random diet questions

[NickThaQuick]

alright so i been getting into tuna sandwiches more as part of my new years resolution (eating more protein, along with taking my multiviatamin everrrry day).
i dont really like the taste of tuna but i find that if i chop up some onion and jalapeños into confetti-sized pieces with some may mixed in it tastes really good. esp toasted with swiss cheese.

my first question is how bad is the mayo i put in the tuna (usually 2 spoonfuls, enough to make it sticky to the point where it can stay together in a sandwich)...i mean is it almost to the point where the sandwich is no longer healthy?


next question is how bad is booze to your body. I drink on average once a week and have 6 or so beers when i drink. am i really hindering my results noticeably?


last question... do you guys believe in a "cheat day" in dieting? i read in men's health (dont really like that mag) and online sources that doing a cheat day once a week with whatever you wanna eat (pizza, burgers, whatever) helps keeping your body's metabolism fast and actually helps you keep lean...anyone believe this?

[johnny_on_the_spot]

1) what are the nutritional facts about the mayo? though that may be moot, as most mayo is usually pretty crappy for healthy eating. but if its diet it might not be too bad depending on how many sandwiches you eat in a day. plus, if you know how much you eat in mayo, you can compensate the calories else where, but then that might lead you to eating less and being more hungry

2) miller lite is about 96 calories a 12 oz beer. if you drink 8, that is 800 extra calories that night. 1 lb is 3500 calories. I actually go out a drink every once in a while and i have still lost weight, you just have to understand what you are putting into your body and try to compensate other ways. miller lite is one of the lowest calorie beer

3) yes, though i dont call it a cheat day because i constitute cheating as doing something i'm not supposed to do. and i only usually do 1 meal, not a day, and i try to still be conscious of what i'm eating as to not go overboard (ie eat a medium fries instead of a super sized)

[tooncesthecat]

Agree with Johnny, mayo is pretty bad and it does not take much to add up to a fairly high dosage of fat and cholesterol. If you like the taste, you could try Miracle Whip - Fat Free. Lower cals and fats.

I agree that the drinking thing won't kill you, but obviously it would be better if you did not do it. You just have to weigh the "benefit" to your social/mental health vs the extra cals.

Agree once more with the "cheat day" (I like what was said about not thinking of it as "cheating") I might call it a "reward day" or "reward meal" depending on the extent you take it to. I think having this meal or meals helps your brain say, "Whew, some relief!" and then that bit of guilt you feel will get you geared up to start eating right again!

[sleepyles]

1) Well one tablespoon of mayo depending on the supplier can range from 45 - 55 calories. So 2 tbsp of mayo ranges from 90 - 110 calories alone. This is pretty much equal to 1 whey isolate protien shake mixed with water only. Not to mention the fat that is inside mayo as othres have stated. For me, the protien shake alone would make me feel fuller/ satisfied than 2 tbsp of mayo.

2) Alcohol especially beer isn't that great for the diet. But if you must consume how about 1 beer, 1 glass of water, then another beer. So you said you had 6 beers on average, so by doing this by having 1 glass of water would cut down the beer consumption to maybe just 3 or 4. I find when I do drink beer it makes me feel bloated, so I try to stay away from it.

3) Yes I believe in a "cheat day" but the key is don't over do it. It is more like as tooncesthecat said, a "reward" for staying on your diet. I have seen people say they have a "cheat day" and they eat a whole large pizza themselves! You still have to watch your intake, but one or two slices of pizza compared to 1 large pizza. And those that have the "cheat day" wonder why they don't see results, that one day they pretty much consume like a weeks worth of calories. Just becareful as everything we consume must be consumed in moderation. IMO you can every pretty much anything, but it is all in moderation, and just don't over do it. The primary goal of the "cheat day" is to reward and not to deprive yourself of those vices and temptations as many do on a regular basis, so you don't give into temptation easily and break your diet.