Is anyone having cheat meals now and then?

caramammal
caramammal Posts: 147 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
My first 'cheat meal' is coming up on Saturday, i've looked at the restaurant menu, decided what i'm going to have and plan to have a longer workout in the daytime, before the meal. Also planning some wine (hell yeah).

How does everyone else plan for a cheat meal? do you log it? Does it stall your weightloss?speed it up?
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Replies

  • greytniki
    greytniki Posts: 51 Member
    I have to be honest I hate the term "cheat" meal. It makes it mentally seem like you are doing something "bad". You are cheating. Life is about choices. If one day you make a choice or plan to make a choice to go over your normal intake allotment then its an ok choice. You can plan for it by doing extra exercise. By eating lighter for other meals in the day. By adding extra activities during the week. Or by doing nothing at all. Every 2-3 weeks I have a day where I make a choice to eat whatever I want. Sometimes that means I don't really eat any different then I do on regular days. Sometimes that means I eat 500-600 more calories then I would normally in a day. I adjust. Long term it hasn't made any difference in my fitness journey. Life is always going to bring days like that every now and then. How you approach them, view them and handle them afterwards will go along way in your success.
  • caramammal
    caramammal Posts: 147 Member
    I have to be honest I hate the term "cheat" meal. It makes it mentally seem like you are doing something "bad". You are cheating. Life is about choices. If one day you make a choice or plan to make a choice to go over your normal intake allotment then its an ok choice. You can plan for it by doing extra exercise. By eating lighter for other meals in the day. By adding extra activities during the week. Or by doing nothing at all. Every 2-3 weeks I have a day where I make a choice to eat whatever I want. Sometimes that means I don't really eat any different then I do on regular days. Sometimes that means I eat 500-600 more calories then I would normally in a day. I adjust. Long term it hasn't made any difference in my fitness journey. Life is always going to bring days like that every now and then. How you approach them, view them and handle them afterwards will go along way in your success.

    Thats a great approach and how i will be living every day once i'm at my 'goal' :) As for the 'cheat' in 'cheat meal' i do plan on doing something bad, it will involve sugar, fat and alcohol :)
  • timrpm
    timrpm Posts: 57 Member
    I think the term 'cheat meal' is borderline disordered. You're having one high calorie meal. Enjoy it, and don't feel guilty about it. If you want to stay on budget, go for a nice long run or bike ride that morning and stay disciplined am. and pm. that day.
  • cici1028
    cici1028 Posts: 799 Member
    Sugar, fat and alcohol are all delicious in moderation. Enjoy.
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  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    The only cheating would be if you didn't track it in your food diary.

    I enjoyed my bourbon last night, but I tracked it :)
  • Happymelz
    Happymelz Posts: 536 Member
    I have to be honest I hate the term "cheat" meal. It makes it mentally seem like you are doing something "bad". You are cheating. Life is about choices. If one day you make a choice or plan to make a choice to go over your normal intake allotment then its an ok choice. You can plan for it by doing extra exercise. By eating lighter for other meals in the day. By adding extra activities during the week. Or by doing nothing at all. Every 2-3 weeks I have a day where I make a choice to eat whatever I want. Sometimes that means I don't really eat any different then I do on regular days. Sometimes that means I eat 500-600 more calories then I would normally in a day. I adjust. Long term it hasn't made any difference in my fitness journey. Life is always going to bring days like that every now and then. How you approach them, view them and handle them afterwards will go along way in your success.

    I don't call them cheat days because it makes it sound like I'm overeating.
    I call it "maintenance days" because I know that I'm really just eating at the calorie amount I would be getting on maintenance (roughly 500 calories over my daily intake since MFP is set to sedentary.)

    Since my husband and I are on this journey together we usually plan our maintenance day to be Sunday which is our day out. :)

    Does it slow my weight loss down? For me yes, because I don't always burn the extra intake.

    BUT for me and my personal history I would rather lose slowly (8.4 lbs since 9/2/13) in a way that I can maintain than lose too quickly and not know how to maintain once I'm at my goad.
  • caramammal
    caramammal Posts: 147 Member
    Wowser - 'cheat' is a loaded word eh...but really, you think it's borderline disordered? Are you having a laugh?

    Just to be clear, i'm not on a lifestyle change, I'm on a diet, one that will result in fat loss. So when i dont stick to said diet, that means i'm not following the dieting rules which result in the fat loss i want, therefore i am cheating on the diet.

    Simple, now, does anyone want to answer the actual question or is being controversial so much more important than being supportive?
  • catherinemaxwell566
    catherinemaxwell566 Posts: 75
    I have a whole 'cheat weekend' and find that because im allowing myself it I never go crazy n never really more than 1700 cals. if I didn't let myself have the weekend I think id find the 1400 week day cals a lot harder.
    I moved from UK to USA 2 months ago and my family send me English chocolate so I save that for weekend rather than cramming it in all week, we also tend to go out for lunch at weekend and id rather not be panic reading the menu on my day off. still losing weight n toning up nicely tho so don't worry
  • caramammal
    caramammal Posts: 147 Member
    I have a whole 'cheat weekend' and find that because im allowing myself it I never go crazy n never really more than 1700 cals. if I didn't let myself have the weekend I think id find the 1400 week day cals a lot harder.
    I moved from UK to USA 2 months ago and my family send me English chocolate so I save that for weekend rather than cramming it in all week, we also tend to go out for lunch at weekend and id rather not be panic reading the menu on my day off. still losing weight n toning up nicely tho so don't worry

    I'm in the UK..are you from the North, Lancs? Yorks?
  • Iknowsaur
    Iknowsaur Posts: 777 Member
    I stuffed myself full of pizza last night and then sulked for three hours if that's what you mean :P
  • catherinemaxwell566
    catherinemaxwell566 Posts: 75
    I have a whole 'cheat weekend' and find that because im allowing myself it I never go crazy n never really more than 1700 cals. if I didn't let myself have the weekend I think id find the 1400 week day cals a lot harder.
    I moved from UK to USA 2 months ago and my family send me English chocolate so I save that for weekend rather than cramming it in all week, we also tend to go out for lunch at weekend and id rather not be panic reading the menu on my day off. still losing weight n toning up nicely tho so don't worry

    I'm in the UK..are you from the North, Lancs? Yorks?

    South east actually, Margate to be specific, and now I live in Southern California so no excuse to not be healthy anymore lol sunny every day
  • jclist1
    jclist1 Posts: 87 Member
    I don't really consider them "cheat meals" or days or anything like that. I make sure it fits within my macros and enjoy it. You sound like you are doing it right, looking at the menu and knowing what you are getting nutrition wise. Plan it out accordingly and you will do fine.
  • caramammal
    caramammal Posts: 147 Member
    I have a whole 'cheat weekend' and find that because im allowing myself it I never go crazy n never really more than 1700 cals. if I didn't let myself have the weekend I think id find the 1400 week day cals a lot harder.
    I moved from UK to USA 2 months ago and my family send me English chocolate so I save that for weekend rather than cramming it in all week, we also tend to go out for lunch at weekend and id rather not be panic reading the menu on my day off. still losing weight n toning up nicely tho so don't worry

    I'm in the UK..are you from the North, Lancs? Yorks?

    South east actually, Margate to be specific, and now I live in Southern California so no excuse to not be healthy anymore lol sunny every day

    Ha, i wasnt even close! S.California, lucky you, i bet you are missing the british weather SO much! haha
  • Iwishyouwell
    Iwishyouwell Posts: 1,888 Member
    The only cheating would be if you didn't track it in your food diary.

    I enjoyed my bourbon last night, but I tracked it :)

    I don't keep a food diary or calorie count.

    Am I cheating?

    :devil:
  • _EndGame_
    _EndGame_ Posts: 770 Member
    I usually have cheat weekends (if you like using the whole "cheat" saying)

    Swim 5 times a week (unless I'm working away) and track my calories, then eat pretty much whatever I like at weekends.

    Works well for me.
  • nomad1000
    nomad1000 Posts: 206 Member
    I log everything - the good, the bad, the ugly. If you don't log it, how will you know what these types of meals are doing to your body and your weight loss? For example, I know that days when we have Chinese take away, my weight will be up the next day, not because I went over cals but because I went (waaay) over on sodium.

    And I don't call them "cheat meals" either. :) Some days I am over, some days I am not. I do try to stay under my maintenance level on the over days, though. I have also found that if I have a really under cal day, the next one will tend to be over cals (or vice versa) and it all evens out by the end of the week.

    Hasn't impacted my weight loss much. Losing on average 2 lbs a week.
  • caramm1
    caramm1 Posts: 22 Member
    Hi I overindulge most weekends but so long as you accurately record it you will probably make up for it the days after! It may slow you down slightly but you will still lose as this is what I am doing - so don't worry and enjoy you still need to have fun and enjoy what your eating or in my case drinking!!! :drinker:

    Have a brill weekend!
  • catherinemaxwell566
    catherinemaxwell566 Posts: 75
    I have a whole 'cheat weekend' and find that because im allowing myself it I never go crazy n never really more than 1700 cals. if I didn't let myself have the weekend I think id find the 1400 week day cals a lot harder.
    I moved from UK to USA 2 months ago and my family send me English chocolate so I save that for weekend rather than cramming it in all week, we also tend to go out for lunch at weekend and id rather not be panic reading the menu on my day off. still losing weight n toning up nicely tho so don't worry

    I'm in the UK..are you from the North, Lancs? Yorks?



    South east actually, Margate to be specific, and now I live in Southern California so no excuse to not be healthy anymore lol sunny every day

    Ha, i wasnt even close! S.California, lucky you, i bet you are missing the british weather SO much! haha

    ha cant even pretend I miss it lol, in England I was always cold so couldn't b bothered to do anything but here I have so much energy, only problem is American food has a lot more secret bad stuff in it so u hav to be more careful
  • jlynnm70
    jlynnm70 Posts: 460 Member
    I don't have cheat meals, cheat deserts, cheat drinks or anything - it's all just a part of my day. If I want Big Mac for lunch - I better plan a skimpy dinner and add some extra exercise - or maybe only eat 1/2 of it. If I want a glass - or heck the whole bottle of wine - I just allow for it - same with ice cream or whatever.

    As long as I can fit it into my calories I eat, drink, or be lazy or work out as necessary for the day. It's life and you have to learn to live while you are on this journey. If I said NO every time something came up - or called it a cheat and went over - I'd never have fun and never lose weight.
  • jtgcm
    jtgcm Posts: 110
    Yup! My entire day yesterday was full of crappy food :) It happens.
  • hgycta
    hgycta Posts: 3,013 Member
    I'll be having my first scheduled cheat meal on Sunday :) An order of Cinnamon Supreme Hotcakes from Bob Evans, which is 1,169 calories! This isn't nearly as bad as some of the binges I've had in the past, but my boyfriend is obsessed with that place, mainly for those pancakes. He's been begging me to try them, so I decided to save some calories throughout the week for them, and by the end of today I should have enough to consume the meal without having to make any of it up afterwards :) I'm set for maintenance, so I'll probably be stuffed that day! Normally I don't really like "cheat meals," but it's his birthday, so I figured why not?
  • gringuitica
    gringuitica Posts: 168 Member
    I have what you call cheat meals, and my weight-loss has continued on a steady decline over time (though not always week-to-week). Long story short, they'll affect your weight-loss short term: when you eat more, you're at less of a deficit. But if you don't go hog wild (say, 5,000 cals over your goal) and bump up your activity level just a bit during the week (or eat just 100 cals under goal for a few days) you'll quickly compensate for your cheat meal.

    And even if you do go completely crazy with the cheesy, fatty, sugary and alcohol-soaked deliciousness of a cheat meal, you'll gain a half-pound or pound this week and work it back off again in another week or two. Your weight-loss probably won't be linear anyway.

    So back to your original question: does it speed up or slow down your weight-loss? I guess that's up to you – how much you cheat and how well you compensate for it.
  • mbhooker
    mbhooker Posts: 1
    Cheat meals are a must to keep you on track so you don't go off altogether. Yes most definitely log your meal. It sounds like you are planning it correctly, extra work out, looking over menu now and planning. Sometimes I think a cheat meal helps my weight loss, tricks my metabolism. BTW I am speaking with experience, 48 lbs loss in 15 mos only 4 lbs to go to hit goal.
  • StephyA86
    StephyA86 Posts: 68 Member
    When I was steadily losing weight (before I fell off that flippin' wagon), I would have a splurge meal once a week. My splurge was almost always Saturdays.

    Honestly, my splurge evolved with my weight loss. In the beginning, it was an all-day free for all, but when the weight loss started slowing, I changed it to one meal a week. It kept me sane and let me relax a little on the weekends. If I was really craving something, it was the "light at the end of the diet tunnel" on Saturdays. ;) There were also times it reminded me of why I ENJOY eating healthier because a calorie heavy meal sometimes made me feel like crud afterwards.

    I don't think cheat days or splurges are for everyone. I had a friend who COULD NOT deviate from her diet, because it was just a spiral into unhealthy eating the next day, and the next and so on. I could handle a piece of chocolate cake on Saturday and wake up to egg whites the next day just fine.

    Now that I'm back on the wagon, do I plan to splurge on Saturdays? I believe so, but I plan to be thoughtful about it by tracking it and maybe adding extra time onto my work out that day. What's that saying? Everything in moderation. :)
  • Tanya949
    Tanya949 Posts: 604 Member
    The only cheating would be if you didn't track it in your food diary.

    I enjoyed my bourbon last night, but I tracked it :)

    This.
  • gameshowfan91
    gameshowfan91 Posts: 6
    I do cheat days. It has been 1 cheat day/week so far. It hasn't gotten me off wagon.
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    Hell yeah, usually a couple a week.

    Yes, I log them and I haven't gained weight because of them.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    I have one once in a while (starting to be once in a week lately, got to nip that in the bud). Effects vary, but I'm still losing, so it can't be that bad, right?

    I log everything, and typically only go for things I really want, but haven't been able to fit in my diary. Usually it's not a whole meal though, I just get dessert... because it's really the only thing I love enough to want to go over for. If it was the whole meal, I'd be logging 4000 calories instead of 2500... just not really worth it for me.

    I'll add that if I want anything, I typically put it in my calories though, it's just those pesky restaurant desserts that don't always fit. Typically I don't plan them but if we go out to eat and it's a place that has tasty desserts, I'm more likely to give in (hence the once a week cheat lately, and why I should stay away from restaurants).

    I do have two more cheat meals planned though... Next week for my anniversary, and in 3 weeks for my birthday. That's about it.
  • HerpDerp745
    HerpDerp745 Posts: 223 Member
    I can't afford cheat meals. I couldn't imagine what would happen if I let Bane best me again.

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