Cheat meal

[Feather]

I'm wondering how many calories your typical cheat meal should be. Do you base it on your bodyweight? or a percentage of your normal daily intake?
I need a set amount of calories or I can't control the amount I eat. If I tell myself I only get one cheat meal, then, when I cheat I panick and eat a whole cake for instance, cause I can't have another cheat for week and I freak.
If I have a certain amount of cheat calories to "spend" when and how ever I want I can control myself better and remain more calm. Sometimes I just want a small dessert a couple nights a week instead of one big cheat meal.
I hope I make sense. Just looking for any suggestions. Thank you. :)

[Erik]

I'm wondering how many calories your typical cheat meal should be. Do you base it on your bodyweight? or a percentage of your normal daily intake?

Cheat meals are cheat meals. They're off plan meals that allow you to enjoy something you've been craving, etc. Don't overcomplicate them by trying to figure out macros, calories, etc. That pretty much defeats the mental break that comes with them.


I need a set amount of calories or I can't control the amount I eat. If I tell myself I only get one cheat meal, then, when I cheat I panick and eat a whole cake for instance, cause I can't have another cheat for week and I freak.

No offense but I really have little sympathy for this kind of lack of self control. You can't control the amount you eat? What? :blink: Stop eating. I think you need to work on your thought patterns as they relate to food because you have some unhealthy thinking going on there.

Portion control is important with cheats too; treat them like any other normal sized meal. They're not a green light to eat yourself silly.

You're looking at 'dieting' the wrong way.

[Feather]

I have serious food issues, this I already know. So how should I think about food?

[Feather]

Originally posted by Thunder@Jun 7 2006, 11:28 AM
Portion control is important with cheats too; treat them like any other normal sized meal. They're not a green light to eat yourself silly.


that's why I was asking about how much, cause if I know how many calories then I can portion it out

[Feather]

Originally posted by Thunder@Jun 7 2006, 11:28 AM
No offense but I really have little sympathy for this kind of lack of self control. You can't control the amount you eat?
I'm not offended and I wasn't looking for sympathy.
So I'm not like you, that's something I have to deal. I struggle everyday with my thinking about food but I don't down other people for the things they have problems with.

[Tina]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 12:36 PM
I have serious food issues, this I already know. So how should I think about food?
Think about food as fuel.

You don't "need" to eat a whole cake. A cheat meal is a time where you don't have to feel guilty about having a peice of cake because it's planned in, as long as you're eating well the rest of the week/month.

[Feather]

Originally posted by Tina@Jun 7 2006, 11:57 AM
Think about food as fuel.


I guess I put too much enjoyment into eating. I suppose that is my downfall.

[LisaBunny]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 11:36 AM
I have serious food issues, this I already know. So how should I think about food?
Realize food is always going to be there. There is no need to have a whole cake...it's not going anywhere! It will still be there during your next scheduled cheat.

[LisaBunny]

Originally posted by Feather+Jun 7 2006, 12:01 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Feather @ Jun 7 2006, 12:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Tina@Jun 7 2006, 11:57 AM
Think about food as fuel.


I guess I put too much enjoyment into eating. I suppose that is my downfall. [/b][/quote]
I don&#39;t think thats a downfall. Yes, food is fuel, but I eat clean and enjoy it. I look forward to my meals. My boyfriend and his mom are eating sushi right now, and I&#39;m eating whats on my plan, and I am perfectly content.

[Tina]

Originally posted by Feather+Jun 7 2006, 01:01 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Feather @ Jun 7 2006, 01:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Tina@Jun 7 2006, 11:57 AM
Think about food as fuel.


I guess I put too much enjoyment into eating. I suppose that is my downfall. [/b][/quote]
But there&#39;s nothing wrong with enjoying your food.

There is a problem with eating a WHOLE cake because your body most likely will not benefit from it.

[Feather]

Originally posted by LisaBunny@Jun 7 2006, 12:02 PM
Realize food is always going to be there. There is no need to have a whole cake...it&#39;s not going anywhere&#33; It will still be there during your next scheduled cheat.
If it would be there in a week I could deal with it and wait. In this house the kitchen is like a shark tank, if you don&#39;t get it the first time around it&#39;s gone in a max time of 12 hours.

[Erik]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 01:04 PM
If it would be there in a week I could deal with it and wait. In this house the kitchen is like a shark tank, if you don&#39;t get it the first time around it&#39;s gone in a max time of 12 hours.
So? Buy another piece next week.

[linds]

I don&#39;t know if this helps but what I&#39;ve started doing because my cheats can get a little out of control, I look at what I would normally cheat with or look at my last cheat meal and cut what I ate in half. I don&#39;t focus on calories at all, I&#39;ve started to make my cheats in dates with my honey, we go someplace we enjoy and where we can relax and enjoy each others company after a long week. I order what I normally would, ask for a box take half of what&#39;s on the plate and eat what&#39;s left and give my leftovers to my honey or father for lunch or dinner later.

If I want pizza, I buy if by the slice or buy small personal pizza, if I want peanut butter m& m&#39;s I buy the personal sized bag not the big bag, I know that I WILL eat the rest of it if it&#39;s in the house. I try to put built in controls. The way I eat, my "diet" is my way of life, or at least I&#39;m working hard to get into that mindset. Most of my cravings are emotional for me, I try and step back and look at why I want to eat something and do I really want to "waste" a cheat on icky fast food or something I don&#39;t really want.

Like Erik said use your cheat as a mental break, enjoy that cake or that two slices of pizza or whatever it is, and coming from someone with food issues too there is such a sense of accomplishment when you do walk away after eating just that one piece, you get to be proud of yourself instead of letting it control you.

[Tina]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 01:04 PM
If it would be there in a week I could deal with it and wait. In this house the kitchen is like a shark tank, if you don&#39;t get it the first time around it&#39;s gone in a max time of 12 hours.
See to me, that&#39;s a good thing, because then it&#39;s not there to tempt me all week :p

[liberty]

Originally posted by Feather+Jun 7 2006, 12:01 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Feather @ Jun 7 2006, 12:01 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Tina@Jun 7 2006, 11:57 AM
Think about food as fuel.


I guess I put too much enjoyment into eating. I suppose that is my downfall. [/b][/quote]
You don&#39;t get enjoyment from your regular meals? I would hate to think that 90% of the time you are eating food you hate and living for the one cheat meal you get :( You need to figure out a way of getting more joy outta the food you regularly eat so the cheat meal is just a different meal not the only meal that you look forward to.
C

[Tina]

Originally posted by liberty+Jun 7 2006, 01:07 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (liberty @ Jun 7 2006, 01:07 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 12:01 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-Tina@Jun 7 2006, 11:57 AM
Think about food as fuel.


I guess I put too much enjoyment into eating. I suppose that is my downfall.
You don&#39;t get enjoyment from your regular meals? I would hate to think that 90% of the time you are eating food you hate and living for the one cheat meal you get :( You need to figure out a way of getting more joy outta the food you regularly eat so the cheat meal is just a different meal not the only meal that you look forward to.
C [/b][/quote]
or look into getting more joy out of other things in life besides food.

[Feather]

Originally posted by liberty+Jun 7 2006, 12:07 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (liberty @ Jun 7 2006, 12:07 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 12:01 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-Tina@Jun 7 2006, 11:57 AM
Think about food as fuel.


I guess I put too much enjoyment into eating. I suppose that is my downfall.
You don&#39;t get enjoyment from your regular meals? I would hate to think that 90% of the time you are eating food you hate and living for the one cheat meal you get :( You need to figure out a way of getting more joy outta the food you regularly eat so the cheat meal is just a different meal not the only meal that you look forward to.
C [/b][/quote]
You hit it on the head. I don&#39;t like meat, vegetables, and some fruits but I eat them anyway. I&#39;ve tried different spices, different ways of cooking them. I eat and I&#39;m full but not enjoyable at all. Lots of times I have to take a drink tea w/splenda or stevia while chewing cause I can&#39;t stand the food.

[linds]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 10:14 AM
You hit it on the head. I don&#39;t like meat, vegetables, and some fruits but I eat them anyway. I&#39;ve tried different spices, different ways of cooking them. I eat and I&#39;m full but not enjoyable at all. Lots of times I have to take a drink tea w/splenda or stevia while chewing cause I can&#39;t stand the food.
What do you like to eat?

[Feather]

Originally posted by linds@Jun 7 2006, 12:16 PM
What do you like to eat?
I prefer apples, grapes, pears, raw potatoes (cold, chopped and rinsed) carrots, corn, whole grain breads, PB - those are some
Oh,course anything sweet.

[linds]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 10:20 AM
I prefer apples, grapes, pears, raw potatoes (cold, chopped and rinsed) carrots, whole grain breads, PB - those are some
Oh,course anything sweet.
Can you step back from what your doing and try to integrate a couple of things you enjoy into your daily meals? It&#39;s a process, look for alternatives to what your eating now. If you con&#39;t like chicken try turkey or tuna try fresh fish or shrimp, this is something you need to live with you shouldn&#39;t dread it.

[Erin]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 01:20 PM
I prefer apples, grapes, pears, raw potatoes (cold, chopped and rinsed) carrots, corn, whole grain breads, PB - those are some
Oh,course anything sweet.
Have you tried putting any of these with the meats to help you get used to them? Grapes taste really good in a tuna salad. Berries are great in a chix salad w/spinach. There are some amazing indian dishes that incorporate curry, apples and/or raisins. Yes, higher carb content but it may help you enjoy your foods a little more.
When I cheat, I usually put a "set amount" in my head as to what I&#39;ll have. I&#39;m not aiming for a specific calorie amount but I do look over menus, etc and still try to pick good. For instance, I really like the burritos at Moe&#39;s Southwest but they have about 1000 calories in them. I just cannot bring myself to eat one now that I know that info. I opt for the chix soft tacos instead. It&#39;s still a cheat but not overkill. Does that make sense?

[Feather]

Originally posted by linds+Jun 7 2006, 12:27 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (linds @ Jun 7 2006, 12:27 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Feather@Jun 7 2006, 10:20 AM
I prefer apples, grapes, pears, raw potatoes (cold, chopped and rinsed) carrots, whole grain breads, PB - those are some
Oh,course anything sweet.
Can you step back from what your doing and try to integrate a couple of things you enjoy into your daily meals? It&#39;s a process, look for alternatives to what your eating now. If you con&#39;t like chicken try turkey or tuna try fresh fish or shrimp, this is something you need to live with you shouldn&#39;t dread it. [/b][/quote]
For most of my protein I end up drinking water with protein powder and ice blended together, this I enjoy. Maybe not the healthiest I don&#39;t really know.

All bets are off with fish and shrimp though, that stuff is just nasty tasting no matter what you do. :lol:

[Feather]

Originally posted by k&#045;teach+Jun 7 2006, 12:34 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (k&#045;teach &#064; Jun 7 2006, 12:34 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Feather@Jun 7 2006, 01:20 PM
I prefer apples, grapes, pears, raw potatoes (cold, chopped and rinsed) carrots, corn, whole grain breads, PB - those are some
Oh,course anything sweet.
Have you tried putting any of these with the meats to help you get used to them? Grapes taste really good in a tuna salad. Berries are great in a chix salad w/spinach. There are some amazing indian dishes that incorporate curry, apples and/or raisins. Yes, higher carb content but it may help you enjoy your foods a little more.
When I cheat, I usually put a "set amount" in my head as to what I&#39;ll have. I&#39;m not aiming for a specific calorie amount but I do look over menus, etc and still try to pick good. For instance, I really like the burritos at Moe&#39;s Southwest but they have about 1000 calories in them. I just cannot bring myself to eat one now that I know that info. I opt for the chix soft tacos instead. It&#39;s still a cheat but not overkill. Does that make sense? [/b][/quote]
I&#39;ve never tried indian dishes but it is something I will try, thank you and yes it all made sense.
I ALWAYS crave sweets, no pizza, no double cheesburgers.

[spicy~d]

You can&#39;t think you are depriving yourself. You have to know that you can eat cake again sometime.
Are you eating enough other times?
I don&#39;t and have never had a binging problem. But, when I was trying to "diet" on my own, I wasn&#39;t getting enough calories and I was overtraining. The next week, the whole week...I binged.

d


sidenote: I can consume a half gallon of cream in one day...no porblem &#33; But that&#39;s my only food issue &#33; :laugh:

[linds]

Originally posted by Feather+Jun 7 2006, 10:39 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Feather &#064; Jun 7 2006, 10:39 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by linds@Jun 7 2006, 12:27 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-Feather@Jun 7 2006, 10:20 AM
I prefer apples, grapes, pears, raw potatoes (cold, chopped and rinsed) carrots, whole grain breads, PB - those are some
Oh,course anything sweet.
Can you step back from what your doing and try to integrate a couple of things you enjoy into your daily meals? It&#39;s a process, look for alternatives to what your eating now. If you con&#39;t like chicken try turkey or tuna try fresh fish or shrimp, this is something you need to live with you shouldn&#39;t dread it.
For most of my protein I end up drinking water with protein powder and ice blended together, this I enjoy. Maybe not the healthiest I don&#39;t really know.

All bets are off with fish and shrimp though, that stuff is just nasty tasting no matter what you do. :lol:[/b][/quote]
Do you like beans, tofu, pork, buffalo, cottage cheese? Enjoying this is finding what you do like and integrating that, you seem to be finding what you don&#39;t like and making this even harder on yourself? Just being honest here it seems like you are making this more difficult then it needs to be and setting yourself up for failure, you&#39;re making it into what you think it should be rather then what YOU can live with. You&#39;re telling us what you won&#39;t eat instead of telling us what you will. Experimenting with the dishes you think you don&#39;t like you can be amazed what you will like just made a different way.

I have a crazy sweet tooth, try going a week without it it&#39;s amazing after a few days how much the craving will decrease. I live for meals with peanut buttter in them eat it every day if you want to just work it into your plan. Integrate crystal light into your water or chai tea takes the edge off for me if or when I need it, diet coke, or I really like fresca

[Feather]

Originally posted by rippedmommy@Jun 7 2006, 12:45 PM
You can&#39;t think you are depriving yourself. You have to know that you can eat cake again sometime.
Are you eating enough other times?
I don&#39;t and have never had a binging problem. But, when I was trying to "diet" on my own, I wasn&#39;t getting enough calories and I was overtraining. The next week, the whole week...I binged.

d


sidenote: I can consume a half gallon of cream in one day...no porblem &#33; But that&#39;s my only food issue &#33; :laugh:
that&#39;s it, it&#39;s a mind game. Oh my, a week with no sweets and only food I hate and the rest of the carrot cake looks so damn good. And that&#39;s when the willpower goes for a run and leaves me there with the carrot cake.
I think I&#39;m getting enough calories on average but I admit I am still trying to figure it out. I average around 1800-2100 a day but trying to eat clean just has me screwing it all up, cause I beat myself up for something not so clean and then the cycle to hell begins.

[Feather]

Originally posted by linds+Jun 7 2006, 12:49 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (linds &#064; Jun 7 2006, 12:49 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'>
Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 10:39 AM

Originally posted by linds@Jun 7 2006, 12:27 PM
<!--QuoteBegin-Feather@Jun 7 2006, 10:20 AM
I prefer apples, grapes, pears, raw potatoes (cold, chopped and rinsed) carrots, whole grain breads, PB - those are some
Oh,course anything sweet.
Can you step back from what your doing and try to integrate a couple of things you enjoy into your daily meals? It&#39;s a process, look for alternatives to what your eating now. If you con&#39;t like chicken try turkey or tuna try fresh fish or shrimp, this is something you need to live with you shouldn&#39;t dread it.
For most of my protein I end up drinking water with protein powder and ice blended together, this I enjoy. Maybe not the healthiest I don&#39;t really know.

All bets are off with fish and shrimp though, that stuff is just nasty tasting no matter what you do. :lol:
Do you like beans, tofu, pork, buffalo, cottage cheese? Enjoying this is finding what you do like and integrating that, you seem to be finding what you don&#39;t like and making this even harder on yourself? Just being honest here it seems like you are making this more difficult then it needs to be and setting yourself up for failure, you&#39;re making it into what you think it should be rather then what YOU can live with. You&#39;re telling us what you won&#39;t eat instead of telling us what you will. Experimenting with the dishes you think you don&#39;t like you can be amazed what you will like just made a different way.

I have a crazy sweet tooth, try going a week without it it&#39;s amazing after a few days how much the craving will decrease. I live for meals with peanut buttter in them eat it every day if you want to just work it into your plan. Integrate crystal light into your water or chai tea takes the edge off for me if or when I need it, diet coke, or I really like fresca [/b][/quote]
I guess that&#39;s where I screwed up, I went by the "clean food" list and tried to eat only those things cause I was so sick of second guessing myself on everything I put in my mouth. Your right I need to make a list of what I like and then just eat more of the "better for me" things that I already like.

[Feather]

Originally posted by linds@Jun 7 2006, 12:49 PM
Just being honest here it seems like you are making this more difficult then it needs to be and setting yourself up for failure, you&#39;re making it into what you think it should be rather then what YOU can live with.
Your so right, I did WW before and lost tons of weight. The program gave guidlines but I was able to eat what I liked and I almost never binged. I would still do it but I can&#39;t figure out how to fit the amounts of protein I need into the plan. I will say I was most likely undereating on the plan (because of my insane amounts of cardio at the time)but at least I had structure and it worked.

[linds]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 10:59 AM
I guess that&#39;s where I screwed up, I went by the "clean food" list and tried to eat only those things cause I was so sick of second guessing myself on everything I put in my mouth. Your right I need to make a list of what I like and then just eat more of the "better for me" things that I already like.
The clean list is fantastic I keep a copy on my fridge and on my planner, back to what I said before this is a process if your not successful following it right now scale it back for a while.

When people ask me where to start and what I encouraged my sister to do and she&#39;s lost 50 pounds, simple things, eat breakfast and try to get at a fruit or veggie in at every meal, try to stay to the clean food list where you can. If eating lean ground turkey instead of hamburger in a taco salad or cottage cheese or some peanut butter is going to keep you from eating taco bell or the entire bag of mini snickers then it&#39;s a start. I think the list is a great idea you need to find a way to make this work for you in the long run, maybe try to make a planned cheat every couple days to start so you don&#39;t feel like it&#39;s forever away and then space them out farther. Set mini goals

[Feather]

Originally posted by linds@Jun 7 2006, 01:17 PM
The clean list is fantastic I keep a copy on my fridge and on my planner, back to what I said before this is a process if your not successful following it right now scale it back for a while.

When people ask me where to start and what I encouraged my sister to do and she&#39;s lost 50 pounds, simple things, eat breakfast and try to get at a fruit or veggie in at every meal, try to stay to the clean food list where you can. If eating lean ground turkey instead of hamburger in a taco salad or cottage cheese or some peanut butter is going to keep you from eating taco bell or the entire bag of mini snickers then it&#39;s a start. I think the list is a great idea you need to find a way to make this work for you in the long run, maybe try to make a planned cheat every couple days to start so you don&#39;t feel like it&#39;s forever away and then space them out farther. Set mini goals
I actually prefer fruit to veggies. but I&#39;m always thinking I shouldn&#39;t eat fruit cause it&#39;s too much sugar (high GI and all that) but your right it&#39;s better than ending up with the cake.
I feel so stupid, like I know this but I&#39;m just not getting my shit together. I just started out too fast and furious and then crashed and burned.
Thank you so much you&#39;ve been an awesome help and I greatly appreciate it.

[LUVPINK222]

Originally posted by Feather+Jun 7 2006, 11:40 AM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Feather @ Jun 7 2006, 11:40 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-Thunder@Jun 7 2006, 11:28 AM
Portion control is important with cheats too; treat them like any other normal sized meal. They&#39;re not a green light to eat yourself silly.


that&#39;s why I was asking about how much, cause if I know how many calories then I can portion it out [/b][/quote]
cut one slice of cake and eat it. Put the rest of the cake away or throw it away.

[linds]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 11:15 AM
Your so right, I did WW before and lost tons of weight. The program gave guidlines but I was able to eat what I liked and I almost never binged. I would still do it but I can&#39;t figure out how to fit the amounts of protein I need into the plan. I will say I was most likely undereating on the plan (because of my insane amounts of cardio at the time)but at least I had structure and it worked.
Read the stickies and just read, read, read find what works for you and the gains or losses you want to make, you can regroup every couple weeks if your seeing progress or not. Use fitday and see what you&#39;re really eating (or not). I also took a major cheat I had one day and honestly put the numbers it, that was a real sobering experience I remind myself of that when I think about going overboard.

It&#39;s taken me two years to change my mentality about food and sometimes it&#39;s still a battle. I journal, I find support here and with my friends and family and when I fall off the wagon I get back on and I&#39;m finding a way to live my life healthier and happier. If you need support or just to vent feel free to PM me

[sunny]

Originally posted by Feather+Jun 7 2006, 12:53 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td>QUOTE (Feather @ Jun 7 2006, 12:53 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'> <!--QuoteBegin-rippedmommy@Jun 7 2006, 12:45 PM
You can&#39;t think you are depriving yourself. You have to know that you can eat cake again sometime.
Are you eating enough other times?
I don&#39;t and have never had a binging problem. But, when I was trying to "diet" on my own, I wasn&#39;t getting enough calories and I was overtraining. The next week, the whole week...I binged.

d


sidenote: I can consume a half gallon of cream in one day...no porblem &#33; But that&#39;s my only food issue &#33; :laugh:
that&#39;s it, it&#39;s a mind game. Oh my, a week with no sweets and only food I hate and the rest of the carrot cake looks so damn good. And that&#39;s when the willpower goes for a run and leaves me there with the carrot cake.
I think I&#39;m getting enough calories on average but I admit I am still trying to figure it out. I average around 1800-2100 a day but trying to eat clean just has me screwing it all up, cause I beat myself up for something not so clean and then the cycle to hell begins. [/b][/quote]
I feel for you, Feather.
I realized it&#39;s very important to have a good plan. To do all the math, and to plan all your meals.
It&#39;s very worth the effort. I hope you&#39;ll find the meals that you like. :)

About cake - why not go to a nice cafe with your SO or a friend in the weekend?
You might enjoy a little piece so much more than the whole thing casually eaten at home&#33;

I do have a problem with portion control, too.
The solution is to decide on how much you will eat before starting.
Just the same way you measure and pack your meals.
It is your motivation that keeps you from overeating.
I ask myself, what do I live for? Just to eat cake?
Or to work, to fight, to live my dreams?

I try not to do cheat meals. For refeed, I eat clean food only.

I&#39;m very sensitive to caffeine, and I feel that the impact of junk food on me is similar to that of caffeine - tastes good, but only makes me more anxious. Never worth it.
I realize I had a problem with portion control, I still have a problem, and no matter how much progress I make it might still always be there. A weakness.
I&#39;d rather avoid unhealthy food, and live my life to the fullest.

[Feather]

Originally posted by linds@Jun 7 2006, 01:17 PM
maybe try to make a planned cheat every couple days to start so you don&#39;t feel like it&#39;s forever away and then space them out farther. Set mini goals
This was my original intention where I started this thread, I figured if I had x amount of calories to cheat with then I could plan a small cheat every few days

[rachel.]

eat slowly. savour it :) Know that it there will be other meals just like it in the future so no need to panic. Just relax and enjoy the moment

[sunny]

Every time you eat clean, remind yourself that clean food is a treat for your body.
You are taking care of yourself.
You are making yourself healthier, prettier, stronger.
Good luck&#33;&#33;&#33; :)

Rachel is right, no panic, it&#39;s an evolution, you&#39;re learning, learning takes time - you&#39;ll get there.
Maybe one day you&#39;ll find that you love your clean food so much more than any cake&#33; :)

[Feather]

Originally posted by sunny@Jun 7 2006, 01:31 PM
About cake - why not go to a nice cafe with your SO or a friend in the weekend?
You might enjoy a little piece so much more than the whole thing casually eaten at home&#33;

I do have a problem with portion control, too.
The solution is to decide on how much you will eat before starting.
Just the same way you measure and pack your meals.
I can&#39;t find a restaurant around here that sells carrot cake by the slice or I would absolutely go for this option.
The last time I bought one I took two pieces out, one for me one for hubby and then drove the rest to my parents house 20 minutes away and dropped it off. :sad: but it got the rest out of the house cause if it&#39;s here I eat it.

i wanted to do protion control with my cheats, which my original intentions for asking about calories. Maybe I should have worded it different.

[linds]

Originally posted by Feather@Jun 7 2006, 11:32 AM
This was my original intention where I started this thread, I figured if I had x amount of calories to cheat with then I could plan a small cheat every few days
I&#39;d try not to focus on the calories but the portion. Let me give you an example of what I used to do. Friday night was date night with my honey, we went to dinner enjoyed time together ate a meal after a long week we hit the gym together and didn&#39;t worry about cooking, I ordered off the kids meal or ordered smaller portions of whatever I wanted or ordered an appetizer or split a dish with my honey and we each ordered salads. On Saturday or Sunday after I rowed I&#39;d pick up starbucks (love me a white chocolate mocha) for my honey and myself and we&#39;d walk around downtown and go to a farmer&#39;s market looking for fresh fruits and veggies I&#39;ll use the next week or just sit out on our back deck, I ordered the smallest size no whipped cream. I&#39;d go out with my girls and order a slice of that decedent carrot cake, a slice nothing to take home, or I&#39;d plan on chocolate covered almonds buy just what I&#39;d want to eat so there wouldn&#39;t be leftovers. Everything else would be locked down. Eventually I just spaced them out tried doing other things on girls days, shopping or going for a bike ride. I never worried about calories I might have been aware of them but it wasn&#39;t the focus.

We focus on numbers so much a cheat is a mental break, if you need a number pick one your comfortable with and stay within that. Maybe pick your favorite candy bar, or cookie or whatever your weakness is and use that as a guideline

[Feather]

Thanks everyone. I appreciate all the ideas and info. Time to regroup and try again. :wave:

[GraceGirl]

Originally posted by linds@Jun 7 2006, 01:17 PM
...maybe try to make a planned cheat every couple days to start so you don&#39;t feel like it&#39;s forever away and then space them out farther. Set mini goals...
I couldn&#39;t agree more. I think the problem is that you&#39;re trying to change too much too quickly. If you&#39;re going nuts at every cheat meal, then you haven&#39;t taken the baby steps that&#39;s needed when completely overhauling your nutrition program. Some people can handle the change because some people really like clean foods. Some (like me) hated all veggies or anything that&#39;s not processed. I had to change one thing at a time. I honestly started out by eating smaller portions of the junk I used to eat. Then I started eating substitutes like light bread, sugar free treats, and fat free dressings. As the weight started to come off, I found that my desire for food changed. I started to get really interested in fitness and nutrition, and over time, I started to enjoy vegetables, natural peanut butter, tuna, and cottage cheese. Not only did I know I was doing my body a favor by eating these things, but I saw how my body composition was dramatically changing. That made me want to change another thing, and then another, and another....

Don&#39;t try too much too soon, or push too hard too fast. It sounds like you need to take it slow. Maybe, as suggested, take a cheat meal every couple of days. Or, you could try to still incorporate some of the things you like into your daily macros. Remember, in the end, it&#39;s all about calories in versus calories out. Will your results slow if you cheat more? Probably. Will you still lose weight? Absolutely, if your caloric intake is at a deficit. This is not a race. This is a lifestyle.

[bubblebooty]

fabulous post gracegirl&#33;&#33; :clap: :clap:

[Feather]

Originally posted by bubblebooty@Jun 7 2006, 03:52 PM
fabulous post gracegirl&#33;&#33; :clap: :clap:
x 2 Thank you. :)

[Pinky]

Originally posted by Thunder@Jun 7 2006, 10:28 AM
[QUOTE]

Portion control is important with cheats too; treat them like any other normal sized meal. They&#39;re not a green light to eat yourself silly.


Really?&#33;?&#33;? I wish someone woulda told me&#33;&#33;

Just kidding&#33; :p

[Chirpy]

Originally posted by GraceGirl@Jun 7 2006, 03:15 PM
I couldn&#39;t agree more. I think the problem is that you&#39;re trying to change too much too quickly. If you&#39;re going nuts at every cheat meal, then you haven&#39;t taken the baby steps that&#39;s needed when completely overhauling your nutrition program. Some people can handle the change because some people really like clean foods. Some (like me) hated all veggies or anything that&#39;s not processed. I had to change one thing at a time. I honestly started out by eating smaller portions of the junk I used to eat. Then I started eating substitutes like light bread, sugar free treats, and fat free dressings. As the weight started to come off, I found that my desire for food changed. I started to get really interested in fitness and nutrition, and over time, I started to enjoy vegetables, natural peanut butter, tuna, and cottage cheese. Not only did I know I was doing my body a favor by eating these things, but I saw how my body composition was dramatically changing. That made me want to change another thing, and then another, and another....

Don&#39;t try too much too soon, or push too hard too fast. It sounds like you need to take it slow. Maybe, as suggested, take a cheat meal every couple of days. Or, you could try to still incorporate some of the things you like into your daily macros. Remember, in the end, it&#39;s all about calories in versus calories out. Will your results slow if you cheat more? Probably. Will you still lose weight? Absolutely, if your caloric intake is at a deficit. This is not a race. This is a lifestyle.
Fabulous&#33; I&#39;m putting this in my journal. (the old-fashioned hand written kind...) You&#39;ve got great clarity, gracegirl. :clap:

After 4 years of small gradual changes to my lifestyle, things are really starting to work for me. My genetic predispositions will *not* win&#33; :cheeky:

Feather, if I try to change too much at once, I simply can&#39;t handle it and fall off the wagon. In fact, that&#39;s become my indication that it was too much...I just don&#39;t keep up with it&#33; I take a step back, wait a couple of weeks, and try again with a smaller change. Besides, it gives me time to learn the next steps in how to do all of this.

Keep up the good work. One step at a time. Find what works for *you*.

Chirpy

[GraceGirl]

Coming from being VERY obese, full of fast food and rich desserts, to where I am now, with a daily diet of chicken, veggies, cottage cheese, and my beloved natty peanut butter, I have had to make A LOT of changes. Most women (and men) like me fail whenever they diet because they try to change everything all at once. If we&#39;re really serious about changing our lifestyles, we&#39;ve got to realize that people like us must take baby steps, or we will fall. I actually know people who can mentally change their thinking and eating happens as if a literal light bulb goes off in their head. But for most of us, it&#39;s those small changes that will carry us to our goal. You&#39;ll make it. Just don&#39;t be in a hurry to do so. :chinup:

[ladybug]

Originally posted by GraceGirl@Jun 7 2006, 08:15 PM
I couldn&#39;t agree more. I think the problem is that you&#39;re trying to change too much too quickly. If you&#39;re going nuts at every cheat meal, then you haven&#39;t taken the baby steps that&#39;s needed when completely overhauling your nutrition program. Some people can handle the change because some people really like clean foods. Some (like me) hated all veggies or anything that&#39;s not processed. I had to change one thing at a time. I honestly started out by eating smaller portions of the junk I used to eat. Then I started eating substitutes like light bread, sugar free treats, and fat free dressings. As the weight started to come off, I found that my desire for food changed. I started to get really interested in fitness and nutrition, and over time, I started to enjoy vegetables, natural peanut butter, tuna, and cottage cheese. Not only did I know I was doing my body a favor by eating these things, but I saw how my body composition was dramatically changing. That made me want to change another thing, and then another, and another....

Don&#39;t try too much too soon, or push too hard too fast. It sounds like you need to take it slow. Maybe, as suggested, take a cheat meal every couple of days. Or, you could try to still incorporate some of the things you like into your daily macros. Remember, in the end, it&#39;s all about calories in versus calories out. Will your results slow if you cheat more? Probably. Will you still lose weight? Absolutely, if your caloric intake is at a deficit. This is not a race. This is a lifestyle.
Grace-this is such a GREAT post&#33; Feather, this is really good info and exactly what I was thinking as I read through the thread. You have to start small...don&#39;t think of it as all or nothing. Small changes (and consistency) will point you in the direction of taking bigger steps. Give yourself time. But most importantly, you have to eat foods you like or this will never, ever work. Just because it&#39;s on a good foods sticky doesn&#39;t mean you have to eat it (or that you have to eat only foods from this list). At this point, portion control is probably more important than the type of food. Erik has said so many times that you don&#39;t have to eat what you don&#39;t like to make a plan work---that&#39;s why everyone&#39;s plan is different. I think you will be able to control your scheduled cheats more easily if you are enjoying the food you eat each day.