What's a better name than "cheat meal"?

24

Replies

  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    Honestly, I never got why Ppl make such a big deal out of a word. I use cheat meal because it quickly describes to most Ppl what I mean. I don't restrict myself really from anything but, sometimes I want an entire box of butter pasta and no amount of moving things around is going to make it fit. I stopped letting words like that control my feelings. Call it cheat day, Maintenance day, refeed, treat, splurge, or the last supper for all I care. It is just words. If this a lifestyle change and not a diet this word is going to be the smallest of obstacles to overcome.
  • JustSomeEm
    JustSomeEm Posts: 20,194 MFP Moderator
    If you must call it something, why not an 'indulgent meal' or 'day of indulgence'? Or 'Super-mega-awesome-deliciousness'?
  • RiverMelSong
    RiverMelSong Posts: 456 Member
    edited December 2015
    If I have to call it something, I say treat meal. I'm not cheating but I am treating myself.
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
    I don't call it anything. It isn't a treat or a cheat. I'm not being good or bad if I eat a certain number of calories or avoid certain foods. I haven't made some pledge in blood never to go over my calorie limit.
    If I choose to go over my calorie goal for the day but I am still at or under my maintenance level of calories then I suppose I could call that day a maintenance day. If I go over one day but stay under my weekly calorie goal then that larger meal hasn't had an impact at all. If I have enough maintenance calorie days then obviously my weight loss will slow down or stop.

    We could collectively call it a "stop being so dramatic and just log it and move on" meal.
  • ndj1979
    ndj1979 Posts: 29,139 Member
    ForeverSunshine09 wrote: »
    Honestly, I never got why Ppl make such a big deal out of a word. I use cheat meal because it quickly describes to most Ppl what I mean. I don't restrict myself really from anything but, sometimes I want an entire box of butter pasta and no amount of moving things around is going to make it fit. I stopped letting words like that control my feelings. Call it cheat day, Maintenance day, refeed, treat, splurge, or the last supper for all I care. It is just words. If this a lifestyle change and not a diet this word is going to be the smallest of obstacles to overcome.

    because food is neutral and is neither good, bad, cheating, angelic, etc, so it should not be assigned moral values.
  • sallygroundhog
    sallygroundhog Posts: 133 Member
    Planned Caloric Surplus Meal
  • sallygroundhog
    sallygroundhog Posts: 133 Member
    Surplus Calories Integrated Meal, or SCI-Meal. Emphasizes the science in new lifestyle.
  • Slashnl
    Slashnl Posts: 335 Member
    percolater wrote: »
    I would much rather read an interesting rant than a smug little statement that starts with a derisive "erm."

    "Cheat meal," is a term long used in magazines and diet books to refer to a day planned to go off your diet and eat whatever looks good. I agree that it's not a good term.

    A few alternative suggestions:

    Free Day.
    Feast Day. ( Particularly good for celebrations with religious roots like Easter, Passover, Christmas, etc.
    Mental Health Day)
    Date Night
    Replacement Day. ( I believe, for some people, cravings are due to a deficient in the diet. They may crave cheese because they need calcium. Replacement days might actually be good for them.)

    Agree! Love your name and avatar, too, by the way!
  • sinbadfxdl
    sinbadfxdl Posts: 103 Member
    Anything I want day!!!
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
    Nothing.

    Nothing is needed.

    It's just food. The nomecoleture of which has no bearing on its calorie and macronutrient content.
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    ndj1979 wrote: »
    ForeverSunshine09 wrote: »
    Honestly, I never got why Ppl make such a big deal out of a word. I use cheat meal because it quickly describes to most Ppl what I mean. I don't restrict myself really from anything but, sometimes I want an entire box of butter pasta and no amount of moving things around is going to make it fit. I stopped letting words like that control my feelings. Call it cheat day, Maintenance day, refeed, treat, splurge, or the last supper for all I care. It is just words. If this a lifestyle change and not a diet this word is going to be the smallest of obstacles to overcome.

    because food is neutral and is neither good, bad, cheating, angelic, etc, so it should not be assigned moral values.

    A word like cheat meal only means what you choose to let it mean. I have no idea how you get that is assigned moral value. I don't what I want and I don't feel bad when I eat over. You live, you learn, you move the freak on. Like I said Ppl read too much into a innocent saying. I mean seriously there are bigger issues when it comes to this weight loss journey than a word.
  • PeachyCarol
    PeachyCarol Posts: 8,029 Member
    Breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Or a snack.

    I plan what I eat, and sometimes I plan to eat more on certain occasions. On other occasions, I eat less because sometimes? I'm just not hungry. It all balances out.

    I have enough faith in myself and the habits I've developed with food and exercise to just go on with life.
  • dhimaan
    dhimaan Posts: 774 Member
    A happy meal.
  • arditarose
    arditarose Posts: 15,575 Member
    I call that my "high calorie" day or meal. It's all logged though and I still meet my weekly goal. If I'm not logging for a holiday or something, I call that nothing. Just...eating. A lot.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    I like 'treat' because it rhymes with and effectively cancels out 'cheat' and I understand, you are acknowledging it's not your usual way of eating...
    Once you're in maintenance though it really is just 'eating' period.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    edited December 2015
    I usually call it Saturday evening or vacation, or a weekend away, or a holiday, or a special occasion.

    Most Saturday evenings we take turns rotating between our house and two other couples and entertain each other. The food is always pretty good and we're all healthy and fit people (one of the guys is my coach) but we always drink a tank load of wine.

    Vacations and weekends away mean I'm going to be visiting local pubs and breweries and eating pub food, which I don't normally eat day to day. I also tend to indulge on holidays and other special occasions...and I like having pizza night with the family once or twice per month.

    I never really think much of these events as they are pretty irrelevant to the whole of my diet...but if I had to label it, I guess I would just call them indulgences.
  • starwhisperer6
    starwhisperer6 Posts: 402 Member
    too much power assigned to one word. It really shouldn't matter what it is called. If it carries so much power for you as an individual call it whatever makes it less powerful. If it isn't a powerful thing to someone else they should call it whatever they want. Saying I am "cheating on my bf" when I look at Channing Tatum does not in fact give that look of longing any more power than saying I am "treating my eyes"
  • brb2008
    brb2008 Posts: 406 Member
    IAmTheGlue wrote: »
    JohnBarth wrote: »
    Splurge meal.

    ^this.

    It's a splurge. Much like buying yourself a little luxury you can afford. Nothing wrong with that, just fit it in your budget and move on.

    Oooh I like this comparison a lot. Because I like buying things AND I love to eat.

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