"Cheat Meals" - Are they ever okay?

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  • SnuggleSmacks
    SnuggleSmacks Posts: 3,732 Member
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    Personally, I don't think calling food a "cheat" is a good idea. That implies it's something bad or naughty, and there's all sorts of emotions attached to that. It's just a meal. It's a meal that has more calories than your average meal. Maybe it has more fat, more sugar, more whatever than you usually eat. But it's still just a meal. Eating it won't derail or negate any progress you've made. It will only delay reaching your goal, and depending on the size of the meal, probably only by a day or two.

    Just keep in mind that when you go over your calorie allotment, that does cause a delay in achieving your goal. So obviously, you wouldn't want to do it every day. But if you think of it more in terms of "time til goal is reached" than "good" and "bad" then it's a much healthier and more rational approach.
  • dieselbyte
    dieselbyte Posts: 733 Member
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    SnuggleSmacks wrote: »
    Personally, I don't think calling food a "cheat" is a good idea. That implies it's something bad or naughty, and there's all sorts of emotions attached to that. It's just a meal. It's a meal that has more calories than your average meal. Maybe it has more fat, more sugar, more whatever than you usually eat. But it's still just a meal. Eating it won't derail or negate any progress you've made. It will only delay reaching your goal, and depending on the size of the meal, probably only by a day or two.

    Just keep in mind that when you go over your calorie allotment, that does cause a delay in achieving your goal. So obviously, you wouldn't want to do it every day. But if you think of it more in terms of "time til goal is reached" than "good" and "bad" then it's a much healthier and more rational approach.

    ^This. I just look at is as a "F*$k it, I'm not gonna log all my food" day. However, from a psychological standpoint, a "cheat" day (if you must call it that), is extremely beneficial.
  • court_alacarte
    court_alacarte Posts: 219 Member
    edited November 2014
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    ajalcazar84 wrote: »
    I don't like cheat meals because I have no will power so the meal will become a day, then a week, then "screw it, I'll make it my New Years Resolution...AGAIN!!!"

    this has been me for the past 7 years :p

    HOWEVER... i find that when i let myself have a cheat weekend (2 days), i gain like 4 pounds back. granted it's all salt and water, however it still sucks for morale. i think if i have a cheat meal or just a cheat day, i'm okay. in fact, when it's just that, i find i'm a pound or two lighter when i weight myself the next day. however it's how YOUR body works. some people can binge on all the food they want for a weekend and take it off in one workout. some people can't. it's whatever your body can handle. play around and test yourself and see how your body reacts to a cheat meal/day/weekend.
  • metalheadjessus
    metalheadjessus Posts: 6 Member
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    I've changed my mentality from "oh well, I've indulged in something massively unhealthy, I may as well eat what I like to the rest of the day/week" to putting myself back on the right path as soon as the next meal, as opposed to the next day, or as we've all done: "i'll start again on Monday." That's worked for me so far.

    By the sounds of it you're working hard at the gym, so if as you say, nothing is gained, that's perfectly fine.
  • 7elizamae
    7elizamae Posts: 758 Member
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    I don't do "cheat meals" unless I'm celebrating something significant. It needs to be a vacation, a holiday, or my own birthday/anniversary for me to really indulge. I like it that way.
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
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    do what you will.
    but my opinion on the matter is why do you need a cheat meal in the first place? if you want to eat potato soup then eat potato soup. surely its not 1500 calories for a bowl of soup?

    if you are talking about gorging yourself well than thats not really taking care of yourself thats well...gorging. and deeper questions need be answered imo, like whats driving you to not take care of yourself?
  • beamer0821
    beamer0821 Posts: 488 Member
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    when you allow yourself to just have it. you will release the need to go overboard on a so called "Cheat day/meal"
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,576 Member
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    Of course they are okay, they are just not okay for everyone.

    There is no right and wrong if you are achieving your goals. Some people like to eat lower calories some days and look forward to a high calorie day. And if that method helps them stay on track, then it's fine.

    Some prefer to stay on track every day. And if that method helps them stay on track, then it's fine.
  • itsMcKay
    itsMcKay Posts: 131 Member
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    enterdanger wrote: »
    I am also in the camp that there is no such thing as a cheat day. When life starts to kick my *kitten* I will set my calories to maintenance and hold off on the losing for a week or so until I'm not as hectic. Then I set back to my 1lb a week loss. I'm trying to get healthy not stress myself out over losing weight. Being fat is unhealthy but so is being stressed out. I'm in this for the long run.

    That's really good advice. It's something I'll be able to bring myself to do once I get a few dozen of these lbs. gone. :)

    As far as people telling me not to call it a cheat meal, that's just language. Call it what you want or call it nothing at all. I log everything, whether I've been able to stay on track or not.

    To beamer0821's point: I just like to eat. I like food and I don't easily feel full. My boyfriend is a chef and I cook and bake a lot at home. We go out to eat on dates and love trying new things. We enjoy food. It's not some psychological disorder. I just stopped working out so I got fat. Now I'm working out again and losing weight. Not everyone who likes food, even in larger quantities than you might, is dealing with some emotional problem needing therapy. ;p

    I'm taking great care of myself. I just have to remember I can't eat like my thin boyfriend who's 6" taller than me and can't seem to gain a pound. And, if I do, I have to hit the gym a little longer that day. That's all.

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