Is a cheat meal/day good for the long run?

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MBrothers22
MBrothers22 Posts: 323 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I'm almost 1 week in to eating healthy(er), no fast food, soda, junk food and haven't had the urge or craving for those things other than soda (I had a Mt. Dew Kickstart today but I don't think of that as soda). But I've seen a lot of posts that says it's okay to cheat once in a while as long as you're not going over your calorie goal.
For me though, those 3 things is what has made me so overweight. Would it be a GOOD idea to have some sort of "cheat" once a week even if I don't have the cravings for them? Or should I not do it since I have no real desire to right now? I don't want to have a cheat meal then lose my focus on my mission to be fit.

Replies

  • HugeBum
    HugeBum Posts: 47 Member
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    If you have a craving, go eat it. If not, don't.
  • cpusmc
    cpusmc Posts: 122
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    if you are losing weight and that is the goal, then stay on the program you are on. if you hit a plateau and stop losing weight on the same number of calories then your body will likely need a "curveball" so throw in a cheat day to re-start the weight loss till you get to where you want to be. as you state, dont let cheat days become the norm... i hit a bodyfat loss plateau and the cheat day helped to get it going again. good luck..
  • Babarrosa1
    Babarrosa1 Posts: 98 Member
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    If you're not craving them, then you're better off not having them I think IMO. No point in just having soda's etc again when you actually don't want them :flowerforyou:

    I generally eat clean, but on weigh in day, I do have a little treat now and again and keep it within my calorie goal :) I haven't gained weight by doing this so I shall continue to do it! :love:

    Congrats on your week :) It's the first step
  • ell_v131
    ell_v131 Posts: 349 Member
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    Everyone's different. For some people cutting out their vices completely works best, for some having them in limitation is the key to sustainability and success. If you are dieting now and cut them out, what will happen once you reach your goal weight? Will it make you want to catch up on lost time and eat all the treats?

    My solution is I eat everything I want in moderation, every day. I have chocolate a few times a week, pizza on occasion, dumplings. I limited my bread and pasta and swapped to other alternatives like quinoa and cous cous, but I will have bread and pasta if I want to. to me this is a sustainable thing I can follow my whole life
  • SezxyStef
    SezxyStef Posts: 15,268 Member
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    If you look at my diary (except for the last 2 weeks as I've been on vacation) you will see I eat "treats" probably everyday...why because I can.

    It fits in my calories so why not.

    I don't agree or subscribe to "cheat" meals and/or days as it makes it sound like you are doing something wrong...and if you don't totally deprive yourself you are less likely to binge...which leads to worse...
  • csk0018
    csk0018 Posts: 219 Member
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    Everyone's different. For some people cutting out their vices completely works best, for some having them in limitation is the key to sustainability and success. If you are dieting now and cut them out, what will happen once you reach your goal weight? Will it make you want to catch up on lost time and eat all the treats?

    My solution is I eat everything I want in moderation, every day. I have chocolate a few times a week, pizza on occasion, dumplings. I limited my bread and pasta and swapped to other alternatives like quinoa and cous cous, but I will have bread and pasta if I want to. to me this is a sustainable thing I can follow my whole life

    I agree with the above! I eat the foods I like in moderation. It works better for me because if I restricted myself... I'd probably binge. :embarassed:
  • Kitship
    Kitship Posts: 579 Member
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    As long as you have the calories to spare.

    I eat slightly less than usual during the week so I can be kinda carefree (to an extent) over the weekend. It seems to work for me.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    If you have a craving, go eat it. If not, don't.

    This.

    I lost half the weight I would have lost this month if I had stuck to my goal because of my weekly cheat meal here (and I don't even go nuts, typically it's one dessert at the restaurant that puts me over). So, good in the long run for weight loss... no. Good for your spirits? If you're craving the stuff, definitely... but still better to fit it in your calorie goal if you can.
  • Charloo1990
    Charloo1990 Posts: 619 Member
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    Yes!!!!! I have one once a week and I have still managed to lose 9.5lbs in 3 weeks. I have literally whatever I want that day, we're talking about 4000cals, sometimes more.
  • PinkyFett
    PinkyFett Posts: 842 Member
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    I see nothing wrong with having a cheat meal here and there. Going over your calorie allotment once in a while won't hurt either, as long as it's not all the time.
  • elkahallick
    elkahallick Posts: 1,138 Member
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    Depends on your goals and your mental capacity....
  • lilmisfit1987
    lilmisfit1987 Posts: 183 Member
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    Don't think of it as a cheat day...think of it as a treat day. I have my treat day on Fridays when we go out with friends and I've still managed to lose 19lbs within the last two months. It's good to treat yourself, just don't go over board with it.
  • denisegunnels
    denisegunnels Posts: 43 Member
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    I think a cheat day/meal is fine. If you don't you'll drive yourself nuts. !!!HOWEVER!!!!! a week is not long enough to change habits. At this point it isn't a cheat, you are already looking for excuses. Stay focused and strong. If you really need to be 'bad' then exercise your way into earning the bad day.

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