Cheat Day

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smousley
smousley Posts: 60
in Health and Weight Loss
So I had my first cheat day today and I am feeling really guilty. I know that we are not all going to eat perfectly every day, but it is still bothering me...Any words of advice?

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  • jennifercreighton
    jennifercreighton Posts: 29
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    Allow yourself the little pleasures in life. So long as you dont "cheat" everyday, no harm, no foul. :) Its gotta be worth it or you wont wanna keep going. Promise yourself tomorrow to get back to being good. I find that the day after my cheat day sucks because I want those carbs/chocolate again. Stay strong! We can do this!

    Jen
  • bluberrygoo
    bluberrygoo Posts: 222 Member
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    Don't have a cheat day, if you are craving something either try to wait it out, or fit to it into your calories.
  • sarahel25
    sarahel25 Posts: 16 Member
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    just because you had one cheat day doesn't mean that you aren't on the path to a better you. just don't let it get to your head and think well since I messed this day up it is hopeless for me to loose weight. because it's not I'm guilty of this kind of thinking and it just causes me to gain more weight than if I just think this is one day tomorrow is another brand new day. keep your head up we're gonna make it!!
  • 0EmmeNicole0
    0EmmeNicole0 Posts: 180 Member
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    They make me feel guilty as well (today was a cheat day for me too and i felt very guilty). However I look at it this way, if this is supposed to be a lifestyle change and not just a diet then there has to be days where you live a little and enjoy indulgences. While you can learn to appreciate healthy foods and even like them, there are going to be foods from your past that you will probably never shake and will always love. If you've been working hard at your diet daily for "X" amount of time, then you are allowed to reward yourself. You decide the X.
  • dg09
    dg09 Posts: 754
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    Was it a planned cheat day?
  • jennifercreighton
    jennifercreighton Posts: 29
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    Don't have a cheat day, if you are craving something either try to wait it out, or fit to it into your calories.

    Absolutely dont agree. If you try to wait it out, you end up eating crap inorder to fill the craving and being unsuccessful, rather than just eaten and gotten over with. Been there, done that.
    Besides, I realize we are not dogs and therefore should not be rewarded with food, however, we are human and positive reinforcement goes a long way.
  • sarahel25
    sarahel25 Posts: 16 Member
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    today wasn't a planned cheat day for me since the food I ate was before hearing and starting on this program. after calculating the calories I ate though I feel horrible. I not only had a big chocolate chip cookie but also ate a cinnamon crunch muffin from scooters which has 500 calories in it and drank a carmelicious skinny smoothie from scooters. I also drank a sugar filled lemonade 230 calories. I am going to have to make different choices if I would have just had the cookie and smoothie I would have still been under my daily calorie goal of 1200 hoping for a better day tomorrow!!
  • kris523sydney
    kris523sydney Posts: 34
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    I have a cheat day once a week....either saturday or sunday. It gives me something to look forward to and it makes me feel like im not depriving myself completely. It doesnt seem to mess with my weight loss....Ive been losing at a pretty good pace. I think if you limit it to one day and you dont go crazy overboard, its a good thing.
  • kristypie
    kristypie Posts: 102 Member
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    today wasn't a planned cheat day for me since the food I ate was before hearing and starting on this program. after calculating the calories I ate though I feel horrible. I not only had a big chocolate chip cookie but also ate a cinnamon crunch muffin from scooters which has 500 calories in it and drank a carmelicious skinny smoothie from scooters. I also drank a sugar filled lemonade 230 calories. I am going to have to make different choices if I would have just had the cookie and smoothie I would have still been under my daily calorie goal of 1200 hoping for a better day tomorrow!!

    So today was your first day? Don't be so hard on yourself. Chalk this up to a wake up call and a learning experience. Tomorrow is a new day, and a fresh start for your better choices. It's eye opening when you learn how many calories you consume when you don't plan or think about what you are eating. Good luck on your journey!
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 888 Member
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    Friday is always my cheat day. I have read that increasing your calories and then decreasing them is good for your metabolism and I even read some information about carb cycling. So, I am letting Friday be my higher calorie and higher carb day.

    This is a way of life for me and not a "diet" so for me to think that I will never have another milkshake or french fries again....is not how I want to live. So, I look forward to Fridays and I do not feel guilty. I use that day to eat what I like (I do not go super crazy....but we eat out and I might eat dessert too!!!)
  • 970Mikaela1
    970Mikaela1 Posts: 2,013 Member
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    Don't have a cheat day, if you are craving something either try to wait it out, or fit to it into your calories.





    I personally cant handle the guilt of cheat days(yet i still do them on occassion) but its better to fit them in i think:)
  • annabellj
    annabellj Posts: 1,337 Member
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    Don't have a cheat day, if you are craving something either try to wait it out, or fit to it into your calories.
    this i dont "cheat" ever. i have what i want because i fit it in or i exercise so i can have it! love my food! pretty much every day i have something "fun" to eat. it might be chocolate cereal. not so bad in the scheme of things. usually a fiber one brownie. i could do worse. i love ff popcorn and chocolate ff pudding. those are fun foods!
  • A_Fit_Mom
    A_Fit_Mom Posts: 602 Member
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    Don't have a cheat day, if you are craving something either try to wait it out, or fit to it into your calories.

    This is what I do. I don't have cheat days, I just fit it into my caloric intake. But you can recover from today, it was just only one day. :)
  • EuroReady
    EuroReady Posts: 199 Member
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    There's still time to skim some calories off the next few days and possibly make your week. I don't know if compensating is a method you agree with but all I can say is it has worked okay for me.

    Edit: plus you're human! If we didn't treat ourselves to something once and a while we'd crack. Maybe next time just treat yourself to a movie instead haha. :tongue:
  • mom2mozart
    mom2mozart Posts: 307 Member
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    each day is a new opportunity to improve. Don't beat yourself up. Get moving and burn some of those calories. Dance, ride a bike, take a walk, do some yoga, or clean your house... You can have a bad day now and then, just try to make it up by working extra hard to stay in your goals the next few days and maybe not eat back all of your exercise calories - it will balance out. Saving 100 of your exercise calories 5 days will give you 500 calories to apply toward your cheat day...

    When I did Weight Watchers and used a point system, I allowed myself 2 meals each week where I would go nuts - eat whatever I wanted - most of the time it was fried shrimp and sweet potato fries w/ 1/2 serving of crab toast and sweet tea - or - a grilled cheese, bacon and tomato sandwich with a side salad. This was certainly not something I could do everyday and continue to lose weight. But I would plan my cheat day - after my weekly weigh in... Then, I had the whole week to make it up and be good.

    You can do the same. Face it, you probably would eat crap everyday if you didn't make this commitment. Once in a while won't hurt.
  • smousley
    smousley Posts: 60
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    Was it a planned cheat day?

    Unfortunately, no. It ended up being BEAUTIFUL weather today and I went out for drinks with a few friends. So far I have done really well with fitting my calories into my daily allowance but since this wasn't planned, I wasn't able to...
  • NanniesKitchen
    NanniesKitchen Posts: 24
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    Tomorrow is a new day.
  • A_Fit_Mom
    A_Fit_Mom Posts: 602 Member
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    Was it a planned cheat day?

    Unfortunately, no. It ended up being BEAUTIFUL weather today and I went out for drinks with a few friends. So far I have done really well with fitting my calories into my daily allowance but since this wasn't planned, I wasn't able to...

    Then that is expected. Days like these are going to come up in your life. Just make sure the other average days are on track, and you will be fine. :)
  • EuroReady
    EuroReady Posts: 199 Member
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    I just realized it was your first day! First of all, welcome!!!! Second, ease up on your self. It's a learning curve! It takes time and it's a total mind screw once you start to realize what your 'normal behavior' actually adds up to when you start to log. We have all been there!

    Edit: okay I'm officially confused With who is saying what. I have GOT to stop using a 2.5x 2 screen to post here. I'm a mess
  • dg09
    dg09 Posts: 754
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    Was it a planned cheat day?

    Unfortunately, no. It ended up being BEAUTIFUL weather today and I went out for drinks with a few friends. So far I have done really well with fitting my calories into my daily allowance but since this wasn't planned, I wasn't able to...

    I see.

    It's important to remember that one day like this won't ruin you. Think in terms of how much you would actually have to eat over your TDEE to gain anything significant. If you weigh yourself daily, I wouldn't get on the scale for a few days because I'm sure you added some water weight which could be discouraging. Go back to counting and exercising, I'll bet you get on the scale in 4-5 days and see a loss.

    Just don't let it get you down. I had cheat days every Sunday for the past 9 months, that 1 day does not cancel out those 6 days of immaculate eating.

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