Does anyone else have a cheat meal one night a week?
Cheat meal means eat ANYTHING YOU WANT (which really doesn't end up being as much as you think because your stomach is used to smaller portions)
Todd and I were doing that a while ago when I was feeling healthy enough for it (about a month ago). We're going for pizza and wings tonight.
I'll probably get full after a couple of wings and a slice of pizza.
This didn't seem to cause any problems before I ended up ill. Now that I'm back on track and down to 234 lbs (and feeing HEALTHIER), we're gonna try it tonight. Then follow up with a 3 km hike at a local park.
If I didn't have this "cheat meal" one night a week, I'd probably go bonkers. lol
Last edited by tamaralynn; 11-09-2007 at 04:01 PM.
My cheat meal is a religion. I truly believe it jumpstarts my metabolism. I savor every bite and plan for it all week long. But I only allow myself to have it if I have earned it and stayed on plan.
I dont have a cheat meal, but I do allow myself once a week , sometimes every other week, something like extra calories, or dark chocolate( tonight it was extra calories).. It helps alot. cheryl
I don't have a cheat meal but Fridays are when I tend to eat something that isn't really healthy. I agree with KATMEOW that it seems to help me lose weight. I'm doing Weight Watchers Core plan and using my weekly points in one meal is more managable to me then spreading them out.
The only problem for me is that my cheat meal ends up spanning a few days. Not sure if I am quite ready for "cheat meals" yet. I seem to lack discipline >_<
I can always choose to eat whatever I like, whenever I like! I simply have to accept the consequences. It may mean that my weight loss stalls. It may mean that I gain weight. But it's all my choice, and if anyone gets "cheated," it's me.
Some folks eat on plan all week long and then eat more on the weekends. There is a term for this, it's "maintenance."
I'm committed to losing weight and keeping it off, so when food "opportunities" arise--and they do, all the time--I think carefully about what I'm choosing. I try to plan ahead.
For example, tonight I had Thai food. I ate 1/2 cup of the rice and left much of the yummy coconut milk sauce. I did not take home leftovers. Up until dinner, I had had 630 cals for the day--because I knew I'd be eating Thai food. Dinner came up to around 500 cals. So... I'm OK, and I ate what I wanted.
I wouldnt say I have a "cheat meal".... Mon-sat I do really good and dont go over 1500 for calories. And on sunday I do really good all day and sunday night I can have one "bad thing".... ben and jerry's, something for dinner (pizza, hot dogs and mac and cheese, etc), maybe candy. But I dont go over 2000 calories for the day. It seems to work for me. It helps to know that if I want something during the week I know that if I just hold out I can have it on sunday. But I dont go crazy and eat like 10 hot dogs and a box of mac and cheese I have one protion and that is it.....
When I was on the losing portion of my journey, "cheat" meals just didn't work for me. I was on such a roll, I figured why fix what ain't broken. In the past I always found it so difficult to get back on the wagon after falling off and did my utter best to avoid it. I really found consistiency to be a major success factor for me this time.
I figured I had had more then enough cheat meals/days/weeks/months/years to last me for a very long time. I knew that eventually, there would be a time and a place to add in a few splurges. But certainly not every week. I knew, for me, I could not make much headway if I allowed myself to do that.
I get to "cheat" 10% of the time. But with my plan a cheat also constitues not eating when I'm supposed to (one of my challenges). It works out to about 5 "cheats" a week. So far this week I have had 3 that were due to not eating when I should've & 1 from last night (pizza). I am keeping my last one for tomorrow night when I plan to have a piece of cake.
I usually eat out once a week as my cheat meal, but I dont throw caution to the wind or anything. I'll have part of an appie but my meal is still low fat/veggie packed.
I dont thinK I could be part of my family without allowing myself to eat out with them once in awhile and just eating at a restaurant is like cheating for me right now.
Like Robin, I feel like I have had enough cheat meals to last a lifetime. I had a cheat decade. So I don't plan to eat junk anymore.
However, if there is a special occasion like a birthday, or maybe a dinner out, or even if we order in pizza on occasion, I have what I like.. I try to make better choices and watch the portions but I enjoy what I am having. Like tonight, we are having Prime Rib. I don't see it as a "cheat" though, it is just life and I will have one slice and some potatoes and veggies, and get on with it. I do have a food obsession, though, so maybe thats why I dont do cheat days. They would rule my thoughts and my life.
Cheat meal?
