Logging Cheat Meal

grob49
grob49 Posts: 125 Member
edited December 4 in Food and Nutrition
Wife and I are going out to dinner and have Mexican food. My plan is to spilt a combination plate. That way we don't get so much. Just curious I would you logged it or would you? I have about 800 calories to give. My logged is open.

Replies

  • KyleGrace8
    KyleGrace8 Posts: 2,205 Member
    If you don't log it exactly, make a note of it. I've been meaning to mark it on a calendar when I have a cheat meal so I can really tell how long it's been and not make it a habit.
  • leanjogreen18
    leanjogreen18 Posts: 2,492 Member
    I have a "controlled cheat day" where I eat at maintenance. I log it.

    I'm hoping it will help me with my eventual goal of eyeballing portion and calorie contents when I get to maintenance. I just went on vacay and I was able to intuitively eat (I logged my meals end of the day to check guessing and finding similar foods in the database) for a week and ate at maintenance with only slightly going over on 2 days (dang alcohol)

    So my advice is log it as close as you can, it's all a learning process.
  • sammyliftsandeats
    sammyliftsandeats Posts: 2,421 Member
    I would log it, even if you have to guess at the content because there's no nutritional info available. That way, if you have any cause for concern, you can look back in your diary and may be able to pinpoint any anomalies.

    Even if you don't log it on MFP, your body definitely does.
  • JessicaB523
    JessicaB523 Posts: 70 Member
    I log everything. I am going to Fogo de Chao tonight and plan on eating all the things. I have no idea what the actual calories/macros will be as I don't even know what meats and salad stuff I will decide to have, so I just found a general entry and put in like 3000 calories (which is probably a little overkill) just so I can look back if needed and have a general idea of what I ate.

    This type of meal is a super rare occurrence though (like once or twice a year). Most of the time I try to be more specific even if it is just a guestimate when eating out or at family gatherings.
  • 85Cardinals
    85Cardinals Posts: 733 Member
    edited October 2016
    I couldn't live with myself if I didn't log it! Had 3500 Calorie Friday a week ago today, logged each and every one. Worked too, broke outta my stall.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    when I logged, I logged everything...my diary was a tool that provided data for my analysis...I liked having accurate data to work with.
  • grob49
    grob49 Posts: 125 Member
    Everyone says log but how do you log half a meal. At best your guessing how many grams. Each item is. The meal was
    1/2 tamale
    1/2 green chile cheese enchilada
    1/2 chile relleno
    1 beef taco
    1/2 green chili beef
    1/2 Spanish Rice
    1 refried beans
  • jayeless
    jayeless Posts: 30 Member
    grob49 wrote: »
    Everyone says log but how do you log half a meal. At best your guessing how many grams. Each item is.

    That's literally what I do. Last night I went to my grandma's birthday dinner (although I was aiming to stick to my deficit, not "cheat"). When I got home I found the same dishes from other places, estimated how much I had of everything (yes, in grams), and put it all in. It's not perfect but considering I'm not eating out at restaurants every night, even if I was off by 1,000 kilojoules it would only impede my progress for like, one day. And if it was truly a cheat meal, then at least I'd know roughly how much I cheated by. Approximate data is better than no data, I figure.
  • andrea_nichol
    andrea_nichol Posts: 47 Member
    I log because it helps me to be motivated to get back on track after. I don't want my weight loss to take away from the enjoyment of life so I think it's okay to break out of the routine once in a while. I don't beat myself up.
  • grob49
    grob49 Posts: 125 Member
    I didn't log it I logged everything else and my exercises. I felt good about it. Didn't over do it and splitting it in half with the wife turned out just right for both of us.
  • sy_19440
    sy_19440 Posts: 55 Member
    Everything in moderation but I would log the meal. As someone else your body knows what you ate even if the rest of us don't.
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