Oh, im not planning on a scheduled "cheat" meal, but i had heard of this phenomenon and was wondering if anyone actually did it. im doing 1200 calories a day and doing well so far, and don't want to mess that up
I let myself have a meal or 2 a week that the "old" me would have. The benefit is I'm not missing what I used to do before. It has been great to know a dinner out isn't going to ruin my diet. Anyone who acts like they're never going to eat anything bad again is really setting themselves up to be a yo-yo dieter and not able to live in the real world of eating. Food is too good not to enjoy just in moderation. Go 300 calories over once in a while and enjoy it! :-)
I let myself have a meal or 2 a week that the "old" me would have. The benefit is I'm not missing what I used to do before. It has been great to know a dinner out isn't going to ruin my diet. Anyone who acts like they're never going to eat anything bad again is really setting themselves up to be a yo-yo dieter and not able to live in the real world of eating. Food is too good not to enjoy just in moderation. Go 300 calories over once in a while and enjoy it! :-)
If you are still eating the way you used to on a weekly basis, then you still are the "old" you.
You do what you want to do, but please don't tell others they will be diet failures if they don't do it your way. Wow, that is just wrong. We are all different.
On Friday nights, we have a "favorite fun meal" -- but it must fit into my plan, i.e. a hamburger (made at home) with a salad; or a slice of pizza with a salad; or baked fish & chips -- that kind of thing. I have found or created healthier home-cooked versions to fit them into my plan. Occasionally, we may pick up a lunch meal, but then eat a very light dinner (i.e. soup or salad for me); and this would be a maintenance day (once a month?).
But NO, not a "cheat" or all out binge of junkies or such; that would sabotage my plan for sure. Like chips or nachos -- I would eat them all. My closest snack like that are 100 calorie packs of popcorn, but again -- they fit into my calorie-portion plan!
If you are still eating the way you used to on a weekly basis, then you still are the "old" you.
You do what you want to do, but please don't tell others they will be diet failures if they don't do it your way. Wow, that is just wrong. We are all different.
Thank you for saying what I wanted to say.
It wasn't until I learned that letting go of my old way of eating wasn't deprivation, but being KIND to my body, I was never successful.
There is NOTHING unhealthy about being a person who has no desire or room in their plan to eat food that is not nourishing. <3
There is NOTHING unhealthy about being a person who has no desire or room in their plan to eat food that is not nourishing. <3
Absolutely! And there is nothing unhealthy about the occasional indulgence either. If one eats healthy at every meal except one per week, judging by a 3 meal per day plus 2 snacks (or 5 mini-meals or whatever) -- they are eating one "unhealthy" meal or food, and 34 healthy meals snacks. That means they are eating 98% clean.
I see judgment coming from the nothing-unhealthy-shall-pass-my-lips-ever camp as well. People also disagree on what is healthy. I find a low-fat diet unhealthy and got to over 300lbs eating "low fat", for example. Others may feel low-fat is the only way to go.
Let's just agree to disagree. The poster asked for opinions, and eveyone is entitled to theirs. Everyone needs to do what works for them, it is all very individual
Last edited by 35X35; 02-18-2012 at 04:39 PM.
Reason: To clarify
Just wanted to add that all of my friends who start out planning a "cheat meal" have always ended up gaining the weight back. Obviously not scientific proof, but this time I vowed not to feel quilty for sticking 100% to plan, and it has been miraculous for me. It is possible not to eat horrible again. And, yes, you can still go over 300 calories! LOL Just plan for it. And if you do want to indulge in something you just couldn't live the rest of your life without (ice cream, for me) then why can't it be in a portion size that is reasonable? "Cheating" to me, sends me the vibe of being totally out of conrtol for a meal or day, which for most people will eventually spiral inot them eating that way all the time, yo yo.
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Lori Bell
If you are still eating the way you used to on a weekly basis, then you still are the "old" you.
You do what you want to do, but please don't tell others they will be diet failures if they don't do it your way. Wow, that is just wrong. We are all different.
It's interesting how different people can read the same post and get different things out of it. I read that response and didn't see the commenter telling anyone that they would be "diet failures if they don't do it [her] way."
I mean, hey, one could say that it's wrong of *you* to say that the commenter is still the "old her" if she chooses to, once in a while, eat something that she used to eat on a regular basis, but no longer does. That's how that person chooses to do this; it's not inherently wrong or right, but just an individual choice, you know? Maybe the comment could have been worded differently (although I honestly don't think the commenter ever used the phrase "diet failure"), but it's still the person's opinion.
You do make a good point; we are all different. We all have our own different ways of doing things in our own struggles to lose weight, and when it comes right down to it, it's no one's business but ours what we eat or do not.
I don't know. I guess maybe I'm too much into the "MYOB" philosophy? I think it might come from living in a small town where everyone *wants* to know everyone else's business! *L*
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Quote:
Originally Posted by 35X35
Absolutely! And there is nothing unhealthy about the occasional indulgence either.
Exactly!
Quote:
I see judgment coming from the nothing-unhealthy-shall-pass-my-lips-ever camp as well. People also disagree on what is healthy. I find a low-fat diet unhealthy and got to over 300lbs eating "low fat", for example. Others may feel low-fat is the only way to go.
There are times when I wish 3FC had a "like" button. This is one of them. *L* If I had a dollar for every time I met with judgment from people who blare about "OH MY GOD HOW CAN YOU EAT THAT, I THOUGHT YOU WERE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT, THAT'S NOT WHAT YOU EAT IF YOU'RE TRYING TO LOSE WEIGHT!!!!!", well, let's just say I'd be able to afford to replace my entire wardrobe. Twice. I'm sick of the idea that you can never eat anything "bad" ever again; that in order to lose weight, and keep it off, you HAVE to give up everything you love to eat. That's.....not true for everyone. I have no doubt it may be true for some, but we're all different. We're all individuals. And there's no need to judge anyone for anything. As far as I'm concerned, as long as someone is not endangering their health, then it's nobody else's business what they eat. Some people can lose weight while incorporating ALL of their favourite foods; some people have to give up SOME of their favourite things; and others might have to give them all up. The point is, it's everyone's individual life and everyone's individual choice.
....Can you tell this is kind of a pet peeve of mine? It's *always* pissed me off to have others judge what I eat, or to judge what others eat.
Quote:
Let's just agree to disagree. The poster asked for opinions, and eveyone is entitled to theirs. Everyone needs to do what works for them, it is all very individual
I never said "NONE OF YOU CAN EAT JUNK EVER AGAIN OR YOU'LL BE FAT!"
*I* Me, personally, need to be VERY conscience of the types of food I decide to put into my body. It cannot be discounted that the same may be true for a lot of people on this board. It's worth noting and may be the missing piece for someone who is struggling.
I'm seeing a lot of the if you don't let loose now and again you're dooming yourself to yo yo forever, attitude, here too.
Neither side is right 100% of the time, for everyone...
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Quote:
Originally Posted by ValRock
I never said "NONE OF YOU CAN EAT JUNK EVER AGAIN OR YOU'LL BE FAT!"
*I* Me, personally, need to be VERY conscience of the types of food I decide to put into my body. It cannot be discounted that the same may be true for a lot of people on this board. It's worth noting and may be the missing piece for someone who is struggling.
I'm seeing a lot of the if you don't let loose now and again you're dooming yourself to yo yo forever, attitude, here too.
Neither side is right 100% of the time, for everyone...
What's that old saying? "There's your side, my side, and the truth"? Something like that, anyway.
I think that if what someone is doing works for them, then more power to 'em. I envy people who can totally give up the things that may have caused them to fall into weight-gaining behaviours; I relate to the people who, like me, choose not to give *anything* up, but just change our eating habits to allow us to enjoy all our favourite foods, simply because we know that depriving ourselves is what will lead us to binges. (I mean, I know if I said to myself, "I'm never eating chocolate again!", I'd personally be setting myself up for failure because I know that, for me, is not in any way, shape or form something I can maintain.)
Opinions are great things, but they should never be presented as absolute fact, especially when it comes to other people, right?
<<Everyone needs to do what works for them, it is all very individual >>
That's for sure. Eating 100% healthy or 100% on plan would NOT work for me. A few times a year, I and my family go out to our favourite all-you-can-eat sushi place, where I usually consume more than 3,000 calories. I did this last year while losing 50 pounds and plan to continue as it's an experience we all enjoy. And there is absolutely NO food that is off-limits to me. Putting boundaries on what I can and can't eat would backfire bigtime for me. I do realize everyone is different.
<<...that in order to lose weight, and keep it off, you HAVE to give up everything you love to eat.>>
If this were required for me to maintain a healthy weight, I would very deliberately choose to stay 50 pounds overweight instead. Fortunately it's not required. On the contrary, my weight-loss and maintenance philosophy has been to eat ONLY foods I love. Fortunately there are lots of healthy foods I love, but I have no qualms eating something considered unhealthy once in a while.
Freelance
Last edited by freelancemomma; 02-18-2012 at 10:06 PM.
As I look at the responses and the weight tickers, it looks to me like both the 100% stick-to-plan group and the occasionally indulge group are finding success...so I guess it's truly a matter of what works best for you.
In previous dieting attempts, I started out ok with a weekly Sunday meal where I let myself off the hook a bit, but compensated by eating very little the rest of the day. But I started to get out of control by having the off-the-hook days become all-day romps where I gorged myself.
This time, I will let myself have one day every 4-8 weeks where I eat a food I dont normally have, but stay within a reasonable calorie range (1800-2000 vs my normal 1200). It has worked well so far, but if it drifts back to what I used to do, I will knock it off immediately.
If you are still eating the way you used to on a weekly basis, then you still are the "old" you. 
I think it might come from living in a small town where everyone *wants* to know everyone else's business! *L*
