CHEAT! Cheat! Cheatitie! Cheat!?

Cheat implies that you're doing something wrong.

If I've done really well, I will have a celebration meal. And I'll eat whatever I want, but I'll eat sloowwwly and really enjoy it. Usually some really big plate of full fat, creamy, cheesy pasta.

And I do my best not to feel guilty, cause I've earned it.

No need to "cheat" on this program. As long as you stay within your alloted calories you're good to go. If you want more calories to play with - go play outside or in the gym and earn more! It's that simple...

0-1000 over, once a week. I plan it in; It's not a "cheat".

It won't "ruin your diet". That's like saying back when I was a fatso, if I ate at a deficit once a week it would ruin my fatness and I'd get all thin from my once a week "good day".

I allow myself to have a cheat day when I'm struggling with craving or want to binge on sugar. I figure if I've worked hard - you deserve a reward. So, I go ahead. Last cheat day, I only went over by a couple hundred and two days before that I had burned double my usual calories doing the treadmill AND Tae Bo. So. No guilt. I do log my cheat days though - just so I can see what all I've eaten.

Just fit whatever you're tempted to cheat with into your regular diet..if you go over one day from it.. acknowledge it, and maybe exercise a bit more the next day to work it off a bit

i prefer to call them "splurge days." i don't plan for them, but it happens once a month on average. i don't bother recording calories on these days, and i'd guess i go 1000-1500 calories over. my philosophy is to fit in a small treat daily, whether it's a piece of chocolate or a half-cup of ice cream. this way i won't feel deprived.

Wow.. I have been reading everyone post. Do I cheat? Yes, I sometimes crave some junk. I eat just enought to get rid of the craving. Then Im good..

0-1000 over, once a week. I plan it in; It's not a "cheat".

It won't "ruin your diet". That's like saying back when I was a fatso, if I ate at a deficit once a week it would ruin my fatness and I'd get all thin from my once a week "good day".

That's great, I love the thought that I was occasionally ruining all my hard work to get fat with a healthy eating day!

I don't like to call it cheating, I eat extras now and again and record the calories. To me that's not cheating, its part of living!

I try to allow myself one day 2 days in the month where I close my eyes and eat those things that I have been craving, but have been really good about not eating. I try never to go more then 600 over my normal calorie count though.

I also heard it also helps with confusing your body. It normally takes about 2 weeks for your body to adjust to new things. So it is good to shake things up once in a while, and boost your mood.

I always think "WHO am I cheating?" Then I have a salad:laugh:

0-1000 over, once a week. I plan it in; It's not a "cheat".

It won't "ruin your diet". That's like saying back when I was a fatso, if I ate at a deficit once a week it would ruin my fatness and I'd get all thin from my once a week "good day".

Well said!

I have a cheat meal occasionally to kill those cravings.. sometimes planned, sometimes unplanned. For planned cheat meals I will eat at a deficit a day before and a day after. Didn't hinder my weight loss.

I've actually found ways to cheat without going over lol. The best way is to find foods you like that are available in a healthier choice. I have found that the desserts by Smartones are excellent when I want a sweet. It's low cal and tastes pretty good. Also, when I know I'm going to want something extra in a day, or even if I just eat something extra, I exercise a extra for it. The way our diets are set up in MFP we are already on a deficit that is sufficient to lose weight without exercise whatsoever. So, when you do exercise it is recommended that you eat back those calories (or at least a portion of them). It doesn't "ruin the work" you spent exercising. Exercising does not burn fat, it burns calories. Exercising too much and not feeding the body back what it needs will cause you to go below what your body needs and starvation mode kicks in, reducing weight-loss. So The way that's worked for me, find healthier solutions, but if you want to go over, ya gotta work for it! At this point I've found exercises that take minimal time and give a lot of burn. So in 20 minutes I've burned over 200 calories (according to my chest band heart rate monitor) that I get to spend on extras throughout the day

I'm trying not to have "cheat" days. I don't want to set up that dynamic in my diet. Instead, I'm trying to learn portion control. It is still hard!

So, for example, if I go out on Friday night with our friends (who are big wine drinkers), I have wine - a glass or two - not the whole bottle. I try to drink water first and in between alcohol. Bottom line, I'm trying to allow myself foods I love, but in moderation. Maybe I have a creamy pasta for an entree that one night a week we eat out - but I try not to eat the bread before, have a green salad with and skip dessert. Most restaurant desserts are high on calories, low on satisfaction for me, so I don't waste calories on them just because I have a sweet tooth.

My other favorite "trick" - order whatever I want on the menu, immediately portion it into two (placing extra on side/bread plate) and eat half. I figure, if an entree is really high cal (even 1000) at 1/2 I'm only getting 500. Which is much better.

When I went off the wagon last summer, every day seemed like a cheat day and I went overboard - gaining back weight. I'm trying to change this with the above plans - trying to not indulge every craving, and still enjoy food - which I love a lot!

i find the advice of eating slowly reduces my need to scoff a load of bad stuff these days.
For example, last night we had pizza, normally we would have a pizza each -just over 1000 cals. Last night i slowed my eating right down and by the time i was finishing my 4th piece i was well and truely stuffed! which meant i only had just over 500 cals and because i'd eaten well that day i was well within my calorie limit.

The problem with a cheat day is if you stuff yourself, there's a tendancy to feel sick and ill and then guilty and i think it's harder to go back to healthy eating the next day