does anyone NOT have cheat days/meals?

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  • BeautyFromPain
    BeautyFromPain Posts: 4,952 Member
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    That term is not even in my vocabulary. I eat what I want/can in moderation. Including chocolate. I make it work for me, if it doesn't fit in my log, I don't eat it.

    ^^^ This is me also. I eat mostly healthy foods, but I fit a small treat here and there to keep myself from feeling deprived. The term cheat days/meals sounds like a diet to me rather than a lifestyle. I aim to eat each day in a way that I can live with for the rest of my life and that I enjoy.

    See thats the weird thing... I actually DO enjoy my food when eating clean...
  • TundraTed
    TundraTed Posts: 254 Member
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    I eat well 90% of the time. The other 10% I eat that bad things that I crave. I wouldn't necessarily call them "cheating".
  • SoDamnHungry
    SoDamnHungry Posts: 6,998 Member
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    If a cheat meal doesn't benefit you, don't force yourself to have one. For some people it's the only way they can stay on a diet.
  • Dethea
    Dethea Posts: 247 Member
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    I say, if you don't want to have cheat meals/days, don't. This is your life, your diet. If you feel like crap after eating junk food, don't eat it.

    I have "cheat" snacks. I'll make a little chocolate cake, but I have the same problem where I crave it more.

    It's easier for some people to just make the change and eat clean. A lot of people can't do that, so they have the cheat days. It's like a reward, or something to look forward to at the end of a good week.

    I try to treat my "cheat" meals as those days where I'm really busy and get fast food, or eat out with a friend. Otherwise, I spiral back into the bad eating cycle.

    Hope that helps :flowerforyou:
  • chicpeach
    chicpeach Posts: 302 Member
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    This thread caught my attention because I've been eating really clean for 5 weeks now. Yesterday, for the first time, I half caved and went and got a small container of my very favorite, pre-diet-change meal: won ton soup from Chinese takeout. I use to get the large container, so this was a big difference. Anyway, as I ate the soup, it was so completely salty, much, much more salty than I remembered, to the point where it didn't even taste right, it wasn't enjoyable to eat. I realized I wouldn't be craving it anymore, it was no longer my comfort food. It was a surprising NSV for me.

    Long story short, I don't believe you have to have cheat days or meals, but if you need one to prove something to yourself, there's also nothing wrong with that.
  • anfmusicgrl
    anfmusicgrl Posts: 63 Member
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    I don't consider anything "cheating" because the only thing I'd be cheating is myself. If I really want something, I have it...but I never go over my maintenance calories...and most usually that indulgence fits into my calorie deficit allotment. I mix up my meals, eat when I'm hungry, and do lots of other things...so I never really have the feeling that I'm deprived at all...which in turn makes me not have those cravings to "cheat" I guess. Plus....eating is not cheating. We need to eat to live. I had to change my way of thinking about food completely before I was able to make this life change.

    I tried to cheat one time a month ago and have a soda. I took a few sips of it and was grossed out by it. Last week I had a piece of birthday cake for mom's birthday. Was it cheating? Nope. It's called living & enjoying life! I ate a little less for lunch that day...and was still in my calories! :)
  • kototo
    kototo Posts: 49 Member
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    I never understood such day. Why are you restrictive during the other days ?

    Where do you want me to begin?
    well most of the food i would be eating on said days would have like 1000+ cals per meal.
    I feel so much better when eating clean, when I eat junk food now I always feel sick, it really helps my depression and just generally I have more energy.

    Thats not being restrictive! Thats being healthy... Im glad you feel better! What could be a better motivator?
  • kimw91
    kimw91 Posts: 355 Member
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    I don't have cheat meals or days. That doesn't mean I never cheat, I just don't plan the times I do. If I really feel like having lasagne, or a piece of chocolate, or dessert and haven't had any in a while, I will (in moderation), but I don't see the point in cheating just for the sake of it.
  • katscoots
    katscoots Posts: 255 Member
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    I don't have a "designated" cheat day - i don't plan on cheating ever, but sometimes my cravings or whatever get me...i may cave a little with one or two items, but never a whole meal...too much work has gone into this - that's my mindset.
  • GroupXZ
    GroupXZ Posts: 196 Member
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    I consider eating a little bit nutella cheating. I mean, look how many calories are in two table spoons - 200! :noway:
  • escloflowneCHANGED
    escloflowneCHANGED Posts: 3,038 Member
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    I have a "cheat mea"l whenever I really want it. I told myself when I changed the way I eat and exercise that this isn't a diet, this is my life now, I can't expect to stick to it if I can't eat what I want from time to time without feeling guilty. The thing I have noticed though is I don't crave food anymore, food is just fuel to me now and burgers just don't sound good to me anymore. I have lost 2+lbs per week and lost 5%+ body fat in the last month doing it so I don't see it as a wasted day.
  • htmlgirl
    htmlgirl Posts: 314 Member
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    I don't have cheat meals. I never got the point. The way I used to eat before was atrocious so I found alternatives to the foods I used to eat which taste just as good, if not better, than the foods I ate before. Which, in my mind, eliminates the need for "cheating".

    That's pretty much what I did... I don't really have cravings for the junk food anymore, once in a while, but then I use one of my alternatives. I don't do cheat days or meals really. Occasionally, I have a treat, but only once in a while...
  • LemonSocks
    LemonSocks Posts: 238 Member
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    Every day is a 'cheat' day! I eat anything and everything without restricting anything from the menu. I'm just more carefully with how much I want to eat.

    As it happens though, I'm not a massive fan of takeaways & processed junk anyway. I started putting together my own bacon & egg muffins rather than eating the McDonalds ones & cooking my own curries. I much prefer my own and I'm sorely disappointed when I do have fast food. Even Domino's pizza (my absolute favourite cheat food of all time) tasted bland and meh when I ordered last week after going several weeks without one.

    I suppose I don't really believe in 'cheat' days because I don't believe in a restrictive diet.
  • lissypriss
    lissypriss Posts: 157 Member
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    I have cheat meals! I do indulge every once in a while, but the key is to get back to the clean eating the very next day.
  • radradradradrad
    radradradradrad Posts: 101 Member
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    i always go over on friday and saturday because of unavoidable and well-deserved social obligations. for instance, this weekend is 2 birthday parties and a bridal shower. i'll be mindful of what i eat, but it always happens that i go over. the wine doesn't help, but it sure doesn't hurt either! i look forward to my weekends. i let loose and get back at it sunday!
    i guess you could say it's a cheat, but i say it's just my routine.
  • nnapieralski
    nnapieralski Posts: 132 Member
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    I don't log my calories on Saturdays, but eating healthy, low cal stuff has become a part of my life....so even on my "cheat" day I still eat pretty darn well. I usually have more carbs that day.
  • Peta22
    Peta22 Posts: 377 Member
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    My husband is only home for 6 days a month and so these 6 days are basically my cheat days! However, I still log everything and try and make good choices but I relax on worrying about staying 'under or at' my allotted calories. As long as I don't gain weight over those 6 days I'm happy :)
  • Rhea30
    Rhea30 Posts: 625 Member
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    I don't have a cheat day or a cheat meal for the purpose you stated. I have a really hard time just making one day a good day and I know how easy it is for me to start eating something and not stop. In some ways everyday turns into a bit of a cheat/meal day to an extent with me even though I try not too :/ so an official cheat day would just make it worse since that would just pile on more junk that I don't need. I just take it each day at a time.
  • love22step
    love22step Posts: 1,103 Member
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    I had a cheat week while losing the bulk of my weight. I was on a cruise with my extended family during the week of Christmas. I didn't log, but I didn't get too carried away. I had desert every evening and gained one pound that week. Otherwise, until recently, I avoided cheat days. Now that I'm where I want to be, I cut myself some slack. I log almost every day for accountability, but I know what I have to do if I gain more than a couple of pounds or if my new clothes start getting tight.
  • JaySpice
    JaySpice Posts: 326 Member
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    That term is not even in my vocabulary. I eat what I want/can in moderation. Including chocolate. I make it work for me, if it doesn't fit in my log, I don't eat it.

    ^^This.

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