Feeling Guilty for a small cheat?

korycheer · January 2014

I am having a really hard time because I am definitely one of those people that I am all or nothing. The day after Christmas my husband and I started another round of Insanity after a LONG break (2 years! LOL!). I absolutely LOVE it and if you have never done it, let me tell you--you get the results if you work for it. I am also doing the Couch to 5K with my yellow lab--he's a little out of shape too! We are training for the Rugged Maniac in April.

Anyway, I digress! What normally happens to me when I get myself back in shape is I eat really well. Almost too well because I feel guilty for a cookie, or cake, or too many diet sodas (down to 1 per day). It's great that I cut it completely out but at the same time, that is not real life. I really want this to be a lifestyle change--NOT a diet to get back in shape. I know I have to be able to splurge on treats from time to time, but I honestly don't feel like I can.

Anyone else this way or any suggestions on how to get over this??? Thanks!

Koryn

Love4fitnesslove4food2 · January 2014

The only way over it is by doing it--plan a treat every day until it becomes normal for you. Eventually the guilt will subside.

bubaluboo · January 2014

I count calories, I eat chocolate or cake every day and fit it in my allowance...no guilt whatsoever!

Swiftdogs · January 2014

Plan a goodie into each day's food. It's not a "cheat" if it's within your goals. If a cookie or cake feels too guilty, have a piece of toast with a smear of jam or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. You're right; this is a lifetime process. It's easy to start out with heavy restrictions, but the next step is to loosen up just a little without going crazy.

Swiftdogs · January 2014

The only way over it is by doing it--plan a treat every day until it becomes normal for you. Eventually the guilt will subside.

Great minds think alike

randomtai · January 2014

I don't demonize food. It is just food. I eat what I want with moderation.

casmoneansthefourth · January 2014

I hear you on the all or nothing mentality. I also like the idea of counting and working it in to your allowance. That is my goal. I'm thankful for the free website that can help me do this. Just starting BTW.

RllyGudTweetr · January 2014

Reassess your relationship with food. Food is not the enemy. Food is fuel for your workouts and your daily life.

[tangent]Why is a zero-calorie beverage something you feel the need to moderate down to one a day?[/tangent]

lambertj · January 2014

I have a "all or nothing " mentality as well and that is why I fell off the wagon this last time for almost a year. My goal for 2014 is to keep balance, not become obsessed with calorie counting and working out and eat non-healthy foods in moderation. Ironically, I have found that i tend to lose scale weight after a cheat meal so maybe it's not so bad (in moderation) after all.

Cindyinpg · January 2014

I don't demonize food. It is just food. I eat what I want with moderation.

Me too. My diary is open, if you want to peek. I have ice cream everyday. It's not cheating, just enjoying the foods I love within my calorie/macro/micro/fiber goals.

ndj1979 · January 2014

stop labeling foods as "good" and "bad" …you want a cookie, have a cookie…just make sure you that you say in you calorie deficit, hit your macros, and keep working out/moving…

when you think foods are "bad" and eat said foods, you then feel guilty, which then leads people to say "F, it" and eat more bad food, and then feel even worse because they binged…

Just eat 80% health and let the remainder 20% come from the foods you like/want…

bcc112986 · January 2014

I have an all or nothing attitude also but have found it gets me in trouble when I binge eat and become grumpy from not enjoying food. I have found that changing my mind is the only thing to help.

Every minute is a new chance to make a better choice for myself. I don't have to get down on myself for a slip up, I just do better once I realize what error I've made.

AHack3 · January 2014

I've been working on eating the treats guilt-free too and trying to look at food as not either being good or bad and trying to learn to look at myself as not being good or bad if I eat a certain food. I don't have the treats daily, but I do let myself have something every now and again when I really want it, by asking myself if I really want it I find myself a lot of times saying no. When I was telling myself I couldn't have things, I wanted and ate everything all the time. I still have my off days once in a great while, but my binges happen a lot less now that I'm tracking it and letting myself have treats once in while and working them into my day....finally learning to enjoy a cookie guilt-free or not feeling like I messed up after having one and then having 10, like that would help make me feel better...haha! Moderation is a wonderful thing. MFP is a wonderful thing.

korycheer · January 2014

Thanks everyone! I am really trying to work it into my food plan to have a treat per day. My worry is I will not be able to stop! LOL! As for the diet sodas--Hi, my name is Koryn and I am addicted to diet coke!

I really mean crazy addicted! Even with no calories, I know that the amount I was drinking was not healthy. The hardest thing right now is with Insanity, every bit of fuel I take in really needs to help my body get through the crazy workouts. Maybe once I finish the program (almost to week 4) and doing one more round after and my race, I might be able to feel a little less guilty. We shall see...

One of the biggest problems that I have with junk food is I really like fast food. Terrible, I know. It's not too bad with sweets and stuff. But a McDonalds french fry--that's my weakness. And it is really hard to moderate fast food.

I really appreciate the advice guys!
Koryn

AHack3 · January 2014

stop labeling foods as "good" and "bad" …you want a cookie, have a cookie…just make sure you that you say in you calorie deficit, hit your macros, and keep working out/moving…

when you think foods are "bad" and eat said foods, you then feel guilty, which then leads people to say "F, it" and eat more bad food, and then feel even worse because they binged…

Just eat 80% health and let the remainder 20% come from the foods you like/want…

sorry, I don't reply to these forums enough to know how it all works yet, but this advice this person had posted is great advice! I agree with it.

AHack3 · January 2014

great advice!....above, I didn't know how to reply to somebodies elses quote. I'm just learning this. I would delete this comment, but I'm not seeing how you can delete it once it's posted.

Cindyinpg · January 2014

great advice!....above, I didn't know how to reply to somebodies elses quote. I'm just learning this. I would delete this comment, but I'm not seeing how you can delete it once it's posted.

Hitting quote on someone's comment will copy that comment above a blank space for you to type. Hitting edit will let you change your post... as long as you do so within an hour, I believe.

p4ulmiller · January 2014

Thanks everyone! I am really trying to work it into my food plan to have a treat per day.

It's not a "treat". It's just food.

If you label foods as healthy or unhealthy, you run the risk of a very damaging food relationship, meaning you are more likely to fail your goals.

Log it and keep under your calorie goal. You'll lose weight. Science says so.

walkinthedogs · January 2014

I read the title as "Feeling Guilty for a small chest" was thinking this would be an interesting thread, oh well. Either way, just move on and quit calling it cheating, makes you feel bad just by the connotation of the word. So you ate more than your cal intake should have been, who doesn't do that now and again?

csk0018 · January 2014

I have something chocolate almost every day before I go to bed!

I stay within my daily intake though.

Feeling Guilty for a small cheat?

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