Hey, at least I haven't seen anyone slam lo-carb in a while

To the OP - I hate calling something a cheat, if a conscious, accountable, moderate choice was made in the consumption - so how do YOU feel about your eating? Do you feel sick, guilty, or weak? Or do you enjoy the occasional free meal? It's up to you, no one method is wrong if it works for you and doesn't jeopardize your health.

My approach is very mild, so cheating is nearly impossible. I just added in calorie counting as an additonal tool, but basically I track hunger and satiety signals, journal my food, eat mostly fruits and veggies for lunch and dinner and beyond that, have satisfying quantities of foods I want to eat.

It's meant to be a slow, steady approach to loss and works well for me - I eat mostly healthy each meal, and have limited, normal quantities of the things I like more after having filled up on the good stuff. I do eat cheese and yogurt, and most evenings have enough calories left for a few tablespoons of semisweet chocolate chips for dessert. It isn't cheating - I enjoy them and plan them into my food, measuring out a serving and leaving it at that.

As some ladies have mentioned, I have had to cut some foods out completely, as they triggered me to repeated, uncontrollable binges (sugary cereals
are a big one) and I simply couldn't have them in the house and stay on my
plan. Those foods, I'm better off not having even in moderation. But the occasional dessert or restaurant meal is perfectly within my plan. It's not my core eating, but not a cheat, either.

This works for me, as there will never be a change to my eating - no maintenance mode, it is safe even during my pregnancies, gives me optimal health and still a general enjoyment of my food


But as with ALL things on these boards, your mileage may vary. Do what works for you and makes you physically healthy and emotionally content. Don't be afraid to tweak and experiment. And try not to frame your loss or food choices in a negative way - as that sort of thinking can subconsciously sabotage you. Good luck!

Lori Bell, I think Mainah meant "thread" not "post."

Jay

I did not have as a restrictive program when I was in weight loss mode so I was looking for moderation on a more day-to-day basis vs. 'saving up' for one day. I think moderation is the holy grail for most folks. It's really hard to figure out how much is moderation and how often is moderation and all of that stuff. I have had some success with putting off 'cravings' (goes something like "If I still want it on Saturday, I'll have it) so I can see where your strategy would work well in those circumstances. I think it is working for you and that's all that really matters right now. It might become something that is too much on one day and makes you feel crummy where having some smaller bits of indulgence throughout the month will be more satisfying. I think also there is a lot to be said for tastes changing and only time will tell for you. I didn't have huge changes like that but I definitely am satisfied with less of most indulgences and I definitely don't have as many foods that I just pine away for. I still enjoy them but I don't have constant angst about them.

To me your question sort of begs the question do you think you want/need a day of reckless abandon or are you trying to concentrate all the indulgences on one day so you don't have to have the debate the other days of the month or some other reasoning I am missing?

FWIW, I would also ditch the word 'cheat'. I like the word indulgence...it keeps me in the mind set that it is special and something that shouldn't be unlimited in scope without all the negative vibes that comes from the word cheat.

Peg

I just want to clarify here. Yes, without a doubt the no "cheat"/no sugar/no junk food/no fast food way has been PROVEN. But I wasn't saying that any other way has NOT been proven.

As far as tough love. This IS the internet. I don't believe a long standing relationship will ever come about here. When people pose a question, they must expect that they will get answered and not always in a way that they expected. I do believe tough love is a gift to give to someone. I only wish someone would have been brutally honest with me. I wish someone, anyone, would have told me, "quit making excuses" "the program works if you work the program" "that this is within my control, circumstances mean nothing." And on and on. How I wish someone would have told me. Not 100% sure if I would have heeded the advice, but damn, I wish someone would have taken that road with me, ESPECIALLY if I came to a weight loss support site (which I didn't till this last time). If I come, I'm not looking for coddling. I'm looking for answers and solutions and help.

But since we are all different, I guess different people are looking for different things. And sometimes they'll get what they're looking for - and sometimes they won't. Sometimes they'll get something even better then they ever could have hoped for.

I've read some programs that encourage a 'cheat' day or a 'cheat' meal and I figure if it works for you then go for it. I would hate to call it a cheat though. Basically it is designed so that you eat restrictive during the week and then plan on a higher calorie/day meal and not one where you go crazy.

For me, I've had success with allowing a higher calorie meal during the week but planning for it. Conversely, I've had periods of time where I was eating absolutely perfect and did not lose a thing.

Weight loss can be a bit of trial and error and so can weight loss maintenance. I've gladly given up a lot of foods and I don't feel deprived but I can still eat way too much of whatever healthy foods I do eat.

I do this same exact thing. I have one "cheat day" per week and have still lost 2-3 lbs per week. Different things work for different people and if it works and I get to "cheat" every once in a while...even better!

Nope, I never cheat.



See, if I say I am not allowed something, I will want it 7032470937409 times more. I believe this rebellious tendency goes back to my childhood. I've always hated following rules, so why would I place any on myself? I am allowed anything I want, as long as it is part of my calorie count for the day. Ice cream? Cookies? Crackers? Sure, if I really want it...

Here's what keeps me eating clean most of the time:
Clean, nutrient-rich food makes me feel SO much better than processed junk. I hate feeling sluggish. A balanced, healthy lifestyle keeps me from frequently getting sick. Besides the health benefits, I can eat more FOOD if I am not indulging in so-called treats... and I LOVE to EAT. A Blizzard from Dairy Queen has around 600 calories in a small -- that's two small meals for me. I'd rather eat those meals, dangit!

Now, if I DO eat more calories than I burned on a given day, I don't beat myself up over it, I don't decide to furiously work out for hours to burn off the excess, nor do I try to make up for it the next day. I have done all that in the past, but it only leads to feelings of despair and failure. We all are cursed with a common condition called being human. We're beings, not machines, and no one is perfect.

There ARE a few foods I just can't have in my house because I KNOW I will eat them until they are gone, so I just don't buy them. If I want them, I will get a single-sized portion (small box/bag/whatever) and be done.

This is the approach I'm working on for myself. At the start of this latest weight-loss plan, I had myself convinced that I require a "cheat" day where I didn't have to count calories and I could get whatever my heart desired. I thought this way because I am a food addict (as well as a recovering drug, alcohol, and nicotine addict), and deluding myself to the facts is something I do very well.

I've came to understand over the last month that I was allowing myself to be led by my addiction to food, and not by what I know to be true...for me. As I said in my other post, I went out last night and had wings and beer. I don't plan on depriving myself, but I do plan on counting the calories. I ate just over 2000 calories last night compared to my normal 1500. It was OK, I was down this morning and did an increase at the gym this morning. It's all in the planning and holding myself accountable for my actions that matters.

As for the topic going on here about those that practice "tough love" and who did their plan without the "cheating" I applaud you all It your mentality that I'm striving so hard to achieve for myself.

Last night at TOPS our leader went on and on about having to lose weight and exercise using moderation. This is a lovely woman who has a huge amount of weight to lose and who has been a member of TOPS for 16 years. She doesn't need moderation, she needs commitment.

Ok. Here is MY point of view and what works for ME.
I do have a cheat day (crappy food day, delicious food day, indulge day or whatever day, who cares how it is called). Currently it is every Saturday. It is working beautifully for me.
That was the only way I found to keep me sane and make me to stick to my own program. If I tell myself I won’t be able to have ice cream or whatever, I’ll go crazy and all I’ll think about will be the damn ice cream.
So, whenever I crave something during the week, I am able to turn my head away because I tell myself: you don’t need it right now, I can have it on Saturday (and sometimes it not even happens, but just to think I can have it if I want give me peace).
Will I always eat this way??? I don’t know... I am now close to my goal and once I get there I’ll have to rethink about my plan, because I won’t need to lose anymore, but maintain.
For me that was the best way I found to reach my goal. I wish I could do like some people here had said. They just cut all the junk food for good and just don’t worry about it anymore.
Good for them! I am proud of them, but that would drive me insane and I think would make me go back to my bad old days of eating everything.
It took me a lot of reading and learning to find out the right way of eating to lose weight for ME. At the end of the day, I’ll be the one who will step on the scale and will have to deal with the # I get there.
So my point is: To "cheat" has been working for me and that is the way it will be until I reach my goal.
If it (moderation, cheat days, cut/junk, low carb, whatever plan you have...) works for you and is bringing you to the results you want just keep doing it. Why change?? it works! Stick to it and good luck in your journey.

I don't have a set cheat meal or day. I don't ever have a day where I DON'T count the calories. But I do allow myself to have something I really really really want and work it into my calories.

My vice? Movie popcorn and ice cream on vacation. Now I go to the movies once every 3-4 months. Last night we went. I budgeted 650 calories for a small popcorn with butter. It was DIVINE. I won't lie. But I worked it into my calories. On vacation I had ice cream nearly every night. I made sure they were Skinny Cow varieties and worked it into my calories.

Now I don't often make those choices as I find they do pack on sodium weight and I HATE THAT. BUT you CAN have your cake, eat it too (IF it does not trigger cravings and binges... which ice cream DOES for me) and not count it as a cheat as long as you work it in!

That's my two cents

Belezura, I had a bmi of 56. That put me in the super morbidly obese category. Super morbidly obese. Super chance of death. That *most likely* means that my overeating was a tad more out of hand then those with lower body weights. And therefore I believe different tactics/strategies/methods are needed to achieve successful long term weight loss. Not only that - but my very life was on the line. It was critical. Every day I had the extra weight on was giving my body an extra day to turn on me. Cheats for *this* super morbidly obese person was no longer an option. The only cheat I was looking for - was cheating death.

There is never, ever, ever going to be one or two or ten ways to do this. Every one's plan has to be as individual as they are.

i think if your plan is working and you're losing, dont worry about what other people say. we are all different. ive avoided sugary sweets and ice cream for many months, but hey the idea of eating an entire cheesecake still sounds great to me! some people quit smoking and eventually get to a point where they hate smoke and cigarettes, other people have to fight off the temptation for the rest of their lives (though it does get easier of course), do what works for you!

Hence, why it's not called a binge day...