No Honor in Cheating - Cheat Days and the Wrong Mindset

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Hey guys. I would love some feedback on my latest blog post about Cheat Days. I must admit that it may step on some peoples toes...

http://www.businessoflosingweight.com/losingweight/no-honor-in-cheating/

Let me know your thoughts...
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Replies

  • sevencallmemom
    sevencallmemom Posts: 505 Member
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    I totally agree with you. Great post!
  • babyblake11
    babyblake11 Posts: 1,107 Member
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    i completely agree. i have embraced a healthy lifestyle that i will be living for the rest of my life. not just when i want to lose weight! i dont even crave bad foods anymore because i only want to put nutrients into my body :)
  • Wanting2BSkinny
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    Love your post....I totally agree with EVERYTHING you said :)
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
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    Dude! Awesome post! Couldn't agree more. I'm not gonna lie...if you went back through the last 6 months you would see some days that were less than pretty...however, every single day I have made an effort to be better than I was before I joined MFP! Rock on for sharing the Bible verse :) I pretty much love all of Philippians 3 to remind me of why I no longer eat that way.
  • amymeenieminymo
    amymeenieminymo Posts: 2,394 Member
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    Eh, I agree with you on some points, and not on others. First, I do agree that you shouldn't throw away an entire day. That is one of my big mistakes.....I used to eat bad in a day and continue eating bad all day long. I figured, I've already blown it at this point, why not continue? But I found myself eating just for the sake of eating. I often wasn't even enjoying it anymore at the time, and I certainly didn't enjoy it later when I didn't feel good, or days later when the scale revealed a gain or I had stayed the same when I had worked hard every other day for a loss. I still mess up sometimes, but now I try to eat healthy all day, and then have a cheat meal, not a cheat day.

    However, I do think we need to allow ourselves to be realistic. Setting unrealistic goals is the best and fastest way to set ourselves up for failure in my opinion. I will be honest, I LOVE pepsi, taco bell, and just plain eating out in general whether it be healthy or bad food. Yes a part of me sees it as entertainment, but the other part of me just loves the taste, the convenience, etc.

    If my lifestyle change were just for a set period of time, say 90 days, then I would totally view these as cheat days. If I have committed to a healthy lifestyle for 90 days, there is virtually no reason I cannot stick to it, and not doing so would be cheating. But you said it yourself, it's a lifestyle change, meaning it has to be a change we can live with for the rest of our lives. I don't like being fat, but I also do not like the idea of giving up the favorite foods for the rest of my life. I don't like the idea of watching my friends and family happily eating and enjoying themselves at get togethers and holidays, while I am scribbling down every bite I put into my mouth and then cutting myself off halfway through the day because I have reached my limit.

    I don't want to decline invites to go out to eat because they are eating at a restaurant that doesn't have anything I can get without feel like I am starving an hour later. Sure, eat well on some holidays? Turn down some invites to go out? I can do that. Turn them down for the rest of my life? No.

    It's not all or nothing in my opinion, you have a bad day, you start new tomorrow and get back on the horse. I don't have to chose between eating bad and being fat.....and eating well and being thin. I can work toward my goal, and even reach my goal all the while enjoying the things I enjoy. It's all about moderation. Besides, you don't have to do it every Friday in order for it to be a cheat day/meal. You kind of contradicted yourself when you said "If I am eating healthy 98% of the time, it isn’t going to kill me to have a slice of pizza on Friday night with a nice cold 90 minute IPA. I just can’t do it every other night or even every Friday."

    That's exactly what a cheat meal is all about. It's not going to kill you, and it's something you really enjoy.
  • Monica_has_a_goal
    Monica_has_a_goal Posts: 694 Member
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    Ok I read it and agreed.. with most of it.

    I like the part where you say you can be easy on yourself for your (special day) anniversary etc. Then LOG it.
    I did exactly that for a recent funeral and extended family visit. My inlaws looked at me as though I am obsessed with losing weight, but in all fairness, I AM! and its time that I AM!
    Too many years have gone by without my concern in regards to food, amounts of food, or even exercise but now its my turn to eat responsibly.

    The one part I didnt agree with is obstaining from every "cheat".. I save calories everyday to have a treat at the end of the day for doing so well. Yes it's a reward, even if it IS food .. I DESERVE IT! and I WILL HAVE IT! Other than that I felt the article well written and I enjoyed your opinion. Thank you for writing it.
  • merrillfoster
    merrillfoster Posts: 855 Member
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    Honestly, disagree. Now, I'm not saying that stuffing your face with everything in the fridge is ok (the way I have been doing lately...ugh). But, it's ok to indulge now and again. It's ok to go over now and again. It's, as was said, a lifestyle change, and attempting to adhere to that rigid a lifestyle without the ability to give myself, every now and again, a freaking break? No thanks. I make healthy choices when I can (please don't take the last 2 weeks as typical, normally I'm pretty good, it's just been a rough 2 weeks). But I'm going to be honest. When I am dying for a cheeseburger, or a glass of wine, or a bowl of mac and cheese? Yeah, I'm going to have it, and I'm better off for it. Indulging in a little bit when I need to helps prevent me from (again, ignore the last 2 weeks) overdoing my indulging later on. You shouldn't live to eat, but you should enjoy every bite you put in your mouth. Some days, I'd rather enjoy 10 bites of mac and cheese than 40 bites of salad. And you know what, that's ok. I don't believe in all out deprival, ever. For a day or two, sure, be good. But don't punish yourself for enjoying things once in awhile. That's what cheat days are for. Not for every day, but for those days when a salad just isn't going to cut it, or a date night at your favorite restaurant, or a night out with the girls (or guys). This is a lifestyle change. Your diet (and by diet I mean eating habits) shouldn't stop you from enjoying your life, or your food.
  • veggiepug
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    Thanks for sharing! I especially loved this line: "If I look at food as a reward then I am giving it an association that is dangerous to my overall health." That is so so true. I also love the motto "eat to live not live to eat." Whenever I'm tempted by junk food that I haven't planned within my day I try to repeat the mantra "food is fuel." It doesn't always work but sometimes it helps me step back and realize that this junk will do nothing to fuel my body.
  • Articeluvsmemphis
    Articeluvsmemphis Posts: 1,987 Member
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    Thanks for blog. I have bookmarked it, you make great points.
  • amomatt
    amomatt Posts: 41
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    If you love certain kinds of food, I honestly don't see anything wrong in having that occasionally as a reward...the key word being occasionally.

    i'm in a great place with my food at the moment. If I want something, I WILL eat it and I WILL enjoy it and I WILL log it. Because this is truly it for me-there's no going back to the bad habits of eating badly all the time.

    And i looked at my nutrition report for the last 30 days and there's only 2 days that spike...all good
  • tauny78
    tauny78 Posts: 180 Member
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    Honestly, I was ready to disagree whole heartedly when I read the title here...but once I read the blog, I have to admit I do agree. I no longer look at food as a reward. The "I've been good all week and deserve this fatty, high calorie yummy chocolate cake" attitude I used to have is gone! Has been for a while too. I do make room in my calories for treats, because I enjoy them. But in moderation. This week I've had a few more than usual, and I do still have bad days where I come close to going on a binge again. But, I'm getting better. And I've noticed that I'm not even wanting those foods anymore. I do have the occasional planned "cheat" meal, but I guess I need to stop calling it a "cheat". I'm not cheating, I'm having 1 indulgence every now and then, and it is most definitely NOT a reward for anything. I log everything, every day, even if it's not the best choices and isn't exactly good for me. Thank you for the post, I enjoyed reading it and love your philosophy!
  • alyssamiller77
    alyssamiller77 Posts: 891 Member
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    I was with you right until you advocate staying away from foods that tempt you to binge. That's what you would do if you were on a diet. If you're truly making a lifestyle change, you should be learning how to incorporate food like that into your diet in a moderated healthy fashion. Trying to give up any favorite food completely is only going to lead to failure for 90% of people.
  • zoink66
    zoink66 Posts: 116 Member
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    Hmm....I don't know.

    While I was losing weight, I would typically have about one meal a week you might call a "cheat" meal. Usually it was a dinner out but not always. It worked as a calorie spike for me (if I was typically at 1200-1400 per day, this day might be over 2000) which kept me from plateauing, I think.

    Also, if I wanted anything during the week that would actively interrupt my weight loss (let's say, a couple of Pop Tarts), I'd think, "No, not now, but if I'm still craving them on Saturday I'll eat them for my cheat meal." And sometimes I was still wanting them on Saturday, so I'd eat them, but sometimes I wasn't.

    And I'm sorry, but food is a reward for me. Food is delicious. I love food. It's awesome. A glass of wine after a rough day makes me feel good. I look forward to a wonderful dessert from a good restaurant.

    Now that I'm maintaining, I don't have cheat meals any more, but that's because it's all part of my lifestyle now and I have a lot more treats and snacks like that on a regular basis, since I'm eating more calories. But I guess I always had a sort of cheat day, and it worked well for me.

    Oh, and I don't log calories anymore, but I always logged every single one when I was dieting, even those cheat meals.
  • sgrinavi
    sgrinavi Posts: 80
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    Well written, thanks for sharing.

    I don't think it's a problem to eat something that makes you smile every now and again, this is all about being happy -- I tell my clients that if that slab of cheesecake is going to make you feel better than the 1/4 lb of weight loss it "costs" then go for it.
  • CARNAT22
    CARNAT22 Posts: 764 Member
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    I was with you right until you advocate staying away from foods that tempt you to binge. That's what you would do if you were on a diet. If you're truly making a lifestyle change, you should be learning how to incorporate food like that into your diet in a moderated healthy fashion. Trying to give up any favorite food completely is only going to lead to failure for 90% of people.

    I kind of agree.

    I also think that there is a difference between using food as a reward and actually wanting to eat that 'slice of cake'. If you have successfully overhauled your lifestyle then you should still be able to occasionally have anything you want?

    The problem of course is when people cannot moderate their intake of certain foods or when they cannot differentiate between wanting something because they want it versus wanting to eat something to reward themself or make themself feel better.

    I think the reason the whole moderation thing works (IMO) is that the longer you are on this path the more you begin to understand what you are putting into your body, you begin to learn about food and you begin to make healthy choices.

    6 months ago I thought nothing about having an evening meal that was 1000 calories - now I only over-indulge to that extent very rarely. I know and I consciously choose to eat healthy most of the time BUT I also know nothing is out of bounds should I really want it... The whole point being nowadays I usually don't want to eat the crap - give me a big bowl of salad over a plate of fries.
  • AlsDonkBoxSquat
    AlsDonkBoxSquat Posts: 6,128 Member
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    Well, I agree in part and I disagree in part. I agree that it must be a lifestyle change, but it must be a sustainable lifestyle change. You take a little bit more time than necessary to get to the fact that there are concessions and compromises, so I almost shut you down early. The fact is that my lifestyle must have a balance allowing me to be healthy, drink wine, and have some sweet treats. I obsess about sweets if I can’t have them, then I binge. I rarely take a whole day off, but on the weekends I don’t tax myself, I just make smart choices. I had to find a system that worked for me. Granted I had 30 pounds to lose, not 100, but really I had to find what worked for me. For the first week I was crazy strict, then I found I couldn’t handle it, so I took it a little easier and the pounds just fell off. My body and I found a balance, and that is what I think is the most important. You have to be smart and listen to your body, find balance in your diet and exercise program. MFP gives us the tools for our foundation; it’s up to each of us to drive our own boat.
  • graysmom2005
    graysmom2005 Posts: 1,882 Member
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    Eh, I agree with you on some points, and not on others. First, I do agree that you shouldn't throw away an entire day. That is one of my big mistakes.....I used to eat bad in a day and continue eating bad all day long. I figured, I've already blown it at this point, why not continue? But I found myself eating just for the sake of eating. I often wasn't even enjoying it anymore at the time, and I certainly didn't enjoy it later when I didn't feel good, or days later when the scale revealed a gain or I had stayed the same when I had worked hard every other day for a loss. I still mess up sometimes, but now I try to eat healthy all day, and then have a cheat meal, not a cheat day.

    However, I do think we need to allow ourselves to be realistic. Setting unrealistic goals is the best and fastest way to set ourselves up for failure in my opinion. I will be honest, I LOVE pepsi, taco bell, and just plain eating out in general whether it be healthy or bad food. Yes a part of me sees it as entertainment, but the other part of me just loves the taste, the convenience, etc.

    If my lifestyle change were just for a set period of time, say 90 days, then I would totally view these as cheat days. If I have committed to a healthy lifestyle for 90 days, there is virtually no reason I cannot stick to it, and not doing so would be cheating. But you said it yourself, it's a lifestyle change, meaning it has to be a change we can live with for the rest of our lives. I don't like being fat, but I also do not like the idea of giving up the favorite foods for the rest of my life. I don't like the idea of watching my friends and family happily eating and enjoying themselves at get togethers and holidays, while I am scribbling down every bite I put into my mouth and then cutting myself off halfway through the day because I have reached my limit.

    I don't want to decline invites to go out to eat because they are eating at a restaurant that doesn't have anything I can get without feel like I am starving an hour later. Sure, eat well on some holidays? Turn down some invites to go out? I can do that. Turn them down for the rest of my life? No.

    It's not all or nothing in my opinion, you have a bad day, you start new tomorrow and get back on the horse. I don't have to chose between eating bad and being fat.....and eating well and being thin. I can work toward my goal, and even reach my goal all the while enjoying the things I enjoy. It's all about moderation. Besides, you don't have to do it every Friday in order for it to be a cheat day/meal. You kind of contradicted yourself when you said "If I am eating healthy 98% of the time, it isn’t going to kill me to have a slice of pizza on Friday night with a nice cold 90 minute IPA. I just can’t do it every other night or even every Friday."

    That's exactly what a cheat meal is all about. It's not going to kill you, and it's something you really enjoy.
    *Stands up and claps....THIS!*
  • FearAnLoathing
    FearAnLoathing Posts: 4,852 Member
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    I stopped reading at the god stuff,but what I can say is I cheat or better yet I still pretty much eat what I want in moderation.Obviously one look at my ticker and you can see its worked out pretty good for me.At my last check up everything looks AMAZING and I am as healthy as can be.SO im just going to look at it as if its not broke why fix it

    to be fair i went back and read the rest of it,I still stick by what I say.What works for you works for you,but I have already found what works for me and im very happy with my weightloss and progress
  • Dtho5159
    Dtho5159 Posts: 1,054 Member
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    I stopped reading at the god stuff,but what I can say is I cheat or better yet I still pretty much eat what I want in moderation.Obviously one look at my ticker and you can see its worked out pretty good for me.At my last check up everything looks AMAZING and I am as healthy as can be.SO im just going to look at it as if its not broke why fix it

    to be fair i went back and read the rest of it,I still stick by what I say.What works for you works for you,but I have already found what works for me and im very happy with my weightloss and progress

    I agree! I incorporate everything I love into my calories each day. If I want ice cream, I have it.. If I want chocolate, I have it. I just make sure I fit it in my daily calories. Once a month, we go to Chinese buffet.. That is the only meal I do NOT log and the only meal I do NOT pay attention to. I eat what I want there.. I don't feel bad afterwards.. Ive lost 50lb doing it this way. It may not work for some but it works for me.
  • poustotah
    poustotah Posts: 1,121 Member
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    I agree wih you!!! I used to have a cheat day and as soon as I got to my goal weight guess where it went - right back up! So I quit and started having a different midset about food. Food is fuel. Is it not a reward.