The Student Room Group

Midweek cheat day while being on a diet

Hiya,

I’m happy with the weight I am in todayy but during the day I felt like I needed some sugar (so I had literally a small serving or chocolate and cake). I had 2 servings (or even more) of nuts so I felt like I failed my diet. I was wondering, will I gain all the weight back? I doubt I went over my calorie count but that now means I don’t have much calories left for the day I suppose (?)

Thank you in advance xx
Do you realise how your body works at all?

If you eat more calories than you're burning, you will gain weight. If the opposite, you will lose weight.

You need to burn 3,500 calories more than you eat to lose a pound, on average. If you eat this amount in one day it is unlikely that you would actually gain a full pound though, as your body wouldn't be able to store all of the calories and a lot would just be expelled.

So to lose weight, you will need to burn more than you eat on average over time. The occasional cheat day won't spoil your weight loss efforts.
Reply 2
Original post by Anonymous
Hiya,

I’m happy with the weight I am in todayy but during the day I felt like I needed some sugar (so I had literally a small serving or chocolate and cake). I had 2 servings (or even more) of nuts so I felt like I failed my diet. I was wondering, will I gain all the weight back? I doubt I went over my calorie count but that now means I don’t have much calories left for the day I suppose (?)

Thank you in advance xx

Firstly, you kind of answered your own question in the first line 'I'm happy with the weight I am' , it is great to hear this so congrats!. Most importantly during a diet make sure you are happy and comfortable. Forcing a miserable diet will ruin your mental health which I think is more important than physical most of the time and both are related in some ways anyway.

If you are focused on losing weight then make sure to fit in less nutritious food and treats if it suits you and it makes you happy! I was on a calorie fixed diet and still aim to hit lower amount of calories in the day but I make sure to treat myself or if it' someones birthday or going to a party I enjoy myself.

You will ofc gain some weight if you eat afew treats and go over your calories but you will lose it again just as quick.I don't put a timed deadline on my weight loss just take it as slow and easy progress and aim to just improve yourself and your lifestyle over time :h:

Life is too short to be too strict :yy:

Hope this helps :smile:
Reply 3
Original post by xoxAngel_Kxox
Do you realise how your body works at all?

If you eat more calories than you're burning, you will gain weight. If the opposite, you will lose weight.

You need to burn 3,500 calories more than you eat to lose a pound, on average. If you eat this amount in one day it is unlikely that you would actually gain a full pound though, as your body wouldn't be able to store all of the calories and a lot would just be expelled.

So to lose weight, you will need to burn more than you eat on average over time. The occasional cheat day won't spoil your weight loss efforts.


Thank you for your reply. As dumb as it sounds I don’t exercise but I do walk a lot. I know if I exercise more there’s a likely chance I will definitely lose more weight but I’m just not brave/confident enough to hit the gym (or even leave my house with a new style lol. I start overthinking everything)
Reply 4
Original post by Kraggor
Firstly, you kind of answered your own question in the first line 'I'm happy with the weight I am' , it is great to hear this so congrats!. Most importantly during a diet make sure you are happy and comfortable. Forcing a miserable diet will ruin your mental health which I think is more important than physical most of the time and both are related in some ways anyway.

If you are focused on losing weight then make sure to fit in less nutritious food and treats if it suits you and it makes you happy! I was on a calorie fixed diet and still aim to hit lower amount of calories in the day but I make sure to treat myself or if it' someones birthday or going to a party I enjoy myself.

You will ofc gain some weight if you eat afew treats and go over your calories but you will lose it again just as quick.I don't put a timed deadline on my weight loss just take it as slow and easy progress and aim to just improve yourself and your lifestyle over time :h:

Life is too short to be too strict :yy:

Hope this helps :smile:


Thanks a bunch for your reply x. I meant i was happy with my weight this morning lol but I doubt I do now after eating ‘junk’ lol but overall I think I’m kind of happy with it. I tend to eat whatever I’m craving (just a small bit tho so it satisfies my cravings) so I don’t binge on it later on. Is that a great idea tho?

Some days I see myself eating nothing to very little calories(mainly because I’m not hungry or no appetite) but shouldn’t that kind of help on days like today?

Thank you for the tip. I’ll try to enjoy the journey haha. When do you think it’s best to weigh yourself?
Reply 5
Original post by Anonymous
Thank you for your reply. As dumb as it sounds I don’t exercise but I do walk a lot. I know if I exercise more there’s a likely chance I will definitely lose more weight but I’m just not brave/confident enough to hit the gym (or even leave my house with a new style lol. I start overthinking everything)


It depends on what you want to do and what you are willing to do. Exercise is great but I know many people have don't exercise and still carry on losing weight through their methods.

I have started exercising again now but not for weight loss purposes. I'm doing it just to make my body more fit so I can breathe easier, bones not ache as much and it also makes me less tired in general.
But, yes doing certain exercises will help aid weight loss for you if you want that to be the case :smile:

If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to lose weight and do you have your own personal deadline? (I know someone who wanted to lose a certain amount before their wedding so she looked for a short term loss plan)
Reply 6
Original post by Anonymous
Thanks a bunch for your reply x. I meant i was happy with my weight this morning lol but I doubt I do now after eating ‘junk’ lol but overall I think I’m kind of happy with it. I tend to eat whatever I’m craving (just a small bit tho so it satisfies my cravings) so I don’t binge on it later on. Is that a great idea tho?

Some days I see myself eating nothing to very little calories(mainly because I’m not hungry or no appetite) but shouldn’t that kind of help on days like today?

Thank you for the tip. I’ll try to enjoy the journey haha. When do you think it’s best to weigh yourself?


No problem, always happy to help when I have the time :smile:

I think we all feel guilt even if we don't express it when we eat junk food but try not too if you are just having one offs here and there. Enjoy it for the reasons you love to eat that kind of food :h:
Honestly, when I started my diet it wasn't based on nutrition it was just calories to stop me eating as much so I could eat whatever I want although I did tend to make healthier options.

Start off small if that helps. You could start with having like 2 craving snacks a day and then change it down to 1 a day then 1 every 2 days. Just depends on your self goals. For me, I don't have an end goal. I just wanted to improve my self both physically and mentally with an overall improved lifestyle.

Yes of course, I mean it isn't per se "healthy" to not eat anything but on those days you will aid the weight loss process. For details, I was sticking to around 1500 calories a day with at the time 15mins worth of exercise a day and ended up losing around 2lbs a week I think.

That is the most important part for me in diets or lifestyle choices. Don't worry about numbers or time, just make sure you enjoy your time in the process and as long as you see steady progression then it my eyes that is great!

I had a period of depression a few months back and went up 3-4 lbs but I have lost it all now :smile:

Always weigh yourself in the morning as that will be your lightest weight and I tend to do weekly weigh ins. But, you could also weigh your self weekly on the night before and the morning after for a range (should be 1-3lbs difference between morning and night)
Reply 7
Original post by Kraggor
It depends on what you want to do and what you are willing to do. Exercise is great but I know many people have don't exercise and still carry on losing weight through their methods.

I have started exercising again now but not for weight loss purposes. I'm doing it just to make my body more fit so I can breathe easier, bones not ache as much and it also makes me less tired in general.
But, yes doing certain exercises will help aid weight loss for you if you want that to be the case :smile:

If you don't mind me asking, why do you want to lose weight and do you have your own personal deadline? (I know someone who wanted to lose a certain amount before their wedding so she looked for a short term loss plan)


I lost around 20 pounds in like 6 months (not sure if that’s good enough for 6mnths) by basically just walking and dieting. Good questions haha. I wanted to lose weight so I can love myself more (doesn’t seem to work tho) and to look good when it comes to my sister’s wedding which will be next August.
I prefer to have a cheat weekend because then you can eat what you want from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning :tongue:
Reply 9
Original post by Anonymous
I lost around 20 pounds in like 6 months (not sure if that’s good enough for 6mnths) by basically just walking and dieting. Good questions haha. I wanted to lose weight so I can love myself more (doesn’t seem to work tho) and to look good when it comes to my sister’s wedding which will be next August.


That is for yourself to answer! Factually, the more starting weight you have then you will more likely lose weight quicker than someone who weighed less to begin with but otherwise it is up to you about weight loss to time and progress :h:
In my opinion that is very good! Six months is a long time to stick to something so well done, very proud :smile:

Self image I see. Hopefully over time your confidence will improve through different parts of life. At least to the point where you can accept yourself and not have to care about whatever others may think.
Be more accepting of who you are as a person. That is most important :u:

Ah weddings, it is always the weddings haha. Firstly, I'm sure you will look marvelous anyway so don't think you won't look good enough. Everyone has their own beauty both in and out :h:

It sounds like you've got it planned well and you are happy with what you are doing. I think the biggest drawback is that your self confidence is lacking and you fear what others may think. It's really tough to get out of that mindset but you will break it someday. You will be surprised to how many people already think you are fab.
Original post by Kraggor
No problem, always happy to help when I have the time :smile:

I think we all feel guilt even if we don't express it when we eat junk food but try not too if you are just having one offs here and there. Enjoy it for the reasons you love to eat that kind of food :h:
Honestly, when I started my diet it wasn't based on nutrition it was just calories to stop me eating as much so I could eat whatever I want although I did tend to make healthier options.

Start off small if that helps. You could start with having like 2 craving snacks a day and then change it down to 1 a day then 1 every 2 days. Just depends on your self goals. For me, I don't have an end goal. I just wanted to improve my self both physically and mentally with an overall improved lifestyle.

Yes of course, I mean it isn't per se "healthy" to not eat anything but on those days you will aid the weight loss process. For details, I was sticking to around 1500 calories a day with at the time 15mins worth of exercise a day and ended up losing around 2lbs a week I think.

That is the most important part for me in diets or lifestyle choices. Don't worry about numbers or time, just make sure you enjoy your time in the process and as long as you see steady progression then it my eyes that is great!

I had a period of depression a few months back and went up 3-4 lbs but I have lost it all now :smile:

Always weigh yourself in the morning as that will be your lightest weight and I tend to do weekly weigh ins. But, you could also weigh your self weekly on the night before and the morning after for a range (should be 1-3lbs difference between morning and night)


For my weight loss plan I chose intermittent fasting because I heard it helps with weight loss. Been doing this for ages now and whenever I eat before 6pm I feel guilty (seems very late but I got used to it now) reason why today is a cheat day for because I can’t stop my cravings during the day. Mine is still about calories lol

Oh thanks for the tip. That’s a very great idea and I’ll be sure to keep it in mind. I also don’t have an end goal too. Does 15mins of exercise a day acc make a difference to your weight??

I do enjoy going on harsh diets mainly because I feel so in control and it’s a great feeling but that’s only for like a week. What type of diets do you go for?

Ohhh okay. So weighing myself in the morning is always correct? And do you weight yourself everyday (I do, wayyy more than I should too lol)
Original post by Anonymous
For my weight loss plan I chose intermittent fasting because I heard it helps with weight loss. Been doing this for ages now and whenever I eat before 6pm I feel guilty (seems very late but I got used to it now) reason why today is a cheat day for because I can’t stop my cravings during the day. Mine is still about calories lol

Oh thanks for the tip. That’s a very great idea and I’ll be sure to keep it in mind. I also don’t have an end goal too. Does 15mins of exercise a day acc make a difference to your weight??

I do enjoy going on harsh diets mainly because I feel so in control and it’s a great feeling but that’s only for like a week. What type of diets do you go for?

Ohhh okay. So weighing myself in the morning is always correct? And do you weight yourself everyday (I do, wayyy more than I should too lol)


That's fine to do if it works for you and you enjoy it. I'm not very good at fasting because I get hunger spikes haha I just try to drink water when I get these cravings.
That is good if you eat before 6! Sometimes I don't have a choice due to work or other things but try not eat anything after 7pm if you are going to sleep that night.

Yeah you can try think of little things to do that help keep track or give yourself a mini goal. For me with my change in lifestyle I wanted my diet to be something that didnt require me to put that much extra effort in but to get decent results back :smile:
15mins of the type of exercise I was doing at the time, probably not too much each day but over the course of the week maybe. But, I chose to do exercise to help my body rather than weight.

That's great, you know what satisfies you so go with that! Nah not everyday. One, because of different food and exercise on different days can be annoying to see weight go up and down and two, its minimal changes day by day. When I was fully on my lifestyle change I was losing around 2lbs a week so daily that isnt much haha
I just weighed myself once a week in the morning on Monday
Original post by harrysbar
I prefer to have a cheat weekend because then you can eat what you want from Friday lunchtime to Monday morning :tongue:


I couldn’t wait lool. Mine was meant to be on Saturday
Original post by Kraggor
That is for yourself to answer! Factually, the more starting weight you have then you will more likely lose weight quicker than someone who weighed less to begin with but otherwise it is up to you about weight loss to time and progress :h:
In my opinion that is very good! Six months is a long time to stick to something so well done, very proud :smile:

Self image I see. Hopefully over time your confidence will improve through different parts of life. At least to the point where you can accept yourself and not have to care about whatever others may think.
Be more accepting of who you are as a person. That is most important :u:

Ah weddings, it is always the weddings haha. Firstly, I'm sure you will look marvelous anyway so don't think you won't look good enough. Everyone has their own beauty both in and out :h:

It sounds like you've got it planned well and you are happy with what you are doing. I think the biggest drawback is that your self confidence is lacking and you fear what others may think. It's really tough to get out of that mindset but you will break it someday. You will be surprised to how many people already think you are fab.


Thank you 😭you’re so sweet omg. I also hope my confidence improves after a while (probably when I grow old and stop caring but I doubt it lol). I’m quite confused and I can’t seem to find myself worth (stupid to think that weight loss is the best way to fix that). You’re so sweet omg. It’s always wedding that motivate us (mainly because we’re scared of what people will say). As much compliments I seem to get, I just can’t believe them tbh :frown:

Will I ever be happy with the weight I reach? Will you?
Original post by Kraggor
That's fine to do if it works for you and you enjoy it. I'm not very good at fasting because I get hunger spikes haha I just try to drink water when I get these cravings.
That is good if you eat before 6! Sometimes I don't have a choice due to work or other things but try not eat anything after 7pm if you are going to sleep that night.

Yeah you can try think of little things to do that help keep track or give yourself a mini goal. For me with my change in lifestyle I wanted my diet to be something that didnt require me to put that much extra effort in but to get decent results back :smile:
15mins of the type of exercise I was doing at the time, probably not too much each day but over the course of the week maybe. But, I chose to do exercise to help my body rather than weight.

That's great, you know what satisfies you so go with that! Nah not everyday. One, because of different food and exercise on different days can be annoying to see weight go up and down and two, its minimal changes day by day. When I was fully on my lifestyle change I was losing around 2lbs a week so daily that isnt much haha
I just weighed myself once a week in the morning on Monday


I tryyy to drink water when I get craving. I swear it never helps me. I haveee to have it. I know eating before 6 is good but I just don’t think it’s necessary to eat before 6 because I don’t get hungry before 6pm. I sleep around 12pm (I stop eating at 10) so I think it’s okay (maybe)

I’m hardly ever active but if 15mins of exercise is actually worth doing I might start thinking about doing it daily. Are you happy with the weight you’re at now? How long have you been dieting for?

Ohhh okay. It’s very unnecessary and disheartening weighting myself more than 4 times a day. Weighing myself once a week seems like a great idea. Thanks for the tip xx
You're most welcome, I'm not too sweet but thanks 😅
It will :smile: you've got plenty of time.

How old are you, if you don't mind me asking?
We all go through phases of self acceptance. Recently I had a project at work that made me feel the need to prove myself again and always be at my best. Just take each bit as it comes

You're not stupid to think like that! our bodies are the physical thing we see so it's the easiest for us to correlate ourselves with our body :redface:
And if weight loss helps you to get your mental improved too then that's perfectly fine :smile:

Good question. for me personally I was already happy with my weight beforehand it was more I just wanted to get more energy and improve my mental in a very stressful confused time.

I think it's hard for someone to be fully happy with themselves. For some they will reach their weight goal then find another flaw. As humans we strive to seek flaws and forget about all the good things we are and the achievements weve made.

I'm sure you forgetting to pat your self on the back more often than not :h:

Haha self control is hard to train. if you find it too hard with food ATM. try it else where
one thing I did is that I noticed I always bought a coffee from works costa in the morning. so for 2 weeks I stopped myself from getting that morning coffee. Just to try and improve my self control.
Think of the little things that don't affect your life too much to practice self developments

also I think the science behind eating before 7 is that your body finds it harder to digest towards the time of sleep.

If you want some good indoor at home exercise plans I recommend speaking to @CleverSquirrel she's a really good PT and helped me so much on getting my lifestyle changed :smile:

Yes I'm happy. when I started changing my lifestyle(I didn't really call it a diet) I was 13st 6/7lbs (I've got a daily blog on here in the fitness area about it but quit blog for now cos too busy) when I started and forgot to weigh myself this week but a week ago I was 12st 3/4lbs
started in April? but now I'm not on such a strict diet as my lifestyle is stable now :smile:

Yes I wouldn't weigh yourself 4 times a day! you gain so much weight during the day. like I said if you weigh at night and then next morning weigh again you will see a difference of like 1-3lbs!

No problem.

If you ever have any questions or rants or just someone to talk just give me a message

hope you enjoy the rest of your evening :h:

Quick Reply

Latest