How to consistently eat clean?

[skinnyguy]

I don't eat Burger King or anything but my weakness is sweets. I always want some after a meal.

Since I've been working out a lot I don't have fast food cravings but how do you guys not want to cheat once in a while? I don't think I can get results until I completely cut out carbs and sweets.

 

[wifehunter]

free days work... like once a week

 

[speed dawg]

I don't eat Burger King or anything but my weakness is sweets. I always want some after a meal.

Since I've been working out a lot I don't have fast food cravings but how do you guys not want to cheat once in a while? I don't think I can get results until I completely cut out carbs and sweets.

Why not try something with fruit, and get some natural sugar? You might look into a shake of some sort, with bananas and honey.

 

[HoneyHitter]

Try red or blue grapes.

 

[Bible_Belt]

Blackstrap molasses is a good cheating sugar. It has nutrients, a lot of flavor, and you'll find yourself using a much smaller amount of it compared to more processed sweets. I think blackstrap molasses is the healthiest processed sugar.

 

[Armourhead]

Cheat days, if controlled and counted for, can work.
Save 10-20% of daily intake for sweets or "unhealthy stuff" you crave, if you ban yourself from eating certain stuff you'll just create a forbidden fruit that you'll eventually cave into.
Make drinks with artificial sweeteners

 

[speed dawg]

Blackstrap molasses is a good cheating sugar. It has nutrients, a lot of flavor, and you'll find yourself using a much smaller amount of it compared to more processed sweets. I think blackstrap molasses is the healthiest processed sugar.

Further evidence that not all calories are created equally, even within the sugar family. I know when I eat refined sugar products, I have a terrible taste in my mouth about 20 minutes later among other things. Doesn't seem to happen that way with more natural sugars. Ultimately, to me, the body's reaction to this stuff is what tells me what's good and what isn't.

 

[ChrisFloyd]

I personally think a once-a-week reward meal is fine...a 3 hour window of whatever you want to eat/drink.

3 hour... lol
For me, it must be 18-to-36-hour window.
Depends on how strict your diet in the week is though.

 

[Who Dares Win]

I agree with speed dawg, use fruit in moderate amount, it helps.

When I crave sweets I usually eat either a banana or strawberries, keep in mind that half of the work is not to buy them, if you have them at home its gonna be hard.

 

[taiyuu_otoko]

Since I've been working out a lot I don't have fast food cravings but how do you guys not want to cheat once in a while? I don't think I can get results until I completely cut out carbs and sweets.

I'm in the same boat. The only time I feel REALLY good is after several WEEKS of not cheating. I eat less than 20 calories a day from carbs, zero sugar of any kind. Fats / protein only.

Ketogenic / Paleo mix.Then again, I'm almost 50 and my metabolism has slowed down a bit. Ten years ago I would have gone crazy without at LEAST one day a week cheating. My problem was that "one day" of cheating had a fifty percent chance of turning into two days, etc...

 

[DiegoSantori]

You have to swap your favorite less-nutritious foods for healtier options, so you don't feel like you're missing something.

For example:

This

Instead of that

 

[wifehunter]

Blackstrap molasses is a good cheating sugar. It has nutrients, a lot of flavor, and you'll find yourself using a much smaller amount of it compared to more processed sweets. I think blackstrap molasses is the healthiest processed sugar.

Love that stuff, it's so good! Prunes work well here also. And they regulate your gut.
Feels good, too!!!

 

[speed dawg]

You have to swap your favorite less-nutritious foods for healtier options, so you don't feel like you're missing something.

For example:

This

Instead of that

This has never worked for me, but I certainly assume it can for others.

I prefer eating exactly what I want, on a limited basis. Right now I am staying on a daily calorie count, so if I know I'm eating a buffet or donuts I limit the calories the rest of the day, and make them super nutritious to make up for the empty calories. Working pretty well, and makes those cheat meals more enjoyable, I don't have to worry about it.

I try to make 18 of the 21 meals I eat throughout the week fairly healthy. The other 3 I splurge. I also never go into a restaurant aiming to eat healthy, waste of money I say. If I'm paying inflated prices for being served, I want to enjoy the food/drink. If I can find something that is healthy/cheap/good, I'll do it, but that's nearly impossible. Say you go to a steakhouse and order a sirloin salad. Good choice health-wise, but probably overpriced. Then, are you going to give up the free rolls? Not a chance, in my case.

 

[DiegoSantori]

Working pretty well, and makes those cheat meals more enjoyable, I don't have to worry about it.

You can eat anything as long as it fits your macros. If a Mc Donalds burger fits your daily macros, it is okay to have it. If you gain too much body fat, you can simply either miss a cheat meal or reduce the size of your cheat meals. So, if this is the strategy that works for you, then do it!

 

[cola]

You can eat anything as long as it fits your macros. If a Mc Donalds burger fits your daily macros, it is okay to have it. If you gain too much body fat, you can simply either miss a cheat meal or reduce the size of your cheat meals. So, if this is the strategy that works for you, then do it!

Yeah you don't want to "eat clean" you want to hit your macros then eat whatever you like as long as it fits your calorie goals
Any other way and you will end up binging

 

[daddymonsterpoodle]

Only eat her out after a shower...

 

[marmel75]

I'm a big believer that it is better to give in to your cravings once in a while than deprive yourself and then go full on ballistic once you can no longer control yourself.