treat meal/day

K

kariev

Cathlete
i wanted to know what you ladies eat for your treat meal or your treat day and if you monitor it or do you just go with the flow and eat till your content.

I just had my treat meal which consisted of a classic cheeseburger from wendys and a medium fry. For whatever reason I was sooooo craving this! I still feel hungry after it to so now my sweet tooth is kicking in. I have a tendency to binge out so i'm trying to just get out of that all or nothing mentality.
 
I wouldn't say that I have a "treat day" but I do allow the occasional treat. I do still measure though so that I don't overindulge as I tend to do. Yesterday I treated myself to Tom Wahls, we were up near Rochester that we don't go to often so it's not like this is available to me all of the time. I had the cheeseburger (did get on a whaet roll - not sure how much whaet there actually was though ;)) & french fries. It was sssoooo GOOD!!! I then took it easy for the restof the day. Of course after all that I ws stuffed. Amazing how when you don't eat that stuff it effects you.

My BIG weakness is any kind of dough/batter!! Cookie, cake, brownie (is the best) quick bread. Once I start I have a hard time stopping then I feel like crap!COLOR]
 
I have occassional cheats, rather than a whole day of cheating. That would be too much for me, and would leave my feeling sluggish for my workouts.

Usually my cheats involve my two biggest weaknesses -- french fries (better if covered in cheese and bacon, and served with a side of ranch!) and ice cream (some combination of ice cream, hot fudge, and melted peanut butter).

Ok now I'm hungry....
 
When I was first losing weight, my cheat meal was cinnamon rolls.

Now I don't have a scheduled cheat meal but I will indulge in a cheese burger, pizza or chocolate filled croissants from time to time.
 
I have an official Cheat Day where I eat whatever I want and don't record any of it.

I've noticed over time that my Cheat Days are becoming less and less of a big deal though. I don't eat a ton or stuff my face with sugar like I expected I would when I started eating better. In fact, I'm often a little bloated on such a day ~ my body seems to prefer my weekly menu.
 
I definetely have the occassional treat rather than a "cheat day". That's just what works for me. I would guess that I have a treat at least once a day. A piece (or two!!) of candy or a bowl of lowfat ice cream at night or some potato chips, etc. I try and not to be too strict since, oddly enough, I tend to get depressed and generally miserable if I am.

I could never do an entire "cheat day" as I know I would go to bed and wake up the next day feeling awful and completely sluggish and I would be beating myself up the next day. A small (or medium ;)) cheat every day is what works for me.
 
I'm trying to phase out my cheat day which usually becomes a cheat weekend! I actually have a food hangover I eat so much when I cheat. I tell myself if I'm "good" all week I should be able to reward myself on the weekends. I started this habit when Body For Life came out years ago and he recommended a cheat day, but I can't ever stop myself! Friday I ate at a Mexican restaurant for supper then went home and ate a pint of Ben and Jerry's, then a whole bag of chips! Well, then I wanted something sweet again and ate a couple of Debbie Cakes!! I had a horrible hangover Saturday!! I just need to stop it completely!
 
Karie-
You could try eating your regularily spaced, clean meals before your cheating :)
Then you might not feel so unsatisfied after..
I know that if I just take my cheats without eating normally the rest of the day Ill overeat (of course!), get bloated and not want to eat for the res of the day.. or ill have an unsatiable rampage and clean the kitchen out and then go to the drive thru - again!
LOL- or maybe if you cheat for breakfast (Mmm- french toast with cream cheese and strawberries - anyone???).. then cheat for dinner with snaks in between you might not get too nuts.. just a suggestion :)
 
I would ditch cheat days. One of the trainers on figureathlete recommends doing at least 45 minutes of cardio before a planned cheat meal. It doesn't have to be intense cardio. You can go for a walk. It just needs to be at least 45 minutes.
The cardio minimizes the damage( helps deplete glycogen stores), and will help control the cheat itself.
It works for me. Cardio seems to work as an appetite suppressant for me:)
 
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I'm finding if my "cheat meal" is big but revolves around meat, like a big steak, or even a cheeseburger (but limit or eliminate the fries), I'll often show a loss the next day.

BUT if I have a cheat night, like Friday at a wedding I attended, where I ate all sorts of protein, carbs, fat, sugar, alcohol, I gain, a lot, and it's Monday, and only 1.5 of the 3.5 I gained are gone.

Seems like the ice cream, fried food thing really messes me up. So it appears for me, my cheats have to be of a certain kind to not really mess up my efforts.
 
I do one day per week

kariev said:
i wanted to know what you ladies eat for your treat meal or your treat day and if you monitor it or do you just go with the flow and eat till your content.

I just had my treat meal which consisted of a classic cheeseburger from wendys and a medium fry. For whatever reason I was sooooo craving this! I still feel hungry after it to so now my sweet tooth is kicking in. I have a tendency to binge out so i'm trying to just get out of that all or nothing mentality.
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I have an entire cheat day once a week, calorie allotment calculated on a weeks' worth of calories based on my activity level & desired weight - 128 lbs, moderate activity level which amounts to 13,440 calories per week based on 15 calories per pound. My daily allotment for a non-cheat day is about 1434. I don't go totally nuts on the cheat day, and go for more bang for the calorie. That means I go with lower calorie ice cream, low-fat twinkies rather then cream sticks, Teddy Grahams instead of Oreos, etc. My cheat day actually starts on Friday night and goes until Saturday night, and I treasure it. As long as my weight stays the same, I'm going to keep doin' what I'm doin'. It's all about what works for you. All that calorie counting may drive some people nuts, but I like to be in control and know where I stand. If I were to gain weight, I'd know why. I'm a firm believer in journaling and being aware of food intake and calorie burning through exercise. I find that it helps to be accountable.

Maybe too much info, but that's what I do and it WORKS! My weight has been stable for 4 years using this method.
 
fit44 said:
I would ditch cheat days. :)
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I agree.

"Planning to cheat" means you WILL cheat.

If you rather say to yourself: if I really feel a craving for X, I can indulge once a week, and indulge on those weeks when it happens, but abstain on those weeks you don't really feel the need.
 
kathryn said:
I agree.

"Planning to cheat" means you WILL cheat.

If you rather say to yourself: if I really feel a craving for X, I can indulge once a week, and indulge on those weeks when it happens, but abstain on those weeks you don't really feel the need.
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That's exactly what I do.
 
Clearly, this is a personality thing. :)

For me, allowing little cheats here and there means those little cheats will add up in a rather sneaky way (little bit Monday, little here Wednesday, something on Thursday maybe...). Having an official day to cheat keeps me in line for 6 whole days, leaving day 7 guilt-free.

I'm super disciplined, so perhaps that's why it works better for me. I like the structure.

What's funny, as I mentioned earlier, is that I've noticed my Cheat Day has evolved. At first I missed the junk I used to eat (really empty stuff like crackers or a pop tart), so I'd use that 24 hour period to consume foods I had eliminated from my daily intake. I didn't sit down and eat for 12 hours straight ~ I would just make less healthy choices for my meals. Then I'd be super bloated.

Now I'm no longer interested in a majority of those foods. I don't even touch them anymore on Cheat Day.

I think part of what I love about my Cheat Day is the permission to not record my calories. Even if I lean more towards healthier choices, I don't want to figure the calories. I need that freedom once a week. *Edited to add* I also like planning Cheat Day with my family ~ we eat pizza, bake in the kitchen, or have Sushi Night. That's a lot of fun.
 
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LaughingWater said:
Clearly, this is a personality thing. :)

For me, allowing little cheats here and there means those little cheats will add up in a rather sneaky way (little bit Monday, little here Wednesday, something on Thursday maybe...). Having an official day to cheat keeps me in line for 6 whole days, leaving day 7 guilt-free.

I'm super disciplined, so perhaps that's why it works better for me. I like the structure.

What's funny, as I mentioned earlier, is that I've noticed my Cheat Day has evolved. At first I missed the junk I used to eat (really empty stuff like crackers or a pop tart), so I'd use that 24 hour period to consume foods I had eliminated from my daily intake. I didn't sit down and eat for 12 hours straight ~ I would just make less healthy choices for my meals. Then I'd be super bloated.

Now I'm no longer interested in a majority of those foods. I don't even touch them anymore on Cheat Day.

I think part of what I love about my Cheat Day is the permission to not record my calories. Even if I lean more towards healthier choices, I don't want to figure the calories. I need that freedom once a week. *Edited to add* I also like planning Cheat Day with my family ~ we eat pizza, bake in the kitchen, or have Sushi Night. That's a lot of fun.
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Lori -

I'm like you because "having an official day to cheat keeps me in line for 6 whole days, leaving day 7 guilt-free" and "I'm super disciplined, so perhaps that's why it works better for me. I like the structure." To each his own - it's important to find what works for YOU - we're all different, so that's just fine. I'm disciplined enough so I'm sure if I really wanted to, I would never cheat. But, I love my goodies, and I enjoy my cheat day, so I'm going to continue it. I also enjoy the planning, 'cause I eat out only once a week on my cheat day. IHOP rocks!
 
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A comedian once asked why the name "IHOP"? No one feels like hopping after eating there. It should be "IBarelyMove". :D We like it too...love the hashbrowns!
 
Try the fish...

LaughingWater said:
A comedian once asked why the name "IHOP"? No one feels like hopping after eating there. It should be "IBarelyMove". :D We like it too...love the hashbrowns!
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Surprisingly, they have really good fish! The fish & chips, that is. Good Country Fried Steak, too. Counting the days until the next cheat day........!!!!!!!! The hours, the minutes........!!!!!!!! Damons has really good Pub Style fish, too.
 
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