Thoughts - Cheat Meal / Day - Yay or Nay?

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  • LiftandSkate
    LiftandSkate Posts: 148 Member
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    Nay. If I really want something, I fit it in through shaving calories elsewhere and/or earning extra calories through exercise. I don't need a "cheat day" from taking care of my body to the best of my ability.
  • Luckychic_93
    Luckychic_93 Posts: 15 Member
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    WinoGelato wrote: »
    1200 is almost definitely still a calorie deficit for you. Why are you eating so little?

    Ummmm because I'm only 4'11" and 135 lbs. Don't assume what you don't know. Everyone has different calorie intake and weight loss goals.
  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
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    I give myself a day with unlimited carriers every once and awhile (my birthday, thanksgiving etc) but I bank about 200 calories every day a week before those events.
  • AspenDan
    AspenDan Posts: 703 Member
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    Cheat days and cheat meals kept me sane when I first started, but I still always logged them..maybe 2 or 3 days a week I'd go over my calories a little..
    110lb lost so far? I have cheat months haha. During those times I don't log my food, and I just kinda watch what I eat but I also know weight loss is probably not going to happen during those times...no big. I have my whole life left to lose these next 30lb.
  • abitofbliss
    abitofbliss Posts: 198 Member
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    YAY!

    I definitely have at least one "cheat meal" per week...Usually pizza. I prefer a cheat meal rather then a full day because I imagine I can do some damage on a full cheat day. And I've had them, honestly.. Not proud but it happens.

    Yes, log everything! Sometimes before I want to indulge I'll enter it into my diary.. Once I see the calories/nutrients I often decide against it.

    I agree with most replies that when you're changing your lifestyle it's not really a cheat, it's just enjoying something you like. But whatever... I'm confident I will be able to maintain when I reach my goals and in 20 years from now when I'm still in the shape that I want I'll still be calling it a cheat meal.
  • st476
    st476 Posts: 357 Member
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    I consider anything that takes me over my weekly calories a "cheat", not the type of food I'm eating. I had Chipotle yesterday, and I'm having Wendy's and Taco Bell tomorrow. It fits my calories, so it's not a cheat. I wouldn't purposely have a cheat meal or cheat day, that would only ruin all my hard work that week. :smile:
  • singletrackmtbr
    singletrackmtbr Posts: 644 Member
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    I don't schedule anything, but my diet is spot on about 98% of the time. If there is a time I want something, I eat it, LOG IT (I can't stress the importance of this enough), and move on. This has served me well, as I dropped 17# since March without ever feeling like I was giving anything up.

    If you don't indulge sometimes, it's less likely you can sustain this lifestyle long-term.
  • jimshine
    jimshine Posts: 199 Member
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    If you stay within goals, it is not cheating. A safe way to cheat is have a cheat day where you eat what your current maintenance calorie level would be. Don't do it more two times a month and you will pretty much stay on track.
  • pbandalyssa
    pbandalyssa Posts: 86 Member
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    Luckychic_93 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    1200 is almost definitely still a calorie deficit for you. Why are you eating so little?

    Ummmm because I'm only 4'11" and 135 lbs. Don't assume what you don't know. Everyone has different calorie intake and weight loss goals.

    I'm 5'0" and I'm reverse dieting and continually losing weight at 1400 calories. I will probably lose weight once I hit 1500/1600 as well. 1000 calories isn't enough for your body to function at 100%.
  • pbandalyssa
    pbandalyssa Posts: 86 Member
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    NewMrsCarlson wrote: »
    Hey y'all,

    I'm sure we've all heard it that a cheat meal, or cheat day from your new way of life, is "Okay" because you "can't limit yourself" or "that's not realistic". I want to know what YOU think. Is this something that is part of all lifestyle changes, that some of your old still sneaks in. Now i'm not talking eating a large pizza and a bowl of pasta and calling it your "little cheat meal", but I mean those foods you wouldn't normally eat during the week like 2 slices of pizza, or maybe some pancakes with that syrup. Yay, or nay?

    Also, i've heard it's cheat meal, or cheat day. Which is it?

    Finally, do you log that food for your "cheat meal/day" or just leave it for that time.

    Annnnd....GO!

    I spent the first 3 years of my lifestyle change with weekly cheat meals...which eventually turned into cheat days, cheat weekends, and all out binges. It wasn't healthy for me. Recently started IIFYM and my body has absolutely finally found balance. This is what I needed all along! No food is "good" or "bad" it's just energy and helping fuel the tank!
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    Luckychic_93 wrote: »
    WinoGelato wrote: »
    1200 is almost definitely still a calorie deficit for you. Why are you eating so little?

    Ummmm because I'm only 4'11" and 135 lbs. Don't assume what you don't know. Everyone has different calorie intake and weight loss goals.

    So you are saying your TDEE is 1200 calories? That still seems unlikely. I don't know your age but I plugged in age 30 and your stats, one gave me a TDEE of 1486 and one a TDEE of 1635. That's with a sedentary activity level.

    So I stand by my statement that 1200 calories is likely still a deficit for you, and I will raise it and say that 1000 calories for 6 days a week is too low for you.

    I'm 5'2 and lost eating 1600-1900 calories, for what it's worth.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,868 Member
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    There's pretty much not anything that I can't incorporate into an otherwise healthy, balanced diet. People get way too wrapped up in the day to day and even meal to meal minutia and should really be looking at a much bigger picture where there nutrition is concerned.

    I just went out for pizza the other night with the family to celebrate my youngest's 4th birthday...I ate quite a bit and enjoyed every bite...do I call that "cheating"...absolutely not...I call it life and enjoying some family time and eating something that most certainly isn't an everyday kind of thing. Cheating implies you're doing something oh so wrong and you should feel oh so guilty for it...in the grand scheme of my diet as a whole, it was a pretty irrelevant evening...in the grand scheme of family fun and memories, it was awesome.
  • NewMrsCarlson
    NewMrsCarlson Posts: 24 Member
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    pbandalyssa wrote: »

    I spent the first 3 years of my lifestyle change with weekly cheat meals...which eventually turned into cheat days, cheat weekends, and all out binges. It wasn't healthy for me. Recently started IIFYM and my body has absolutely finally found balance. This is what I needed all along! No food is "good" or "bad" it's just energy and helping fuel the tank!

    I'm sorry, I am still new here, I do not know what IIFYM is? I'm learning and haven't found a balance yet. I am already starting to get bored and feeling like I can't really have anything, or have to have the same thing, as I just hate cooking, I suck at it too, and im the only one in my house who is doing this, so it's difficult.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    NewMrsCarlson wrote: »
    pbandalyssa wrote: »

    I spent the first 3 years of my lifestyle change with weekly cheat meals...which eventually turned into cheat days, cheat weekends, and all out binges. It wasn't healthy for me. Recently started IIFYM and my body has absolutely finally found balance. This is what I needed all along! No food is "good" or "bad" it's just energy and helping fuel the tank!

    I'm sorry, I am still new here, I do not know what IIFYM is? I'm learning and haven't found a balance yet. I am already starting to get bored and feeling like I can't really have anything, or have to have the same thing, as I just hate cooking, I suck at it too, and im the only one in my house who is doing this, so it's difficult.

    "If it fits your macros." It's basically an approach that if it fits within your daily goals, a food isn't "good" or "bad."
  • angelique_redhead
    angelique_redhead Posts: 782 Member
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    I had a "cheat" meal yesterday. It was my only meal for the day and was within my calories for the day. I was going to go to an old favorite Chinese restaurant but was not able to so went to the good Chinese buffet. I only had one plate though. Yes, I logged.
  • WinoGelato
    WinoGelato Posts: 13,454 Member
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    NewMrsCarlson wrote: »
    pbandalyssa wrote: »

    I spent the first 3 years of my lifestyle change with weekly cheat meals...which eventually turned into cheat days, cheat weekends, and all out binges. It wasn't healthy for me. Recently started IIFYM and my body has absolutely finally found balance. This is what I needed all along! No food is "good" or "bad" it's just energy and helping fuel the tank!

    I'm sorry, I am still new here, I do not know what IIFYM is? I'm learning and haven't found a balance yet. I am already starting to get bored and feeling like I can't really have anything, or have to have the same thing, as I just hate cooking, I suck at it too, and im the only one in my house who is doing this, so it's difficult.

    Why do you feel you can't have anything, or that you have to eat the same things all the time? What is your calorie goal set at? How much weight are you trying to lose? What rate of loss did you select?

    You can eat anything you like within your calorie target and still lose weight. It doesn't have to be restrictive, or boring.

    My approach to this was to add things to my routine, rather than to cut things out. More lean protein, more vegetables, more whole grains, more exercise, more sleep (slacking on that lately). By doing this, and not cutting out any of the foods I loved, only cutting back on calories, I never felt deprived or challenged.

    I lost the weight I set out to lose (30 lbs) and am currently maintaining. I eat pizza, chocolate, drink wine...
  • Luckychic_93
    Luckychic_93 Posts: 15 Member
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    pbandalyssa wrote: »
    I'm 5'0" and I'm reverse dieting and continually losing weight at 1400 calories. I will probably lose weight once I hit 1500/1600 as well. 1000 calories isn't enough for your body to function at 100%.

    Well like I said I've been doing this for 6 weeks. I even do an intense hour long workout 3 times a week. Haven't passed out yet ;)
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    Luckychic_93 wrote: »
    pbandalyssa wrote: »
    I'm 5'0" and I'm reverse dieting and continually losing weight at 1400 calories. I will probably lose weight once I hit 1500/1600 as well. 1000 calories isn't enough for your body to function at 100%.

    Well like I said I've been doing this for 6 weeks. I even do an intense hour long workout 3 times a week. Haven't passed out yet ;)

    Six weeks isn't all that long. I accidentally underate when I started MFP (wasn't eating enough of my exercise calories back) and I was fine for a few months. Then I hit a wall and I hit it hard -- extreme fatigue, hunger, inability to do intense workouts. Once I began fueling my body properly, I felt and performed much better. Our bodies are very resilient -- a short period of under-nourishment can probably be sustained for most people. But eventually your body will demand fuel on which to run properly.
  • pbandalyssa
    pbandalyssa Posts: 86 Member
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    Luckychic_93 wrote: »
    pbandalyssa wrote: »
    I'm 5'0" and I'm reverse dieting and continually losing weight at 1400 calories. I will probably lose weight once I hit 1500/1600 as well. 1000 calories isn't enough for your body to function at 100%.

    Well like I said I've been doing this for 6 weeks. I even do an intense hour long workout 3 times a week. Haven't passed out yet ;)

    LOL ok good luck with that bro
  • pbandalyssa
    pbandalyssa Posts: 86 Member
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    NewMrsCarlson wrote: »
    pbandalyssa wrote: »

    I spent the first 3 years of my lifestyle change with weekly cheat meals...which eventually turned into cheat days, cheat weekends, and all out binges. It wasn't healthy for me. Recently started IIFYM and my body has absolutely finally found balance. This is what I needed all along! No food is "good" or "bad" it's just energy and helping fuel the tank!

    I'm sorry, I am still new here, I do not know what IIFYM is? I'm learning and haven't found a balance yet. I am already starting to get bored and feeling like I can't really have anything, or have to have the same thing, as I just hate cooking, I suck at it too, and im the only one in my house who is doing this, so it's difficult.

    IIFYM = if it fits your macros. Set protein/carbs/fats. Eat whatever fits inside that macro allotment. It's helped me find balance, enormously. You have to find what works for you.

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