Do you make up for "cheat" meals?

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Replies

  • michellemybelll
    michellemybelll Posts: 2,228 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    if it's a cheat it's not supposed to be made up.

    Then it's not "cheating"

    but I don't really dig that idea anyway- it creates a negative connotation to something that should be simple to handle and not an issue. Now. For certain events- I KNOW are coming- holidays are a good time frame- I'm significantly more diligent about my calories- and I tend to be more anal retentive about 'going over' or carrying more deficit- but I don't go crazy with it.

    I dine out regularly with my SO- we do not live togehter- and we both really enjoy steaks- so it's a thing we do at least 2x a month- and one of those is all you can eat brazillian- which is pretty much 2 hours of meat consumption.
    I know this happens- so I tend to be VERY conservative through the day with what foods I am willing to consume- so yes- I eat light on days I know I'm going to have big meals- but I never try to 'make up' for it.

    And as Sabine says- just carry on.
    One day dieting - as we all know- does not make you skinny.
    One day of feasting- as we all apparently do not know- does not make you fat.


    lol! i can't believe the censored a.nal
  • sijomial
    sijomial Posts: 19,809 Member
    Guilt and obsession aren't the way to be a happy maintainer.
    Enjoy your meal and move on.
  • KANGOOJUMPS
    KANGOOJUMPS Posts: 6,474 Member
    I eat whatever I want and whenever I want, I just work it off. its easy.
  • brdnw
    brdnw Posts: 565 Member
    If i go out to dinner w\my gf, i usually try to do a little more cardio the next day (just like maybe run 2 more miles in addition to anything i was planning on doing) to offset some of it. But still it's not like i'm ordering cheesecake and fried appetizers so my cheat meals usually aren't so terrible that i feel too guilty if i don't run the next day
  • getstrongkaylen
    getstrongkaylen Posts: 137 Member
    Nope... I have it, move on, and get back on track! It's not cheating if you make it up!!(:
  • VegasFit
    VegasFit Posts: 1,232 Member
    My normal weekend cheats I don't make up. I tend not to log them either. When I had more weight to lose I did. I exercise on the weekends too so I don't have too much guilt about it. If I know I have an event coming up I add a little extra cardio in the week leading up to it.
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
    I have a deficit during the week because the weekends usually are PAR-TAY
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    michellemybelll wrote: »
    JoRocka wrote: »
    if it's a cheat it's not supposed to be made up.

    Then it's not "cheating"

    but I don't really dig that idea anyway- it creates a negative connotation to something that should be simple to handle and not an issue. Now. For certain events- I KNOW are coming- holidays are a good time frame- I'm significantly more diligent about my calories- and I tend to be more anal retentive about 'going over' or carrying more deficit- but I don't go crazy with it.

    I dine out regularly with my SO- we do not live togehter- and we both really enjoy steaks- so it's a thing we do at least 2x a month- and one of those is all you can eat brazillian- which is pretty much 2 hours of meat consumption.
    I know this happens- so I tend to be VERY conservative through the day with what foods I am willing to consume- so yes- I eat light on days I know I'm going to have big meals- but I never try to 'make up' for it.

    And as Sabine says- just carry on.
    One day dieting - as we all know- does not make you skinny.
    One day of feasting- as we all apparently do not know- does not make you fat.


    lol! i can't believe the censored a.nal


    LOL_ yeah I was like dafuk????

    whatever glad you knew what it meant though!!!

    and also dafuk on 40% deficit?

    what the holy crpa!!!
  • karenlwashburn
    karenlwashburn Posts: 123 Member
    I exercise more to fix the accidental over indulgence. Usually I plan out in advance the possible over eating so it won't effect my diet at all.. went to black tie event at 11am so I exercised at 6am for an hour etc.. I knew I'd be too full for any lunch so that wasn't a problem then I had a normal dinner. Balance is best.
  • FitnessTrainer69
    FitnessTrainer69 Posts: 283 Member
    1 cheat meal, dont worry about it. Multiple cheat meals a week, then you might want to make up for them.
  • jane837
    jane837 Posts: 68 Member
    I never consider anything a "cheat meal" -- I agree with all the folks who are saying that "cheating" may not be a healthy way to think about food.

    I always have days where I eat more, and days where I eat less. I've never been able to stick to a fixed amount every day, so it's been helpful for me to track my calories on a weekly basis. That way, I can plan around high calorie meals by ALSO planning some lighter-than-usual meals or additional excercise to keep things relatively even over the course of the week.
  • nxd10
    nxd10 Posts: 4,570 Member
    I don't have cheat meals. Some of my meals are larger than others. I just log them and make sure I hit my week's goal.
  • dnamouse
    dnamouse Posts: 612 Member
    Similar to others, I don't have 'cheat' meals and there are no 'bad' foods (unless they make me sick due to intolerances, but that doesn't make them bad, it's just food).

    I don't log food any more and I know I don't eat the exact same amount every day. My appetite is not static. I know that there will be high days and low days, and they even themselves out. That said, if I know I am going out for dinner (particularly if it's a favourite restaurant), then I will eat lightly throughout the day. But that's so I can eat all the yummy food and fit it in my stomach - not to balance out any calorie intake :smile:
  • jukyu
    jukyu Posts: 80 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    cheat implies bad and I don't believe in bad foods....just eat what you want and fit it into your day ....

    This. There's no need to categorize foods as "good" or "bad". Unless that's how you want approach eating ad infinitum and if so I don't envy you.
  • yoovie
    yoovie Posts: 17,121 Member
    my cheat days are inside out from other people's versions of cheat days.

    On my cheat days Im allowed to forego eating, as opposed to eating things that people would refer to as unhealthy, junk food or just an abnormally larger amount of normal stuff.

    I do make up for it by following those days with strong healthy eating days where protein is my priority.
  • Revonue
    Revonue Posts: 135 Member
    There's a difference between enjoying a day or even a few days of indulgence versus consistently over-eating.

    A day of eating over maintenance is no big deal. I do nothing to "make up" for it.

    However, if you're consistently "cheating" or eating over maintenance, you will eventually gain weight. If you wish to keep yourself at a healthy weight, you may have to evaluate your eating habits or your relationship with food.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
    I usually focus more on weekly averages than day to day totals. I also usually know in advance if there is something coming up - a special occasion meal out, a party, etc. If I know that, I may bank a few calories during the week to give myself a buffer.

    I agree with the others though about not using the concept of a "cheat meal" because you are in maintenance now. This is supposed to be your life. What are you "cheating on"? Life is filled with days where you may go over your maintenance calories - whether by design or just spontaneously. Maintenance is also going to be a range - usually a 3-5 lb fluctuation based on normal changes. So I wouldn't feel the need to compensate after the fact or punish myself for the "cheat".
  • ShannonMpls
    ShannonMpls Posts: 1,936 Member
    JoRocka wrote: »
    how is it a cheat if you make it up??

    I'm so confused by this concept.

    This exactly.

    My plan is to eat at a deficit on workdays, and eat without logging on weekends - I'd venture those are always at a surplus.

    Since it's my plan, weekend indulgences are not a cheat. They are just...eating.

    This is how I've been maintaining for two years.
  • Chieflrg
    Chieflrg Posts: 9,097 Member
    The only time I pay some attention to my calories if I'm bulking, otherwise don't stress having enjoyment. Just don't eat til your busting a gut and usually most people would be fine...
  • Jesssamesssa
    Jesssamesssa Posts: 116 Member
    Nope. I cheat thats it and i enjoy it!!! :D
  • JayRuby84
    JayRuby84 Posts: 557 Member
    I think it depends on how many excess calories you ate. If you ate a couple thousand extra I'd ramp up on your workouts for a couple days. Just burn it off, especially if it'll ease your mind. If you go bonkers on cheat days (consistently) , you could sabotage your whole goal of maintaining and actually begin to gain. Best of luck!
  • disasterman
    disasterman Posts: 746 Member
    I make up for it by strictly adhering to my plan the rest of the time.
  • Linnaea27
    Linnaea27 Posts: 639 Member
    Well, I do usually make up for going significantly (200+ cals) over my maintenance amount one day, by eating less or exercising more the next, when losing weight or when I'm near the top of my maintenance range. I can and have maintained without logging and without thinking too hard about how much I'm eating, which leads me to believe that I do this naturally. If I eat a whole lot one day, I will not be very hungry the next day, even when losing weight.

    Like others, if I know an overindulgence kind of day is coming, I'll try to be under my calorie goal (whether losing or maintaining) for several days beforehand, but I don't stress about it when I'm in maintenance. I do worry significantly more about this when I'm trying to lose weight, but I try not to since I don't want to end up with an eating disorder.
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
    I do if I ate over a thousand calories or more than I normally do barring holidays.
  • JoRocka
    JoRocka Posts: 17,525 Member
    disasterman wrote: »
    I make up for it by strictly adhering to my plan the rest of the time.

    get out of here with that logic!!!
  • janicelo1971
    janicelo1971 Posts: 823 Member
    Kruggeri wrote: »
    I usually focus more on weekly averages than day to day totals. I also usually know in advance if there is something coming up - a special occasion meal out, a party, etc. If I know that, I may bank a few calories during the week to give myself a buffer.

    I agree with the others though about not using the concept of a "cheat meal" because you are in maintenance now. This is supposed to be your life. What are you "cheating on"? Life is filled with days where you may go over your maintenance calories - whether by design or just spontaneously. Maintenance is also going to be a range - usually a 3-5 lb fluctuation based on normal changes. So I wouldn't feel the need to compensate after the fact or punish myself for the "cheat".

    This!!

  • chloeelizabethm
    chloeelizabethm Posts: 184 Member
    I try to make my overall number for the week about balance, but don't worry too much if it's under or over by a few hundred - it doesn't seem to affect my weekly weigh in too much at all.
  • mamadon
    mamadon Posts: 1,422 Member
    edited December 2014
    littleburgy wrote: »
    I have a deficit during the week because the weekends usually are PAR-TAY

    Me too! I almost always go over my maintananace calories on the weekends, so I tend to eat lower during the week and just look at my weekly stats instead of daily.
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