does anyone NOT have cheat days/meals?

Hi all,

I just started eating really clean couple of months ago. After a few days of eating clean I do not even crave it anymore but I end up having one cheat meal a week of junk food, (just because I was told I should) but after I eat the one meal I crave it so much more and give in. I'm not saying there is anything wrong with them or people who do have them but cheat meals rather than fulfilling the desire only seems to make it worse.

Is it okay for me to NOT have cheat meals? DOes anyone else not have cheat meals/days?

I have free/spike days now and again if that's what you mean, but I don't call them cheat days. You aren't going to live your life never going out for a birthday, anniversary special event, so you may as well get used to dealing with them now and not feel so guilty about it. Just try to fit them in with your lifestyle.

I don't plan them, but if I know there is a social occassion coming up I just enjoy it and get back on track straight afterwards.

for the past 2 weekends I've had a 3000 cal day, and will have one this weekend too.

I've still lost almost 3lbs in the last 2 weeks so they did me no harm.

I have that same problem -- if I "cheat" and let myself eat whatever, I have a rough time getting back on track. I usually don't plan "cheat" days. I just end up somewhere with the fam and make a bad decision and it throws me off for a couple of days. It's something I need to be better about.

You can't really cheat. Yes it is simply semantics, but you can't really cheat. Whatever you eat and whatever exercise you do will reflect on your body.

That said, you are an adult, you can eat what you want. High calorie day, High carb day, chocolate day, whatever.

The goal is to eat responsibly. You can have some junk responsibly.

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".

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:

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!

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.

I consider eating a little bit nutella cheating. I mean, look how many calories are in two table spoons - 200! :noway:

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...

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.

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.

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.

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.