Best time to have a cheat meal?

[rowan]

Now that I'm properly back on track with my diet and being very good & motivated I want to work in a cheat meal once a week. Don't get me wrong I don't deprive myself of nice foods but I'd like a take away pizza or indian meal once a week, something bigger and fatty that I wouldn't usually have.

Do you think it's better to have the cheat meal after a hard day of plenty of exercise or on a more relaxed day to add to the nice cheating and not caring atmosphere haha, I know logically it has less chance of harming my progress if I have it on a more hard working day, but I feel like if I had it on a day that I'd done really well in the gym then I'd be ruining the workout by eating bad after.

When do you have your cheat meals? or do you not have cheat meals, why/why not etc?

[whome]

I have my cheat meals on the day I am invited. It is usually a party where I will insult the host(ess) if I insist that I just can't eat "that" because I am on a diet. Whether it is a workout or a rest day is not something I worry about. I try to look at the "big picture". As long as I am at (or reasonably close to) my weekly goals, I figure, "close enough".

Don't let "the perfect" be the enemy of "the good". I don't remember where I heard that the other day, but I like the idea. If I am "good" often enough, I don't need to be "perfect".

Good luck 

[Heybales]

If you do your cheat meal after a real hard high aerobic high carb burning workout, then at least the majority of carbs will go to refilling those muscle stores you left depleted.

And then after your cheat meal, go for a walk and use up rest of them that aren't going to be stored, along with any fat available already from the meal.

But this means after that hard workout, eat smaller less high carb meals until your cheat meal. Which is one way to handle it anyway, smaller breakfast and lunch of day you are having bigger dinner. Then don't worry about it.

And you harming the workout, the likely extra protein will be very useful too after a hard workout.

And you are refueling your workout, so you can do it again tomorrow.

Since you get to eat more on days you burn more, it's easier to fit in on workout day anyway.

Sounds like you may not be following that method and have a set calorie goal no matter what you do?

[TCG]

I allow myself a cheat meal and it's usually lunch the day before I have my workouts. If I do lunch I know that I will be moving around the rest of the day and not sitting or planning my bedtime. My favorite cheat meal is Chinese buffett but I only eat steamed vegetables and meats, I do include some dessert and sushi. I give myself a little reward once a month of a candy bar but I purchase only one and eat it after lunch this way I don't have a lot of sweets sitting at home. We all need a little reward now and then.

[rowan]

I eat as much as I want to on most days, usually I'll burn about 2800 cals and I'll eat 1600 plus, i never have a set goal, I just eat when I'm hungry and I tend to never go over 2000 naturally. I suppose it'd be a better idea to have a pizza or something on one of these days then considering I still have a high defecit left at the end of the day.

The reason I burn quite a lot is because I walk dogs all day, then go to the gym if I'm not too tired. Should have had a pizza yesterday then I did a lotta walking!

[rowan]

Candy bar once a month?! I have one every day haha you must be diciplined!!

[WendyB]

I dont know i hate the word Cheat. I go out once a week and I enjoy what I have with in reason. to me thats not cheating.

Cheating to me is diet mentality. Oh boy I get to cheat today! Then the next and Next.

I go out and have what I want once a week and enjoy. I do not cheat.

To me "cheating" leads to more.

[loveabull]

The best way to look at eating in general is to have your most calories early in the day. So breakfast or brunch can be fairly filling. Then by dinner you want to consume the fewest calories by the evening. But nutritionally you want to make dinner count.

I agree that it's not a good idea to label foods bad or good. It's moderation and daily exercise...not what you eat.

[Reece]

Agreed!  I don't cheat - I indulge 🙂 

[MsJulie]

Cheese......oh...I miss cheese. Am I the only one who was shocked (Shocked!!) to find out how teeny-tiny an actual serving of cheese is??

[SunsetRunner]

Diet vs lifestyle.....(sigh)...

Don't think of it as a 'cheat meal'...think of it as an EARNED meal.  Set a goal...reach the goal....you earned it.  Fall short, don't cheat yourself. 

Diets are bound to fail, you need to change your relationship with food.  Just my experience...

One cheat meal can negate 5 days worth of progess.  Quality over quanity.  Pretty much EVERYTHING can be made healthy AND delicious.  Pizza, curry, cake....#IngredientsMatter

[MsJulie]

Good point....'change my relationship with food'

It's funny (not ha-ha funny, but lightbulb moment funny) how I've always thought of food as a reward.
Even the language I use suggests that it is something more than nourishment for my body.
I'm trying to re-think the idea of 'treat'
Why can't treating myself be a new outfit? A manicure? A good book?

[josephz2va]

The best time to have a cheat meal really is when you are feeling the need. But being sure to pick the right kinds of cheats. Healthy cheats that don't involve a massive carbohydrate consumption for example.

And to learn controlling yourself until then. It's easy to fall off the wagon when you are very tempted to cheat.

[jgrc12345]

An ounce of cheese will look different depending on the form of the cheese. Just a hunk of an ounce of cheddar is so saddening. It looks teeny. But if you use grated cheese, it'll look more voluminous and you might even be able to think you are getting more (when you aren't). Soft, light cheeses also take more volume per ounce. A soft goat's cheese will be less dense, as will grated parmesan.

[HelenaFitbit]

I usually don't limit any food groups, since they may cause a binge when they are near me (nutella I am watching you ) but I plan them within my caloric budget for the day. 

I do have some non-food logging days but I leave them for a date or a party, seems like a bit of a turn off to spoil your fun denying any party goodies. 

[SunsetRunner]

I agree that a 'cheat' could lead me into a binge. A cheat meal for me almost always ends up being a cheat DAY or cheat WEEKEND. Working towards changing my attitude about food and rewards. If I do want to 'endulge' it would be better for my body to take in lots of protein like a big steak or some beloved indian spiced chicken rather than stuff my face with 5 donuts, candy, and cookies. And I like the idea of working out before the big meal to feel like I've earned it. Trying to work it off later never seems to work out...

LOVE this phrase:

"Exercising should be about rewarding the body with endorphins and strength not about punishing your body for what you've eaten."

[dayb]

I agree NO CHEAT MOMENT, MEAL, DAY nor WEEK. Worked too hard to get where I am at. Its overall easier just not to go there. Over the past 6+/- months I have given up sugar, artificial sweetners etc. The sweetest thing I eat is fruit, (ok, summer fruit is hard for me to limit), but basically I no longer crave sweets. I use to crave them bad, like skip the meal let's go straight to desert bad kinda craving, especially ice cream.

It does hurt. It is hard! It's very hard, I won't fool you. But it is possible.

BTW, my birthday is next month...we will see how I do😀