cheated on my diet :(

I started a low carb diet about 2 weeks ago. I've been doing really good and lost 7lbs. This evening after my walk I got upset and found some remaining brownie cheesecake ice cream...I gave in. I feel SO guilty! I read that recovering from cheat days is much harder when you are on a low carb diet. Any truth to this? I don't want this to mess up my progress
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Replies

  • AJ_G
    AJ_G Posts: 4,158 Member
    You don't need to go low carb to lose weight. If you go on a restrictive diet like low carb, you will inevitably eat something that's "forbidden" and when that happens people tend to binge. It's a bad idea in my opinion.
  • candidcastaway
    candidcastaway Posts: 11 Member
    I used to do the low carb, and all other crazy sorts of diets and it never ended well. You don't need to give up your favorite foods to lose weight. Today, I had pizza and ice cream and I didn't go over my calories/macros. No food should be off limits. It's all about finding balance and eating in moderation.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    I do low carb and occasionally I cheat. You know what I do the next day? I just start eating like how I used to and I get back on track. Cheat days will happen on ANY new eating lifestyle. Just start fresh the next day.
  • shanesemathis
    shanesemathis Posts: 25 Member
    You really don't need to go on special restrictive diets to lose weight. If you're on a weight loss journey and you have moments where you feel like a major failure if you've had a little bit of ice cream or pasta or anything of that sort, you're doing it wrong , in my opinion. The idea is to definitely eat better for your health, but to not restrict yourself to the point where you're feeling ravenously hungry for "cheat food". This is not a realistic way to diet because you will not stick with it. Teach yourself a way to eat in a way that can be maintained for the rest of your life rather than just for the period of time in which you wish to lose weight, or you won't keep it off. Just my humble advice!
  • kinkyslinky16
    kinkyslinky16 Posts: 1,469 Member
    You don't need to go low carb to lose weight. If you go on a restrictive diet like low carb, you will inevitably eat something that's "forbidden" and when that happens people tend to binge. It's a bad idea in my opinion.
    Agreed!
  • fallingtrees
    fallingtrees Posts: 220 Member
    Really, it's okay. your diet won't leave you for cheating on it. It will be there tomorrow, and the next day, and the next...
  • eomuno215in541
    eomuno215in541 Posts: 201 Member
    I used to do the low carb, and all other crazy sorts of diets and it never ended well. You don't need to give up your favorite foods to lose weight. Today, I had pizza and ice cream and I didn't go over my calories/macros. No food should be off limits. It's all about finding balance and eating in moderation.

    what's a macro?
  • eomuno215in541
    eomuno215in541 Posts: 201 Member
    Dont low carb. Just control portions. (Check my bad diary). But raise protein to feel fuller. If u feel real bad about a carbinge burn it off w a cardio. Handbike seems to b the most fastest burn if ur in a gym. Im not dieting, so I cant cheat. Im just reducing cals and raising exercise :laugh:
  • FireStorm1972
    FireStorm1972 Posts: 1,142 Member
    Macros = Macronutrients....like protein, carbs, fat , sodium, sugar ...etc..
    But I tried the low carb high protein diet also, my cholesterol went to high from all the eggs I ate LOL.
    Now on just a calorie deficeit and is much easier, still having issues maintaining my daily sodium at times.
  • I don't believe in restricting yourself because you end up setting yourself up for a failure. You can have everything in Moderation! But if you do want to stick to your diet, Do Not Beat Yourself Up! It happened, move on and tomorrow get back on track! Good Luck!
    I started a low carb diet about 2 weeks ago. I've been doing really good and lost 7lbs. This evening after my walk I got upset and found some remaining brownie cheesecake ice cream...I gave in. I feel SO guilty! I read that recovering from cheat days is much harder when you are on a low carb diet. Any truth to this? I don't want this to mess up my progress
  • FireStorm1972
    FireStorm1972 Posts: 1,142 Member
    I don't believe in restricting yourself because you end up setting yourself up for a failure. You can have everything in Moderation! But if you do want to stick to your diet, Do Not Beat Yourself Up! It happened, move on and tomorrow get back on track! Good Luck!
    I started a low carb diet about 2 weeks ago. I've been doing really good and lost 7lbs. This evening after my walk I got upset and found some remaining brownie cheesecake ice cream...I gave in. I feel SO guilty! I read that recovering from cheat days is much harder when you are on a low carb diet. Any truth to this? I don't want this to mess up my progress
    This....just start new tomorrow and don't look back 8)
  • geekishgirl
    geekishgirl Posts: 117 Member
    I'm also on a low carb diet for the time being and last week I had a burger on sourdough. It did not fit into the parameters of what I eat at this time. You know what I did? I enjoyed it. And then I moved on. I didn't feel guilty for it or beat myself up. The next day I went back to low carbing it. In the meantime, I've still lost weight. And because I really wanted that burger and I allowed myself to have it, it's out of my mind and I've moved on from it.

    I know its hard, but try not to feel guilty. It's not the end of the world. Move on and keep working towards your goals.
  • jessmcanulty
    jessmcanulty Posts: 46 Member
    I feel blah.....today I have eaten Chinese for lunch, 3 chocolate donuts for a snack and ice cream, not only do I feel guilty and mad at myself I actually feel sick. I need some motivation
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Stop with the guilt it's food! You need to change the relationship you have with food and stop being overly restrictive. Stop thinking of this as being "on a diet" those end and usually result in frustration, giving up because it's too hard.

    Check my diary you will see everything from veggies, fruit, pizza, ice cream and cookies and I never once felt guilt about having any of it. Go for consistent over perfection. There is no reason to be miserable while losing weight, life is meant to be enjoyed find a way to do this without beating yourself up.

    Here's some information & links that you should read that will help:

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit: Most people do not need to eat 1200 calories to lose.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
  • JesterMFP
    JesterMFP Posts: 3,596 Member
    Stop with the guilt it's food! You need to change the relationship you have with food and stop being overly restrictive. Stop thinking of this as being "on a diet" those end and usually result in frustration, giving up because it's too hard.

    Check my diary you will see everything from veggies, fruit, pizza, ice cream and cookies and I never once felt guilt about having any of it. Go for consistent over perfection. There is no reason to be miserable while losing weight, life is meant to be enjoyed find a way to do this without beating yourself up.

    Here's some information & links that you should read that will help:

    Log your food accurately and honestly. Go for 80% good choices the other 20% don't worry so much about. I eat lots of delicious food and have consistently lost. Keep it simple find a REASONABLE deficit: Most people do not need to eat 1200 calories to lose.

    If you have 75+ lbs to lose 2 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 40-75 lbs to lose 1.5 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 25-40 lbs to lose 1 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have 15 -25 lbs to lose 0.5 to 1.0 lbs/week is ideal
    If you have less than 15 lbs to lose 0.5 lbs/week is ideal

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1234699-logging-accurately-step-by-step-guide?hl=logging+step+guide

    Find an activity you enjoy doing - I found I love to ride my bike and lift heavy stuff :)

    Here are 2 more threads that will help take the time to read them:
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1235566-so-you-re-new-here?hl=so+you're+new+here

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1080242-a-guide-to-get-you-started-on-your-path-to-sexypants
    ^This, totally this. Especially the part in bold.

    If you want to eat low carb, then eat low carb, but accept that it takes time to make new habits and you've done nothing to feel guilty about. Just get back to the way you want to eat.

    But, also understand that you don't have to eat low carb to lose fat, and that being overly restrictive in your food choices can, for a lot of people, lead to an even worse relationship with food. The fact that you felt compelled to eat that food suggests that maybe this isn't a way of eating that is working for you. Try to find a way of eating where you don't feel the need to "cheat".

    Some people with certain health issues (such as insulin resistance, pcos) will find it helpful to limit carbs to some extent (not necessarily going very low carb); but most people do not need to cut carbs to lose fat. The fact that you lost 7 lbs in 2 weeks is no doubt encouraging, but be aware that a good chunk of that will be water weight. Carbs retain more water, so cutting carbs helps you drop water weight. You won't have lost 7 lbs of fat.
  • cppeace
    cppeace Posts: 764 Member
    If you decide to stick with low carb, which is totally your choice, it will take 3 days to go back into ketosis after going out. Simple as that. For some low carb is sustainable, for many it isn't. You must decide what is best for you and what you want.
  • Alatariel75
    Alatariel75 Posts: 18,344 Member
    Feel guilty for cheating on your partner. Feel guilty for cheating on a test. Don't feel guilty for cheating on a 'diet'. Enjoy the treat, and go back to your plan. It's life. Life involves food. Success in losing weigh isn't perfection, it's making more "good" choices than "bad" - not that any food is "bad", everything has its place, but as the above posters have said - consistent over perfection!

    If you see having a treat as a guilt inducing treat, you set yourself up for an emotional entanglement that is not at all helpful.
  • _Zardoz_
    _Zardoz_ Posts: 3,987 Member
    I started a low carb diet about 2 weeks ago. I've been doing really good and lost 7lbs. This evening after my walk I got upset and found some remaining brownie cheesecake ice cream...I gave in. I feel SO guilty! I read that recovering from cheat days is much harder when you are on a low carb diet. Any truth to this? I don't want this to mess up my progress
    Why did you start low carb? It's no miracle way to lose weight you can lose weight eating normal food. You do not need to suffer to lose weight. If you are having these problems after one week you are unlikely to be able to sustain this way of eating

    Follow the the links given above. Don't feel guilty about eating food. Food is food there is no good or bad, Don't have cheat days have days fit ice cream and cheesecake in moderation into a normal diet and you'll lose weight that's what the most successful people on MFP do
  • NotASoul
    NotASoul Posts: 25 Member
    Having "cheat days" once in a while is ok - as they say, 'a little of what you fancy does you good' and just about any food is fine in moderation. Best way to avoid binges or food guilt is to give yourself permission to have a treat, and then really enjoy what you are eating. This way, you don't get the "I have failed - today is wasted so I might as well fail some more" mentality, and you feel in control of the situation, so no guilt or binging is caused!
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    Ok, she DID NOT ask you people to critique her low carb eating plan. Maybe she has a health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WANTS to limit her carbs because high carb doesn't work for her. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on her for low carbing, how about offering advice to help her on HER CHOSEN way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's dog pile on people for daring to eat differently than we do" mob mentality :mad:
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    I'd cheat on that diet too. Carbs are not the enemy.

    If you want to do something, do this.

    1. Set your fitness pal goal to 1-2 lbs per week
    2. Buy a kitchen scale, and weigh everything
    3. Eat at a calorie deficit as defined by your fitness goals
    4. Enjoy all the yummy carbs you want, just make sure you are getting enough fats and protein in your diet.
    5. Exercise 2-3 days a week, or more if you can do it comfortable
  • martinel2099
    martinel2099 Posts: 899 Member
    Ok, she DID NOT ask you people to critique her low carb eating plan. Maybe she has a health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WANTS to limit her carbs because high carb doesn't work for her. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on her for low carbing, how about offering advice to help her on HER CHOSEN way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's dog pile on people for daring to eat differently than we do" mob mentality :mad:

    Not dog piling, giving honest feedback to someone that is struggling with a silly diet plan. If there's a medical reason she can mention it, but my guess is it isn't because of one.
  • eimaj5575
    eimaj5575 Posts: 278 Member
    Ok, she DID NOT ask you people to critique her low carb eating plan. Maybe she has a health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WANTS to limit her carbs because high carb doesn't work for her. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on her for low carbing, how about offering advice to help her on HER CHOSEN way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's dog pile on people for daring to eat differently than we do" mob mentality :mad:





    Well maybe people are just trying to help someone realize that you do not have to live without carbs to lose weight. Some people really don't realize that carbs are not the enemy and would benefit from people letting them know not to avoid carbs. If you love carbs then it is not sustainable to not eat them. Any weight you loose on low carb will be gained back if you can not sustain it. People are only trying to help not trying to put her down. Geez! sensitive lol
  • sunnyskys2013
    sunnyskys2013 Posts: 159 Member
    Ok, she DID NOT ask you people to critique her low carb eating plan. Maybe she has a health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WANTS to limit her carbs because high carb doesn't work for her. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on her for low carbing, how about offering advice to help her on HER CHOSEN way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's dog pile on people for daring to eat differently than we do" mob mentality :mad:
    I agree.
  • SugaryLynx
    SugaryLynx Posts: 2,640 Member
    Ok, she DID NOT ask you people to critique her low carb eating plan. Maybe she has a health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WANTS to limit her carbs because high carb doesn't work for her. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on her for low carbing, how about offering advice to help her on HER CHOSEN way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's dog pile on people for daring to eat differently than we do" mob mentality :mad:

    Lol.

    I'm assuming OP is an adult and can pick and choose what to follow. I know, what a crazy assumption. How is it dog piling when posters give their personal opinions and personal experiences, the same as you? Just because there's more people who've had sustainable success with not low carb makes it dog piling? Sounds like you're just bitter that there are a large group of people in this community who've had success doing the opposite of you. Get over it.

    You keep doing what you do and anyone who wants to do the same can. No one is giving the my way or the highway mentality. They're saying low carb is often difficult and not sustainable for most and unnecessary for weight loss...that's true
  • BigT555
    BigT555 Posts: 2,067 Member
    Ok, she DID NOT ask you people to critique her low carb eating plan. Maybe she has a health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WANTS to limit her carbs because high carb doesn't work for her. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on her for low carbing, how about offering advice to help her on HER CHOSEN way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's dog pile on people for daring to eat differently than we do" mob mentality :mad:
    Ok, we DID NOT ask you to critique our anti-low carb eating advice. Maybe she has no health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WAS TOLD to limit her carbs because of the stupid diet industry. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on us for giving solid input, how about offering advice to help her CHOSE THE RIGHT way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's get defensive because someone doesn't approve of my low carb eating" mob mentality :mad:
  • verptwerp
    verptwerp Posts: 3,629 Member
    Get over it .......

    You make the healthiest food choices at your very next meal or snack ...... and keep on truckin' !
  • GiveMeCoffee
    GiveMeCoffee Posts: 3,556 Member
    Ok, she DID NOT ask you people to critique her low carb eating plan. Maybe she has a health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WANTS to limit her carbs because high carb doesn't work for her. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on her for low carbing, how about offering advice to help her on HER CHOSEN way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's dog pile on people for daring to eat differently than we do" mob mentality :mad:

    She asked for help, that helps includes letting her know that you don't have to go low carb to be successful.

    As for your defensive attitude ..You might want to eat some carbs, I heard they help with anger issues
  • joansjourney
    joansjourney Posts: 110
    I'm attempting lower carbs for medical reasons but I love my carbs especially oatmeal and potatoes so I still eat those. By making sure I keep my favorite carbs in my life so I don't have that urge to binge. I also hate the word "diet", success is maintained by making great food choices MOST of the time and not beating ourselves up for eating normally which includes not so healthy items. You have to think of what will last long term because that is something that can be maintained for life.
  • ladymiseryali
    ladymiseryali Posts: 2,555 Member
    Ok, she DID NOT ask you people to critique her low carb eating plan. Maybe she has a health reason for being on low carb. Or maybe she WANTS to limit her carbs because high carb doesn't work for her. Ever think of that? Instead of being down on her for low carbing, how about offering advice to help her on HER CHOSEN way of eating? I'm getting sick and tired of this whole "let's dog pile on people for daring to eat differently than we do" mob mentality :mad:

    She asked for help, that helps includes letting her know that you don't have to go low carb to be successful.

    As for your defensive attitude ..You might want to eat some carbs, I heard they help with anger issues

    Actually, carbs make me feel sluggish and gross. I would rather avoid that feeling thank you.