Cheat meals?

[Roonytunes]

Most of us who keep a log here allow ourselves one cheat (reward) meal a week. I know this is good to reset the metabolism and shake up your system. Plus it is a big sanity check!!

However, are there any guidelines one should still take into account for this cheat meal? I went hog wild all of last year, as though I had just come out of a famine, and I can't help wondering how much of the clean eating I may have negated every week with this one meal. How can I keep this in check this year? Should I still look at portions, calories, carbs, sugars etc.? Should I limit it to whatever I can consume in a one hour time frame? Or am I just obsessing at this point?

 

[Sassy69]

Eat until you are full. That's a great guideline. I don't mean until you are gorged, but just comfortably full. Or it may not be the amount, but rather the thing you are eating -- a favorite food, dessert, whatever. Its supposed to be a break from the rigor to enjoy something. Look to that meal for the enjoyment you get out of it , not for how much you can pack down.

And other factors come into play as your body gets used to the diet life - things like 1/2 a chocolate cake that would've been heaven a month ago may now not even be appetizing,. but instead a nice steak and french fries or something like that. The level of what you consider a "cheat" also seems to evolve.

 

[Aries13]

Some people call it a "Free Day," others call it a "Cheat Day." Whatever you call it, it's definitely a good idea to "relax" your diet once a week and eat something you really enjoy, provided that you do it in moderation.If you try to be too strict all the time, then you are only setting yourself up for cravings and bingeing (not to mention it’s no fun). Food is one of life's great pleasures so it's not productive to completely deny yourself of anything that you really want.Of course, it also depends on what your definition of "pigging out" is. A single high calorie binge of junk foods that is loaded with fat and sugar could set you back for days. There's never any excuse for "pigging out" and blowing your diet completely. Im not saying that you will, but this isnt something to really stress out about. I personally love to make my own food on cheat day...my favorite is a spinach lasagna from scratch, and I love making pizza including a home made wheat dough, low fat cheese, and veggies + chicken.....its almost a non cheat meal. Cheating can actually be one of the most result producing strategies available to those seeking to reduce their bodyfat levels through a calorically restricted diet. Cheat with carbs, not fats. Glycogen replenishment is one of the primary benefits of a cheat meal. This can only occur, however, if the meal is carbohydrate based, and ideally, with little fat or fiber. This nutrient composition speeds the delivery of glycogen to your depleted muscles. (best after a good work out)....and my trainer never failed to tell me that the leaner I am, the more I will be able to cheat

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

Should I still look at portions, calories, carbs, sugars etc.? Should I limit it to whatever I can consume in a one hour time frame? Or am I just obsessing at this point?

i think your obsessing a little. my cheat meals are really just one or two foods/drinks that i eat only ONCE a wk & not a whole meal. For instance, last night I had 3 beers (dark ales), some bread w/a healthy dinner & chocolate for dessert. I dont even care how many cals, carbs or whatever

IMO, your cheats s/b your absolute favorites

 

[Roonytunes]

Thanks for your responses, ladies! There is definitely some sound advice in 'em and good suggestions.

I realize I have been using my cheat meal as an excuse to binge eat. I pile down the food because I think I will not be able to eat like this for another week. I then proceed to feel like a but it doesn't stop me from doing this all over again the following weekend. I proceed to eat clean again for 5-6 days, but I think my high sugar/fat meals are definitely doing some major damage to the progress I should be making.

 

[Sassy69]

Right now I'm on sort of a competition prep schedule so there's no such thing as a "cheat meal" anywhere in the next 2 months. However I have a scheduled carb up on the 3rd & 7th days of my week. If you aren't doing a carb rotation or a scheduled carb up, you could think of your cheat meal as your carb up as well.

In general it is good to throw junk in about 1/week just to keep your system used to processing things other than perfectly optimized, pristine food (note for ex, when I go on competition diet, I cut out all dairy - therefore after about a month I become completely dairy intolerant. Anythign I cut out for long periods of time I tend to have a problem digesting if I do let it into my diet all of a sudden.) And again, if you are on a restricted cal / nutrient diet, the one cheat meal will help provide some of the stuff that is excluded.

But as I said, as you move forward, the urge to do a cheat meal as if it were the last time you will ever enjoy a meal will just go away. You will start to crave better quality clean food & enjoy it more & be more satisfied by it. As Msbeverlyhills said, also it allows you to accommodate socializing a little more as well.