Do you ever cheat or knowingly go over calories?

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RKA625
RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
So out of the blue, my brother in law suggested we order out tonight. Had today been one of my exercise days, I'd have plenty of calories to eat left over, but I am down to 554 calories, so no steak and potatoes for me. :cry: While we do order out occasionally, we don't order from steak house type restaurants regularly, and that's where we're ordering from tonight.

So yeah, I'm ordering the grilled chicken salad, which is ok, because I like it anyway and usually get that when we dine here, but *today* I kind of was craving a big juicy steak. I can be strong though, once I phone the order in, there's no going back anyway.

On the other hand, I don't like either of the low fat options for dressing they have and was thinking of ordering normal dressing, even though it's probably like a million calories.

AND, last rant, they don't have any flippin' nutritional info. :grumble: I found it on here, but I'm wondering how it got entered and how it can be correct when they don't offer nutritional info on the website or in their menu's?
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Replies

  • RKA625
    RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
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    So out of the blue, my brother in law suggested we order out tonight. Had today been one of my exercise days, I'd have plenty of calories to eat left over, but I am down to 554 calories, so no steak and potatoes for me. :cry: While we do order out occasionally, we don't order from steak house type restaurants regularly, and that's where we're ordering from tonight.

    So yeah, I'm ordering the grilled chicken salad, which is ok, because I like it anyway and usually get that when we dine here, but *today* I kind of was craving a big juicy steak. I can be strong though, once I phone the order in, there's no going back anyway.

    On the other hand, I don't like either of the low fat options for dressing they have and was thinking of ordering normal dressing, even though it's probably like a million calories.

    AND, last rant, they don't have any flippin' nutritional info. :grumble: I found it on here, but I'm wondering how it got entered and how it can be correct when they don't offer nutritional info on the website or in their menu's?
  • TamTastic
    TamTastic Posts: 19,224 Member
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    Well, in my opinion, you are allowed to relax some days......and eat a meal you'd like (and not count calories for that meal), as long as you can trust yourself to get back on track the next day.

    If you think a splurge like this would be just that and you can continue on your plan tomorrow, then I say go for it. Having a meal once in awhile like this is a huge part of what has kept me going for 16 months and why I didn't feel deprived. I just kept it at once in awhile and not every day.

    Your weigh-in might not be exactly what you'd like this week, but just keep on, keepin on and next weeks will be better! :happy:
  • alf1163
    alf1163 Posts: 3,143 Member
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    To your topic question: Of course!!! Who doesnt??? :laugh:

    Just estimate your calories from the info on the site. This meal could be your "cheat" meal of the week...don't worry about it so much, going over or "cheating" is not going to hurt you as long as you dont do it too often. Enjoy your dinner!!! :flowerforyou:
  • psyknife
    psyknife Posts: 487 Member
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    Do you ever cheat or knowingly go over calories?
    Yes, but when I do it's because I'm making a strong decision to do so, and not letting my emotions lead me into a binge. Sometimes it's nice to have an indulgence, ya know?
  • neurogirl
    neurogirl Posts: 706 Member
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    Um, yeah, I do splurge on occasion and I find that it acutally helps me sometimes when I hit a plateau. I just splurge on one meal for the day and then I usually go right back to my usual calorie watch. I just look at it as a typical life with the occasional splurge. :tongue:
  • lnjwilliams1432
    lnjwilliams1432 Posts: 69
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    Well, in my opinion, you are allowed to relax some days......and eat a meal you'd like (and not count calories for that meal), as long as you can trust yourself to get back on track the next day.

    If you think a splurge like this would be just that and you can continue on your plan tomorrow, then I say go for it. Having a meal once in awhile like this is a huge part of what has kept me going for 16 months and why I didn't feel deprived. I just kept it at once in awhile and not every day.

    Your weigh-in might not be exactly what you'd like this week, but just keep on, keepin on and next weeks will be better! :happy:

    I agree 100%!!!!!!! I feel if you dont give yourself some slack than you just get burned out on it too quickly than giveup entirely....ENJOY that steak my dear!!!!!!! HA HA HA HA:laugh:
  • RKA625
    RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
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    Thanks ladies, I just feel like I'm still so early on in the "game", lol, that if I eat so much and see the scale rise too much, I'll get discouraged. So I'll probably stick with the salad and order regular dressing as a cheat. I have not gone over my calories since Jan 17th (I know, it hasn't even been a week yet) but I am proud of myself for doing so well, so I don't think I want to go over by that much (steak, steak sauce, potatoes, rice, etc.)
  • briblue72
    briblue72 Posts: 672 Member
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    yes!!

    I try to keep the "splurging" to one meal per week.

    Think of it this way - MFP is already cutting 500 of your cals per day for weight loss, so you don't have to worry about weight gain until you've gone 500+ cals OVER...
  • cheri822
    cheri822 Posts: 62 Member
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    Yes sometimes I do cheat. I think that if you deprive yourself of something you really want, your going to keep wanting it and your diet is going to be miserable. At least for me it is. So if I'm really craving something I eat it. But not every day, or not every week even. So if you want a juicy steak, HAVE IT. But tomorrow, go straight back to the diet and exercise. :smile:
  • TamTastic
    TamTastic Posts: 19,224 Member
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    Thanks ladies, I just feel like I'm still so early on in the "game", lol, that if I eat so much and see the scale rise too much, I'll get discouraged. So I'll probably stick with the salad and order regular dressing as a cheat. I have not gone over my calories since Jan 17th (I know, it hasn't even been a week yet) but I am proud of myself for doing so well, so I don't think I want to go over by that much (steak, steak sauce, potatoes, rice, etc.)
    Do what you are comfortable with at this point. I can understand your hesitation. In time, you might feel more confident in things. :smile:

    I started in September of 2007 and allowed myself to enjoy Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years, Super Bowl Sunday junk.....a dinner out here and there, including a big filet mignon dinner on my birthday. Each time I "relaxed" a bit, I grew more and more confident in myself and trusted myself to be back on track the next meal or day. Also, I wouldn't watch every little thing but I wouldn't go crazy either. I would stop when I was full, which is a HUGE accomplishment!! :laugh:

    Take care and enjoy your salad! :bigsmile:
  • DjBliss05
    DjBliss05 Posts: 682
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    I think it is good to work in high calorie days once in a while. It keeps your metabolism guessing and keeps you from going sane.

    The key to that is only doing it once in a while though... that is the tricky part!!
  • RKA625
    RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
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    Gah, I cheated! I got the darn steak. I know I'll be back on track tomorrow. It was the darn pasta I had for lunch today that threw me over. I sat there and thought about it and decided I can do this today, because we don't order steaks very often.
  • little_wolfie
    little_wolfie Posts: 91
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    Good for you! Last night I totally cheated and it was so worth it. In fact, I lost 2 lbs this morning. Ok, so it may not be related to that, but I like to think that sometimes if you give your body a break, it'll give you a break.

    (right? maybe? please?)

    And CURSE YOU. Now I want steak.
  • punka274
    punka274 Posts: 895
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    Do you ever cheat or knowingly go over calories?
    Yes, but when I do it's because I'm making a strong decision to do so, and not letting my emotions lead me into a binge. Sometimes it's nice to have an indulgence, ya know?

    Ditto..... this is my third week of eating great( fell off the wagon during the holidays).I had a cheat meal yesterday because i thought i deserved it. I was thinking about having a cheat meal for most of the week(And i also hoped it would confuse my body a bit so the scale would start moving:wink: )

    So to answer the question...yep,sure do! Before i was introduced to MFP i would allow myself one cheat meal a week....

    Good Luck:flowerforyou:
  • punka274
    punka274 Posts: 895
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    Gah, I cheated! I got the darn steak. I know I'll be back on track tomorrow. It was the darn pasta I had for lunch today that threw me over. I sat there and thought about it and decided I can do this today, because we don't order steaks very often.

    Good for you!:flowerforyou:
  • Schaff
    Schaff Posts: 83
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    I wouldn't even look at it as "cheating". Its important to recognize that you crave something and to have it once in awhile, and in a reasonable portion size. You need to still enjoy food and if you don't let yourself have something you enjoy, you will begin to resent this whole process. Also, even if you splurge one day, it is not physically possible to gain any significant amount of weight from it. Even if you weigh yourself the next day and you see some gain, just remember, its water weight, and it will be gone by the next day. I know without a doubt that if I see a delicious cupcake, I CANNOT resist it! So I let myself have it, and I REALLY enjoy it! And then I'm good, I don't feel too bad that I had one, and I feel satisfied by it because I savored it.
  • RKA625
    RKA625 Posts: 151 Member
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    Yeah, I will definitely enjoy it, I haven't had a steak in a while, even before counting calories.

    It's really the potatoes that are going to throw me over, I got a salad as one of my sides, because I do love salad. And I added both from the MFP database, I still have 47 calories left, but I know the potatoes, salad dressing and A-1 will bring me over that.
  • msujdak
    msujdak Posts: 141
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    It's ok because you may have some days where you are under you calories, so just burn a little extra at the gym tomorrow and don't look back!
  • kolbif
    kolbif Posts: 83
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    I say - don't worry about it! Once in a while is not bad at all - keeps you sane! It's the consistent bad-eating habits that make us gain weight! One steak ain't gonna make you gain anything - especially if you work hard tomorrow! :wink:
  • Ten10
    Ten10 Posts: 223 Member
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    Yes, I have actually knowingly gone over my calories and then I get right back on track. Enjoy your meal and savor every morsel and don't feel guilty about it. Good Luck!!

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