cjohnson728

I think there are really two kinds of people...those who can't cheat even a little or they will go off the rails, and those who need the cheat and build it into their daily calories and exercise. The trick is to figure out which one you are and go with that.

With Mike above, he says he needed it. I agree that your body will tell you what you need (maybe not to the extreme, but...). There have been two nights this week I have been ravenous and eating very atypically...but I look back at the activities on those days and the lower calories on the days before and it makes sense. I think it's important to remember not to beat yourself up if you have an intentional or unintentional cheat day, but equally important to make good choices when it's over.

avic77

I have days i get ravenous as well. Maybe i need to evaluate my calories prior to those days and alot a little more each day so as not to have a Bang out day.

I had at first said NO dessert. But we always have dessert. Hubby has Icecream just before bed and I hate sitting there wanting some as well. So i bought Fruit Ice bars. 1 frozen treat is 55 cals and very flavorful. i get a dessert and its healthy

montanacricket

I can't look at it or even refer to it as "cheating". In my own situation, the minute i start considering "cheating", I feel like I'm going to go off the plan.

That said, I do have days where I eat differently for whatever reason. Whether it's because we're visiting someone, I'm just really hungry or whatever, I don't consider it cheating so much as living. Living is--life happens. If I know it's coming, I plan it into my day/week. If I don't know, then I look at it as just a life event and clear the slate for the next day.

I know for myself that I cannot deny myself any type of food ever because I will then start to crave it. And if craved long enough will binge on it, and then will feel like a failure and may quit my lifestyle change. If I can eat one bite of a piece of cheesecake great. If I eat the whole piece okay. But if I deny myself the bite or piece, I may just slip and eat the whole thing!

So far it's working for me. 7 and 1/2 weeks into this and I've lost 15+ at this point with 105 or 125 to go.

Javanista81

The whole idea of "cheating" on the weekends used to work for me. It made it easier to make better choices throughout the week when I knew I could have the "bad" stuff soon enough.

However, now I'm finding that that attitude actually sabotages all of my week-long efforts. It's not that I don't try at all on the weekends, I just find it harder to stop after having foods that I really want. Come Monday, I feel like a huge (pun not intended) failure.

Sometimes I feel stuck between a rock and a hard place: It's a pain having to count calories and plan meals and strictly control portions, but I LOVE the results! And I feel better. On the other hand, I love eating the food I want and ignoring the food log for a day or two, but then I feel worse physically and emotionally.

One of these days I'll get the hang of all this!

wannabefitgrl

I had a question about cheat days and some of the posts have indicated answers. The question is: do you factor in the extra calories for your cheat days or just eat whatever you want and don't worry about it?

On weekends, I often try to budget for cheats by eating lighter calorie snacks so I can stay within my calorie allotment for the day, or at leat not go way over. Just wondering what everyone else does.

cjohnson728

wannabefitgirl, I do factor in the calories, but do so over a span of a few days, not just that day. I try to compensate with a combination of exercise and lower cals over 2-3 days before/after (depending on how big of a cheat or slip it was ).

adamcaa

I would be asking myself why I have to try and control my eating. Sometimes its more productive to realize when you're eating for reasons other than being hungry, and then address what is a more healthy habit to engage in.

cjohnson728

I think that compensating and balancing and "everything in moderation" are very different from "trying to control" eating. When I choose to eat something that's not the best choice, I do it knowingly and without guilt, aware of the fact that I balance it out with really good choices most of the time.

wannabefitgrl

I concur with CJ. I take good care of myself, get lots of exercise, eat really healthy almost all the time and I don't feel bad about having a little ice cream after dinner every now and then. I'm not an emotional eater (have cravings out of boredom, but I have those very under control).

In fact, two weekends in a row I was out of town and ate a little too much, but after a couple days back home on my routine (after all the sugar and salt worked itself out), I still managed to lose weight!