Cheat meal?

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Do you think doing insanity 5-6 times a week and eating healthy and having a cheat meal once a week cheat meal won't hurt my progress?

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  • killagb
    killagb Posts: 3,280 Member
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    That would be fine as long as the cheat meal isn't 50 double cheeseburgers :bigsmile: :laugh:
  • ElizabethRoad
    ElizabethRoad Posts: 5,138 Member
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    Just log your calories burned and calories eaten and total them up for the week.
  • skinnnyxoxo
    skinnnyxoxo Posts: 210 Member
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    That would be fine as long as the cheat meal isn't 50 double cheeseburgers :bigsmile: :laugh:

    How about 49?
  • wamaverick
    wamaverick Posts: 68 Member
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    I am no expert but when I did Body for Life. I found that having the "free" day once a week seriously kept me on track for the other 6 days of the week. I indulged in what I wanted on my free day and wouldn't feel guilty....but on my "on the diet days" I would be tempted and think...I can eat it now and feel guilty or wait till my 'free day' and have no guilt. I think we have to indulge in our pleasures once in a while.

    Good Luck!
  • carloP90X
    carloP90X Posts: 109
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    It all depends how bad your cheat meal. I weigh myself daily but take my Friday weigh in as the official weigh in and I always have a cheat meal on Friday night. Without fail, on Saturday morning I will always be up 2-3lbs. Then it will take me until Monday and sometimes Tuesday to get to the weight that I was the previous Friday.

    If you can deal with the scale and numbers then go for it. A spike meal not a spike day is healthy in my opinion.
  • SergeantSunshine_reused
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    That would be fine as long as the cheat meal isn't 50 double cheeseburgers :bigsmile: :laugh:

    How about 49?

    50 or deal is off.
  • cprance
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    no and to be really honest its good as it will help stop the craving, you can even have a whole cheat day where u eat what ever you wish wont harm you progress, just make sure u only have one cheat meal/day every 2/3 weeks
  • harleygirlT
    harleygirlT Posts: 223 Member
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    I think having a cheat meal helps keep you on track. If you deprive yourself of everything you want you will never succeed! Make sure you really want what you are going to have and just don't over do it. Have a single serving or whatever. I'm not saying eat a whole cheesecake or bag of doritos but have enough to satisfy your craving. You will do better staying on track in the long run. Good luck!
  • CherylM2015
    CherylM2015 Posts: 20 Member
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    When I met with a nutritionist, I asked the same question. He put it this way - think of how many meals you eat through the course of a week. Let's say 30-35 meals (including snack times).....1 meal certainly is not going to make or break your weight loss.

    I agree with you...I NEED to have a guilt-free meal. I used to do a cheat "day" but I found that as time went on, I no longer wanted a full day of cheats. I would eat a meal of whatever I wanted and would also have chips that day too (chips are my FAVOURITE!). It kept me on track and my weight loss continued without any hiccups :)

    Enjoy!!
  • debswebby
    debswebby Posts: 326
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    It all depends how bad your cheat meal. I weigh myself daily but take my Friday weigh in as the official weigh in and I always have a cheat meal on Friday night. Without fail, on Saturday morning I will always be up 2-3lbs. Then it will take me until Monday and sometimes Tuesday to get to the weight that I was the previous Friday.

    If you can deal with the scale and numbers then go for it. A spike meal not a spike day is healthy in my opinion.

    That's exactly what I do too. Having that to look forward to is the only thing that keeps me on track.
  • swimmchick87
    swimmchick87 Posts: 458 Member
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    That's exactly what I do too. Having that to look forward to is the only thing that keeps me on track.

    Me too! Mine is Friday night- I way overdid it last night though (oops!) I feel like it would have been sooo much worse though had I had an entire day of cheats...that really can mess you up. I'd been craving larkburger with the paremsan truffle fries all week so I had been planning for days to get that as my cheat. Well, I ended up going to happy hour with coworkers after work, and had two beers (should have just gotten a diet coke-ah) that were really high calorie as well as half of a queso dip/chips appetizer. I should have just counted that as my cheat, but I'd been wanting the larkburger so badly I decided to go ahead and get that later as well. Bad idea- I almost doubled my daily calorie intake! Trying to get right back on track today though!

    Oh, and definitely still log it, IMO. That way you can keep track of if it's really having an effect on your weight loss or not.
  • fitness_woman
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    thank you everyone for replying my question! I haven't had any cheat meal for 2 months because in august I took a break on exercising for 6 days and ate like crazy! Now I'm getting in great shape and happy about how how I look. So far I'm craving sushi,burrito and pizza! I don't know how to have it because I want them all in one day but of course that's not healthy.
  • prestonmay
    prestonmay Posts: 107 Member
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    Do not look at it as a cheat day. If you are doing what you suppose to do with your eating style and sticking with Insanity ...On day 5 or day 6, that is a reward. I have 3 cheat meals a week. The cheat meal throws your body a curve that is needed. However, I drink 2 light beers instead of 6 or when I go out for Japanese, I get the shrimp fried rice instead of steam..... I still try to eat what is politically correct on my cheat meals. For me it has to be low fat......
  • fitness_woman
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    man I'm craving buffet! but I ate my lunch so I feel satisied =)
  • debswebby
    debswebby Posts: 326
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    That's exactly what I do too. Having that to look forward to is the only thing that keeps me on track.

    Me too! Mine is Friday night- I way overdid it last night though (oops!) I feel like it would have been sooo much worse though had I had an entire day of cheats...that really can mess you up. I'd been craving larkburger with the paremsan truffle fries all week so I had been planning for days to get that as my cheat. Well, I ended up going to happy hour with coworkers after work, and had two beers (should have just gotten a diet coke-ah) that were really high calorie as well as half of a queso dip/chips appetizer. I should have just counted that as my cheat, but I'd been wanting the larkburger so badly I decided to go ahead and get that later as well. Bad idea- I almost doubled my daily calorie intake! Trying to get right back on track today though!

    Oh, and definitely still log it, IMO. That way you can keep track of if it's really having an effect on your weight loss or not.

    I went mad on Friday too. I was 1310 over my calories oopsie :embarassed: I loved it. It was a real fat fest. But I also know that I can make it up through the week as well. I have been known, however, to eat 2 days cals in one meal. :noway: and there is no coming back from that.
  • fitness_woman
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    That's exactly what I do too. Having that to look forward to is the only thing that keeps me on track.

    Me too! Mine is Friday night- I way overdid it last night though (oops!) I feel like it would have been sooo much worse though had I had an entire day of cheats...that really can mess you up. I'd been craving larkburger with the paremsan truffle fries all week so I had been planning for days to get that as my cheat. Well, I ended up going to happy hour with coworkers after work, and had two beers (should have just gotten a diet coke-ah) that were really high calorie as well as half of a queso dip/chips appetizer. I should have just counted that as my cheat, but I'd been wanting the larkburger so badly I decided to go ahead and get that later as well. Bad idea- I almost doubled my daily calorie intake! Trying to get right back on track today though!

    Oh, and definitely still log it, IMO. That way you can keep track of if it's really having an effect on your weight loss or not.

    I went mad on Friday too. I was 1310 over my calories oopsie :embarassed: I loved it. It was a real fat fest. But I also know that I can make it up through the week as well. I have been known, however, to eat 2 days cals in one meal. :noway: and there is no coming back from that.

    Did you gain water weight? and How often do you workout? I'm glad to know I'm not the only one. I wonder how much calories I eat when I have my overdoing cheat meal.
  • Roz2889
    Roz2889 Posts: 71 Member
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    Resurrecting this old thread a bit but wondering if instead of a cheat meal I can have cheat snacks? Having read this thread it seems as though most people have a cheat meal to eat savoury things they miss i.e. favourite take out, fries etc. However that's not what I miss, I miss cakes and cookies.

    Instead of a cheat meal can I just have some cheat cookies? Would still have clean, healthy meals as that's not the problem but in between some sugary things. Would try stay within TDEE allowance for day like I assume you are supposed to with cheat meal days. But just wondering if all the sugar means its worse than a cheat meal where you may go over calories but the sugar content still wouldn't be too bad.

    Thanks!
  • GingerLolita
    GingerLolita Posts: 738 Member
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    As long as you're eating at or under maintenance for your cheat day, whether you're consuming cheat meals or cheat snacks, it shouldn't hurt your long-term weight loss. But I don't think of anything I consume as cheating or taking a day off. I eat at maintenance for special occasions or to be able to eat out... But if you're cheating, it's only on yourself.
  • mtizi
    mtizi Posts: 28 Member
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    I'm the same way, I LOVE desserts! I get one cheat meal a week which includes a dessert. I track the meal but not the dessert simple because i have no idea what's in it. I eat mostly vegan and always gluten free. I found an awesome vegan restaurant that also has gluten free meals and desserts. So I eat every cheat meal there. I also eat one piece of dark chocolate almost everyday. Some days I don't feel the need for it but it's my go to if my sweet tooth is acting up.