I'm throwing my cheat day away.

Since I started on C-C, I've been "cheating" on my diet on the weekend. What that usually means is that I'll make sure I work out on the day and have a big fun meal with my friends or family. I won't go above maintenance by more than 50 or 100 calories, and I really make sure I'm good for the rest of the day.
For the last three weeks, this has been making me sick the next day. I don't know if my body is used to getting small amounts of food at regular intervals, or if it's getting used to fruits and veggies and lean meats and stuff, but the cheat meal is really making my digestive system crazy. Does this happen to anyone else? Do you have any theories as to why?
Usually my cheat meal will consist of steak and a baked potato, or a restaurant salad topped with chicken, or something similar. Basically what I'd normally make for myself, just... less healthy and restaurant-prepared (containing a bazillion more calories).

not me. my "treat" day was today. i usually do 1400cal/day. today i  had 2500 calories. i feel very satisfied and ready to get back to dieting tomorrow. had whole wheat spagetti with meat sauce, oatmeal cookies and ice cream, and a couple moosehead beers.

cheat days help me stay on track - sometimes i have two a week if having a bad time at work or a hectic social life which for me does not happen that often

Cheat day is the secret to any good weight loss plan!

From what I've heard, having a cheat day is a way to really help you stay on track the other days and it really helps you feel like you are free and not locked in. That said, if what you traditionally call your "cheat" day is starting to feel bad, do something else. Call it your cheat day and tell yourself that you can eat what you want, and if you find that what you really want is healthy, heck, that's just great and more power to ya!!!

Makes total sense to me! You start eating better and you find that  your old way of eating just doesn't agree with you anymore. I can't believe more people haven't had this happen to them. I don't do cheat days myself. Stop doing it if it makes you sick. No big deal. I think it's a good thing.

This happens to me too! I find that if I ingest a larger amount of red meat and/or fat than I am used to, my stomach feels like I have a rock in it. Especially the red meat. I too have found that I can't eat as much as I used to before I started watching my intake. I think this is a good thing!

I would not get rid of your "cheat" day. Just make is a relaxing day that you don't need to think too much about food! (BTW...I hate the term "cheating". It makes that day sound bad, which associates feelings of guilt...etc...  It is what it is, you are just making different food choices for a meal. If it is part of your diet to eat say, 1500 calories a day and you allow yourself 2500 once a week....that is not "cheating"....that is your plan.)

I usually save my relaxing day for my take-away food. I don't know what's really in it...and I don't care. I just enjoy! :-))) For me it is usually either Pizza Hut pizza or Thai curry. :-)

You are not alone!

For a long time I have found that restaurant food has an adverse effect on my digestive tract.  I think it is the extra fat and other ingredients they put in it.  As you stated, I can cook the same thing at home and be fine; order it out and ... not fun.  Since I eat very little saturated fat (butter, whole-cream or whole-fat anything), I think that's the main thing that gets me, which pretty much all the yummy restaurant food has. 

Over time, I find I don't even WANT to order those things, and that I don't crave them or even find them to taste that good.  Don't know if that's self-preservation on my body's part, or good mental training though! :)

The one thing that I have noticed gets to me at home too is red meat.  It just doesn't seem to sit too well with my stomach any more (and DH is a meat-and-potatoes guy, so he'd have it every day if I cooked it).  I've gotten around it a bit by making pork roasts and turkey meatloaf, which don't seem to have the same effect.  I think it's just harder to digest than most things I now eat.

I will say, I had this same problem in my early twenties, when I was not only on a diet but also a vegetarian.  Although I never got used to the fats coming back, I was able to eat meat again after a few "uncomfortable" episodes.  I still love the taste of meat, just don't like the way it makes me feel, although I do indulge on occasion.  So it does seem to be an adaptation - one I am grateful I started in my early years since now my cholesterol is way low!

maybe its the combo of all the friuts and veggies(fiber) and then slammin ur bod with fat i mean who knows? the body is very mysterious, my friend became a vegan and then some months later got really sick (vomiting, diareha, hospitals stays) so she went back to a regular diet and she got better so im not really sure, do u have alcohol on the cheat days, alcohol irritates the GI tract or maybe just try less fat and butter, i know that defets the whole purpose bascially but idk dieareha isnt good either, good luck 

Yes!  I get a sick feeling from anything fried or too rich.  I never had that problem before, which is how I got so fat to begin with.

Now my treats are low fat, low sugar and healthy, but still yummy.  If I want those fried foods when I'm out with friends, I have just 3 bites and stop.  Knowing that I'll suffer the next day is enough to rein in my appetite.

Us too!  Especially if it is something greasy.  I don't just mean fried foods either.  We only have olive oil as our fat (besides the good fat foods) and even if my husband has a steak, he pays for it the next day.  It seems to shoot right thru. Gross, I know, sorry!  For me, if I overeat or have something that is not so lean or greasy, same thing. I usually get kinda nauseated also.

Since I started I've have a planned day out, usually a pizza and beer. This has worked just fine, but this week I had a delistyle hamburger and fries ( oh sooooooooooooo good) and a beer instead, and the next day I felt really sick. I don't know if it was the food, but I've been feeling queesy and odd since then, and have had less to eat, and have lost nothing as of this morning. (I weigh on Mondays.....) I think I'll just stick with my pizza next week....... It's a lot of cals, but generally I guess it's more healthy than even a deli luxury burger....

Thanks for your replies!
driger-yum! Oatmeal cookies, ice-cream and beer. Not bad for a treat day ;)
fattypuff-I think this has been said before, but you have the cutest screen name!
The rest of you: here's hoping you're right!
I think that I might keep the "one day I don't worry" bit but instead of heavy restaurant foods I'll try something a little easier on the digestive system. It does help keep me on track, and I never feel like I'm dieting or deprived, but I guess the less fatty foods and smaller quantities of red meat was starting to really stick. Maybe this is one step from being able to definitively say "no" to unhealthy food.

wattleseed- I like the term "relaxed day" much better than cheat day!

I usually do a "relaxed" meal a week, where I just eat whatever I feel like. I, too, have had the problem of feeling sick sometimes afterwards. I think for me the problem is I tend to overeat at this meal (to get every last bite in!) more than I ever do otherwise, and that has been what is hurting my tummy...

I understand the concept of cheat meals, but not cheat days.

Even when I have a cheat meal, which is usually just some sort of take out asian food (korean, chinese, vietnamese etc), I eat around it the rest of the day. The same concept applies when I eat ice cream or chocolate. Granted I'm in maintenance mode and have a high allowance, so this is easy for me.

The concept that sitting around and eating whatever the hell you want for an entire day is a good idea makes no sense to me. What happens when you are done losing weight? Will you start adding even more cheat days?

On the weekends, I tend to sleep a little later, and therefore end up combining breakfast and lunch into 1 meal.  I am then ahead the calories that I would have consumed had I eaten each of those meals.  That allows me to use the extra 2-300 calories on a nice dinner, or small dessert.  My husband will usually order the dessert, and I will take a bite or 2.  I feel like I am "cheating" but just  by juggling the calories around, I am still within my ideal range.  By not allowing myself to overindulge, my weight loss is consistent, my confidence and will power are up, and I am not craving the junk like I used to.  The barbecue bacon cheeseburger with fries and pop actually look slightly revolting to me now. 

I know that my body, my mind and my tastebuds need to be retrained, and flooding them with the old favorites, even if it's only 1 day a week, is like having just 1 cigarette after you quit smoking.  It can awaken the "dragon".  I work so hard all week, that do I really want to waste a couple of days "making up for" 1 cheat day?

Sometimes though, if I REALLY need to have something, usually at a family function, I choose an excercise/activity that equals the amount of calories, and burn that many the same day!!!  Sometimes I will burn it beforehand, if I know that there will be no time afterwards. 

I have a considerable amount of weight to lose, I started at 190, and am down to 173 now, and keeping focused is the only thing that got me here!

H

I just joined today and have been glued to the net reading about all of your stories etc...i can so relate to them.

I have had a shameful history of reduicin carlories from say sun to wed to like 300 or below per day and then havinga pigathon from thur-sat on high sugar food.

am determined to get out of this. youve all been there- ok i had one well ill just have everything else and this goes on and on for three days. then i am guilty like you wouldnt believe.'one day became three cheat days followed by starving for 4!

I aim NOW to have one treat per week- gelato- yeap the three scoops of milk based go ol italian stuff( not the sorbet stuff) ONCE a week and leave it as that  and NOT  havinga  pigathon on empty calories for the day.

 I exercise everyday for 30 mins on mycross trainer and hit the gym for light weights 3 times. I want to have a healthy and balanced diet.

My Yesterday I had my gelato treat at about 11ish - it was a large serving -probably 700 cals  BUT I made sure that I ate a small breakfast - a small bowl pieces of fruit  to kickstart my metabolism. I did make sure I was active during the rest of the afternoon following my gelato- housework, window shopping then going on my cross trainer for 50 mins. I had a light dinner consisting of tuna, cucumber and some cauliflower mash with spices.

I also chewed a couple of pieces of xtra and drank two cups of coffee plus water and green tea to prevent myself from falling into my trap of eating my 'treat then going way overboard and having a pigfest.' My historyof binge cheat day eating has been terrible .

Today I have had an apple , berry and watermelon juice and coffee and water adn green tea. For dinner i am having steamed fish and spinach and cauli mash.


Sorry for boring you with the above info but what i really want to know is........................: Do i need to 'reduce'my calories esp no carbs the day after my treat meal. I am just lucky it is sunday so i can lounge a little bit more.  I did not have a bingeathon like i used to - do i have to make up for this treat?

Whether or not you have a cheat day is a strategy, not science, so not right or wrong, just what works for you.  However, it doesn't work if you don't count those cheat calories into your average. Some forum members can't figure out why they aren't losing on x calories, but they aren't also factoring in their cheat days. So count those calories, because you can do a lot of damage quickly.

The National Weight Control Registry follows about 6000 people who have lost weight and are maintaining. (You can go there online and register if you have lost at least 30 pounds and kept it off at least a year).  They use these folks for different sorts of studies... mainly questions about their habits.  One thing they found is that most people who successfully maintain DON'T do cheat days.  They eat about the same calories every day, regardless.  A possible theory is that cheat days would reactivate your interest in problem foods or excessive eating.

dietdemons, I don't really consider it to be a cheat unless it puts you over your planned calorie average.

I don't even have "cheat days" when I am reducing my weight.  Because all they do for me is leave me very discouraged.  And it's so hard to get back on track the next day.  In the past, just one cheat day has lead to several, all in a row.  Then before I know it, I've abandoned my healthy eating principles and my reducing program. 

 I'm at six weeks now with no sandwich bread ( or rolls ) in our house.    The peanut butter and jelly sandwiches  as well as cheese sandwiches were a large part of my 20 pound weight gain.  If I were to go out and buy a loaf of bread right now, I honestly would eat half of the loaf in one short sitting.  Plain, soft, delicious bread........  Same with a package of 12 dinner rolls. ( I can eat 12 rolls in one sitting too )  

 A loaf of bread or dinner rolls  would be a "cheat day" for me, because I love bread. I simply can't have it in the house, not at this moment anyway.  When I lose 15 more pounds and I'm ready to maintain, then I will bring bread back into the house and see how I do.  No siree, no cheat days for me!

Rachel

I know what you mean and the cheat days always got out of hand for me. I just went back home to America for my summer break and EVERY DAY was a cheat day- I hated myself!!! I was getting no nutrients and put on weight but just had no self control or discipline.

I just woke up last sunday and thought you stupid cow---what the hell are you doing to yourself??????????????????and your family ???? My mum ( God love her) has been so good about it and supportive and I think you really need the support of your loved ones.

Im just hoping through ALOT of will power that I can be sensile The all or nothing is too much. A treat once or twice a week works for many people and I hope that I will be able to do this---it sure beats that binging starving cycle!!!I dont need to lose weight I just need to lose some body fat and cutting the calories before also cut my lean muscle mass.

Willpower: Strength of will, mind, or determination.  Self control.  :) 

 I just keep telling myself over and over: " The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." This is usually when my feet or so weary from my walking that I could simply lay face down on the ground and kiss the dirt, lol.  But I keep on going and tell myself, ChaChing!  Another 200 calories burned,  oh yeah !  :)

Rachel