Feeling guilty for cheating!

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mmrey11
mmrey11 Posts: 21
in Introduce Yourself
Hello, everyone! I just recently decided to try and change my lifestyle again. Except this time, I'm extremely serious. I have a hard time with money so buying healthy food is hard. I also live with 4 other people who tend to eat anything in the fridge.

Anyways. I know that you should allow yourself "cheat" days so that its easier to stay with your diet but last night i went out with my mom for mothers day and ate cheese fries with ranch and had a dipped cone after(they're her favorite). I wasn't feeling bad about it because I was already ready to jump back on track today. I work in retail and get called in randomly, so this morning i didn't have time to plan any meal or lunch or anything. So someone brought me arbys and i ate half the french and swiss dip and some curly fries and some coca cola. I'm still planning on doing my workout tonight after i get off work.

The only thing is, I feel absolutely horrible and kinda can't stand myself right now for eating it. I don't know what to do. I don't know, I think I just need some reassurance that its okay. Help?:sad:

Also, I don't have any friends on here so feel free to add me!
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Replies

  • ImAJH
    ImAJH Posts: 391 Member
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    It's only one day!? Trust me, It's fine to have a cheat day once in a while Molly? Just make sure you can get back on track with the healthy eating straight after and keep up the exercise. Don't feel guilty as it's only one day and you should know in your mind that you've been eating healthily and exercising for the past however long you've been doing it for!

    Keep up the diet and remember a cheat day once a month or whenever you feel like one is fine; just get back on track after.
  • Linda_May1960
    Linda_May1960 Posts: 11
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    If I do not plan my meals or have items to quickly grab on the run, I tend to eat fast food or over eat other foods I have on hand. It's hard not to feel bad, but I try not to beat myself up too much. Have you given any thought to getting a compact fridge with a lock in your room? All the best!
  • AllOutof_Bubblegum
    AllOutof_Bubblegum Posts: 3,646 Member
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    You will be fine. It's almost guaranteed you didn't even go over your TDEE with only half the sandwich and a few fries and Coke. This will not set you back. Move on and be happy.
  • mmrey11
    mmrey11 Posts: 21
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    I could but I'm really tight on money working part time. With gas and food, its hard to make a large purchase. Maybe I'll start saving up for it!
  • Unfledgedkitty
    Unfledgedkitty Posts: 45 Member
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    I have one cheat day a week :)

    normally my day of where i eat like crazy!!! I know i am a man so i can eat 1800 Calories a day and still get away with it... but on my cheat day i go into the 3K+,

    Don't feel bad for one day a week... just for the rest of the week eat normally :)
  • newbeginningsbob
    newbeginningsbob Posts: 25 Member
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    I used to beat myself up about things like this.. but recently I have a new mental attitude to "forget it and move on". Because it's negative and holding you back! Focus on doing better now!

    Also, I do find that planning meals is really good. Have you a freezer? You could bulk buy some food and make some meals? This would also be cheaper in the long run!!
  • mmrey11
    mmrey11 Posts: 21
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    First of all, Thank you everyone for the support!

    Secondly, I have definitely considered making meals in bulk and freezing leftovers.
    Trying to find a time to go to the store to get things for pre-portioned snacks as well!
    :wink:
  • Bucklebeak
    Bucklebeak Posts: 16 Member
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    A few years back I was a member of a weight loss group and was having pretty much the same feelings you are having now. She said it is important to remember that 1 bad meal is not a train wreck when you look at the fact that we have approximately 21 meals a week. So it's ok to have a momentary lapse. It's what you do after that that matters.

    Too often we write-off our goals because we 'have wrecked everything' by having a high calorie meal. It's one day, 3 meals out of a total 21 :-) Give yourself a break and get back on the horse, we're all heading in the same direction so you will have plenty of people cheering your corner.
    If you end up out with friends, have a club soda or water instead of a soda, have the fries just ditch the dressing or have less than you normally would. Soldier on, you'll get there
  • Train4Foodz
    Train4Foodz Posts: 4,298 Member
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    Honestly, one meal isn't going to wreck your diet.. 2 meals aren't going to wreck your diet.. Having 2 cheat meals a day EVERY day, would...
    Don't feel guilty, if you feel guilty every time you have food you enjoy (maybe a weekly/fortnightly cheatmeal), you're setting yourself up to fail.. Just blow it away, continue your week with healthy options..

    As far as money is concerned, there are some really great low cost meal options available f you shop around. Maybe have a look at local online food retailers and freezer shops.. There are healthy, cheap freezer options for the 'quick meal' times and if you shop around you can get fresh a lot cheaper than just relying on chain stores.

    All the best.

    Feel free to add me.
  • melimomTARDIS
    melimomTARDIS Posts: 1,941 Member
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    It might help you to find something low calorie that is at every fast food restaurant.

    I default to a kids size sandwhich plain with ketchup, a diet coke, and a side salad at every fast food place. Fries are pretty high calorie, so I don't eat them out because of that. I eat the ore Ida type fries at home, so I can save on calories.

    I have my version of this for a sit down restaurant too.
  • rsclause
    rsclause Posts: 3,103 Member
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    Eat at a slight deficit daily. I know there is always a "bad" meal lurking but just don't do it. Don't diet, change your lifestyle because that's the only way it can work long term. Healthy food is not always expensive, I switched to oatmeal for breakfast and bought a two month supply for six bucks. Fresh fruit to put in it was adding up so I switched to frozen berries. You can do this, stay at it!
  • love2b3fit
    love2b3fit Posts: 31
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    I do I too! Weather its getting up late and having to run out the door or being called in, I seem to do this. Its all good in the hood. Just don't let yourself crash and burn, keep going tomorrow!

    I have found that if I pack myself food the night before I'm usually prepared. I now plan my Mon-Fri meals on sunday and do them all sunday, unless they'll go bad :P And then Friday I do Sat and Sun :P

    Hope I have helped you in some way!
  • Petrapoo45
    Petrapoo45 Posts: 271 Member
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    The best advice I have ever gotten is just do it, accept it and move on. This weight loss journey really is a journey. You are going to have good days and bad, and its hard...really really hard. You just have to accept it, and move on. Tomorrow is a fresh new day :smile:

    Feel free to add me!!
  • Flutterloo
    Flutterloo Posts: 122 Member
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    There is NOTHING wrong with falling short. The problem is when you decide to stay down instead of get back up and keep going.

    Don't worry. It's over, you can't take it back. You don't need to feel guilty. Just move on. Good luck!
  • jec285
    jec285 Posts: 145 Member
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    My cheat day usually consists of 5/8 of a stuffed-crust pizza, most of an order of cheesy breadstix, and copious amounts of rum (6-10 servings).

    Do you still feel bad?
  • aprilw2222
    aprilw2222 Posts: 23 Member
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    Good gracious girl its not the end of the world to cheat. Just pick yourself back up and stand firm on your plan to get fit and healthy and move forward. I go over my calories all the time and cheat and I just get right back on track the next day. I think its getting easier and easier to eat better. Today even with eating a Big Mac at Mcdonalds I was still under my goal. I pretty much avoid that place but today we were so hungry from working all day and not eating much for breakfast, I allowed myself to eat it guilt free. Hang in there and keep moving and grooving towards your weight loss goals. Feel free to add me as a friend!!
  • tlp8rb
    tlp8rb Posts: 556 Member
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    Consider that we have to burn 3500 calories to lose a pound. So - we have to eat 3500 calories OVER your normal intake (1200??) to gain a pound. It is never going to happen in a day. It is when we consistently burn calories, or over eat that we see change positive or negative.

    I tend to look at my intake/burn on a weekly basis rather than day by day. If I'm at 1200 calories a day, that means I can take in 8,400 calories a week, and will loose a pound and a half without exercising at all. So you goofed - big deal. Make it up another day this week. Or burn an extra 500 calories during the week.
  • MelsAuntie
    MelsAuntie Posts: 2,833 Member
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    Then don't do "cheat" days, "cheat" meals ( I hate that term.) If you have a healthy calorie goal it should not be hard to stay in it. If you want fried chicken, pizza, chocolate, just eat it, enjoy it, log it in, make sure it fits, and exercise more than you take in.. Otherwise you're like the alchoholic saying he has to give up booze so he'll just get drunk one day a week, or the person trying to stop smoking who says, okay, I'll devote one day a week to blow through a whole pack of cancer sticks.
  • phoenixx866
    phoenixx866 Posts: 173 Member
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    I don't call them "cheat" days, I call them "slingshot" days. Because sometimes you do need to indulge a little bit to kick your diet back on track.
  • artistes2
    artistes2 Posts: 19 Member
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    It's not the end of the world, it happens to us all. You might try to keep a journal and plan out your day and take healthy snack s with you. That helps me!

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