Cheat Meals/Days - Necessity or Disaster?

I would try one small donut burger out of curiosity. (I rarely eat donuts-- maybe twice a year. They normally set off carb cravings so I avoid them.)

endlessfall16 wrote: »

Wow...are people actually able to enjoy that donut cheeseburge? That would take a sophisticated (bizarre) palate.

This remind me of George Coztanza trying to simultaneously enjoy sex and food.

Not that bizarre at all. There's a place down the road from me that has a grilled cheese donut, and it's pretty tasty. I've had it a couple times when I had the occasion to go there, it's just a casual storefront type place. Not at all highbrow.

Just because you can't imagine enjoying it doesn't mean that others enjoying it is perverted as you imply in the bolded above.

http://www.tomandchee.com/menu/fancy-grilled-cheese-donuts/

To the OP:

I don't do 'cheat' days. Who am I cheating if not myself?

I try to plan for occasions where I know I'll be eating outside of my calorie zone by cutting down on other meals that day and/or upping my activity level. And the odd time where life just happens - like the pizza we decided to order in last night - I just log it honestly and move on.

But having regularly planned 'cheat' days or meals doesn't work for me, physically or psychologically. I tried it. For me, the days *after* a cheat day felt punitive, like I had to pay for my dietary sins. And that feeling started to detract from the pleasure that the cheat days gave me in the first place, so it started to be a lose/lose scenario.

I'd much rather deal with the occasional spontaneous "life happens" food event as they occur. It lets me thoroughly enjoy the indulgence - while still being mindful of it - without all of the psychological upheaval that cheat days ended up giving me.

I don't do cheat days either. I'm like winogelato. I do flexible calorie management depending on what's going on.

Your body is taking in those calories whether you count them or not. There's an episode of Secret Eaters (BBC) where a woman eats well every week day and doesn't understand why she's gained a bunch of weight. Then they track her and see that she eats way too many calories every weekend. You don't have to overindulge all that much to take away the progress youv'e made during the week. If you want to choose one day where you eat at maintenance instead of at a deficit, that makes much more sense. But don't just give up on tracking and overindulge one day a week or you aren't necessarily going to continue to lose.

kshama2001 wrote: »

daniip_la wrote: »

courtneyfabulous wrote: »

Um.... 4th Krispy Kreme?? 4th!!

You are not on a diet if you are eating 4 donuts. You can probably fit half a donut into your calories/macros. MAYBE a whole one... but that should be plenty anyways.

You can still eat treat foods, just keep them in moderation and work them into your calories. If you want that donut skip make your dinner low carb & low fat.

4 Krispy Kremes are ~760kcal. If someone wants to forgo a meal or two to fit them in, that's their prerogative. It doesn't mean they're doing anything wrong.

Also, no one should be eating low carb and low fat at the same time. And they don't have to eat either low carb or low fat unless they have medical reasons.

Well, the thing with donuts for me is that I can't forgo a meal to fit them in. They have no satiety for me so I still have to eat. If I want a donut, I need to exercise more to fit it in.

I wouldn't want to do it, but for one day I think most people could without a problem. I occasionally have days where I skip a meal (or, you know, fast--for religious reasons, not because I am into fasting), and it's not that big a thing. Whether it's enjoyable and feels good is the question, but I'm not assuming it is or isn't for anyone, and the idea that one can't do it on one day and still be on a diet isn't helpful, IMO. Reminds me of back in the day when I'd have one bad day and decide I'd gone off my eating plan so might as well take some more time off.

I don't like donuts that much (but for apple cider donuts), but most are about 200-300 calories, which I could easily fit in to a normal deficit day (1600 calories, say) without sacrificing satiety. After all, vegetables (which I find satiating) are low cal, so I'd probably just switch up some of my extra fat and starch at meals to make room or just have it in place of my usual post dinner something (as I normally have 200 or so calories available, depending on choices earlier in the day). This idea that no one can fit in a whole donut or one must exercise extra (I do exercise, of course -- I do TDEE method), is odd to me.

Anyway, on the cheat meal thing I agree with those who say work higher cal or no tracking days into the overall plan (but don't go totally nuts) or just plan to eat at maintenance.

This thread is making me wish I could still have real, honest to goodness donuts.

I'd try them with a veggie cheeseburger.