Getting over a "cheat week"?

dave_in_ni
dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
edited November 20 in Health and Weight Loss
So I was on holidays last week. To say I cheated was an understatement. I ate everything in site, ate out most nights with some sort of fast food. Ice cream, chocolate you name it I ate it. I'm to scared to even look at the scales, my only saving grace was I did continue my weight lifting program during this week long binge.

I just feel like I've done so much damage, have you ever done this?

Replies

  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    Just go back to your normal routine. If you dread going back to your normal routine, figure out why you don't want to do that, and whether you should have another routine.
  • Seffell
    Seffell Posts: 2,244 Member
    Yes but I do it intentionally every year when I go on a 2 week holiday (not calling it a cheat whatever). I usually gain 4lbs of fat plus 2lbs of water. Sadly it takes me 2 months to lose 4lbs but it's worth it.
  • skymningen
    skymningen Posts: 532 Member
    edited August 2017
    Mostly everyone here has been in comparable situations. A holiday, a long family meet up, an illness or injury, bad personal stress, all of this can lead or even force you out of your routine for a while. Go back.
    Go back now. If you dread the damage so much, then don't measure it for now. When you feel that you are steady in your routine again, measure out the "damage". And then go on with life an routine. It was worth it, wasn't it?
  • Momepro
    Momepro Posts: 1,509 Member
    Yep. But what's done is done. And now it's over. Right now, you need to plan how you will handle it next time. And now, you just start fresh again.
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    I'm back to work on Monday, and work = routine so all will be back to normal. I just feel so bad for doing it though but it was fun at the time
  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    skymningen wrote: »
    Mostly everyone here has been in comparable situations. A holiday, a long family meet up, an illness or injury, bad personal stress, all of this can lead or even force you out of your routine for a while. Go back.
    Go back now. If you dread the damage so much, then don't measure it for now. When you feel that you are steady in your routine again, measure out the "damage". And then go on with life an routine. It was worth it, wasn't it?

    Worth it? Not sure fun yes. I had 2 BK King whoppers in 1 go, I dread to think the calories in them
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  • mmapags
    mmapags Posts: 8,934 Member
    JerSchmare wrote: »
    In a week, no damage done. It's all water. Get back to your routine and the weight will come off fast.

    This. Get over it and stop beating yourself up! The cortisol from all that guilt will be worse than what you ate. :D

    A break like this can actually be beneficial mentally and hormonally. See attached article. http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/

    You did it. You enjoyed it. It was a holiday. Let that *kitten* go!! B)
  • MelanieCN77
    MelanieCN77 Posts: 4,047 Member
    I went home for a two week visit in June and freestyled my food and kept up with my workouts. I didn't go all out as it seems you did, but I gave myself two weeks at home back at my routine before I weighed again and said whatever happened happened and to just get back to it. I actually maintained so no harm done at all, just give yourself a little time to get back to normal before you weigh again and carry on.
  • CattOfTheGarage
    CattOfTheGarage Posts: 2,745 Member
    The past is in the past.

    https://youtu.be/L0MK7qz13bU
  • Sassifrass76
    Sassifrass76 Posts: 21 Member
    I am going on holiday to a food and wine festival for a week. Planning to eat all the things. Not planning to get on the scale for a month after returning and going right back to my routine. You can't beat yourself up over what is done. Just get right back to it and throw that guilt in the rubbish. If we cannot enjoy ourselves at least on holiday then what are we making all this effort for.
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  • dave_in_ni
    dave_in_ni Posts: 533 Member
    filbo132 wrote: »
    1 week of cheating will set you back, but it takes long term of cheating to really make damage. You don't get fat overnight, just like you don't get skinny overnight. The worst it can do is set you back by a week or two. As long you get back to your routine, the rest will take care of itself. Just enjoy your vacation. The only time I would advise someone not to cheat during their vacation is if they have low discipline to the point that when they return, they still continue to binge on food because of how the vacation triggered them to eat more.

    That's certainly not me. I actually can't wait to get back into it.
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  • 92joann
    92joann Posts: 67 Member
    I just had a weekend of eating whatever, it was 4 days and I was cool with that, it was planned in advance. And then I had another 2 days of takeaways because I was too tired to cook (too much time with other people). I gained about 8lbs, had a few days on plan and lost 5lbs. It's really not that bad, it's mostly water and any actual weight gain is usually only a couple lbs max. Get back into it as soon as you can, that's what matters!
  • KevHex
    KevHex Posts: 256 Member
    It's just one week. Life is long, just get back on with the plan today.
  • jennypapage
    jennypapage Posts: 489 Member
    i was on a 4 week vacation and i ate like a pig. I dreaded getting on the scales, but once i did, i realized the damage was not as big as i thought it would be. And even if it had been, i know what i have to do to lose weight,it's not a big deal.
  • Mooma29
    Mooma29 Posts: 58 Member
    This weekend my daughter got married. I realised sometime ago that it was going to be a struggle to stay in a deficit in the couple of weeks prior. lots to do, lots of celebrations and what have you. So I've just logged food regardless tried to fit my exercise in when I could and not worried when I couldn't. Got on the scales today and I'm up 4 pounds. But you know my girl will only have the one wedding and we had an absolute ball. it's important to look after yourself, but for me that has to includethe occasional splurge because life is short we should live it well. the secret I think is to park it and just get back to your routine when it's done. It will probably take me till this time next year to lose all the weight I want to. So if it takes me 54 weeks instead of 52 we'll it's hardly here or there is it? Don't worry you'll be fine
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    dave_in_ni wrote: »
    So I was on holidays last week. To say I cheated was an understatement. I ate everything in site, ate out most nights with some sort of fast food. Ice cream, chocolate you name it I ate it. I'm to scared to even look at the scales, my only saving grace was I did continue my weight lifting program during this week long binge.

    I just feel like I've done so much damage, have you ever done this?

    i always eat and drink whatever i want on holiday... the majority of the weight gain is water so its off again within a couple of weeks.

    i never stress about it or consider a holiday 'cheating' or the weight gain 'damage'.
  • VanVanDiane
    VanVanDiane Posts: 1,402 Member
    I just had a fortnight's holiday and ate out every day, drank too much, only exercise was walking... I was 7lb up when I got back, 5 days later after getting back to normal 5lb of that is gone - as long as you don't continue the all-you-can-eat mindset there's no problem - and it was a great holiday:)
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    Yeah I do something like this every few months whether its a week away, a long weekend, or like the past few days I've had a nasty cold so went just over maintenance for a bit until I felt better, usually the scales will give you a water weight bump that will drop after a week then you can access any real damage the week after, I see MFP as a lifestyle change not a continuous uninterrupted diet, holidays and letting my hair down or just taking care of myself and not worrying too much about hitting calorie goals every so often are part of my lifestyle, as long as most of the time I'm hitting my deficit I usually still get a loss that month.

    Just get back on the wagon and don't worry about overcompensating, it's done just crack on, plus it'll probably all just come back off within the fortnight. :)
  • rlarkin591
    rlarkin591 Posts: 39 Member
    I had a cheating weekend. Didnt go over by much Sat and Sun but Friday destroyed my calorie goal. Back at it today though. I, too, am scared to get back on the scale but I know I will have to do so in the next day or two. Actually was kinda good to eat some favorites but I am feeling guilty, which is good because I never cared before.
  • RebeccaNaegle
    RebeccaNaegle Posts: 236 Member
    Well at least you made some muscle out of it I'm sure! You probably didn't do as much damage as you think, and your body as well as your mind probably appreciated the higher calories! You probably know as well as I do that most of the "weight" you put on is going to be mostly water weight, as a lb. of fat is about 3500 calories. There is nothing you can do about it now, and there are MUCH worse things that can happen in life, so just look at it as something you needed and enjoyed and get back to your usual! Life goes on!
  • havesomejoe
    havesomejoe Posts: 31 Member
    edited August 2017
    Dude, all the time! It's something you'll gradually eliminate over time.

    At some point during your life you made food your escape. You'll have to find a healthier replacement. Start improving your life EVERYWHERE.
    [post edited by MFP mods]
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Get back on track asap and don't step on the scales till 2 weeks have gone by. This is the best way to avoid giving yourself a heart attack.
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