Cheat Meals

[Vegaz_Diva]

Hey everyone, I'm always hearing about cheat meals and how they help. I have been eating completely clean since the beginning of January. I haven't hit any plateaus, and have consistently lost fat. It's just that my cravings are getting stronger. Can anyone tell me if I can benefit from cheat meals, how it works, and if they can help my cravings. THANKS!!!

[deaths_ally]

I think It depends on your goals. I think if you are competing or something u should refrain from them or whatever but someone like ME or someone who just wants to be fit and healthy, I think they are necessary just to stay sane

[ItFit]

Yeah, if you are competing, try to refrain from it, but if you're not, then sweetheart, go grab yourself some chocolate right now! It's important to have balance in your life. Just don't go nuts. The more you try to fight your cravings over a long period of time, the higher your chances are of bingeing. So just have a small portion size of whatever you are craving.

[pltwife]

So glad that you asked about cheat meals. Do you all suggest 1 meal per week or one day of cheating per week? I am working on personal goals of losing fat, getting more muscular, etc...no competing. Should I try to eat the "bad stuff" in the morning or can it be whenever? I've been having a nice dinner and dessert out once a week as my "cheat" but being "clean" for the morning and afternoon

[skiezik]

I always find that if I cut the junk food out I tend not to crave it as much. I do not like to plan a cheat meal (say like one a week) I like to go with the flow. One week I may eat all clean, then say the next week if there is an employee going away party or something I will have a peice of cake. The trick is just to be aware of what you are eating.

Also if you are the the type of person who, once they start with the junk food they eat it until their stomach hurts... I would do my best to eat clean all the time.

[genmgar]

I'm not competing and I let myself have one cheat day a week, it's normally my rest day on Sunday. There's so much junk food to eat at college, and it's constantly around so if I'm craving pizza or ice cream that day I have it. I have a real sweet tooth, so usually I go for a candy bar or ice cream, but I let myself have it. And most weeks I notice that when sunday comes, I'm so used to eating clean that I don't really want pizza or nachos.

Also, I'm the type of person where if I tell myself I can't have something, I go crazy and crave it more, lol, especially chocolate. So knowing that I can have it once a week really keeps me sane the rest of the time and I don't feel deprived or anything.

[AgeRage]

Same here...I never go for the food like that at school, it's not appealing to me, I love eating clean, but chocolate is my weakness and I'll keep some pieces of dark chocolate which I'll have after a meal once in a while to keep me sane, but I have a treat every weekend like a food I don't usually eat or ice cream lately with the warm weather coming But I had plenty of chocolate for Easter, now it's back on track....

[manders]

I was told you need cheats to put your body into a shock so your body doesn't get use to the same amount of cals. But I do cheats cause I feel I needs them sometimes lol

[hoyas33]

I take a cheat DAY. Every Sunday, I let go of the planned eating, planned working out, planned anything. I still battle guilt with this day, but I think I would be worse off if I ate clean every single day. Kudos to those who have lost their taste for non clean food...I have not and don't think I ever will! My brother is a chef, I love to cook and I just got a Kitchenaid mixer which is currently collecting dust. I think I may need to make some homemade treats soon...maybe for this Sunday!

Kristi

[FittGrrl27]

NO dont cheat!!! I find that if Im eating clean and not cheating and seeing results and then cheat EVERYTHING gets all messed up!!!

I hold water and my metabolism slows right down and it sets me back at least a week- its DEFINETLY not worth it in my opinion. Plus, after you taste all that stuff all you'll do is want it more!!!

[Iwannapumpw8]

Well I say it is always hard fighting the carvings and me I have being struggling to eat clean without eating any junk food, but it is hard. However, I have limited to a minium and I have loss a lot of fat as well. I am down to three pants sizes and I was wearing a size six, but now I think it is way different.

[JSADE13]

I Find Allowing Myself 1 Great Meal And I Mean Great A Week Keeps Me Happy!!! And I Just Keep Losing!!

[Iwannapumpw8]

True. Even though I carve and I can not seem to control it. However I am still losing, but now I seem to have all under control.

I Find Allowing Myself 1 Great Meal And I Mean Great A Week Keeps Me Happy!!! And I Just Keep Losing!!

[speedy-vet]

Thank God I don't crave sweets or pizza etc. One cheat meal for me would be wkend eating out and even then I try to get baked fish or something healthy. One great thing it helps me fill up when I can't eat a meal is the protein bars at 30gm protein... that's what I crave!! yummmm!!1

[Iwannapumpw8]

Awesom. That is basically what I do. Protein Bar and try to eat healthy. I do not carve pizza or anything like that and I have my carving controlled now.

Thank God I don't crave sweets or pizza etc. One cheat meal for me would be wkend eating out and even then I try to get baked fish or something healthy. One great thing it helps me fill up when I can't eat a meal is the protein bars at 30gm protein... that's what I crave!! yummmm!!1

[mellangston]

I also have a cheat day. It's Sunday on my rest day. I cook different meals for my hubby and 3 kids during the week, I'll look at certain things and go I'm going to eat that on my free day. I love my free day becuase I save my cravings for then, and also I think it helps to shock my system.

[30-A rider]

I dont think the question has been answered yet so here goes. The theory is that when loosing body fat your body will become accustomed to your caloric intake daily. Your body like homeostasis meaning it doesnt like to loose weight so it will recognize your caloric intake and attempt to stop loosing fat....essentailly you plateau or slow with regards to cutting body fat. So if we take a meal that is high in calorie or certain types of food your metabolism will be spiked due to the ecess calories. For example lets say you take in 150G prot a day, 75 grams carbs and 50 grams of fat for weeks on end. your fat buring decreases so one day you eat a load of spaghetti with crusty Italian bread...and in that days time you consume 1.5 pound of pasta. maybe some olive oil for the bread and a few meatballs....and you take in excess 700-100 calories more than normal. Your body is not accustomed to this and to prevent storing this unceccesary caloric intake you metabolic rate increaes. For many professionals is works very well.

Now if you are consistently loosing with no plateau I suggest not cheating...unless you have a huge craving. If so when Im on a lower carb diet trying to cut up here is my Sunday cheat meal :

Low carb flat bread or low carb whole wheat Tortilla and brush lightly with olive or canola oil...or non stick cooking spray. Put in frying pan on high and check frequently till bottom browns. remove from pan and add your low calorie, low sodium no sugar added sauce and spread all over the flat bread. Finally add whatever Mozzarella (I use low moisture part skim; others I no use no cheese rice cheese mozzarealla)...add your toppings like mushrooms, green peppers, red onion etc. Put in over on broil for 2-5 minutes till cheese bubbles and done. Take a whopping 7 minutes max to make, tastes awesome, doesnt bloat you like salt filled pizza dough..best of all.,,,,I use low carb flat bread or tortilla which is 90- calories with 8 g carbs. Sauce is about 30 calories, then cheese per serving is about 90 calories. Total fat end up about 12 grams, net carbs are about 10, and protein is about 15 grams. Worst thing about it probably sodium intake if you hold water easily. Hope this helps a little.

[Iwannapumpw8]

Well that is good that all of you have a cheat day. Me, personally, I try to eat clean everyday and so far that is going well.

[Vegaz_Diva]

I dont think the question has been answered yet so here goes. The theory is that when loosing body fat your body will become accustomed to your caloric intake daily. Your body like homeostasis meaning it doesnt like to loose weight so it will recognize your caloric intake and attempt to stop loosing fat....essentailly you plateau or slow with regards to cutting body fat. So if we take a meal that is high in calorie or certain types of food your metabolism will be spiked due to the ecess calories. For example lets say you take in 150G prot a day, 75 grams carbs and 50 grams of fat for weeks on end. your fat buring decreases so one day you eat a load of spaghetti with crusty Italian bread...and in that days time you consume 1.5 pound of pasta. maybe some olive oil for the bread and a few meatballs....and you take in excess 700-100 calories more than normal. Your body is not accustomed to this and to prevent storing this unceccesary caloric intake you metabolic rate increaes. For many professionals is works very well.

Now if you are consistently loosing with no plateau I suggest not cheating...unless you have a huge craving. If so when Im on a lower carb diet trying to cut up here is my Sunday cheat meal :

Low carb flat bread or low carb whole wheat Tortilla and brush lightly with olive or canola oil...or non stick cooking spray. Put in frying pan on high and check frequently till bottom browns. remove from pan and add your low calorie, low sodium no sugar added sauce and spread all over the flat bread. Finally add whatever Mozzarella (I use low moisture part skim; others I no use no cheese rice cheese mozzarealla)...add your toppings like mushrooms, green peppers, red onion etc. Put in over on broil for 2-5 minutes till cheese bubbles and done. Take a whopping 7 minutes max to make, tastes awesome, doesnt bloat you like salt filled pizza dough..best of all.,,,,I use low carb flat bread or tortilla which is 90- calories with 8 g carbs. Sauce is about 30 calories, then cheese per serving is about 90 calories. Total fat end up about 12 grams, net carbs are about 10, and protein is about 15 grams. Worst thing about it probably sodium intake if you hold water easily. Hope this helps a little.

Thanks so much for answering my question, I totally have a better understanding of it now. I'm going to continue to keep eating clean. It's been working great for me so far. My cravings have almost completely diminished, once in a great while do I get them, but I find healthy ways around them. That way I still get what I want with the good consequence of seeing results instead of getting exactly what I want and seeing the negative.