100 lb. Club - Cheat Days, Ugh.....

I know there are a lot of different opinions about having planned "cheat days". I am so confused and just angry at myself right now. I've been on my healthy eating/ exercising journey since April and have been successful. I have a planned cheat day once a week, usually on sundays. I initially thought this was good for me because it would keep me going the rest of the time. I thought i needed to have those "bad" foods at least once a week. I know I've been loosing weight and have not hit a plateau and that is great. the thing is......i feel so completely and utterly horrible on my cheat days. I feel guilty, i feel like im ruining everything i do all week, i feel like my body is telling me not to eat this horrible food, i feel dehydrated and just plain disgusting. so......i try to tell myself that i dont need a cheat day and that its not worth it. i try to not have a cheat day, but then the day comes and i cant stop it. I just dont know what to do. I wish i could just not have a cheat day, stay on plan all of the time. maybe then i wouldn't feel so bad once a week. why cant i control this? I feel like food has controlled my life for ever, and now that I am in control of myself for 6 days out of the week, on that 7th day i am letting food control me again. WHY cant i just stop???????? I would luv to here some advice from anyone. those of you who have planned cheat days who might feel the same way, and those of you who dont cheat. how do you go so long without those things that taste soooooo good, but make you feel soooooo bad????:mad:

Maybe, instead of a cheat day - have a cheat meal. And don't go all out. I have one treat meal a week where I allow myself a glass of red wine (sometimes 2!) and get a nice dinner and split something for dessert (preferably chocolately). I still stick to my "forever no's" - no fast food, no cream sauces, no baked cheese dishes (like lasagna), limit fried foods and NO leftovers (my treat meal is a once a week event, not another excuse to indulge the next day).

I know a lot of people believe everything in moderation and I'm really glad that works for them. I need a little more structure to be and feel successful. I could do a LOT of damage in one full out cheat day. One special meal where I stay in control of my choices is enough to keep me satisfied the rest of the week.

I actually don't have many cravings for my forbidden foods. I haven't had a fast food burger/fries/shake in over 4 years and I don't miss them at all. I do get weird cravings (like for steak or bread and butter pickles) but they are pretty random.

What I have found - if I indulge in something I eat rarely, like say...cake with frosting. I immediately want MORE cake and frosting. I try to keep that in mind when presented with a wedge of birthday cake. It might taste good, but how will I feel after? Sometimes, those kinds of thoughts can help me. Sometimes, I just eat the cake!

glory, you are an inspiration. i read your story last week and it really inspired me. I have heard of superfoods before and now, i am going to get the book. i already incorporate tons of them into my everyday routine. i love the idea of eating healthy, not just low calorie. i think the one meal thing is a good idea. I will just have to change my mindset of cheating all day. at least with one meal, maybe i wont feel so bloated and dehydrated. really all my cheat day is.... is mindless eating. its like my whole day is devoted to food. how utterly rediculous and pathetic i feel!! its just not worth it! thanks for the reply

This is why I don't believe in the concept of "cheat".

When you call it a "cheat" - whether it's a meal, a day, whatever, you're automatically using language that creates guilt and encourages you to go wild and not pay any attention. Cheating is inherently BAD ... it's wrong, no one should be caught cheating. Right? :) It's word laden with negative connotations.

I don't cheat. I mean ... I'm living this journey, so what would I be cheating on? My life?

I do have days when I relax a bit. I allow myself a TREAT once in a while (and a TREAT implies one thing - something worth waiting for an indulging in, not a huge binge). I allow myself a meal where I don't count calories once a week. But that's not a "cheat" because there's nothing and no one to "cheat" on. It's not a test. It's not a marriage. It's a way of life - MY LIFE. And I *choose* what I eat - whether it's healthy, or not.

I realize that this might sound like splitting hairs or playing semantic games, but words are important. And words are especially important when you're trying to change your habits and your life.

If you tell yourself you're "cheating" all the time - then you're telling yourself to feel guilty.

If you tell yourself you're "treating" once in a while - then you feel like you're having something worthwhile and worth savouring, rather than gorging on.

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I also avoid using the word "cheat". I plan 2 maintanence calorie days a month, usually when I'm PMSing. I eat whatever type of food I am wanting but not going over my maintanence calories. I do not feel guilty and start over the next day. It works for me.

If you are not interested in "cheating" on your off day then don't. Save it for a time when you will enjoy it and not feel guilty. If you want to eat off plan for a day and you are still losing I say go for it. You have to do whatever will work for you in the long run.

The difference between cheat and treat is huge to the subconscience. It's an ingrained reaction, from our childhoods on.

If you're doing something special, do it as a treat. I can't say one way or the other-total newbie at this-again-so I'm not at a point where I feel comfortable treating myself. Knowing me, I'd fall right off the wagon and roll around in it. :)

I agree with the earlier posters' concept of "cheating" as being the wrong message to give oneself.

Another thought is to change what you eat for your so-called "cheat" meals. If the fast food and junk is making you feel sick, well, there's a message there, don't you think? So instead of going for the Big Mac and supersize fries (or whatever it is you're doing), choose to go to a sit-down restaurant for a better quality meal than that. As another example, instead of going to Taco Bell, you could go to a really good Mexican restaurant. You'll probably feel more satisfied and less guilty.

Junk food urges are just the "spoiled child within" throwing a tantrum. Tell her to sit down and eat her green beans! ;) Someone has to be an adult here! :lol:

Jay

This is why I don't believe in the concept of "cheat".

When you call it a "cheat" - whether it's a meal, a day, whatever, you're automatically using language that creates guilt and encourages you to go wild and not pay any attention. Cheating is inherently BAD ... it's wrong, no one should be caught cheating. Right? :) It's word laden with negative connotations.

I don't cheat. I mean ... I'm living this journey, so what would I be cheating on? My life?

I do have days when I relax a bit. I allow myself a TREAT once in a while (and a TREAT implies one thing - something worth waiting for an indulging in, not a huge binge). I allow myself a meal where I don't count calories once a week. But that's not a "cheat" because there's nothing and no one to "cheat" on. It's not a test. It's not a marriage. It's a way of life - MY LIFE. And I *choose* what I eat - whether it's healthy, or not.

I realize that this might sound like splitting hairs or playing semantic games, but words are important. And words are especially important when you're trying to change your habits and your life.

If you tell yourself you're "cheating" all the time - then you're telling yourself to feel guilty.

If you tell yourself you're "treating" once in a while - then you feel like you're having something worthwhile and worth savouring, rather than gorging on.

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I could not agree more. For me, being an "all or nothing" type person, if I were to allow myself a cheat day, I would be going all out. That is just my personality. Currently while I am still losing, I just don't go down that road. Is it an easy thing to do? Absolutely not. However, I look at it from this way. Allowing myself one cheat day, basically led into another, and another and another...Well, you get the idea. Will I never have treats again? No, that would be unrealistic. However, once I am in maintenance, then I can start to plan for the odd treat here and there. For me, after being on my plan for the past 4 months, I find I don't crave the junkfood I used to. I am craving fruits more than anything.

I used to use the cheat mentality, too and it didn't work for me for the same reasons it doesn't seem to be working for you!

Now I'm just more relaxed on the weekends. I'm a calorie counter so I still count my calories and I still measure my portions. I jut allow myself to go closer to my maintenance level then I would during the rest of the week.

Usually the horror of putting 132343 calories of cookies and cake into my Fitday log keeps me from eating them ;).

How do you guys get yourself away from these "cheat" or "treat" foods that you "so loved" before your healthy lifestyle. For myself, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fried chicken strips with ranch. I usually let myself have them once a week and end up going overboard with them. How do you make that "switch" in your brain to not want something you really want all the time? I am also crazy about culvers burgers...and I'm sure they are like the worst burgers possible. I just can't imagine NOT eating them anymore.

I know it's mind over matter and all of that, but for some reason I just can't let go of those two things (both of which I had this weekend...) And then I wonder why I can't get under 160 FOR GOOD... geez....

I am also crazy about culvers burgers...and I'm sure they are like the worst burgers possible. I just can't imagine NOT eating them anymore.


This right here is why I'm more lax on the weekends. This is a lifestyle for me. It has to be or I'll stay 260 lbs for the rest of my life (or more!). I refuse to yo yo again. I can't look at the rest of my life and say "I will never eat BLANK" again. Maybe down the road that'll be a posibility but right now it's just depressing. So yeah, this weekend I ate a cheeseburger and fries but I only ate half the fries and threw away part of the burger. You get to a point where the craving is satisfied and you learn to push the food away. I didn't go overboard. When you learn to have a healthy relationship with food you learn to walk away... KWIM?

Sometimes I weigh the pros and cons in my head. At the very moment I may feel like I am going to just DIE if I don't have (insert food) Let's say cheeseburger RIGHT NOW!!! But in reality... if I do some careful planning and save that indulgence for a weekend dinner out with my hubby or make my own lo cal version at home I'll feel much better in the long run!

It's hard to seperate the guilt from food but it feels soooo much better to know the things you're putting into your body are helping and not hurting you.

How do you guys get yourself away from these "cheat" or "treat" foods that you "so loved" before your healthy lifestyle.
I don't. :) Or, to be precise, some of them I don't. Some of them I realize are "trigger foods" (like sour cream and onion potato chips) and I just choose not to eat or bring into my house. I find that as I eat healthier and as I choose my treats to be something I really want and will enjoy, the craving for those "junk" items lessens. Believe me - it never goes away entirely. I still walk into the grocery store and see the football-season displays of potato chips and think to myself "maybe just one bag". And then I force myself to walk to the other end of the store really quickly before my willpower gives out. :)

I am also crazy about culvers burgers...and I'm sure they are like the worst burgers possible. I just can't imagine NOT eating them anymore.I am crazy about 5 Guys burgers and fries and so I *don't* imagine not eating them anymore. If I thought I could never have another 5 Guys burger, I'd give up and go on a crazy burger-binge. :) Instead I tell myself that I *can* have a meal at 5 Guys if I want ... as long as I either make up the calories elsewhere or it's one of my planned no-count meals. Does that mean I eat 5 Guys every day? Nope. For me instead of a 2 or 3 times weekly meal, 5 Guys is a TREAT. I go maybe every other week. And instead of having a full bacon cheese burger (for 1000 calories), I have a little burger (for 500 calories). And instead of eating a whole order of fries myself, I split an order with my husband (and I let him eat more of them).

This is my life and I don't plan to deprive myself of favorite things for the rest of my life. But I also find that the longer I do this, the more I realize that what used to be my "favorite things" were really crutch foods that I was using for emotional reasons. And nowadays when I think of the amount of calories I want to spend on a treat (and whether or not I'm going to have to hit the gym an extra day or whatever), I want to make sure that I'm damn sure ENJOYING what I'm treating myself with - and not just mindlessly eating something - based on a mindless craving. :)

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Don't beat yourself up over this!!! There have been so many great responses here, there isn't much left for me to say. Just keep your chin up, and remember we are all human, and no one is perfect!

When I have a treat, it doesn't make me feel gross for two reasons:

It's not junk food, it's gotta be fabulous stuff (which for sweets, almost always means homemade, usually not by me ;)). McDonald's is torture, not a treat. I find that with high quality treats, I might eat a little more than I think I *should*, but I don't have that neverending-must-go-back-for-another-piece impulse I have with junk. Really, I find it very strange, but I can be sitting there thinking I don't even really like this and I really want to go have more. Doesn't happen with really high-quality stuff.

Second, "treat" *never* means eat until I'm stuffed. I just don't do that any more, ever. It's not restrictive, it's pain avoidance :). Eating slowly is part of that.

I think another thing that goes a long way to not feeling guilty is not buying into the social expectation that a woman should be thin or perfect or that food is bad. That just feels kinda hateful toward myself. Really, we put ourselves on a scary high pedestal sometimes.

For myself, I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE fried chicken strips with ranch. I usually let myself have them once a week and end up going overboard with them. How do you make that "switch" in your brain to not want something you really want all the time? ....

You can make a very tasty dinner by breading your own boneless, skinnless chicken strips...

As for cheat days.. I can't do that. I would go hog wild, eat everything in the house, and gain 10 lbs in one day. I am just trying to focus on eating healthy foods that still taste good to me... and only indulging on special occassions. Like this weekend, I was out with friends and I split a choclate dessert with a friend. I had a couple bites and found I actually got 'choclated-out' and was done with it. We ended up sharing it with the whole table. :) I am thrilled because 'old-me' would have ordered that just for myself and been licking the plate for ten minutes afterwards, lol. :devil:

Thank you all so much for your wonderful replies!! I feel much better today. I ate good all day, and had a good work out at the gym:woops:. I drank tons of water today to flush out my system of all the salty stuff i ate yesterday:jeno:. I love the concept of a "Treat", instead of a "cheat". I agree that cheat is more of a negative thing, where treat is a more positive thing. I am going to plan on having a Treat this week and not having a cheat day. I really need to stop the whole day thing and just do a treat meal. I think i will feel much better about the whole situation. I know that it is unrealistic for me not to ever treat myself. I wouldn't be able to do it for the long haul. so, a treat every once in a while to reward myself for all the hard work, sounds like a great idea:dizzy:
thank you again! I luv this place:love:
and I luv you all:hug:

I recently changed from doing a no count day to a no count meal. I found that I was taking advantage of the concept of an entire day to eat what I wanted and going a bit overboard. Having one meal makes it easier - it allows me to go out with friends or to cook something really decadent (full of cream and cheese) or to have a really yummy piece of dessert.

It also keeps me from doing something like having a burger and fries and then going across the street to get a Cold Stone ice cream! :) Since it's just one meal, once I leave the burger place, I'm done with my no-counting.

I hope it works for you. I've found that it's a GREAT tool for me to manage my cravings and not feel deprived! :)

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WOW, it looks like you have already received tons and tons of good advice on this subject! I'll just throw in my $0.02... This is one of my favorite topics so I'm sure I'll talk way too much LOL.

I'm one who doesn't really believe in "cheat" days. I'm not exactly an all-or-nothing person, but when I decided that I really wanted to lose weight, I pretty much gave up all junk cold turkey. I know that any kind of indulgence is going to deter my progress, and I have seen the results of changing my eating habits, so I guess that's just enough to keep me from wanting it. Of course, that is not at ALL to say that I haven't had anything unhealthy since July 18th (ha! I wish!), BUT there have been some definite changes in how often I eat certain things, and the kind of things I'm willing to indulge in. For example, there are tons of things that haven't had since I've started my weight loss (soda, cake, fast food, pizza, etc)--things that generally taste good and that I like well enough, but I'm able to avoid them because I know they're not my "favorite" things. But like everyone else, there are few certain things that I could never, ever give up *for life*, such as french fries, or peanutbutter&chocolate things. The attitude that has really made a difference for me is that when I'm tempted to eat something junky on an impulse, I make myself reeeeally think about what I'm craving, and what will BEST satisfy that craving. For example if I want something sweet and there's a plate cookies nearby, instead of wanting the cookies I think, "If I were going to indulge right now, what would I REALLY want?" And then I realize that I don't really want these crappy, not-my-favorite-kind cookies; I really want a peanut butter cup. I guess it's just a matter of making all of my little treats really count, so I'm not just eating whatever's at hand... I know what my favorites are, so if they're not available I can't really justify the indulgence. And I don't usually keep my favorite things around (or they're really specific, so I can't keep them around anyways) so indulgences naturally just don't happen very frequently. ;)

In the event that I decide that I do want something in particular, I'll plan for it and make myself wait for it, so I can really anticipate it and get the greatest amount of enjoyment from it possible. And make sure that I re-e-e-e-eally savor it when I actually do have it, LOL. For example, I've been hoarding a couple chocolate/peanut butter truffles (OMG MY FAVORITE) for almost ~2 weeks, waiting for the perfect opportunity to have them! And also, I have been craving Giordano's stuffed pizza for the. longest. time. (yep, I go to school in Chicago, hehe), but I've been holding off to make sure that it's something I really want (because every slice is like 600 calories, eeeek!!). If I still want it in a couple weeks or so, I'll probably have some. This is a HUGE change from last year when I'd order a small pizza (and a six-pack of Sprite!) for myself every other week... Wow, that's really embarrassing to admit! :o But yes, I think you just have to train yourself to want to make your treats really count--make sure that if you have a really, serious, doesn't-go-away-for-weeks craving, it gets fulfilled, or you'll go crazy! But if you have one of those "I-just-saw-a-bag-of-chips-so-now-I-need-chips" cravings, you have to resist. Hope that makes sense!

What I have found - if I indulge in something I eat rarely, like say...cake with frosting. I immediately want MORE cake and frosting. I try to keep that in mind when presented with a wedge of birthday cake. It might taste good, but how will I feel after? Sometimes, those kinds of thoughts can help me. Sometimes, I just eat the cake!
I have absolutely experienced this, as well! The last time I had a really bad binge was on my 19th birthday, August 5th. I decided because it was my birthday that I could eat anything I wanted... (*palm slapping forehead*) I probably had 3000-4000 calories just in one day, ugh. But I definitely noticed that prior to that day, many of my cravings had begun to subside--it had been a while since I'd eaten anything really unhealthy, so I didn't think about it much anymore. BUT, I noticed that after that one day of unhealthy eating, I suddenly felt all the cravings return, 10x stronger than before! I think it's because the memory of it is still fresh in the days after you eat it, so you can imagine it better and that just makes you want it more... Just my opinion. Yet another reason to avoid junk, because most of the time it's not worth it to put yourself back at square one with weakening those cravings all over again! Lol.

For example, there are tons of things that haven't had since I've started my weight loss (soda, cake, fast food, pizza, etc)--things that generally taste good and that I like well enough, but I'm able to avoid them because I know they're not my "favorite" things. But like everyone else, there are few certain things that I could never, ever give up *for life*, such as french fries, or peanutbutter&chocolate things.Oooh ... I think this is a really good point.

There are so many times that you hear/read people saying "I could never give up *all* my favorite things." And then they list of dozens of things that they eat out of habit instead of because they really LOVE them.

I chose to count calories because I don't like being told I can't have something. But truth is that there are many, many, many things I haven't eaten (and really haven't missed) since starting to eat more healthily. No one ever told me I *had* to give up Wendy's spicy chicken sandwiches, but I don't think I've had one in nearly 2 years now. No one told me I couldn't ever have another McDonald's bacon egg and cheese biscuit, but it's been over 18 months since I ordered one. No one ever said I could never eat pizza again - but it's been nearly 2 years since I ate Pizza Hut or Papa Johns or any store bought pizza.

But if you had asked me 2 years ago, I'd have told you I couldn't give up those things because they were "my favorites".

OTOH, I have a hamburger almost every week - either a homemade one or a splurge one from 5 Guys. I have pizza - just homemade pizza with wheat crust and piled high with veggies. I had cheesecake at the Cheesecake factory just a few weeks ago as part of an outing with some folks in my office.

So I think a lot of people have this knee-jerk reaction to giving up things and immediately everything they eat becomes "my favorite". And really once you get started, you begin to realize that everything *isn't* your favorite - there are things that you REALLY enjoy and won't ever give up and then there are things that you ate out of habit and thought you couldn't give up, but don't miss at all.

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that is so true! i use to think i could never give up red meat, yet i dont miss it at all. I dont crave it. I think i could go the rest of my life without eating a steak or a hotdog, but I could never totally give up garlic bread, or mint chocolate chip ice cream :) I guess thats a good way to think of it. Just because i use to eat it, and I use to think it was one of my favs, doesn't mean it actually was my favorite food. I just have to hold out for the things that are most important to me and not waste time and calories on the other stuff

This thread helped me more than I can possibly express. I think I just figured out some really important *stuff* that was keeping me from making progress and all the things that you guys said on this thread made me remember how I lost this weight in the first place. And that my attitude over the last few months has TOTALLY been one of "I cant give it up forever" and "but it's my favorite and I went without it for 8 months and now I WANT IT".... it being about 100 different foods that I don't even really care about. I think I just turned a corner.

Thank you so, so, so much you guys, truly.

I can only echo much of what has been said. "Treat" not "cheat" in particular. I am not counting calories, but using "mindful eating" and it is working for me. I planfully will have "special" meals based on what is happening in my life. (Not eating for depression or stress, but a weekend in New York, a special occasion etc.)

What I've seen change and have started to make more conscious, is some control even at those special meals. I love bread, and left alone at a wonderful restaurant I can easily keep letting them refill my bread plate again...and again....and again. Now I'm still having those special meals, but I am consciously deciding ahead of time that I will only have one piece of bread. Over time, and very slowly, I've started to slim down my special meals. I don't like the quantity as much any more.

Because of this I don't think I've ended up feeling deprived at all. I also find it helps me balance my eating during the day, and before and after the way that "normal weight" folks seem to.

This is a great thread - I found it after reading Lyn's blog - which rocks and you should all go read it! :)

I've been trying to figure out where I fit - so far I don't cheat but I don't treat really either. My only "rule" is to stay under my calorie allotment for the day. I am consciously trying to eat more whole foods but I think if I really wanted to blow the day's calories on two big macs and Blizzard from DQ I'd do it.

For me the thought that I'll "waste" all my calories in one shot sort of keeps me on the straight and narrow. So now if I want a Big Mac I'll go get one (I haven't yet come to think of it) but for such little bulk it puts such a huge dent in my calories that it no longer seems worth it.

If I did do a "cheat" day - it would not be pretty and I'm pretty sure I would not lose any weight or even mantain. This is because if I wanted to I could probably eat 4 Big Macs (I really love those things, lol) 4 orders of fries, an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut or Dominos, a couple orders of chicken wings dipped in blue cheese dressing, and chocolate cake for dessert in one day. I'm not kidding.

The cool thing is thinking of that a month ago might have actually sounded tempting but I just got a little nautious (sp?) thinking about it.

If I did do a "cheat" day - it would not be pretty and I'm pretty sure I would not lose any weight or even mantain. This is because if I wanted to I could probably eat 4 Big Macs (I really love those things, lol) 4 orders of fries, an entire large pizza from Pizza Hut or Dominos, a couple orders of chicken wings dipped in blue cheese dressing, and chocolate cake for dessert in one day. I'm not kidding.

The cool thing is thinking of that a month ago might have actually sounded tempting but I just got a little nautious (sp?) thinking about it.
That last sentence is so key! :)

One day several months ago I had a REALLY really really really bad week and I woke up on Saturday and said f-it ... I'm gonna eat junk today because I feel bad and I want to.

First thing I did was go to Sonic and order what I used to order. And not only couldn't I eat all of it, I felt sick after eating less than 1/4 of it.

I'll bet you couldn't eat all those things again ... even if you wanted to and set out to. I'll bet that at this point your body would rebel and you'd wind up throwing it away. And by mid-day you'd be craving veggies and lots of water to flush out your system. :)

It's amazing how quickly our bodies begin to reject the old junky stuff.

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I'm noticing that with sugar. I honestly never understood the phrase "Oh my that is too rich."

I would think, "too rich, wtf is that?"

The other day at school there was some candy in the lounge - everyone was talking about how good it was. It was really fancy - obviously from some specialty place.

I cut off a very small piece and "charged" myself 1/2 a normal candy bar in calories, it was actually probably less than that, it was about the size of one of the little hersey's chocolate rectangles.

Anyhow I almost couldn't eat the whole thing. It tasted wonderful (creamy chocolaty, hazelnutty goodness) but it was SO sweet and fatty. And for the first time in my life I said to a classmate "damn that's rich!" And I was honestly satisfied with my little taste. There was still a fairly large piece of it left when I went home that day and 2 months ago I would have polished it off for sure so it "didn't go to waste."

I'm noticing that with sugar. I honestly never understood the phrase "Oh my that is too rich."

I would think, "too rich, wtf is that?" Hahah! I know ... I so know!

I went to the Cheesecake factory the other day with a group of people and decided ahead of time that I'd split a piece of cheesecake with someone. I even allowed in my daily limit the calories for that 1/2 piece. But I could only eat maybe 1/4 of it .. if that. And I remember thinking the same thing - I have never said "wow that's too rich for me" in my life!!!

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I'm noticing that with sugar. I honestly never understood the phrase "Oh my that is too rich."

I would think, "too rich, wtf is that?"

:rofl: Oh, I always wanted to say that, but was always too embarrassed that other people thought things were so very rich, and I just wanted more.

Anyhow I almost couldn't eat the whole thing. It tasted wonderful (creamy chocolaty, hazelnutty goodness) but it was SO sweet and fatty. And for the first time in my life I said to a classmate "damn that's rich!"

My sister had pink For the Cure peanut M&Ms. So I took a small handful. I really enjoyed about the first 3 or 4. But the last few ... just tasted like a spoon of sugar. I was done. No struggling not to eat more. Wow, that was nice. Of course, several hours later I was willing to have a few more ;).

Mine is with fatty things. Tonight we made really healthful personal pizza's on whole wheat english muffins. Tons of veggies, bit of cheese and I put two slices of REALLY good quality deli salami (genoa and dry pepper) on each of their pizza's and just one slice of genoa on each of my two. It was too fatty. Thinking about it actually makes me queasy. So I took it off.

Rodeogirl~

we are totally kindred spirits. I would have eaten all that stuff you listed too. Unfortunately it didn't make me nauseous reading it. But I can eat it in my dreams tonight if I want to (that's the only way I survive cravings some days!)

And I agree, I never have thought anything was too sweet or too rich. Ever. I hope I do someday.

Thanks for the compliment on my blog :)

Lyn: your welcome thanks for writing such a well written honest blog. :)

This is the first time I've ever been turned off by thinking about large quantities of those favorite meaty, cheesy, greasy foods of yore. I've been trying to figure out what's different and I think it's partly due to a bit of an attitude shift, partly because I've learned to make foods I really love that have a reasonable amount of calories, and partly because I've cut out a lot of processed foods and am cooking more veggies and leaner meats like chicken breast.

I am pretty sure that if I spent all of daily calories on McD's two things would happen. First I would really struggle to stay under my calorie budget and second I would start really craving those foods more.

I'm with you Lyn, i could still eat all that. :hun:

It's like after i eat healthy for a long time, i get to where some things are too sweet or too greasy, but honestly i could still eat it and it leads me right back to not thinking twice about eating them.