Cheat day?

Wth? Is that a glitch? Why is my phone showing my picture on your profile?

I go out to dinner once a week with my husband. I usually try to take a slight deficit into the day (save 1-300) calories from the rest of the week, take a look at the menu online so I can plan my meals for the rest of the day, and pre-commit to my portions (example, I knew I wanted a mixed olive and pickle appetizer plate last night, so I told myself I could have ten olives and take the rest home for subsequent days). I frequently take home leftovers to eat later. I also have a drink (sometimes two) with my meal. I log everything to the best of my ability, even if it is an educated guess.

This works really well for me. My date night with my husband is important to me, so I knew I wouldn't be happy giving it up.

Not saying this is the only way to do it, but it works well for me.

Maybe a cheat MEAL... Lol a cheat DAY sounds like too much fun. ☺️

I don't put nearly that much thought into it. I don't plan to go out and prepare for it days in advance. It just sort of happens. Hubby calls me on the way home from work an says hey, meet me at Buffalo Wild Wings. So I do. And I drink and I eat. Sometimes I get plain grilled chicken, sometimes I get wings covered in sauce. I don't feel guilty at all. I love food. I love alcohol. I love life. I just log it and see the results. If I do it too much (which you can look at my dairy and see i've consumed A LOT of calories via alcohol in the past 2 days), then I stay in the gym 20 extra minutes. Or I cut back a little more on high cal foods today and tomorrow.

Every single day, every single meal is not a make or break it thing. It's a fluid, ever changing lifestyle. Relax and enjoy your meal and company

Absolutely fine. Feeling guilty is pointless and counterproductive. You do need to understand how it fits into your plan though, perhaps you can manage your weekly calories to fit this in or do a bit more exercise and set the calories aside.

I think its fine as long as you make it up the rest of the week! I have good/bad days all the time but if by end of the week I'm still in the green, I'm good and still lose. You can't deprive yourself totally or you won't make it long term.

i dont have cheat meals or days. i eat what i want, as long as it fits within my daily goals.

MrM27 wrote: »

You don't need to follow such a restrictive diet where it makes you feel like you can't eat the thing you like. Eat plenty of whole foods, fruits and vegetables helping you hit your macronutrient and micronutrient goal while being able to fit the things you still enjoy. You should not feel guilty about eating food.

that can be said for 95% of posts on these boards. It is a staple answer and completely unhelpful. I am not attacking you, I just think responses could be more informative.

OP, it is all about calories. If you have made some room for you to have a little something, sure, go ahead. But if you are at a 500 calorie deficit each day, and you hit your mark for 6 of those days, but on the 7th day, you took in +500 calories over maintenance (a red -1000 as you see it), then your net deficit for the week would be 2500, which would result in a loss of about 2/3 lb. If you did not have that cheat day, and hit your mark on the 7th day, then you will have lost ~1 lb, theoretically.

While other factors play into what that actual number is day to day (alcohol consumption makes people bloated and usually has them gain weight), over the long term, that is the result.

On a literal level, it will slow your progress, but weight loss is often two steps forward, and one step back. So, it is really a judgment call for you to make.