Cheat Meals

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rijana12
rijana12 Posts: 81 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I was just wondering how important it is to have a cheat meal? I know some people are for it and some are against. If I choose to have one, how often should it be? And do I only get one if I've behaved perfectly for the remainder of the week? Any advice will help! :flowerforyou:

Replies

  • navyrigger46
    navyrigger46 Posts: 1,301 Member
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    They're neither good or bad. On Sunday we have family dinner, I don't log it usually, but when I have I don't end up being over by a whole lot, if at all. As long as you can maintain control over your impulses there's nothing wrong with it, once a week or once a month, or once in a while. It really depends on you.

    Rigger
  • autumn_moon86
    autumn_moon86 Posts: 13
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    When my boyfriend first lost all his weight (not 100% sure how much - i'd say roughly....80ish-100lbs) he would allow himself one cheat night a week. He'd go to a restaurant and get a cheeseburger and a bunch of fries and have a few beers. Slowly, after the first few months, he said he stopped wanting and/or needing that cheat day.

    For me - I don't do cheat days, I guess. But I do allow myself treats - as long as they fit within my calories. With the exception of special events - i.e. my birthday! I didn't calculate until the next day, but surprisingly, I wasn't that far over my "maintenance" calories.

    All depends on what YOU need to keep motivated and feeling good!
  • SharonNehring
    SharonNehring Posts: 535 Member
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    It really depends upon what you want. Myself, I work the occasional treat into my day and do not have a planned cheat day/meal. Due to health reasons, that just would not be a very good thing for me to do.

    If knowing you have a meal to look forward to helps keep you on track the rest of the time, then do it. Go with what works.
  • Murph1908
    Murph1908 Posts: 125 Member
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    I've thought about it in a couple of ways.

    Weight loss takes time. During that time, there are going to be special days; birthdays, weddings, going to a sporting event, catered work meeting, etc.

    I've had 2 of those types of days since the beginning of the year. On those days, I 'cheated' by eating my maintain number instead of my loss number. Since my goal is 2 lbs a week, that gave me an extra 1000 calories for that day. That was PLENTY for me to enjoy the day and not feel guilty, and all it cost me was 1 day of weight loss.

    Another option for some might be to give yourself that same day once a week. On Saturday, for example, you eat your maintain number instead of your loss number. If you do it right, you lose your goal amount every 8 days instead of every 7. If that helps you make it through the long haul, then it could be a good deal to make.

    So, in essence, my theory is to make your cheat day no worse than a maintain day. That way you don't lose ground, and it might prevent you from having guilt knock you off the wagon. How often you do that will affect how long it takes for you to reach your goal, but you are cheating within the rules, in a way.
  • theJTfitness
    theJTfitness Posts: 142 Member
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    I think they're okay. I personally don't do them very often, just on special occasions. I get to eat pretty much whatever I crave on my normal diet (granted I may not get to eat as much of it as I'd like). If you're going to do them make sure that it's a cheat MEAL. I've heard of people having cheat DAYS. I don't know about you, but I can do some damage if I get to eat whatever I want for a whole day.
  • guitargod2014
    guitargod2014 Posts: 10 Member
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    I tend to think of it as being a lifestyle change more than just a diet. I do want to lose more weight but I also don't want to miss out on celebrations, holidays, going out, an occasional drink etc. First of all, if you are reasonably careful about what you have on the 'cheat' occasions, you are probably not going to be over by much. We also all need holidays, a change etc. for our well being - so do do that.
    Finally, losing weight / getting fit etc. takes a long time. If it typically takes one week to lose 2 Ibs, then how much damage are you going to do by going slightly over your calorie limit in one day ? - not much as long as you are reasonably careful.
    As ever, it is all a question of balance, just don't do it too regularly and definitely don't binge. Actually the occasional, considered treat will mean that you are less likely to binge.
  • Branstin
    Branstin Posts: 2,320 Member
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    I eat all of the foods I wish within my calories range. If I go over once in a while then so be it. As long as the rest of your week is on target, you'll be fine.
  • Wtn_Gurl
    Wtn_Gurl Posts: 396 Member
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    I do not plan a cheat meal. No, I just eat a few "forbidden" foods (foods I dont normally eat to lose weight). AS NEEDED. the reasons for the "cheat meal' are varied, sometimes I feel a certain way and a certain kind of food is what i crave. Like on a very hot summer day I might really crave a milkshake, whereas in the winter, I might crave a hot chocolate. so i go with the flow, if i really really need to eat that. usually during the week i dont give in to all the cravings that assault me during the week, so even with that I have a certain amount of control of what i will splurge on.

    If i were to plan a weekly cheat meal, it would take 4 days for the effects of weight gain to go down again. Thats the trend I see in me. so, its not worth it to look to that every week.

    But, if i really really want something I do eat it. but it has to be really really delicious for me to do that. Sometimes the treat is actually less calories than a meal i would have eaten.
  • _lyndseybrooke_
    _lyndseybrooke_ Posts: 2,561 Member
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    As long as you stay within your WEEKLY goal, you'll still lose. I am really lax with food choices on weekends and we normally eat out 2-3 times in the course of two days. I eat less during the week in order to have my weekends and it works for me. I'm never hungry during the week, so it's not hard to do. This weekend, for instance, I've already logged my breakfast for each day and I have about 3100 calories left to spread out over the rest of the days. Chinese food? Maybe. Frozen yogurt? Definitely.

    HOWEVER, it's important to log. I log even my bad foods, because how else will I know if I'm staying within my goal? Hold yourself accountable and enjoy yourself.

    Other people can have treats spread out throughout the week. One piece of cake here, two cookies there. However, I know myself and it's better to avoid those foods during the week to avoid a binge.

    Do what works for you, just make sure you're logging and being honest without yourself.
  • SecretDuck
    SecretDuck Posts: 26
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    I do have cheat meals sometimes. When I crave a ginormous Wetherspoons meal for lunch, I wolf it all down even if it's 1,500 calories. I tend to go with the flow - I am losing weight slowly but steadily, and I don't choose to deprive myself of junk food.

    Only, I don't "plan" it. I allow it to happen but it is not set on a specific day. When I did, the cheat meals can turn into cheat months rather rapidly. The week before, I had the cheat meal in Subway on a Tuesday. Then, last week, Wetherspoons on a Thursday. This week, no cheat meal...etc.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    I don't like the word cheat.

    I eat food, all day everyday, that includes my chocolate and chips, wine and beer plus anything else I want.

    I make it fit into my daily/weekly totals, and move on.

    Why remove something I love to eat or drink??

    But that's me, some people need to have "cheat" days or "treat" days.

    Find what works for you!
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    No food is bad food to me.
  • drew06
    drew06 Posts: 28
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    It depends how much of a caloric deficit you are in. If you are in a big caloric deficit, say over 500 calories a day, then it could be beneficial for a cheat day/meal. If you are eating closer to maintenance, say only 100 calories under a day, then maybe only a couple scoops of ice cream instead (with your favorite toppings and a waffle cone of course :P )

    Studies have shown that metabolism and other important hormones lower during extended caloric deficits making it harder and harder to lose the extra weight. Studies have also shown that once the caloric intake is increase, the metabolism and other hormones return to normal. This is where people have benefited from cheat meals and/or days and where the popular intermittent fasting diet arose.

    The mental factor also comes into play, if having a cheat meal helps you stick to your diet, then by all means go for it, live a little! But if you find yourself losing control and over doing it every time (I have done this many times. Having one oreo turns into the whole box with milk, chocolates, and a tub of ice cream), then maybe try to refrain from cheat meals.

    Then there is the IIFYM (if it fits your macros) group. I like to call this everything in moderation. First you calculate your daily caloric needs and macronutrients based on what you want to do (lose weight, maintain, gain mass). From there you can eat whatever you want so long they fill up your macros. This has been proven effective for weight loss, but in terms of overall health, you should still try to get in your vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients.
  • ChrysalisCove
    ChrysalisCove Posts: 975 Member
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    Depends on your lifestyle, your personality & your eating habits. I have one "free meal" 1x/mo or so on a special occasion. I always log it & I never go above maintenance for that day. The rest of the time I work the foods I love into my daily requirements. If I were to have entire days off & not log, I know I would drastically overeat & probably have a hard time in the days to follow. To me, that isn't worth it. If I were to cut out all the foods I love all the time, I would be miserable & that is not sustainable. Again, not worth it. Do what works for you.
  • hasta_la_vista_belly
    hasta_la_vista_belly Posts: 103
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    I've found cheat meals to just make me feel like crap for a couple days so I've eliminated them entirely. Haven't had a cheat meal since early February.
  • asdowe13
    asdowe13 Posts: 1,951 Member
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    Then there is the IIFYM (if it fits your macros) group. I like to call this everything in moderation. First you calculate your daily caloric needs and macronutrients based on what you want to do (lose weight, maintain, gain mass). From there you can eat whatever you want so long they fill up your macros. This has been proven effective for weight loss, but in terms of overall health, you should still try to get in your vitamins, fiber, and other nutrients.

    If you hit your macros properly, all your micros (vitamins, fibre, other nutrients) should be hit as well.

    basically IIFYM is easier then saying IIFYMAM (if it fits your macros and micros)

    So shouldn't be any issues with "overall health"
  • Llamapants86
    Llamapants86 Posts: 1,221 Member
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    I don't think of them as cheat meals. The while point of this for me, is to learn how to enjoy life while being healthy. Sometimes life makes tracking hard so I just roll with it. A good example would be Easter dinner in a couple weeks. Tracking would be damn near impossible so I won't bother. I'll exercise that day and I'll enjoy myself but listen to my body when I'm full and stop then.

    Anything else I always log just so I am aware of the damage I am doing. Usually I decide that my maitainence level is good enough and I won't be backsliding.
  • rijana12
    rijana12 Posts: 81 Member
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    Thanks for all the great advice everyone. :love:

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