Diet breaks

lisaw19855

The past 10 days I have completely written it off as being a bad time. As you know I had my wisdom tooth out and lost 3lbs in a week as I was thrown off my routine and lost my appetite. Tried to exercise and ended up in pain so clearly I wasn't ready.

I know I have lost weight but it's not been in a healthy way eg skipping meals. So has anyone taken a week or so of a diet to re focus?

I plan on putting things in place so I am ready to re focus on Monday as my activity levels (work) get back to normal too.

Liftng4Lis

I have a diet break every 6 months.

jemhh

Diet breaks are a healthy part of flexible dieting. I have used them several times over the past year and recommend them highly.

malibu927

I took one the week of Christmas, and I'm going to do it again at the end of April/beginning of May (two birthdays, a weekend in New York, and some dinners/banquets in that time).

fat2strongbeth

I have taken a few breaks too. Sometimes it gets to be too much to keep up with the level of logging, etc. I always set a time limit on my breaks so I know I will get right back to strict logging after. Usually only a week or so at a time.

Unknown

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Serah87

I will be doing it when I go on our cruise in May, anyway I think it's good for your body.

TheVirgoddess

I just took a week off - it was a really nice break and it felt good to get back to logging.

arditarose

In for diet breaks. I take one once in awhile for sanity.

amusedmonkey

I take breaks every now and then. In fact, I only recently started dieting again after a 4 month break. It teaches you how to maintain and gives you some time to gather your thoughts again.

AllonsYtotheTardis

While I was losing weight, every 6 months I took 2 weeks off and ate at maintenance (or slightly above, at Christmas). It was a great mental boost to get back at working on losing.

honeybee_kisses

I'm so envious of this lol. When you say you take a break are you ignoring calories completely or are you still mindful? I don't think I could do it (much as I'd like to!) I know if I did I'd come back like 'heyyy, just back from my 12 month break' lol

arditarose

honeybee_kisses wrote: »

I'm so envious of this lol. When you say you take a break are you ignoring calories completely or are you still mindful? I don't think I could do it (much as I'd like to!) I know if I did I'd come back like 'heyyy, just back from my 12 month break' lol

What? it doesn't have to be 12 months. In fact, if you're dieting for a long time-diet breaks are suggested. You should still log, and eat at maintenance for at least 2 weeks. You could do a month or longer, but two weeks is good for me.

47Jacqueline

If you stop thinking of being on or off a diet, and instead think of changing the way you relate to food, then whether you eat a bit more during one period or less during another ends up being less of a drama episode.

malibu927

honeybee_kisses wrote: »

I'm so envious of this lol. When you say you take a break are you ignoring calories completely or are you still mindful? I don't think I could do it (much as I'd like to!) I know if I did I'd come back like 'heyyy, just back from my 12 month break' lol

I was a little more lax on portion sizes, but not going overboard. Like, I still weighed my cereal and ice cream to keep to appropriate portions, but not much else. The break I have planned is going to be close to impossible to keep up with as much as I'll be eating out in that time, so I'll just hope to not gain more than a couple pounds. Giving a set timeframe helps too, so once Mother's Day is over I'll be back to the grind.

honeybee_kisses

What? it doesn't have to be 12 months. In fact, if you're dieting for a long time-diet breaks are suggested. You should still log, and eat at maintenance for at least 2 weeks. You could do a month or longer, but two weeks is good for me.[/quote]

I know it doesn't have to be 12 months! It was a joke at my own expense, lack of control. As I said, diet breaks sound wonderful things but I think I'd end up falling back into really bad habits. Maybe I just need to be into this new way of thinking and have it come naturally before I consider any kind of break

arditarose

honeybee_kisses wrote: »

What? it doesn't have to be 12 months. In fact, if you're dieting for a long time-diet breaks are suggested. You should still log, and eat at maintenance for at least 2 weeks. You could do a month or longer, but two weeks is good for me.

I know it doesn't have to be 12 months! It was a joke at my own expense, lack of control. As I said, diet breaks sound wonderful things but I think I'd end up falling back into really bad habits. Maybe I just need to be into this new way of thinking and have it come naturally before I consider any kind of break [/quote]

Oh. I don't know. When I was on a diet break I was anxious to get back into my deficit, so I cannot identify with you.

jemhh

I log and eat at maintenance when I'm on a break. It's not an excuse to get fat again. Just a break from eating in a deficit.

softblondechick

I took a two week break. I am fine with it. I lost my focus, and it showed. But, now I feel energized and motivated again. And really felt sluggish the last two weeks. Back to positive energy.

Francl27

Well in your situation you didn't really have a choice, and I wouldn't call that a break... but life.

My diet break was last July, we went on vacations for a week and had to eat out for every meal every day, and was eating about 25% over my maintenance calories most days (and that was with pretty good self control, but there were not healthy options everywhere)... Truth? I gained 5 pounds, 3 I lost very fast, 2 that took a few months to go away, and I haven't lost weight since. I actually haven't hit my lowest from June again. I think it got me used to eating more calories again and it's been a struggle since because I get hungrier.

So yeah, if you ask me, diet breaks are fine but its a very slippery slope... and you should really just eat your maintenance calories.

momma2teacher

I take a break about every 10 pounds. I seem to get stuck around that time so a week off...but not going overboard with eating...and it jump starts the weightloss again.

debubbie

I took about 7 weeks off in November and December because I was so frustrated with logging and exercising and not a whole lot happening on the scale. I still tried to be mindful about how much I ate and limited fast food and pop during this time. I maintained the weight that I was at and since I have gotten serious again about logging and working out in the last two months, I am finding it easier to stay within my goal and motivated to do what I need to do to lose the weight in a healthy and sustainable way. I think it mentally helped me to realize that I needed to quit making myself miserable over losing weight. I may not lose the weight as quickly as I want to, but I feel immensely better about reaching my ultimate weight loss goals.

arditarose

I like vismals diet break video. It definitely prompted me to take one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0jqAXpjCV0

CooCooPuff

I took a break from logging in general this January because of a bad accident. I completely ignored calories and wasn't mindful of portions but it is what it is. I started logging at maintenance when I got home and plan on staying there until I'm good to go. I've been eating more sweets than usual but I fit them into my calories, still eat my fruits and veggies, and get a fair amount of protein in so I don't really care.

Under normal circumstances, I typically take a day off logging a month. I've done well so far.

lisaw19855

Well, had the weekend off. Stopped stressing about 3 meals etc and was naughty (had pizza and fried chicken) but cut down to prevent a complete binge. I was mindful of what I ate and tried to stick within maintenance calories.

Half a pound heavier this morning but I took my eye off the ball on fluid intake and probably had a lot of sodium so I'm not to worried. Today I feel motivated and back on it.

Todays meals are planned as is tomorrows lunch x

callsitlikeiseeit

i dont take deliberate breaks, but vacation weeks, the week of xmas, birthdays, things like that, I relax and set my calories at maintenance and don't worry so much about it.

I'm big on you have to enjoy life and enjoy your family and be flexible.

I do keep exercising during those times, though.

SwankyTomato

Well, I suppose I was "on break" last week. It was my birthday and I ate out, ate cake, and a couple of heavy meals. I have a gain on my weight.

Very shocking that 1 week of not being on point lead to gaining so much!

Anyway, today is Monday and a new week to get back to it.

tephanies1234

Question:

What time frame do most of you guys recommend for a diet break if you've been dieting for 4 months (with maintenance days one day each week)?

rebekahzinn1

I take breaks, sometimes for several months. I find that it is important to change to the goal of maintenance, rather than just going hog-wild and potentially regaining the weight. I feel empowered knowing that I can not only lose weight while I am dieting, but I can keep it off when I am not. It still takes effort to maintain, but not as much as dieting.

rebekahzinn1

tephanies1234 wrote: »

Question:

What time frame do most of you guys recommend for a diet break if you've been dieting for 4 months (with maintenance days one day each week)?

I eat whatever I want one day a week, but the definition of "whatever I want" has changed radically since I was 315 pounds. For instance, now I will split a Coke with my husband, or have 1/4 chocolate bar. I will eat two dinners until I'm a little full, but not totally full, and I also exercise a lot on my "break" day.

ncboiler89

Thinking of weight loss/maintenance as a "diet" is the wrong way of thinking about it.