I feel TERRIBLE about my cheat meal last night

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jonkay85
jonkay85 Posts: 9
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi, everyone!

I am new to this community but have to say I've been a lurker for quite some time, haha : )

So I started my lifestyle change August 15th, 2013. I'd always been healthy/active but in January 2013 I just seemed to go WAY off course and stopped running and started eating EVERYTHING and gained 45 pounds in 6 months (I know, it's sick!).

But in August I said that was ENOUGH! So I started going back to my healthy lifestyle on August 15th, and today is October 31st, and I'm down about 31 pounds.

I still have 15 pounds to go for my goal, but last night I couldn't resist this crazy craving I had for pizza so I went out and ate 3 plain slices + a giant chocolate chip cookie (whatever you think a "giant" one is, consider it a little bit bigger, LOL!).

And now I feel so guilty. I feel like my body was in "weight loss" mode this whole time and I just kicked it out of it and now my weight loss will stop and I'll stay at this weight for a long time.

I hadn't had a cheat meal since September 10th, I've been eating VERY clean the rest of the time (no processed things, whole grains, veggies, some fruit, lean protein, etc.) and I do some form of cardio every single day for at least 35 minutes.

Do you think I messed up my regime or my weight loss efforts? I know I was WAY over my calories for yesterday but I had ran for 4 miles in the afternoon.... I don't know, I just feel so guilty! I don't want to be stuck at this weight, and I'm dreading that plateau that so many people seem to talk about.

Sorry about the long rant... I just feel like this is the only community I can get some support/advice because if I ask my friends or family they're just like "you've lost a ton of weight already, you deserve to cheat once in a while' and that's not what I want to hear until I get to my goal weight you know?

Ah!
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Replies

  • TinyBriony
    TinyBriony Posts: 10
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    Hey - I think you will be okay. I tend to have a cheat meal a week, it helps me stay focussed! I don't go crazy but it is the one meal a week that I don't weight everything out and maybe have that garlic bread I wouldnt have had any other time! I have never found it to effect my weight loss, I mean yes of course I wouldn't have burned any calories that day, but I definitely haven't found it to cause a plateau. Congrats on the 31 pounds weight loss - amazing!
  • kittenful
    kittenful Posts: 318 Member
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    I think you need to stop feeling guilty about a few pieces of pizza and a giant cookie. One meal isn't going to sabotage your efforts. I've been eating what I like (in moderation, of course!) and have yet to hit any dreaded plateau.
  • ChrisM8971
    ChrisM8971 Posts: 1,067 Member
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    Its done so no point feeling terrible about it. Personally I do not think of this as a diet I am hoping to make it a healthy lifestyle change and currently it means losing weight (lord knows I need to) this will be followed by more exercising and maintaining weight.

    It may or may not work out that way but I want to try.

    My point is that if you wanted this food and you enjoyed this food then it was probably right to have the food. It was one day and is unlikely to ruin your weight loss and it is so obvious that you don't want to do it every day so look back and enjoy your pizza and cookie and today is a new day
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
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    The truth is that one meal is not going to derail you. If anything does I think It would be the guilt! For a lot of us, it's the self defeating attitude afterwards that causes us to simply give up. Don't let it! One meal is truly no biggie!
  • AsellusReborn
    AsellusReborn Posts: 1,112 Member
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    One meal isn't going to destroy you or you would never have bounced back to where you are. And tbh I have heard of wayyyy worse meals...like...entire pizzas plus a 2L and breadsticks plus dessert :P
  • TheGymGypsy
    TheGymGypsy Posts: 1,023 Member
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    Last night I ate 3000 calories worth of tortilla chips on top of a 1700 calorie day. Do I feel like crap about it? Yes. But there's nothing I can do about it now so it's back on track today.
  • bethanytowell
    bethanytowell Posts: 256 Member
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    Get out of the "Cheat" mentality and realize that this is your life. In real life, you are going to go out and eat, sometimes overeat....And that OKAY! One high calorie meal wont make you fat just like one low calorie meal wont make you skinny. If you go out to eat and you splurge, enjoy it and move on with the next meal....
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    If anything, it might have helped. Eating large amounts of food can possibly spike your metabolism. Many people suddenly see a jump in weight loss after a cheat meal. Even if it didn't help, it certainly didn't hurt.

    Eating should be fun. I have a cheat day at least once a week, and it has never hindered me. You shouldn't feel bad about three pieces of pizza and a giant cookie, especially after you've been doing so well and staying on target. Food shouldn't necessarily be a reward, but feeling bad about eating an occasional big meal that doesn't fit in with your diet isn't the way to go about life. Enjoy the fact that you had an awesome meal and get back on track afterwards.

    Food should not equal guilt. Once you get into that mindset, you'll be a lot happier.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
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    One meal doesn't kick you out of "weight loss"

    the general trend must be downward- not every day's numbers. You'll be fine.

    I ate a whole homemade pizza myself on Tuesday night- and a beer.

    I'm pretty sure if it weren't for my workout I would have been over by 1500 calories. It happens. It's life.

    Move on- brush it off and start over. Beating yourself up doesn't make you feel any better (clearly) it doesn't change the fact you ate it... and it doesn't help you do better today. It just makes you feel sad and dejected.

    So stop- be awesome- and kick butt today. easy peasy lemon squeezy.
  • JNettie73
    JNettie73 Posts: 1,208 Member
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    I don't think you messed up your weight loss efforts. Log everything you ate and use it as a learning experience. You cannot change the past but can change the future. Put the one meal behind you and move on. You can obtain your goals if you set your mind to it. Stay positive, you can do this!
  • Domane1963
    Domane1963 Posts: 85 Member
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    I had a bad day last week and over-ate. It wasn't the fact that I ate that I felt terrible about, it was the fact that I'd lost my determination and resolve and that scared me more than anything.... that I was back on the slippery slide of "no control" and would start to stuff and re-gain weight. Turns out it was just one duff day and the next day I was back strong and full of resolve so I feel a bit better now. What I do know is that the guilt from over-eating was FAR worse than the enjoyment of the food.... Lesson learned....

    Only you can deal with the guilt. Rationally, I don't think it will make a huge difference to your weight loss, providing you don't make a regular habit of eating cr@p. The other thing to bear in mind is that from an evolution point of view, nature is making us crave carbs at the moment.... to make us big and fat for the "times of scarcity" over the winter. Nature doesn't know about KFC and McDonalds on every street corner.... lol
  • AmykinsCatfood
    AmykinsCatfood Posts: 599 Member
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    Sorry about the long rant... I just feel like this is the only community I can get some support/advice because if I ask my friends or family they're just like "you've lost a ton of weight already, you deserve to cheat once in a while' and that's not what I want to hear until I get to my goal weight you know?

    I'm sorry but if you don't intend to allow yourself to have a treat until you reach your goal, then there is a good chance that once you reach goal and allow yourself the foods you've been craving you will gain the weight back by over doing it. The point of weight loss and doing it in a healthy way is to learn how to have your treats but still be in control of yourself and the knowledge of when to stop.

    Think of it like an exercise in willpower. This one meal isn't going to screw you over- it just might help you to realize that it's ok to treat yourself once in awhile.
  • jonkay85
    jonkay85 Posts: 9
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    Thank you all so much for the responses! I really appreciate it... and reading each of them really put things into perspective.

    Bethany I really like your "get out of the cheat mentality" tip... this is true! I mean, obviously I'm not going to NOT have pizza EVER again in my life, LOL! Thank you...

    Thank you, all!!
  • Euroboss
    Euroboss Posts: 56 Member
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    Good work, Forum.

    Exactly what everyone is saying. Forget it, remember this is a long distance race, not a sprint.
  • wild_wild_life
    wild_wild_life Posts: 1,334 Member
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    I feel like my body was in "weight loss" mode this whole time and I just kicked it out of it and now my weight loss will stop and I'll stay at this weight for a long time.

    This is not true. In fact, eating at or over maintenance now and then is a good strategy to help avoid plateaus. Trust me, unless you suddenly start eating over maintenance on a regular basis, you will keep losing weight.

    Food should not make you feel guilty. And saving your splurges for when you reach goal weight is a recipe for putting the weight back on.

    This is a great time to practice the balancing act between being aware of what you eat and allowing yourself a treat now and then. Congrats on your success so far!
  • afat12
    afat12 Posts: 178 Member
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    Hi, everyone!

    I am new to this community but have to say I've been a lurker for quite some time, haha : )

    So I started my lifestyle change August 15th, 2013. I'd always been healthy/active but in January 2013 I just seemed to go WAY off course and stopped running and started eating EVERYTHING and gained 45 pounds in 6 months (I know, it's sick!).

    But in August I said that was ENOUGH! So I started going back to my healthy lifestyle on August 15th, and today is October 31st, and I'm down about 31 pounds.

    I still have 15 pounds to go for my goal, but last night I couldn't resist this crazy craving I had for pizza so I went out and ate 3 plain slices + a giant chocolate chip cookie (whatever you think a "giant" one is, consider it a little bit bigger, LOL!).

    And now I feel so guilty. I feel like my body was in "weight loss" mode this whole time and I just kicked it out of it and now my weight loss will stop and I'll stay at this weight for a long time.

    I hadn't had a cheat meal since September 10th, I've been eating VERY clean the rest of the time (no processed things, whole grains, veggies, some fruit, lean protein, etc.) and I do some form of cardio every single day for at least 35 minutes.

    Do you think I messed up my regime or my weight loss efforts? I know I was WAY over my calories for yesterday but I had ran for 4 miles in the afternoon.... I don't know, I just feel so guilty! I don't want to be stuck at this weight, and I'm dreading that plateau that so many people seem to talk about.

    Sorry about the long rant... I just feel like this is the only community I can get some support/advice because if I ask my friends or family they're just like "you've lost a ton of weight already, you deserve to cheat once in a while' and that's not what I want to hear until I get to my goal weight you know?

    Ah!

    You are being way too hard on yourself. It is OK to treat yourself every now and then :) good luck!
  • mellenorris
    mellenorris Posts: 99 Member
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    You're fine! Your progress is fab, and one cheat meal won't kill you! Remember, 3500 calories per pound. That said, I totally understand your guilt. I too had a splurge last night.... and I seriously can't remember the one before it. It had been MONTHS. But someone brought potato chips into our household and left them there... ugh. Out of sight, out of mind.

    I've found that the longer I'm at it, the longer time there is between these splurges. I mean, let's be real, pizza is SO GOOD. I've found baking it 100% from scratch at home can seriously cut on calories - no guilt! If you've got a bread machine, I can't recommend it enough.

    Remember this guilt next time you want to over-indulge. Pick up where you left off. I don't know where it's from, but I've heard this around the weight loss world a lot recently; "Just because you drop your cell phone doesn't mean you stop, kick it around, and jump on it! You pick it up, dust it off, and buff it up. Your weight loss journey is the same."
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Use the guilt as a tool to not to it again for a while. But know that it probably will happen again. Life is ful of occasions that cause us to overeat. As long as it's only once in a while, then it's not going to ruin your goals.

    I realize that when you are focused on a goal, these slip-ups can seem like a failure, but it is only a failure if you let it distract from your goal. Let it go and continue with towards your goal.
  • MzNeecie
    MzNeecie Posts: 107 Member
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    You seem like you are focused and stay the course more often than not so no i don't think this will derail your goals. in my opinion as long as that does not become the norm you will be fine. I am one of those people who also feel really guilty when I go to an unhealthy option but that is life you have to enjoy things from time to time. It makes what you do every day in the gym that much more worth it. I tend to plan my cheat so then i go overboard in the gym that morning so that i have enough calories to kill the guilt! Stay strong and you will be fine.
  • vjohn04
    vjohn04 Posts: 2,276 Member
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    in my opinion...when you do an elimination type diet, you're more likely to have large binges. Why not consider allowing treats normally in your calorie allowance to that you won't be faced with cheat meals where you feel bad afterward?


    oh and one meal doesn't ruin months of work....

    food is food, don't demonize it.

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