Afraid to cheat

tammylee · October 2007

Im reading where some of you have "Cheat" days on your diet. I can totally understand this, and wish I could. My problem is that im afraid to do this. I have been on my diet since August. To date I have lost 37 pounds. Im so afraid that if I go off this for 1 meal that I will magically gain back the 37 pounds I've lost.

I know Thanksgiving is coming, and thats always been a big thing in my family. It scares the crap out of me if I should slip that day.

Im walkling no less than 2 miles a day and on the weekends I will do 4-6 miles.

Am I doing more harm than good? What about burn-out?

What are your thoughts.

tammylee · October 2007

Im reading where some of you have "Cheat" days on your diet. I can totally understand this, and wish I could. My problem is that im afraid to do this. I have been on my diet since August. To date I have lost 37 pounds. Im so afraid that if I go off this for 1 meal that I will magically gain back the 37 pounds I've lost.

I know Thanksgiving is coming, and thats always been a big thing in my family. It scares the crap out of me if I should slip that day.

Im walkling no less than 2 miles a day and on the weekends I will do 4-6 miles.

Am I doing more harm than good? What about burn-out?

What are your thoughts.

Skinnier_Me · October 2007

I think you're doing an excellent job Tammy.

You should have a "cheat meal"... maybe not a day... maybe just a "cheat snack".

Go for it.
You have to learn self control.

tammylee · October 2007

The closest I can come to cheating is the 100 cal OREO pack or LaCream Yogurt.

Im such a SAP!!!LOL

melissac · October 2007

I can totally relate once you get a taste of all those wonderful thanks giving foods who knows if you can control yourself to stop. I live in canada so are thanks giving was last weekend. I am a full beliver in everything in moderation there is no way you will stick with a diet that has you under lock and key you just have to know your limits research your food before hand so you know exactly how much of what you can eat to stay with in your dailey limit of calories

zman · October 2007

Congratulations on sticking to it and losing 37 pounds so far. That is tremendous. It is OK to reward yourself every now and then, and you can do it with little or no harm to your present situation. I have found that since my wife found this site for me (thanks Honey, for saving my life) and I have embraced the learning experience regarding what the food I was eating was doing to me, I have developed almost an aversion to food. My diet now, after three weeks on this plan, is so healthy for me I can almost hear my body thanking me every day. I've lost 11 pounds in three weeks and today achieved my first benchmark weight. In those three weeks I've had one cheat meal, and it wasn't the end of the world. In fact, it took me 5 more days to polish off the leftovers. Keep up the good work, set attainable goals, and reward yourself when you reach them. You have my support.

Zman

Razboo · October 2007

Cheating once in a while could even be a good thing. Another poster was describing his thoughts here

http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1057-pulling-the-trigger

I 'shock' my system every weekend with beer calories.

julieofthewolves · October 2007

Great posts to a good question! It's good to get some support on before venturing off into the scary abyss of 'cheating'!!!

Did all your weight that you are trying to lose 'magically appear' after one meal? Of course not, so I think the advice of working in a cheat of something or other here and there is a good tip. This way you may learn to control before an any potential binge events such as Thanksgiving. Baby steps. I'm sure you will gain confidence in your own abilities as time goes on.

You have really accomplished a lot - way to go!

Eve23 · October 2007

I can totally relate. I have been doing this since August as well. Myself I need that day. When I say that I do a day of not worrying about it though I don't mean that I go out and find the most fattening things I can find. Often I don't go over or I may go over 100 or so calories. It just allows me to take care of that knawing craving that I ignore or simply just to relax on my portions of my favorite meal. It is a treat myself I am not sure I could go without. I also compensate by doing and extra workout or something that day. So I think it is in the way you look at it.

One more thing. I have found that the longer that I work at eating healthier the less that I crave the things that I originally called a treat. I get new favorites that are healthier and even though they are on my cheat day they are enjoyed just the same.

Hope that helps.
Eve

CMJ1979 · October 2007

I have a cheat day. It's Fridays. I try to keep within my allowable calorie intake even on those days. I love junk food, chips, candies, bars, cola, you name it I love it. So I allow myself on Fridays to have a small bag of chips, a can of pop and a bar. Sometimes I go a bit overboard if I am having a friend over I buy a 2 Liter and a big bag of chips and my friend has a few, but then I eat the rest over the next two days. I need a cheat day because it gives me something to look forward to at the end of the week. It makes all the hard work worth it because I get to relax and enjoy my favorite treat, if only for a day. I have lost 6 lbs in a month even though I cheat.

pamelawh · October 2007

if you feel deprived it is easier to go off the wagon so to speak. there are lo cal deserts that taste great. like chocolate pudding in a cloud. take a glass and line it bottom and sides with whipped cream than make chocolate pudding and put it in and chill. one 6oz glass has 100 calories. if you want that piece of decadent cake have a small slice, satisfy your self and then get back to your diet and workout. but if eating a dessert is going to cause a binging streak then you are wise not to do it. since i have eaten from crosscrunch.com menu plan i feel less like cheating because i don't crave sweets any more. my body must be geting what it needs.

kjllose · October 2007

I know how you feel, I have been on this site since the end of august and have lost 20 lbs so far. Today I was going to a function and I was really worried I would blow all the good I had done. But when I got there not only did they have all the pastries but a large fruit tray. I was relieved. We also had a catered meal and I must say that everything looked proportioned right so then I didn't worry I just ate as much of each portion as I felt hungry for and for the first time ever I didn't eat everything they gave me and I felt full. It was a nice feeling. So I don't do cheat days, I just eat healthier meals and a little less junk than I used to. Tonight I made a meal I read out of a magazine and it gave the proportions and info for each so I could enter it quite easily tonight. I never think of what I eat as cheating, I just have different wants everyday and I meet those and don't worry. I think people get hung up on the worry part. And yes I do more exercise on days I eat heavier but a little extra effort is worth it.

Afraid to cheat

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