Cheat Days... and the aftermath

mathura06 · August 2018

Well, I have lost a lot of weight in the past 4-5 months and it was going very well, even when I ate out, but then, my mum was getting upset saying I was going to die if I didn’t eat, she is a little bit of a drama queen but so am I lol. So then I ate so much food, way past my calorie goal,
I have never had a cheat day before and wanted to count it as one, but I dont really know what to do now. Should I water fast or just continue normally? I feel really bad about myself...

Unknown · August 2018

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Zoejohnse91 · August 2018

Great advice there- accept it and carry on as normal

don't punish yourself for one bad day - a water fast is exactly that

tinkerbellang83 · August 2018

One day will make little to no difference in the grand scheme of things, a water fast would be a pretty bad way to deal with it and is totally unnecessary. You will likely see a gain on the scale of a couple of pounds, however this will mostly be water weight from eating more food than normal and likely more carbs/sodium than you are used to.

The thing to consider when you see a gain on the scale is that you would need to eat around 3500 calories above maintenance (so if you're set to 1lb per week that's an extra 4000 calories on top of your calorie goal) to gain 1lb of fat.

Just get back into your normal way of eating and in a few days you should see any gain drop off again.

slimgirljo15 · August 2018

All great advice above.. I schedule a treat meal most weeks. ( I refuse to call it"cheat" meal) lol

xelsoo · August 2018

As a lot of fitness enthusiasts say, try to eat 80% healthy, 20% treats. This way, you don't even have to use the concept of a "cheat day" which can easily turn into a cheat week or more as it feels sort of restrictive. I eat healthy most of the time but have treats here and there and they end up working into my lifestyle without me feeling like I've gone overboard or that I should cut back on the rest of my food.

If you do use a cheat day, as the above users mentioned, eat normally the next day and stay cool about it! You're not cancelling out your weight loss or your health journey.

sijomial · August 2018

Cheat = horrible negative language.
Feeling bad because you are human - please be kinder to yourself. Aiming for perfection is a great way to feel like a failure when you aren't.

Just carry on as nothing significant happens in just one day. No penance is required or deserved,

You made your Mum happy so that's a positive!
(There may be a lesson in how you talk to your Mum about weight loss though?)

kommodevaran · August 2018

What is a lot of weight, and what does going very well mean - does your mum have any reason for concern? How many calories have you been eating per day on average?

Don't have cheat days. Don't have a cheat mentality. Don't try to make up for eating more than planned on occasion, that is what's normal is. There is no aftermath. Do especially not play with the idea of "water fasting". Do not feel bad about yourself.

Seffell · August 2018

I've had a hundred such days in the past three years and I don't call them cheat days. I still lost weight. Just continue as usual.
You don't have to be on a deficit every single day. There is no rule that requires that.

Running_and_Coffee · August 2018

Agree about not fasting, but also think it's important NOT TO LET YOUR MOM INFLUENCE YOUR FOOD INTAKE. Sorry for the all caps, but I can just see this becoming a very destructive pattern.

CarvedTones · August 2018

I have some uneven days, but I make the look even by shifting calories forward - see the last couple of days 8/25-26). I paddled a slow SUP 8.7 miles as a big overage eraser; if I hadn't done that, I would have rolled forward some into the next and the next...

theknitpicker · August 2018

Yes, like @sarahbums said, you don't want to set yourself up on a binge-restrict-binge cycle, too easy to get stuck in it, even though your brain "knows better"...

I usually go with something like this formula:

1. Don't feel bad about yourself
2. Eat when you're hungry. I normally find after a big/unplanned meal the night before, I'm not as hungry in the morning. I usually roll with it, have a coffee, a super light breafast, or none depending on how I feel, and then carry on with a normal day after my hunger signals go back to what they should be

And the other thing is if you know you're going to be seeing/eating with your mum, and food is one of those things to her, plan that into your week, maybe eat a little bit below your daily goal and "save up" to that special meal with her so you can feel a bit more in control. I have some friends who do that every time they go up to see their in-laws, as to them, not eating (or not eating like them) is a bit insulting.

Just remember, you've been succeeding - you've got all the tools you need! Now's all about finding the real-life and other-people balance

elsie6hickman · August 2018

I agree with all - just get on track. Yesterday is past and there isn't anything you can do about it. Every day is a new opportunity to eat healthy.

happytree923 · August 2018

I just had a "cheat" four days because I had a relative in town. My weight is up a few pounds but I expect it will drop in the next day or two. If seeing your weight go up will really throw you off, wait a little while to weigh yourself. The gain will be mostly water weight so after a day or two of eating normally (maybe a little lower salt) it will go back down. No need to water fast. Long-term you are guaranteed to have larger than normal meals- holidays, birthdays, drunchies etc. so it's good practice to accept them and move on.

mathura06 · August 2018

Thank you all for replying and I am doing exactly what you said!! I continued as normal the next day, though I ate more fibrous foods, and I lost the extra weight the next day!! Thank you all for replying and have a great day!!

moogie_fit · August 2018

mathura06 wrote: »

Well, I have lost a lot of weight in the past 4-5 months and it was going very well, even when I ate out, but then, my mum was getting upset saying I was going to die if I didn’t eat, she is a little bit of a drama queen but so am I lol. So then I ate so much food, way past my calorie goal,
I have never had a cheat day before and wanted to count it as one, but I dont really know what to do now. Should I water fast or just continue normally? I feel really bad about myself...

How old are you OP. If your mom is getting worried you should see a doctor

hroderick · August 2018

Everyone above is right, I'd like to suggest you ponder your feelings and circumstances that ended in a binge. There are probably triggers that you can plan to avoid or cope with differently. For me, two hours of food tv and I'm eating everything in sight.

Special occasions, like Mom made her special pie, are worth eating at or above maintenance. Logging it as best as I can helps me understand how it effected my loss for the week.

Cheat Days... and the aftermath

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