Encouragement after "cheating" (a fresh mindset)

"I cheated! I had a low-cal breakfast, a salad for lunch and then I ruined it all by having a bunch of pizza for dinner!" said one of my friends (who is also working to lose weight as I am).

Here are a few things I have realized:
1. You didn't ruin your whole day. Sure, you exceeded your calorie target for the day, but you still made good choices for two meals, rather than going for a muffin and latte for breakfast and a burger and fries for lunch.

2. You didn't ruin your diet. You just pushed back the day you will achieve your goal a little further into the future. Get back on the horse. Better yet, go for a walk after dinner!

3. You didn't cheat. You CHOSE. The only person who sets the diet rules is you. You might choose to follow a diet plan, or just some of its guidelines. You might choose your own rules for eating and exercise. You might choose to enjoy food that doesn't fuel you (chips and ice cream?) but it's OK to choose these things.

We just have to see the choice for what it is: not eating something yummy vs. depriving myself, but rather eating something yummy for a few minutes vs. long-term health and beauty.

When I put it that way for myself it is easier to choose to stay on track!

I definitely agree with the points that you are making here. For instance I have decided to incorporate "cheat" days in my eating plan. Besides all foods fit in a diet, the key is moderation.

I eat bad stuff all the time. I just eat less of it. Family asks "doesn't it feel good to eat healthy?" I wouldn't know. I do know a lot of people who have "cheat days" though and it works for them.

I don't do cheat days, but when I want to indulge, I do. Frozen yogurt is my favorite. Today I ate a bunch of Cheetos, but they were delicious. I also had a green smoothie for lunch and salmon/salad for dinner, so I don't feel guilty at all.

I agree. I started my weight loss journey January 2nd. I didn't eat hardly any junk, no chips, cookies, nothing. I stuck with healthy stuff. This past few weeks with mothers day and birthday parties and stuff, I have been eating things I haven't eaten the previous 5 months. Before, I would eat something bad and then use that as an excuse to totally binge to the max. Now I don't do that. Whatever junk I choose to eat, that's all I eat. I don't use that as an excuse to go overboard and eat everything in sight.

Word to live by Heidijoy!! Really inspiring post! This is something I still struggele with too! I began my journey on August 2, 2011 and for the first 9 months I was completely faithful. I mean I stuck to a strict calorie counting diet, no exceptions. I lost 100 pounds and messed around and went on vacation in April and completely lost my mind! In one months time from April to May, I gained 36 pounds. I went on a rampage eating everything in sight and it occured to me that I could not deprive myself of the things I enjoyed. I just had to learn to eat them in moderation or make them over to suit my needs. I was doing exactly what farr2lively described... eating junk and using that as an excuse to go overboard. What I am learning is that every meal is an opportunity to CHOSE to do better. It's a daily battle for me, but I know there has to be a happy medium.

Both of you last two posters have inspiring journeys! Great job on where you are now and here's to all of us reaching our goals!

There definitely has to be a happy medium in there for any diet "relationship" to work. I forget which author it was, but there was a weight loss author on one of those morning talk shows who pointed out that skinny people are skinny, despite eating whatever it is they want (be it a salad or pizza). They simply do it in moderation.

Another thing to consider is cravings and what they might mean for your body. When I was in high school, our health teacher mentioned that if you're craving something, it's probably because there's something in it that your body is lacking (think pregnant women who eat dirt). While this isn't true in all cases, and there are those of us who would use "cravings" as a label to allow for getting off the diet track, it is possibly something to consider.

Very interesting comments all around. I don't call it "cheating" - it is a "splurge". In my mind that turns a negative into a neutral comment.

So, how did you feel physically after that? I had a pizza splurge one night and it left me feeling rather nauseated and very sluggish. Tasted great going down but later I didn't feel so great.

For me, I have to stop associating pleasure with the foods that taste great for the time it takes to eat them and realize that if I choose to splurge I'll probably feel physically ill - not to mention loading up on calories and fat I don't need. Pizza isn't a "bad food". In fact there are lots of good things in pizza.

You did a nice job of talking yourself through the aftermath. We don't need to beat ourselves up over our splurges. Just learn a lesson and move on.

I do have a suggestion that always works for me: Load up on a large veggie filled salad (6 ounces or more) topped with a measured serving of low-cal dressing before you allow yourself that next pizza. It will fill you up and you'll eat fewer slices then you won't feel deprived, or guilty.

I am having trouble getting motivated but now I feel inspired by your posts. I am going to make a greater effort.

I have had a hard time sticking to this, but I keep trying every day and so far am down 6.

cheating once a week is ok. It actually puts your metabolism in shock and in harder working mode. I have been dieting and exercising since last october. I have cheated occasionally like on weekend days when had a gathering or went out. However, during the week I got myself back on tract with diet and kept my exercise routine. I still have managed to lose weight and still going. Cheating on diet once in a while on especial occations will help us not to cheat on daily basis.

The key is to "plan" to have pizza at dinner....then it is NOT cheating. When I plan for pizza, I monitor my morning and noon meals....usually eating fruit and then having two med. sized pieces of pizza for dinner with a HUGE salad on the side....pizza is not, in my feeling, a "blowing your diet meal"...there are other items like potato chips, desserts, and cocktails before dinner that can down progress faster! I like to "plan" on eating pizza at dinner so I don't feel guilty...planning takes away the "cheating" aspect or that nasty feeling that I blew my diet....
Another suggestion: eating dinner by 6 PM... if you can... is good and also, if possible, go for a walk after your "legitimate" pizza meal....endorphins love pizza too!!! LOL
Have a great progress!