i was wondering how often is ok to have a cheat day/meal?aslo what do you girls consider a cheat food?
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04-02-2010, 11:48 AM #1
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04-03-2010, 03:15 AM #2
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There's lots of threads out there bout it, just type cheat meal in the searching section, there's always a tons of em...
But as for me,
once a week works really good for me and still makes me to drop bf% and gaining lean mass at the same time. I always go with things i crave, but im trying to keep it kinda clean if its possible. Lately i've been craving sushi soo bad, so when i place my order i ask for brown rice in the sushi, but when i crave things like dessert, then i just have the real sugar/fat loaded thing!!Always much better!!lol...so basically it really depends of my cravings, some weeks im more of a sweet tooth, others i just want sushi so bad. listen to your body, but be careful to not fall into the whole binge eating things, thats a cheat meal, not a cheat day, not a cheat week...for me, as soon as my butt leave the restaurant table,no more eating, i just go brush my teeth and continue with my next scheduled meal!'Victory belongs to the most persevering.'
-Napolean Bonaparte
'Discipline is the bridge between goals and accomplishment.'
-Jim Rohn
EATING,TRAINING,SLEEPING...and repeat!!
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04-03-2010, 07:31 AM #3
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I dont really consider it a cheat day, nor a refeed. I call it my "off" day. Basically I eat at maintainence 2200-2300calories, which too be honest, I pretty much eat the exact same way as all week long only saturdays are the days I drink with my friends. Typically about 3-4 drinks which is what boosts my calories up. Helps me to unwind, have fun with my friends and I havent seen any set backs.. tonight.. Strawberry martinis baby, cheesecake factory style, (minus the sugared rim) Im making them myself.
Some Saturdays I go out to dinner, but honestly I dont really like to go out to eat, I cant eat alot in one sitting so I am better of eatting at home because I wont take it to go because I "cant" have it until the following saturday which is a no go.
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04-03-2010, 08:08 AM #4
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04-03-2010, 08:25 AM #5
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04-03-2010, 08:41 AM #6
I agree with this! Although, if I eat a food that is higher in sugar/carbs/fat around a time that my body doesn't need, and it is still in my calorie range, I would consider it a cheat. This most often happens due to social situations, like going out for ice cream or appetizers! Keep in mind, I am always trying to eat healthier than the average person, even when it is a cheat, so I'm most definitely not choosing to eat the refined or processed foods (as I don't even find them appetizing!).
It really depends on what you consider a cheat... I will somtimes have complex/simple carbs right after a workout if it was crazy intense, or if I'm feeling like I really need carbs (like white rice, or sometimes fresh bread from our organic bakery that is also refined). Also, chocolate, as long as it is dark + low in sugar, and pretty natural is also not a cheat for me. This might be different than most people on this forum, not sure. But it most definitely hasn't hindered my progress....
On the whole, I will usually cheat about 2x/week. It depends on what I am doing socially (family get-togethers always mean there will be something yummy -- cheat-ish). Some weeks I won't feel the need to, other weeks I will have more treats than usual. It's all about perspective, and taking a look at the big picture. If you cheat, you will also feel less deprived in the long-run. Just cheat on GOOD foods -- make it worth it, hopefully it's pretty nutritious, and it's a food that you really enjoy.
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04-03-2010, 09:21 AM #7
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04-03-2010, 09:31 AM #8
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04-03-2010, 10:45 AM #9
Once a week on the weekend it's usually with a movie at home when the kids are in bed, I have a huge sweet tooth so it's usually something sweet that involves caramel and or chocolate. We don't go out much due to a tight budget but we used to before kids and that cheat night usually involved sushi/or chinese food and a movie with treats.
Mind you I am not perfect so sometimes I cheat mid-week with things I didn't plan like a few bites of this or that (usually something sweet lol!) but the weekend one is one I don't feel guilty about.
I Don't consider it cheating if I am genuinely hungry and eat more then I planned as long as it's healthy and there's no sugar and bleached flour involved lol, because eating that or wanting that has less to do with hunger then cravings."The word aerobics came about when the gym instructors got together and said, "If we're going to charge $10 an hour, we can't call it jumping up and down." ~Rita Rudner
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04-03-2010, 11:30 AM #10
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04-03-2010, 12:10 PM #11
i guess i am the same way...i prefer not to kind of schedule my cheat day because i would go insane waiting but they don't really happen to often,usually if i decide to make a banana cake for the kids or recently hubby decided to take me out to dinner to chinese food and it was so good but i felt so bad...now i know that it's not the end of the world as long as you don't over do it...
thanks girls
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04-03-2010, 12:15 PM #12
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04-03-2010, 12:35 PM #13
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My biggest one is pasta. I ALWAYS Have pasta when I plan a cheat. Usually, I crave ice cream like none other, but I just haven't cared about it lately...pasta's where it's at lol!
~Impatience never demanded success~
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04-03-2010, 12:40 PM #14
I used to have one day once a week but once I got rid of it entirely it really helped with definition. I personally think people should just have a cheat "meal" versus a full "day". JMHO
"Two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe," - Albert Einstein
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04-03-2010, 01:07 PM #15
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04-03-2010, 04:37 PM #16
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04-03-2010, 10:32 PM #17
No such thing as 'cheating': read me and here (from the 'important threads to read sticky).
Thinking in terms of 'cheating' or like you are 'doing something wrong' is the fastest way to set yourself up for an all-out binge. Especially if you are a person who has problems with 'all or nothing' thinking.
As others have said - it is all about balance and moderation! Anything can be incorporated into a healthy diet on a daily basis while you still reach your calorie/ macro targets.
Similarly, if the opportunity comes up for a social outing and you feel like a little splurge - use it! Enjoy yourself, relax, and spend the time with your loved ones... There really is no reason to make a big deal out of it...Last edited by Emma-Leigh; 04-03-2010 at 10:35 PM.
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04-03-2010, 10:44 PM #18
Great answer! That's exactly how I came to view the whole cheat thing. If I try to deprive myself too much I'll just have a binge of candies. Instead of having a planned "cheat" I just incorporate the things I feel for in my daily calories.
For example I love popcorn, but the kind I make on a popper at home with no butter, it has many carbs, but I can still find a spot for it when I feel like having some.
Maybe for others it works better if they have a planned cheat, so it’s all up to you as long as you don’t go overboard.
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04-05-2010, 12:57 PM #19
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*Ideally* my cheat is once per week, almost always on a friday or saturday.
I like to make a home-made cheeseburger with all of the toppings on a ww bun. (Not horrible for cals, usually puts me at maintenance). I still weigh out the cheese b/c I can't eyeball it...yet.
I also like to have a big steak - instead of weighing out only 4-5 oz, I will usually eat the whole thing, which is usually closer to 8oz. YUM. I am SUCH a carnivore.
I have been getting a 12 oz Non fat latte from Starbucks on friday evenings to kick off my weekends. That's like 90 calories and has a bit of protein too, so I don't stress it.
If I know I'm going out with friends and am going to drink, I try to have my drinks be the "cheat" instead of foods. When I go out, I usually have a vodka soda or a Bud Light. Nothing too excitingHard work = Hard body.
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04-05-2010, 01:21 PM #20
I agree as well. Although I, like a lot of people, can have a hard time fitting treats into my daily diet. Personally, I'm more successful with once a week (usually eating out). I have a few favorite foods I can't eat in moderation. One cookie is never one cookie, so I keep it out of the house or buy it or make it in smaller portions when I do have it. Or make healthy versions of things that aren't so filled with sugar that it makes me crave more sugar. Not to say its a binge, but I don't know many people that would just eat one cookie---its a tease!
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04-05-2010, 01:30 PM #21
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I take the weekends "off", but I don't go out of my way to eat more or to eat things I normally wouldn't! I just go w/ the flow! During the week, it is much easier for my eating to be quite structured, but the weekends have us all over the place (soccer, baseball, errands, etc...) and while I always plan breakfast & dinner, the other meals are improvised!
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04-05-2010, 01:45 PM #22
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Same here. I let myself kind of have one meal that is a "planned" cheat, as in I let myself have whatever I want for that meal, and the rest of the weekend I'm not as structured as during the week, so I just try to make sensible choices that won't put my calories too high, but don't pay toooo much attention to macros, etc.
"success is a journey, not a destination" -most profound fortune cookie ever!
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04-05-2010, 02:32 PM #23
I usually won't usually eat an entire 'cheat meal' in place of a real meal, but I 'taste' things pretty much whenever I see something I want. If I want white castle I am not going to have white castle for dinner, I'll have a salad with grilled chicken for dinner and some white castle stuff alongside it or after.
I never plan like 'next friday I am going to eat junk', but if I want something after I have a decent dinner, I will have it. I love mostly healthy foods so I don't really have reason to 'cheat' often - I seriously cannot tell the difference between a bowl of ice cream and a bowl of frozen pb with protein with a couple of carob chips, and the pb with protein won't leave me with a stomach ache so why bother cheat.
I am sort of blessed that I have digestion issues so I have more than my waistline to think about when deciding what to eat. Usually its not worth the after-effects and I can always find a healthy alternative to satisfy the craving.
Some 'bad' foods I like are Cape Cod Salt & Vinegar chips, and Tiramisu which KILLS my stomach but you know what some times that one is worth it. Oh and White Castle. White Castle is NOT worth the stomach pain (which I think would happen to anyone regardless if you have digestive issues or not) but occasionally I forget this and eat it lol.
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10-15-2012, 03:39 PM #24
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10-16-2012, 03:39 AM #25
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10-16-2012, 04:14 AM #26
I guess this is why I originally wasn't successful as a body builder because I couldn't follow their diet. I need to be able to binge, I need to be able to eat whatever I want. It took me years to learn how to eat without gaining weight. I can't live on white fish, protein shakes and a small portion of rice once a day. At first I had a very strict diet when I was first learning "how to eat" without putting on massive amounts of fat. And now I am just starting to incorporate the "treats" and "binges" into my normal eating schedule. For me that means, nachos and cheese for dinner Monday night, hamburgers and fries tuesday night...etc. Plus deserts and baked goods on a daily basis. Now I just track my calories and pay attention to my macros. There isn't really any cheating, every day and meal is just another "cheat." For me unless I learned to do that, I would never reach my goals.
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10-16-2012, 06:08 AM #27
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Bingeing and eating what you want are two completely different things. I don't understand your use of the word 'binge'. What you describe above are just food choices, meals that may be more caloric, but not binges by any means.
Binges are out of control, frenzied experiences involving mass consumption of food to the point of physical discomfort...not eating an extra piece of cake. They are a completely negative experience and disordered behaviour.Goal: Peace, love & happiness...and arms that go bump in the night.
“It's never been true, not anywhere at any time, that the value of a soul, of a human spirit, is dependent on a number on a scale" G. Roth
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10-16-2012, 06:22 AM #28
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10-16-2012, 08:02 AM #29
I have one cheat meal, end of the week. A cheat meal for me can be a bowl of ice cream, or pasta with garlic bread.
If one stays within his/her calorie set up per day, to reach your goals--the above could still fit in, but a bowl of ice cream isn't going to give me the nutrients I need for my workouts. (if say I were replacing another high nutrient food with the ice cream) Hmm...maybe I should try that.
I tend to look at a cheat meal as going beyond what you normally eat in a given day. So for a cheat meal day, I follow my macros all day, but for dinner, replace a higher protein/lower carb meal with pasta and garlic bread, or two slices of pizza. Or two beers (sidenote: Two lite beers only have 200 calories. Lower than one glass of most wines, so I've made the switch.)
It's not a 5000 calorie bonanza, and let's call it a meal because we're eating it in one sitting. No, that's not what I'd consider a cheat meal.
Interestingly, the next day after a cheat meal, I perform very well at the gym.Last edited by whatevergirl; 10-16-2012 at 08:08 AM.
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10-16-2012, 09:38 AM #30
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From my real life yesterday, the difference between a "cheat" and a "binge" (imo):
I went to DD at lunch yesterday and got a pumpkin muffin and a latte (skim & spenda). I've been craving one of those damn muffins since the commercials started earlier this month. It was warm and sweet and extra yummy. I looked it up later and found out it was 600 cals.
It didn't fit into my daily cals or macros and never would so I chalked it up to a cheat and moved on.
The difference for me at least is if I had continued to ignore my craving I know that one day soon I would be sitting down for a complete box of a 12 donut "binge". I was better off with the one muffin cheat. It occured to me later that I didn't look up the cals until afterwards because if I had I would have 1) not bought the muffin or 2) not enjoyed it if I did buy it.
As it turns out I'm happy and satisfied and eating my crisp garden salad for lunch as I type this ~ no guilt, just life ~ so it's all good.You have to train your mind the same way you train your body. You must protect it against the negative and feed it with the positive. Be mindful of what you watch, what you read and who you allow to influence you. Learn to consider your thoughts emotions and actions. Trust your gut face your fears head on and never quit. AJ Roberts
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