Cheat Days + Current Diet

ProjectSYD
ProjectSYD Posts: 104 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
Hey guys, so about 7 months ago I was 155lbs and 2 weeks ago I was 230lbs (now 226). I started keeping a diary again this week as I was worried I was eating too much, my diet hasn't changed much in the past 2 weeks (as in, what i've eaten today and yesterday is approximately what I've been eating.)

Part of me feels like I'm not eating enough?

Let me walk you through my daily routine.

I wake up at 530am and have a piece of fruit, brush my teeth, head out to work. I go on break at 10:30 and I head home and cook myself breakfast/lunch (a little late for breakfast but a littler early for lunch.) I finish work at 2-2:30 and head home and have a little something to eat and take a 2-3 hour power nap. I wake up and eat dinner. Before bed I do some cardio, then shower, brush my teeth and head to bed. In the past I had found it really hard to only eat 1800 calories a day (Also my diary entries aren't accurate, I input more than what I'm actually eating, so most days I'm likely eating less.) Should I be eating more? I don't feel stressed or hungry, mostly exhausted from being on my feet all day.


Also, I wanted to know your thoughts on cheat days? I always found when I would diet before that one of the reasons I stopped was because I restricted myself too much, the past couple of weeks i've saved one day to go out with my girlfriend, eat out, have a couple of drinks, and not really track my calories. Is this a bad thing? My assumption is that I will still lose weight, just not as fast - which is fine. As long as I maintain my sanity.

Replies

  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    Cheat days? I disagree with them. Why not incorporate the foods that you enjoy into your regular diet, instead of allocating a day where you just eat whatever you want? You can still lose weight while having a cheat day, but it'll be hard to guesstimate calories on the go.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    OP here are a couple questions:

    do you use a food scale to weight all solids?
    are you using correct MFP database entries?
    are you eating back 100% of exercise calories?

    I dont believe in "cheat" days either. The reason is that this sets up you to view certain foods as cheats aka bad and other foods as good. THere is no good or bad food, there is just food that your body uses for nutrients and energy. So yes, you need to be eating nutrient dense foods like chicken, rice, vegetables, etc, but there is nothing wrong with having cookies, ice cream, pizza etc.

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  • IsaackGMOON
    IsaackGMOON Posts: 3,358 Member
    ProjectSYD wrote: »
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    OP here are a couple questions:

    do you use a food scale to weight all solids?
    are you using correct MFP database entries?
    are you eating back 100% of exercise calories?

    I dont believe in "cheat" days either. The reason is that this sets up you to view certain foods as cheats aka bad and other foods as good. There is no good or bad food, there is just food that your body uses for nutrients and energy. So yes, you need to be eating nutrient dense foods like chicken, rice, vegetables, etc, but there is nothing wrong with having cookies, ice cream, pizza etc.

    Yeah I have a scale that I use to weigh my solids, anything that has a barcode I scan and enter. I round up for the solids though typically.

    A cheat day for me is date night (aka, going out for sushi with my girlfriend, having a couple of beers out by the pool - I've limited myself to two beers a week). I don't want to be on a super strict diet, I want the freedom to be able to go out to a party, get trashed once every couple of months or so and to be able to enjoy a couple beers on the weekend.

    And no I'm not eating back my exercise calories, should I be? I just do a bit of cardio before going to bed it helps me sleep.

    If you're doing the TDEE method, you don't eat your exercise calories back.

    If you're doing the MFP method (NEAT), you should eat around 50-75% of your exercise calories back to compensate for any inaccuracies.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    OP - how many calories a day did MFP give you when you put your stats in?
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  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ProjectSYD wrote: »
    1840 for 2lbs a week.

    ok it looks like most days you are netting way below that.

    I would really try to make sure that you net 1840 calories a day. So if you do some exercise and it says you burned 400 calories then only eat back half of those so half of 400 burned is 200 so you would eat 2040 - 200 burned = 1840 net, does that make sense?

    Are you just starting back this week?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,260 Member
    IMO there's no point in logging calories if you are making a point to log them inaccurately. My recommendation is to get a digital scale and start weighing your food. If you cannot weigh an item, use a measuring cup or spoon. If you are out somewhere without access to a measuring tool, estimate as accurately as posdible ( google portion size charts for help on this.) Log every bite using accurate info such as usda entries in the mfp database or food package info.

    Don't fall for the "I'll eat as little as I can tolerate so I lose weight faster" trap. It's not healthy. It's not sustainable. And it doesn't teach you long term healthy eating habits.

    I'm a bit "whatever" on cheat days in general but considering your iffy calorie logging and description of having gained 75 pounds in 7 months as making you worried you're eating too much, I think they are a bad idea for you. At least for now. Buckle down and track your food really well for a couple of months before trying something like that. I think you need time to develop healthier habits first.
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  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,136 Member
    ProjectSYD wrote: »
    I just started tracking this week - I've lost 60+ lbs in the past using the website and there came a point where I was confident enough to judge my plate sizes by eye and so for the first couple of weeks I was just getting a feel for things. Lost 4 lbs in 2 weeks, thought I'd start tracking to make sure I wasn't overeating but it seems like I'm under eating.

    It's just hard to eat with my work schedule and exercise :P I crash instantly at 2:30 when i go home.

    you can always adding some ice cream, everyone has time for ice cream , right?
  • 47Jacqueline
    47Jacqueline Posts: 6,993 Member
    If you keep thinking in terms of "cheating", you will never succeed. That's just a reality. It goes to your state of mind. You're giving food a personality and power.
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  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,260 Member
    You can eat out and not gain weight.

    Very few people find that life gets less hectic/stressful after graduating from college and entering the workforce. Learn healthy habits now to set yourself up for a lifetime of healthy habits.

  • atypicalsmith
    atypicalsmith Posts: 2,742 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    You can eat out and not gain weight.

    Very few people find that life gets less hectic/stressful after graduating from college and entering the workforce. Learn healthy habits now to set yourself up for a lifetime of healthy habits.

    Yes.
  • Kalikel
    Kalikel Posts: 9,603 Member
    Holy crap! You gained seventy five pounds in six months?! That must have been a very yummy six months!

    I indulge on occasion, but I don't think of it as cheating, since I'm only responsible to myself and I gave me permission to do it.

    For the most part, I eat healthy foods, so on the rare occasion that I have some Olive Garden or whatever, I just enjoy it. No cheating and no guilt, just enjoyment. :)
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