cheat meal?

gemsipops
gemsipops Posts: 13 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I am one week into my MFP journey! I have so fae lost 4lbs!! I am really pleased with this and it has speared me to continue!

How I am being pressured by the whole family to get ONE take away tonight. Will this hinder my weight loss or will it be ok? I dont want to but we have nothing in and our children need feeding soon.

Please help before I cave and ruin all my hard work all ready. If im not to get the take away - what do I do??

Thanks

Gem xxx

Replies

  • Ketomaniac9
    Ketomaniac9 Posts: 108 Member
    cheat days are ok.. it keeps you sane
  • lyricalLies13
    lyricalLies13 Posts: 151
    I usually eat out once a week and it hasnt messed up my weight loss. I always save extra calories or workout more the day before or after.
  • Franzibear
    Franzibear Posts: 41 Member
    Cheat days are OK, just make sure that you make "good bad choices", as in, don't just consider a cheat day a free-for-all pass to eat anything in any quantity ;)

    Also, just because you have one cheat day - even if it's a "bad one" - that doesn't mean that your previous efforts are ruined, so long as you go back to your program the next day, and maybe even eat a little less and/or workout a bit more! :)
  • Angie_1MR
    Angie_1MR Posts: 247
    another theory behind cheat meals is that they rev your metabolism...I prefer the "it keeps me sane" logic, but hey, whatever works, right? :)
  • thrld
    thrld Posts: 610 Member
    It might help if you pre-log the food you want to order. This way you can make the best choices for you & if it looks like you are going to go over substantially, then you can always up your exercise to offset any additional calories. But if it is not a huge overrun, then I wouldn't worry about it.
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    My sister is three months into her weight loss journey, has lost 20 lbs so far with 115 more to go, and has a cheat day once a week. So I don't think you will sabotage yourself if you have a simple cheat meal.
  • jadamuriel76
    jadamuriel76 Posts: 58 Member
    Agreed! A cheat day here and there is realistic, and will help to keep you focused. If you think you are going to be able to live out the rest of your life on a strict "diet" its not realistic. Lifestyle change is the key and eating what you want from time to time will not undo all your hard work, promise. :-) Enjoy!
  • bmbrus
    bmbrus Posts: 1
    Personally I feel like cheat meals cause me to lose momentum. It re-introduces me into those cravings that I have fought so hard to keep at bay. Amazing to me that the more I eat salads...the more I crave salads. So- stick with your plan. NOTHING tastes as good as thin FEELS!
  • ctooch99
    ctooch99 Posts: 459 Member
    Not necessarily if you do it smart and log it just like everything else. I still love and eat pizza. But now instead of pigging out, losing control and eating 4 slices of pepperoni, I eat 2 slices of mushroom pizza. Still satisfying and enjoyable, but keeps my logged numbers in the same range, no guilt and I get to order out just like everyone else pressuring me to "relax and order out with us". (NOTE - other people will constantly try to sabotage you - I am at the point where I don't care about insulting people - misery loves company and I am not riding on that train anymore so they either need to accept my habits or leave me alone - I would not smoke cigarettes if they wanted me to, so I feel the same about crap food).

    Should not be about restriction, should be about incorporating eating the things you love, smartly along with a lot of healthy things and exercising - a whole lifestyle change, not just a temporary change to lose weight (AKA - a diet) - that will always fail.
  • Nailrep
    Nailrep Posts: 966 Member
    I also have had a cheat MEAL (not day) per week. I managed to lose about 30 pounds in 4-5 months last go around (but put it back on over a two year period). So, I'm going with a cheat meal this time too.
  • ctooch99
    ctooch99 Posts: 459 Member
    Personally I feel like cheat meals cause me to lose momentum. It re-introduces me into those cravings that I have fought so hard to keep at bay. Amazing to me that the more I eat salads...the more I crave salads. So- stick with your plan. NOTHING tastes as good as thin FEELS!

    Could not agree more!
  • packergirl2007
    packergirl2007 Posts: 41
    I think cheat meals slow down weight loss but i don't think that's a bad thing. It's all about slow and steady. Besides, I find most of the time if you don't give into a cheat meal, it'll turn into an obession that will turn into something even worse.

    So have a good meal. Don't feel gulity. Log it be aware of it and then if your truly dedicate, excercise your *kitten* off that day to make up for it...

    OR excercise hard core the next day. Don't stress.
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
    if you are on point about 80-90% of the time, you'll be ok. some people have a cheat meal, some have a cheat day, or two big cheat meals over the course of a weekend or a week, others believe in calorie spike days or do intermitten fasting.

    what works for them, might not work for you. you have to see what works for you, and the only way to find out is experimenting. and an experiment like this needs to last at least two weeks. three weeks is better. your weight flucuates on a daily and weekly basis.

    i don't like the term "cheat" because it implies a complete loss of discipline in regards to food intake. a cheat day doesn't mean three meat lovers pizzas and a case of beer. sure, you are free to enjoy yourself, and can indulge in what you like best, but also within reason.

    i susbscribe to the "spread out" theory of eating. i watch what i eat, but also indulge in treats when i want. yesterday i had two slices of pizza and tuesday i had a bag of peanut m&m's. most of the rest of my day is healthy (and tasty!!!) food.
  • thenessasavitsky
    thenessasavitsky Posts: 10
    I agree that a cheat meal every once in a while isn't incredibly harmful, especially if you've been consistently working out and eating healthy. However, I also agree with the comment that a cheat meal tends to reintroduce cravings, and considering the fact that you're only 1 week into the program, now might not be the best time to cave in, even to your family. Although everyone is different, I think when you first start eating healthy, you should try and do so for a solid two weeks. You get used to eating healthy, and it's easier to get to that point where you actually WANT to eat healthy and you're not fighting back those cravings.

    Don't fret though! All does not have to be lost even if you decide to eat out tonight. Firstly, you can make sure you eat extremely well today; make an extra effort to eat as healthy as possible and give yourself a decent calorie defecit before you have this meal. And secondly, you can still make a decently healthy meal choice depeding on where you're eating. Avoid foods with excessive sauce, cheeses, etc. if you can, and try and drink a a glass of healthy fluid (water, milk) before/with your meal to fill you up and prevent you from overeating. And make sure you get right back to a healthy diet and exercise after that meal!

    Hope everything turns out well, and by the way, congrats on your accomplishment thus far!
  • mcarter99
    mcarter99 Posts: 1,666 Member
    Not necessarily if you do it smart and log it just like everything else. I still love and eat pizza. But now instead of pigging out, losing control and eating 4 slices of pepperoni, I eat 2 slices of mushroom pizza. Still satisfying and enjoyable, but keeps my logged numbers in the same range, no guilt and I get to order out just like everyone else pressuring me to "relax and order out with us". (NOTE - other people will constantly try to sabotage you - I am at the point where I don't care about insulting people - misery loves company and I am not riding on that train anymore so they either need to accept my habits or leave me alone - I would not smoke cigarettes if they wanted me to, so I feel the same about crap food).

    Should not be about restriction, should be about incorporating eating the things you love, smartly along with a lot of healthy things and exercising - a whole lifestyle change, not just a temporary change to lose weight (AKA - a diet) - that will always fail.

    This is my feeling, too.

    Depending on your numbers, a cheat meal can negate the hard work of a whole week. I'm not interested in that. A weekly 'cheat meal' can also easily turn into a 'cheat day' and once a week can inch up to every 3rd day if you're not careful.

    I think you do best when you learn to operate according to your plan but also within your life. There are always days when a healthy dinner isn't in the cards on time. Have backup plans that don't derail your goals. Instead of pizza, get takeout sushi, have one parent pick up a store-roasted chicken, etc. Keep meals in the freezer. Batch cook for the week. Lots of options!
  • gemsipops
    gemsipops Posts: 13 Member
    Wow this has been my first post and im so pleased to have got the support. Decided to get a take away but going to choose the least calorie version.

    Thanks again everyone :)

    xxx
  • gemsipops
    gemsipops Posts: 13 Member
    WELL I order chicken chow mein @ 367 calories per portion!! could only eat half before I was satisfied!!!!

    One word..........RESULT :-) xx
  • gward84
    gward84 Posts: 16
    Been on MFP seriously now for 3 weeks and i'm looking forward to my take away pizza tonight while watching the england match.

    Just hope the rain stays off tomorrow so I can go outside and burn off tonights damage!
  • mary70
    mary70 Posts: 47 Member
    One cheat meal per week is fine, and go right back to your normal routine. Sometimes I derail myself w/ the cheats and think "hey, I didn't gain anything on that cheat meal, one more won't hurt" and back down the spiral I go.
  • StaySprySarah
    StaySprySarah Posts: 1
    Eating is just an expression of life! Unfortunately, some of us are just... too expressive... that's how we end up unsatisfied with our bodies! Cheat days are ok; we want to enjoy our fitness journey! Just remember portion control! Don't go too crazy; you'll beat yourself up about it later if you don't bear in mind all the progress you've already made!

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