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Karrie H.
Karrie H. Sendmail

cheat meals or days?

posted 11 months ago | Report

how often do you have cheat meals or cheat days? I have another 15-20lbs to drop and just curious as to how many people do cheat meals, or cheat days and how often?

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11 posts

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  • David B.PRO
    David B. Sendmail

    No cheat meals for me. I lost twenty pounds on Weight Watchers. If I wanted something different, I just counted the points and compensated elsewhere in my eating.

    posted 10 months ago

  • Melanee L.
    Melanee L. Sendmail

    If you're eating to lose weight go with a cheat MEAL once per week. If you're eating to increase muscle tone and definition go with a cheat DAY once every other week.

    Hope that helps!

    posted 10 months ago

  • Grace W.
    Grace W. Sendmail

    I don't like the word cheat or treat days.. It makes it seem like such a bigger deal than it actually is! I've lost over 75lbs and my motto has and has always been, eat perfect 80% of the time and leave 20% for tasty errors.. If you feel like you're restricting, you're more likely to binge and the guilt can make it hard to get back on track.

    I mean if I know I can have a cake, a bit of chocolate or whatever whenever I wanted it I'm less likely to reach for it. The thought that goes through my head isn't 'ohh I fancy a treat but I cant omg it's not treat day yet!' it's more, 'Well I sort of fancy a bit of chocolate, but is it worth it?' I mean sometimes I just really really crave a bacon sandwich aha so I just have it and that's the end of it, there's no terrible guilt or 'oh noes I ate bad'. There's not point, it's not realistic to think you'll never have junk ever again, I just try not to eat it often :)

    posted 10 months ago

  • Dave E.
    Dave E. Sendmail

    I second Grace W.

    posted 10 months ago

  • Ruth H.
    Ruth H. Sendmail

    I lost 3 stone about 6 yrs ago - no special diet - I wrote everything down & it took 18 months,if I went out(which was rare)I had exactly what I wanted!Sensible eating is the answerAnd,the weight has stayed off!

    posted 10 months ago

  • Cameo
    Cameo Sendmail

    I am very opposed to cheat meals and cheat days. I wrote this post - http://vergingonserious.wordpress.com/2011/08/05/when-you-believe-in-things-you-dont-understand/ - which outlines exactly why I oppose them. Just allow yourself an indulgence when you crave it and stop at ONE serving and then get right back on track immediately at your next meal or snack. Cheat days are a terrible thing for the brain, and may lead to a binge/burn/repeat cycle. Very dangerous.

    posted 10 months ago

  • Karrie H.
    Karrie H. Sendmail

    VERY interesting read Cameo....glad that things work out for you so well, i am currently struggling with severe hypothyroid as well, so some of the thing that you listed as a paranoia are in fact, seriously considerations for me until this is all under control..
    If i seriously eat certain things i will easily gain up to 12 pounds in a week....sometimes more...and that is NEVER going above the 1200 calories of input vs. approx 800-1500 calories expended

    posted 10 months ago

  • Cameo
    Cameo Sendmail

    Hmmm...I am not a doctor, obviously, but in my unprofessional opinion 1200 calories is extremely low especially if you work out a ton. Are you on Synthroid? I love it! Also, you might consider looking into a food-allergy test or avoid common allergens like soy, wheat, gluten and dairy for a couple weeks and see what happens. Good luck, m'Lady!

    posted 10 months ago

  • Nickie B.
    Nickie B. Sendmail

    Hi, Karrie I eat clean 90/10 and I don't have " cheat days" I just do "cheat meals" and I only do them when I'm craving something and that is like once every week or once every two weeks. It really just depends because some times I will go 2 to 3 weeks with out a cheat meal just because I wasn't carving any thing. Basically I don't have a cheat meal unless I'm craving something. You will just have to figure out what works for you and your body and your cravings. What I do know is that I tried to cut out non-clean food for 2 months straight. I mean I did it but I binged for like 3 days!! it was awful. Ever since then I figured its better for me to satify a carving every once in a while then to go with out for so long that I binge it all away..lol I hope that helps and sorry I rambled...lol

    posted 9 months ago

  • Goose T.
    Goose T. Sendmail

    I do a cheat day once a week but it's pretty much a cheat meal - dinner. But on cheat day if I decide to have a cookie or something like that I don't beat myself up about it. It all depends, but mostly just the meal.

    And when it's cheat day/meal day I eat stuff that I wouldn't think I would choose for a cheat. Tonight it was ham and scalloped potatoes, brocolli with MAYO and a piece of focaccia bread. I always thought I'd choose something like pizza but everytime cheat day comes around I want good food (last week it was spaghetti - homemade!).

    posted 8 months ago | edited 8 months ago

  • Bill R.
    Bill R. Sendmail

    "cheat meals" seems to be a phrase that bothers some folks.

    about three years ago, i decided to lose weight and get moving (first i walked about 2,800 miles---literally--though over about 14 months). during this time, i fasted one day a week, every week. the fast was what some call a "fruit fast" in that i had a piece of fruit for breakfast (orange, bananna, etc) and then only coffee/water after that.

    i lost about 72 pounds with this combo.

    i stopped fasting days about 2.5 years ago. with w/o alone now, no fasting, i have added about 20 pounds back on. feel great.

    am thinking about restarting the "fast days". after the mental shock and maybe a time or two, you totally will NOT notice anything is terms of "cravings" when you fast.

    posted 5 months ago

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