Cheat Day Misery!

T

tamaralnorton

Cathlete
I just wanted to post and see if anyone else gets super sick from a cheat day? I've noticed for a long time that when I "indulge" my body shifts into overdrive and just can't take it. My husband and I have completely different schedules - I literally never see him because he works at night, I'm a regular 9-5. So, I try to schedule one day a week where I can enjoy myself with him. Yesterday we went out to lunch after my daughter's soccer game to Buffalo Wild Wings and I ended up getting a tall blue moon beer (mmm...), a blackened grilled chicken salad and partaking in some of the onion rings, mozzerella sticks, etc. In the back of my mind I knnneewww I was going to pay for it. So afterwards we went to a really great ice cream place which was a really special treat because here in south, and i mean*south* Texas, there IS no ice cream like there is back home (Connecticut). What's really big down here is snow cones on literally every corner. So, I couldn't help but get a big old brownie sundae. By the time we got home, I was *ssiicckk*. My stomach was doing backflips and I could not for the life of me vomit..I wanted to so bad but my body wouldn't do it. I ended up falling asleep on and off until 8:30 p.m. The first thing I reached for was an apple because that's what my body craved... This morning I feel a lot better after spending 20 minutes in the bathroom! This isn't the only time something like this has happened. I literally pass out after I indulge in fried foods, sweets and/or beer. Not to mention that I feel horrible after kicking my butt all week with my super strict diet and tough Cathe workouts! Has anyone else experienced this? I know I can't put my body through this anymore so a reevaluation is in order! Thanks!!
 
Oh, yeah. I have learned not to go hog wild. In fact, my Cheat Days have slowly changed to just one or two modest Cheat Meals.
 
Congratulations!
You must usually be eating 'clean' enough that you body can no longer tolerate unhealthy foods like those you usually indulge in on your cheat day.

It doesn't sound to me like your current 'cheats' are worth the small amount of immediate gratification they may bring you. I do think it is time to evaluate what you consider to be cheat foods, and maybe change them up (like a decadent raw-food dessert that is still high in calories, but also nutrient rich).
 
Like Precision Nutrition founder John Berardi says "A cheat MEAL shouldn't become a cheat DAY..." I'd already found that out when I read that, though...;).
 
I did it a few days ago. The whole day was OK with me eating well except for l small piece of a brownie. Then a friend dropped off a sinfully delicious chocolate cupcake which I ate. That triggered whatever and I finished off the brownie and 1/3 of a LARGE chocolate bar. Not only did I feel physically sick the next day but I was also in one of the worst moods--snapping at everyone and complaining about everything. Plus it is rest week so I couldn't work it off with a hard w/o. I think that really finished it off for me. I spent yesterday reading raw food books and swearing to be a good girl.
 
I felt exactly the same thing after I had Indian food last Sunday. Lots of carbs and fat, can't eat that way anymore.
 
Ugh yeah! Last night my boyfriend's band played a show, and after we went to Denny's, and I had a club sandwhich, fries, and a soda. And the soda didn't taste good at alllll. I could only eat half the sandwhich and the fries were just greasy! I was grossed out haha.

Still love cake and candy though :( haha
 
I learned the same lesson way back in the day when I was going to A.A. meetings; even though many of us remained clean and sober, we still held onto some of the same ancillary behaviors from our drinking / using days and felt increasingly rotten when we indulged in them. An old paterfamilias of one my favorite groups said it best:

"You know you're getting better when the old behaviors just aren't as much fun anymore!"

From what you've described, OP, it looks like Cheat Days just aren't as much fun anymore. Good for you! Time to dial it down to a Cheat Hour, or even Cheat Minute. I personally cannot see myself ever giving up some of my favorite snackies (for example, Cheez-Its) ("Get Your Own Box!"), but the amount of these favorite snackies it takes to make me happy has gone wayyyyyyyyyy down over the years.

A-Jock
 
I tried having cheat days but like you, my body cannot tolerate it. I end up feeling so gross for couple of days after. It is just not worth it to me. I have a smalltreat once or twice a week instead.
 
it sounds like enzymes

Or a lack there of. Have you tried Trade Joe's pineapple/papaya enzymes? you just chew them up and they will break down your food for you. I hope that helps,

Alisha
 
Used to have cheat day hangovers....

tamaralnorton said:
I just wanted to post and see if anyone else gets super sick from a cheat day? I've noticed for a long time that when I "indulge" my body shifts into overdrive and just can't take it. My husband and I have completely different schedules - I literally never see him because he works at night, I'm a regular 9-5. So, I try to schedule one day a week where I can enjoy myself with him. Yesterday we went out to lunch after my daughter's soccer game to Buffalo Wild Wings and I ended up getting a tall blue moon beer (mmm...), a blackened grilled chicken salad and partaking in some of the onion rings, mozzerella sticks, etc. In the back of my mind I knnneewww I was going to pay for it. So afterwards we went to a really great ice cream place which was a really special treat because here in south, and i mean*south* Texas, there IS no ice cream like there is back home (Connecticut). What's really big down here is snow cones on literally every corner. So, I couldn't help but get a big old brownie sundae. By the time we got home, I was *ssiicckk*. My stomach was doing backflips and I could not for the life of me vomit..I wanted to so bad but my body wouldn't do it. I ended up falling asleep on and off until 8:30 p.m. The first thing I reached for was an apple because that's what my body craved... This morning I feel a lot better after spending 20 minutes in the bathroom! This isn't the only time something like this has happened. I literally pass out after I indulge in fried foods, sweets and/or beer. Not to mention that I feel horrible after kicking my butt all week with my super strict diet and tough Cathe workouts! Has anyone else experienced this? I know I can't put my body through this anymore so a reevaluation is in order! Thanks!!
Click to expand...

...but not any more. I think this is because I've gone more toward "fairly healthy" cheat foods like Fiber One pancakes (!) & Yoplait Light yogurt (!) instead of angel food cake & no more sugar hangovers.
 
Re:

Yes I do get *very* snappy when that happens because I feel terribly guilty and mad at myself for "undoing" all the good I've done during the week.
PhyllisG said:
I did it a few days ago. The whole day was OK with me eating well except for l small piece of a brownie. Then a friend dropped off a sinfully delicious chocolate cupcake which I ate. That triggered whatever and I finished off the brownie and 1/3 of a LARGE chocolate bar. Not only did I feel physically sick the next day but I was also in one of the worst moods--snapping at everyone and complaining about everything. Plus it is rest week so I couldn't work it off with a hard w/o. I think that really finished it off for me. I spent yesterday reading raw food books and swearing to be a good girl.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks - yes I do eat very clean (well...I'm not perfect haha) most of the time. And I agree - it's not worth it for the small amount of immediate gratification. I'm also having a hard time because I feel "stuck" in my current routine. It seems like I've been in a rut trying to take off these last 10 pounds I had set out to lose - can you believe it's taken me over a year to lose 25 pounds?! I think it's more of a mental struggle now more than anything else. I put on a few unwanted pounds (what pounds are EVER wanted?!) over the holidays and taking them off has been hell. I workout pretty intensely each day not burning less than 500 calories each session and I watch what I eat to the point to where it drives my husband nuts - literally nuts. Going out to eat becomes an unpleasant event most of the time and he gets mad at me because I never "enjoy myself." So, that's why I really try and enjoy a Saturday afternoon with him and go out to eat and not complain, etc. Sorry to turn this into a "whiney" thread. But this is the first place I turn to when I stumble. Thanks!!

kathryn said:
Congratulations!
You must usually be eating 'clean' enough that you body can no longer tolerate unhealthy foods like those you usually indulge in on your cheat day.

It doesn't sound to me like your current 'cheats' are worth the small amount of immediate gratification they may bring you. I do think it is time to evaluate what you consider to be cheat foods, and maybe change them up (like a decadent raw-food dessert that is still high in calories, but also nutrient rich).
Click to expand...
 
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