Oh man. The last 2 days I pigged out like a food monster. I bet you wouldn’t believe how much I ate. I may seem small but my stomach expands like a balloon. It’s not a pretty sight but I can stuff it.
That above right there is an ice cream cookie sandwich from Diddy Riese right by UCLA. Vanilla bean premium ice cream smushed between freshly baked peanut butter and snickerdoodle cookies. OH EM GEE. Foodgasm. Loved. Died. Heaven in my mouth.
As you know, I spent Fri-Sun filming for my new show Pilates Bootcamp on Livestrongwoman. These were LOOOOOOONGGGGG days spent in the sun, basically working out the whole time.
Here’s a vlog I did showing you the crazy nice house we filmed at and I also talk about my dreams of having a Diddy Riese Cookie…hahaha.
So to stay fit and trim for my 3 day shoot fest, I was eating very clean with lots of fruit and nuts for sustainable energy. I also had to carefully time my meals because I easily puff up (my lower abs) if I eat too much. So by Sunday night, I was beat and well, hungry in the soul. I promised myself that if I was going to be super duper good for work, I was allowed a crazy unrestricted fatty food bonanza Sunday night. And that’s what I did alright! As you read in my last post, I had a grand ole time at The Cheesecake Factory and ABSOLUTELY killed it.
IT’S TOTALLY OKAY TO “CHEAT”!!!!!
First of all, mentally and emotionally you need to feed your soul every once in a while. I mean, there is no fair substitute for warm ooey gooey cookies, succulent cheesecakes, or a REAL juicy cheeseburger with slightly crispy french fries!!! There just isn’t. These foods also bring back happy childhood memories. (You know, because back in the day you could pretty much burn off anything you ate…plus you were growing so you needed those calories…ha.)
Feeding your soul keeps your mind and body at ease. Bad cravings can drive you nuts, so taming them by eating some of your fave “bad foods” is totally ok!
Secondly, if you’re eating clean all the time, having cheat foods is actually good for your metabolism! It keeps your body guessing for what’s next. It doesn’t get comfortable with how to burn calories – it has to continuously work hard to figure out new ways to function so that you don’t plateau. Much like with working out and how you should change your routine every 4 weeks to keep your body shocked, you need to do the same with your diet every once in a while. A lot of people do 1 “cheat meal” a week. I personally don’t plan “cheat meals” because I feel like I have “cheat snacks” here and there anyway, so I choose to eat clean all week as a baseline.
Lastly, having cheat meals helps you to have a more positive relationship with food. Making things forbidden or labeling them as “bad” makes you want them even more. It can even lead to some level of an eating disorder and even binging. By allowing yourself exposure and indulgence in such foods, you teach yourself how to react and handle being around tempting delicacies.
Just be careful not to completely overdo it. The calories still count and you can EASILY pack on an extra thousand or two calories in a sitting if you’re really going all out.
I think I actually overdid it because after Cheesecake Factory I had a sushi buffet the next day plus Diddy Riese. I can see it in my stomach, but you know what!??? OH WELL. I loved every single bite. It was so worth it :) I worked out a little longer at the gym today and ate clean.We all can clean up our messed and get back on track.
So there ya go POPstars! Tell me the truth – do you “cheat” once in a while? What is your FAVE “cheat meal”!!???
<3 Cassey
I don’t even think about a “cheat meal” until I want it. I don’t think about it ahead of time as a weekend reward for eating clean and working out. What I do is, when I have that rare craving for a cheeseburger and fries, I let myself have it – don’t feel guilty – and move on. It has worked for me for years now. In the beginning, when I thought I had to reward myself with a cheat day, I ate stuff I necessarily wasn’t even craving, but ate anyway because it was “my cheat day”. Over time, I just put the idea of a cheat day out of my mind and when the craving hit, just went with. Fortunately, I can go months without craving “bad food”. I agree with you 100%, it is healthy for the soul to let yourself indulge once in awhile.
I think the whole idea of a cheat meal is really motivating. I only recently started to change my diet to clean eating and its wonderful, I’m losing weight slowly off my stomach and getting more toned. I think having one cheat meal motivates me more to work harder for the next. I just love pizza !
Hey Cassey,
My plan for this year is to have 300 days of eating clean and 65 where I can eat cheat foods. In a diary I’m going to keep track of how many days I’ve eaten cheat foods by numbering them eg the first day I eat something bad I put a ’1′ in the corner and the second day I’ll put a ’2′ etc so I can keep track of how many days it’s been and if there is too many I know to not have one for a while.
Does this sound like a good idea to you? I thought it would be easier than having a planned cheat day a week and it helps me not just think ‘Oh I want to eat healthily’, I’ll really think about reaching for a bad snack or popcorn at the movies!
Wow that sounds like a good idea. Basically once a week plus some holidays and vacations!
Hi! I like your idea and just wanted to offer some friendly advice: be careful not to overdue it! I struggled with an eating disorder for several years and one of my biggest problems was obsessively documenting my food intake. Obviously I don’t know you and you probably don’t have the same problems; so take it or leave it Good luck :)
Hi, I have a question for all the people who’ve commented on this thread, I have been in a huge dilemma about having a cheat day ( I’ve been on a low carb diet 3 weeks) I’ve been really good and focused about my goal and I’m seeing really good results. However I really want to treat myself to meal and not count all the calories etc. what I want to know with the cheat meals are you all still losing weight?.. I really don’t want to undo all my hard work.. I’m not desperately craving things I’m pretty disaplined but would be nice to have something a bit naughty haha… Any advice would be great!!
Thanks xxxx
yes you are, because your body doesn’t know what your eating so it burns it quickly its kinda like tricking your body
Hey! This post encouraged me so much. I work so hard to eat right all week and then cheat once on the weekends. But I guilt trip myself out over it so much its hard to enjoy. I’m so glad to know that you cheat once in a while and you stomach extends and gets puffy too! You are human. :) :) Thanks Cassey!
OMG so glad I saw this post because I major cheated today, pizza is my weakness. And I miiight have overdid and felt so bad but then read this and thought hey, it’s okay once in a while! So long as you know you’ll work to burn off those extra (hundred) calories! :)
Oh man, do I have a hard time resisting chocolate. Chocolate chocolate chocolate.
I eat clean for the most part and workout 5x/week for 2 hours. I am trying to get my tummy back after having my two boys. My cheat food though is Poppycock original popcorn. I love it!!
I eat really clean from Monday to Friday but every weekend I binge badly which prevents me from ever losing any weight. I have started to realise that once I get started I feel like ‘Oh well now the diet is wrecked I might as well go mad!”. I think that I need to wait until Sunday to have my cheat meal because I am really strict in the week so Monday wouldn’t be an issue. What are your thoughts?
i eat pretty healthy, but everyday i have a serving of fat free soy ice cream or fat free almond pudding. it seriously feels like I’m cheating but i don’t think its too bad :) if you can find better options comparable to things you love you won’t feel like you need to cheat :)
I am very clean eater, but at weekends (maybe twice per month i drink some wine and then i go crazy). I like to eat ice cream and french fries and some bread and salami. Not all together!
Sweets. Cookies, cakes, brownies, ice cream, chocolate…sugar heaven.
I struggle to keep it in moderation. I am just now trying to eat healthier.
Oooo it’s got to be a peanut butter and banana toastie made with fruit bread with butter on the outside (so it goes golden) and a tonnnnnne of thick crunchy PB. Alternatively raisin scones with strawberry jam and cream Nomnomnom. For desserts I looooove cornish creamy vanilla icecream with a dash of golden syrup, raisins and mixed nuts on top.
I totally agree with this post. If you aren’t training for a competition and just trying to live a healthy lifestyle, you shouldn’t have to follow a strict diet with so many restrictions. That’s already a red alert for failure because your temptations will eventually give in or you’ll go crazy. I live to eat so I made the change to my lifestyle so I CAN eat as much as I want… exercise more.. and eat more. ;)
I do cheat every once in a while like on date nights or whatever. My fave cheat meal is…honestly any type of fast food burger or sandwich with fries and then a couple scoops of neopolitan…omg! :)
Hey Cassey,
thanks for the advice! I definitely know that I cannot control myself with cheat foods in the house.. so I just don’t keep it at home. Instead if I have a craving, I go out to eat it and it definitely helps me stay clean.
I also wanted to ask you about weight loss, I have been working out and seeing results, but now I feel and look so bloated! And I don’t know what to do.. I have been counting calories (1200 a day) and eating smaller portions and trying to eat healthier.. but I feel like I’m gaining weight! I’m trying to lose the last stubborn 15 baby weight pounds, what can I do to make it go away faster! (Going to Mexico in a month, help!!!!!)
You are probably restricting your calories too much to the point where your body is in starvation mode. Instead of losing weight, your body is trying to preserve any fat that it can get.
Heck yes I cheat from time to time! No shame ;)
Oh girl, it happens to the best of us. :) My fav cheat meal usually involves pizza, but I had some amazing cheat ice cream last night. Yum!
I am a HUGE chocoholic! That’s probably been the hardest thing to kick since starting a clean eating lifestyle, but I think I’m doing pretty well :) I never go out of my way to buy anything chocolatey, but if it’s in the house then I’ll have a few squares, or a few Hershey’s kisses, or a slice of cake ;) As long as I don’t overdo it, there are never ANYYY regrets!
If you’re a chocoholic, check out this website! It is the only way I have managed to survive dieting! She creates heaps of vegan, low carb, super healthy versions of the classic cheat foods. Its amazing!
http://chocolatecoveredkatie.com/
I don’t consider it cheating because I eat waffles for breakfast every day…and always have haha. I think by now my body is used to it and I only eat one and don’t pour a ton of syrup. But I cut out stuff like soda, and have it only on rare occasions. Same with a lot of other stuff I love. I found it was easier to eat at least one sweet thing a day than cut out everything I love all together. I do eat a lot more fruit and veggies than I did before though.
I eat a piece of dark choc everyday! and dont really plan cheat meals either, like yourself i plan to eat clean everyday and then if i feel like a tiny naughty something i dont deprive myself. However i do try to set aside once perweek upping my calorie intake by around 200 cals to try keep my body guessing, not necessarily with cheat foods (coz i actually more enjoy healthy food anyways) but some of that always involves something chocoaltey or Froyo like. I have the biggest sweet tooth so i probably consume way too much sugar/artifical sweetened food.
I def cheat waaaay too much. About twice a day, with frozen yogurts and pasta. I also def eat too much fruit, to satisfy my sweet tooth. Its all yummy though!!!
I realized, that if I season my veggies enough, and eat enough protein daily, I can go without any cravings for a day or two.
I think cheat food should be once a week, or every other week for me. HAAARD!
Great post, thank you so much!
I am definitely a “seasonal splurger.” When it’s summertime I love froyo…when it’s the holidays you’ll definitely find me with a piece of apple or pumpkin pie! I think that just as long as you can find some sort of balance, life is too short NOT to enjoy that last piece of cake :)
Great article! My cheats…Chic-fil-a, a juicy cheese burger (with bacon!) and ice cream. I allow myself this things at least once a month. I eat so good most of the time so I treat myself and make it up the next day with a nice workout. Though sometimes when I cheat, I have to remind myself to not be so tough on myself. Guilt is not good!
Love this post! I don’t have cheats days either, I cheat more than once a week, when my body asks for it, especially sweetie food, ice creams, smoothies, frappuccionos, cakes… I need them in my life, I eat healthy but I don’t have forbidden foods. Everything in moderation, including moderation ;)