely meaningless to me.

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