Cheat Meal Guilt

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FionaCanOK
FionaCanOK Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've lost a lot of weight - 4 stone 5lbs to date, and each week I have a 'chest meal'. It could be a take away and some ice cream. However, the last few weeks I have felt guilty about having the cheat meal. I have a clean diet all week, go to the gym and do a mix of cardio/weights, but can't stop myself from feeling guilty.

Anyone else feel like this? Is this normal? I can't seem to snap out of it.

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
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    Either stop cheating or stop guilting, or preferably, both. It's not normal as in healthy, but it's normal as in usual.
  • inertiastrength
    inertiastrength Posts: 2,343 Member
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    It takes some time to get your head around the nutritionally sketchy food choices after years of labelling them as "bad" or "not diet friendly"
    Your progress will speak louder than your brainwashing in time :) Enjoy your 'cheats' if you're still progressing the way you planned.
  • ashliedelgado
    ashliedelgado Posts: 814 Member
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    If having a big meal makes you feel guilty, try instead building a smaller treat in each day. Having something regular to treat yo'self may help you get rid of the guilt. Think of it like this - you're trying to learn how to lead a healthy balanced life style in the long term. And in the long term, being 100% on point nutritionally isn't going to happen. Birthdays! Parties! Weddings! Travel! Things come up - so learning how to manage them without guilt is important. At the end of the day, it's just one day.
  • AliceDark
    AliceDark Posts: 3,886 Member
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    You've clearly had a lot of success on this plan, so unless you want to change (for instance, to incorporate a smaller treat in every day), I would just carry on with what's working for you.

    The fact that you're feeling guilty is a little bit of a warning sign, though. Thinking about food as good or bad isn't the healthiest mental attitude to have. If you're meeting your nutritional goals overall, there's absolutely no reason not to spend some calories on things that just taste good. If you've already met your nutritional needs, you don't get extra credit for eating more carrots instead of a cookie.

    Here's another way to think about it: weight loss and maintenance are about sticking with new behaviors over the long term, and anything that helps keep you engaging in those new behaviors is good. Can you spend the next year eating well during the week and incorporating one cheat meal? (I'm going to guess that yes, you probably can). Can you spend the next year eating 100% according to your definition of "clean" without any cheat meals or treats? Since you're a human and not a robot, that might be significantly more difficult and might lead you to fall off the wagon. Which plan sounds like it would be more fun to follow, or would cause you the least amount of mental stress?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,867 Member
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    Stop labeling it a "cheat"...stop looking at food in isolation as "good" or "bad"...look at your diet as a whole. Feeling guilty about having a little ice cream is ultimately going to send you down the yellow brick road of disordered thinking and disordered relationships with food.
  • Ready2Rock206
    Ready2Rock206 Posts: 9,488 Member
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    Sounds like you need to change the name from cheat meal. You're not really cheating. Find something more positive to call it - or don't call it anything at all and enjoy your meal.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,750 Member
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    I made a mental shift at one point where I decided I wasn't allowed to eat anything without enjoying it. So if I started eating it, even if it was a total pointless binge, I would focus and concentrate on actually enjoying it.

    That changed my perception of food quite a lot.
  • cbl40
    cbl40 Posts: 281 Member
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    I have them once or twice a week. I feel guilty too. But I like how iron and wine above stated it. It's taking a break from your deficit. I think that's normal if you want this to be a lifelong process.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    @FionaCanOK what sort of meal is a cheat meal in your description?
  • FionaCanOK
    FionaCanOK Posts: 6 Member
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    Ironandwine69 wrote: »
    They are not cheat meals, you're not cheating your body. You are taking a small break from calorie deficit or diet. Breaks are good.

    Thank you, yes I agree.

  • FionaCanOK
    FionaCanOK Posts: 6 Member
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    ashliedelgado wrote: »
    If having a big meal makes you feel guilty, try instead building a smaller treat in each day. Having something regular to treat yo'self may help you get rid of the guilt. Think of it like this - you're trying to learn how to lead a healthy balanced life style in the long term. And in the long term, being 100% on point nutritionally isn't going to happen. Birthdays! Parties! Weddings! Travel! Things come up - so learning how to manage them without guilt is important. At the end of the day, it's just one day.

    Yes, a good idea to incorporate a treat each day. I will take that on board. Thank you.

  • FionaCanOK
    FionaCanOK Posts: 6 Member
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    AliceDark wrote: »
    You've clearly had a lot of success on this plan, so unless you want to change (for instance, to incorporate a smaller treat in every day), I would just carry on with what's working for you.

    The fact that you're feeling guilty is a little bit of a warning sign, though. Thinking about food as good or bad isn't the healthiest mental attitude to have. If you're meeting your nutritional goals overall, there's absolutely no reason not to spend some calories on things that just taste good. If you've already met your nutritional needs, you don't get extra credit for eating more carrots instead of a cookie.

    Here's another way to think about it: weight loss and maintenance are about sticking with new behaviors over the long term, and anything that helps keep you engaging in those new behaviors is good. Can you spend the next year eating well during the week and incorporating one cheat meal? (I'm going to guess that yes, you probably can). Can you spend the next year eating 100% according to your definition of "clean" without any cheat meals or treats? Since you're a human and not a robot, that might be significantly more difficult and might lead you to fall off the wagon. Which plan sounds like it would be more fun to follow, or would cause you the least amount of mental stress?


    No I don't think I could eat clean week in week out without a treat/cheat in there somewhere. However, I feel like I'm undoing all my hard work (I'm probably not). My mentality is unhealthy. I am usually tired by the end of the week so I do need the calorie boost to fuel my workouts. Someone above mentioned 2 cheat meals but I'm not sure I'm ready for that just yet.
  • FionaCanOK
    FionaCanOK Posts: 6 Member
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    JeromeBarry1 wrote: »
    @FionaCanOK what sort of meal is a cheat meal in your description?

    Indian takeaway with naan, a dessert ;if I'm not feeling full, I hate feeling full and bloated :/ maybe a few biscuits with a cup of tea.

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