help! question about day after cheat day

Options
bvar1
bvar1 Posts: 48 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

So I had been eating pretty badly lately (finals stress and lost motivation), but this week I was back to following my 1200cal/day diet. Unfortunately, today I was feeling insanely hungry. It's that time of the month, and I had a cheat day. I had been fairly okay, until I had 2 bowls of cereal and some nuts. My diet recently has consisted of healthy fats (eggs), protein, and fruits/veggies. I am trying to weigh myself once a week, because I got in the bad habit of doing it daily and it drove me crazy. However, I know my weight will be up tomorrow. I know it's entirely my fault and I'm very upset with myself, but I really need to get back on track and just show some willpower! Renewed motivation.

I've in the past done "steak days" after a cheat where you drink fluids throughout the day (water/tea/coffee), and then after 4pm for dinner eat a giant steak and an apple as a snack. It usually works to de-bloat by getting rid of the water weight and you can drop 1-3lbs. Sometimes helps if I'm feeling very bloated and gets rid of binge weight. Do you guys think those are good every once in a while, or would you recommend just going back to the normal calorie diet? Any thoughts? Thanks in advance!

Replies

  • whit291
    whit291 Posts: 18 Member
    Options
    2 bowls of cereal and nuts does not make a cheat day! Certainly don't beat yourself up over that. Just get back on track and eat healthy from here on out, and get a good workout in. You'll feel like a million bucks. Also, 1200 cals per day is probably too low for you! (Which could definitely cause feeling insanely hungry and set you up to binge eat.)
  • bvar1
    bvar1 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    well I definitely over ate because that was on top of my dinner! late-night snack. and i love nuts but I know the key to those is portion control...thank you though! That's great advice, I definitely need to get back to the gym. I'd gotten so busy and fell out of my routine, that really does make a difference in how you feel. thanks so much
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Options
    Maybe if you had a more reasonable goal (with 1200 you're supposed to eat back exercise calories, by the way), you wouldn't be starving and going over so much.
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    Options
    The goal is to try to eat as much as you can while still losing weight at a steady pace (1 lb/week for most people).

    I would take a serious look at your weight loss goals, caloric intake, etc. Consider eating more on a daily basis (post your stats if you want help/suggestions as to how much) so that you won't get hungry and binge.

    I have planned high calorie days sometimes, where if I know I am going out for a special occasion, or it's the weekend and I want to have a drink or three, then I will "save up" calories earlier in the week by not eating back my exercise calories one day and using them on a future day. It's a bit more complicated, keeping up with weekly calories, but it works for me an gives me a larger sense of freedom.
  • bvar1
    bvar1 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    Thank you all, you're all right. That's been the biggest thing - finding a maintainable diet plan that is just overall healthy and a new achievable lifestyle in the long run. On the MFP app, if I set the weight loss goal to 2lbs/wk, it's 1200cals/day. Even changing that to 1lb/wk affords me 1350cals/day, so perhaps that would be better. I'm trying to lose 10lbs, but I always thought a goal of 1-2lbs was reasonable, so I went for the 2. Plus at the time cutting back on 150 extra cals didn't seem like that much more to increase the loss, but who knows. I'm also not sure how much of a factor this truly plays, but I was just feeling very munchy and I ended up starting that time of the month last night so that also could have contributed.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    Options
    Thank you all, you're all right. That's been the biggest thing - finding a maintainable diet plan that is just overall healthy and a new achievable lifestyle in the long run. On the MFP app, if I set the weight loss goal to 2lbs/wk, it's 1200cals/day. Even changing that to 1lb/wk affords me 1350cals/day, so perhaps that would be better. I'm trying to lose 10lbs, but I always thought a goal of 1-2lbs was reasonable, so I went for the 2. Plus at the time cutting back on 150 extra cals didn't seem like that much more to increase the loss, but who knows. I'm also not sure how much of a factor this truly plays, but I was just feeling very munchy and I ended up starting that time of the month last night so that also could have contributed.

    You want to lose 10lb so your goal should be 0.5lb per week. Eat more.
  • bvar1
    bvar1 Posts: 48 Member
    Options
    Thank you all, you're all right. That's been the biggest thing - finding a maintainable diet plan that is just overall healthy and a new achievable lifestyle in the long run. On the MFP app, if I set the weight loss goal to 2lbs/wk, it's 1200cals/day. Even changing that to 1lb/wk affords me 1350cals/day, so perhaps that would be better. I'm trying to lose 10lbs, but I always thought a goal of 1-2lbs was reasonable, so I went for the 2. Plus at the time cutting back on 150 extra cals didn't seem like that much more to increase the loss, but who knows. I'm also not sure how much of a factor this truly plays, but I was just feeling very munchy and I ended up starting that time of the month last night so that also could have contributed.

    You want to lose 10lb so your goal should be 0.5lb per week. Eat more.

    Okay, I'll try uping my cals. thanks.

Categories