How to recover after a cheat day/overeating!

Move on. Eat like you would normally do and log it. We all have occasional days like this.

I went over my calorie goal yesterday and am planning out my day today. I will drink lots of water, plan out my meals and stick to it, and get in a walk later. The hardest part for me is the mental- not saying F-it and just continuing overeating today. Just let it go

You may want to try to understand why you overate so that you can minimize it in the future.

I think this is a great point.
In my reflection, I realized I would "allow" myself to make poor choices and over eat when I was emotionally upset. Yesterday I was able to identify I was stressed and pissed and had a bad attitude- I stopped myself before it turned into a full on binge.

I did that yesterday and am trying to get back on track today. Mine was also triggered by stress and getting discouraged with slow weight loss. Comparing myself to others always brings me down too. Gotta get back on track and work with what I have!

I had a cheat day yesterday, and it's the day after this morning, and my abdomen is huge, I can't work out or exercise, I haven't went to the bathroom(#2), but I already had breakfast(some all bran cereal, just because I'm trying to get back on track). I am also drinking lots of tea and water to try to flush some of the waste out. What are your tips? I still feel pretty bad about it

You're the boy who posted last week about his "successes" with "binging".
Think about the comments and concerns you got on that thread.
My tip is: strive to develop a healthier relationship with food for the long run.
In the mean time, drink water, get moving, and eat normally today.

I can't imagine how your abdomen could be "huge" after a single day of binging. It sounds to me that the previous poster that said you need to develop a healthy relationship with food is right--you could be developing (or have already) body dysmorphia. You might want to stop everything that you're doing and talk to a doctor and/or a psychologist before you go any further trying to lose weight.

Just get back to normal, and drink a lot of water. I had an entire cheat week during the week of easter. It was planned, so I was mentally prepared to be a little bloated and gain some weight. I got right back to normal and even though I went more overboard than I thought I would with food, the weight and bloat was gone in a week. I only plan these weeks a couple of times a year just because I know I can bounce back and even though it's fun, I always look forward to getting back to normal and I come back with renewed energy!

just curious, do you still count calories on these 'cheat' days? im going for a visit back home and i know i MAY do a little cheating but i dont want to take it over board. im scared that if i stop counting with mfp or that if i get back into habit of making bad choices, that all my progress will go backwards and that i will give up again for the 3rd time. I really dont want to ever give up this time....i want to reach my goal!

Defiantly count calories during ""cheat"" days.

Like it never happened. There's nothing meaningful you can do to offset it today. Just treat today like a new day, stick to your plan, and progress.


(All this assumes, of course, that your plan is solid...that you're working with a reasonable calorie deficit, that you're exercising within reason, and that you're not trying to adhere to some ridiculous unnecessary restrictions. An appropriate plan is much easier to adhere to than an inappropriate one.)

ETA: And I absolutely count calories every day, even on days I go over. For one, incomplete logging would mess up my TDEE calculations...but two, because for many people, those days where they think they've completely derailed their progress are only 1000 or so calories over...which for many is only a few days of their deficit. Also, in absolute terms, 1000 calories is less than a third of a pound of fat. And it isn't like not logging it doesn't mean it didn't happen.

TL;DR - People make some bad decisions thinking they've derailed their plan when they haven't...except those bad decisions they make as a result can actually derail it.

Glad to read all these answers.

You just have to move on and learn for the future. I personally track my cheating meal like any others food that I eat. You need these cheating meals to boost your metabolism and avoid any ''plateau''. Keep it in mind

recovery after a cheat day? did you get food poisoning?

Your digestion is probably slowed due to restriction. The body does that, it's a survival thing so it has time to suck out every last nutrient. OR it's all in your head because you feel guilty. Either way, food is harmless. Continue on with your life.

Move on. Eat like you would normally do and log it. We all have occasional days like this.

Need I quote "this"? As long as cheat days don't become normal eating, then your body will work it out in a week or two on its own.

Just had a weekend away with friends. Ate the same as everyone else. I was feeling a bit guilty about it. But reading this I know i can crack on tomorrow and all is not lost. Thank you . x

I had a cheat 4 day weekend. Oh well. Tomorrow is a new day.

i have some issues with mental recovery after cheat days. i spent the past two days saying "f-it!" about food and choosing to eat really high sugar, high calorie foods. i never went over my calories but i did have a lot more than i've been having the past few weeks.

it wasn't tough on me physically. in fact, i woke up this morning and admired myself and my bodily changes in the mirror. went for a walk and then for a 1.25 mile jog and it made me feel much better.

the only issue i've had has been the mental recovery. but even that's getting better as today goes on and i am making healthy choices rather than continuing my unhealthy ones.

I don't understand. Does that mean that you've been significantly eating under your calories in the past? Eating within your calorie limits doesn't seem like a "cheat" day.