I had a cheat day...

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wonchance
wonchance Posts: 2 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been doing so well! Eating well, exercising, loosing a pound or two a week. I was rockin it! I had a really big cheat day over the weekend. I enjoyed every minute of it! I don't really regret it. And I know I will slip up again at some point. But, I'm worried about how much I've derailed my progress. And I have a tendency once I have one "really bad" day then I kinda say.. "Eh, to heck with it..." and get off the bandwagon! I need to stay on track! Anyone else have a tendency to let one bad day carry over into more bad days? How do you stop the cycle?
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Replies

  • lulalacroix
    lulalacroix Posts: 1,082 Member
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    In the past I would totally let a cheat derail my plan. Now I just log what I eat and move on. But I also plan for larger calorie days by banking or exercising a bit more.
  • codename_steve
    codename_steve Posts: 255 Member
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    I find that planning for higher calorie days really helps, instead of eating too much because of emotion. That way you can be sure it's worth it. And like lulaacroix said, you can eat a little less leading up to eat and/or exercise a little more. Once I took the guilt out of higher calorie days, they stopped derailing my progress.
  • amber5151
    amber5151 Posts: 51 Member
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    I completely log it all as much as I can (if you went out a lot on that day it may be hard, but do best guesses) so I can be realistic in my weekly view of my calories. I had one of these last weekend. Got starbucks, drank wine, went out for Mexican food and ate my old favorites, went out later and drank. The next day I sat down and logged every bit of it. This way I know it happened and I know where those extra calories are and if it threw my whole week of work down the drain or not. And now I'm more hesitant to do it again honestly. I worked really hard last week at having a great calorie week, then threw it away during the weekend. So I'm back at it this week and next time I want to cheat like that I'll plan ahead and only cheat a little..not like I did last Saturday.
  • Victoria42015
    Victoria42015 Posts: 7 Member
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    There is nothing you can do about it now, so just get back to your normal eating, by which I mean your diet.
  • Annie0411
    Annie0411 Posts: 4 Member
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    I can relate. I've been at this nearly a month and I'm down 3-5 pounds. I know I would be down more if I could drop my cheat days that spin into several cheat days. I'm trying to change a lifetime of bad habits so I keep that in mind and not beat myself up about it.
  • MsDavis99
    MsDavis99 Posts: 101 Member
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    totally can relate...hell today I had Cheetos, cheesits, and some Lindor chocolates (so good) and didn't go to the gym this morning. I feel so guilty about it. But hey..all we can do it start again tomorrow. Come on lets get back on track :)
  • Barbs2222
    Barbs2222 Posts: 433 Member
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    Logging it made me stop doing it. It's like everything else in life, you have to be accountable for your actions, just for yourself. You'll be okay, it happens to everyone.
  • Theo166
    Theo166 Posts: 2,564 Member
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    Ditto to logging it all down, it's necessary for building your self awareness.

    I only had to log 1400 calories once for a bag of Doritos, been able to resist buying them ever since.
  • MelodyMomof2
    MelodyMomof2 Posts: 45 Member
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    We have all done it. The important thing is to not let it get you down. Just log it and go right back to your diet. I did really bad on super bowl Sunday. I knew I would. I logged it all (very scary) and went right back to what I was doing the next day. Everything is fine. I'm still loosing. Just don't take your eyes off the goal.
  • ainsleaheard623
    ainsleaheard623 Posts: 1 Member
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    i used to be exactly the same with cheat meals but instead of a cheat meal chucking me off the bandwagon and making me go awol i have replaced takeaways with fakeaways and i am doing so much better as my cheat day isn't really that bad! just something i really fancy, by far my favourite was home made donner kebabs!!!
  • dragon_girl26
    dragon_girl26 Posts: 2,187 Member
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    Another vote for log it and move on. Though, I would reconsider your overall strategy a bit. If you know that "cheat" days are going to derail your progress, why not have a maintenance day or two instead? Pick one day a week to eat at maintenance (probably a weekend). If you want, you could even bank a few calories throughout the week if you're worried about your weight loss slowing a bit. That way, you are relaxing a little without going crazy. Just make sure to log it all.
    It is important to lose the guilt, though, and not associate emotions with food. Save guilt for when it's truly appropriate, like forgetting someone's birthday. Eating should not cause you to feel this way.
  • wonchance
    wonchance Posts: 2 Member
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    Thanks all. I logged everything. It wasn't really as bad as it could have been. It was about 1000 calories over my target. I have no desire to give up my occasional treats as I think that is completely unsustainable and demotivating. I just need to, as you say, plan for it when i can ( this was not really planned) log it and move on.
  • anfgirl22
    anfgirl22 Posts: 4 Member
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    Stop the cycle by eating enough to feel satisfied and not being restrictive. Don't call them "cheat days", don't plan out your calories for one big meal and the rest itty bitty (it's not a calories in, calories out equation haha all calories aren't equal). Lol just eat what you want when you want it and eat what you're hungry for. Don't worry about calories, worry about what's IN the calories. Focus your diet on whole, plant based foods (high in carbs from fruits, veggies, and starches and lower in fat) and when you eat something "unhealthy", love it, eat it, and move on with your life. That way you're eating enough to be happy and satisfied and your metabolism will be fast enough that a little fat/refined sugar here and there won't be the end of the world. That's just what works for me :)
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,990 Member
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    If you log what you eat, even on "a really big cheat day," you'll know how much you've derailed your progress. Were you over maintenance? By how much? How many days' worth of deficit would it take to make up the amount you went over?
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
    edited February 2017
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    When I have a big eating day or two, I pre-log the next day. It's easier with a plan. I don't see any point in looking at it as something "naughty" or "derailing." It's really not. I had a nice time. End.
  • PaulaWallaDingDong
    PaulaWallaDingDong Posts: 4,641 Member
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    anfgirl22 wrote: »
    Stop the cycle by eating enough to feel satisfied and not being restrictive. Don't call them "cheat days", don't plan out your calories for one big meal and the rest itty bitty (it's not a calories in, calories out equation haha all calories aren't equal). Lol just eat what you want when you want it and eat what you're hungry for. Don't worry about calories, worry about what's IN the calories. Focus your diet on whole, plant based foods (high in carbs from fruits, veggies, and starches and lower in fat) and when you eat something "unhealthy", love it, eat it, and move on with your life. That way you're eating enough to be happy and satisfied and your metabolism will be fast enough that a little fat/refined sugar here and there won't be the end of the world. That's just what works for me :)

    I'm not sure what exactly you're addressing, but you seem to misunderstand calories and metabolism.

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