Calories don't count on weekends

kanaada

Hi guys so this weekend I ended up eating everything that I liked and felt really really guilty ☹️ I probably ate around 2500 calories on sat and mid sun I already ate 1200 calories. So what do y'all guys think about eating mindlessly on weekends? This Saturday I just weigh in and found out that the scale finally moved after weeks so I guess it's a form of rewarding myself but still felt rather guilty about it. Would appreciate if u guys share ur experiences with me

KateTii

Calories do count on weekends, but you can eat less during the week to make up for bigger weekends.

When I first started calorie counting I was strict all week long and ate a consistent number of calories. Now, I eat less on weekdays and "bank" the calories for the weekend, where I will eat more due to work/life.

Christine_72

If you want to eat more on weekends then bank some calories during the week, maybe shave off 100-150 calories per day through M-F.
Or you could set your calories to maintenance on the weekends, this way you'll just see a slower loss compared to maybe a gain if you're going way over your usual calories.
Either way make sure and log it ALL 7 days a week. Don't stick your head in the sand on weekends

JeromeBarry1

Actually, calories do count on weekends, but if you're active enough to burn off some excess calories it works out ok. Since 2500 calories gives you a 1 day calorie surplus pretty much equal to 1 day of your 'good' calorie deficit, the net effect of your Saturday is that you're going to take longer to reach your goal weight. If that matters to you you'll do something about it.

Machka9

kanaada wrote: »

So what do y'all guys think about eating mindlessly on weekends?

That's how I got here in the first place.

I would eat well during the week and often lose some weight, then eat whatever I wanted on the weekends ... and sometimes I would maintain ... and sometimes I would gain. Very gradually I gained, and gained, and gained ... until one day I was overweight.


Now I track everything and yes, I eat more on weekends than I do during the week, but I also exercise more and it's all logged and tracked to ensure I eat fewer calories than I burn.

TheRootofGroot

You see, the reason why most people don't reach their objectives is because of things like this.
Most will go on a reasonable deficit of 500 calories a day.
So 3500 a week.
They adhere to this for five days and then basically undo everything by binging on the weekend.

Because in five days you're at a 2500 calorie deficit, but if you really are overdoing it on Saturday/Sunday you could easily eat 1250 over maintenance on each day making it so nothing was accomplished for the whole week.

Gallowmere1984

If you can control yourself, and keep the math proper, go for it. If not, you're screwing yourself. It's ultimately up to what you, in your indovidual circumstances, do to manage your intake. Personally, I will eat more on the weekends, but I am also often more physically active on the weekends. And no, I don't log exercise, because I found it to be extremely damned inaccurate, unless you are rolling with some seriously expensive (and impossible to transport) equipment. "Zomg, muh HRM says I burned 800 calories e'ry day!! Why am I still fat?!!?1!1?one"

missh1967

The closer you are to your goal, the more detrimental it will be to your goal.

RainaProske

People! Look at this from the food database on this site!!

Generic - Shabbat - שַׁבָּת - Celebrate & Rest. Count 1 Meal As 310 Calories to Keep Count Going.
1 Sabbath Meal, 310 calories

For those who observe Sundays, look up "Sabbath" in the foods.

Ya' gotta Love This!!

godlikepoetyes

So far, the most important thing is that I LOG everything. Since I started, I have pretty consistently gone over my calorie goal, sometimes by a LOT. I no longer freak out about this because I lost weight easily (89 lbs.) and I am in maintenance now. But when I really go "wild" I record everything I eat, or have eaten.

Alatariel75

I have been at a complete standstill for 5 months now because of exactly this. I log and count and hit my targets during the week, then on the weekends I eat whatever I want and totally blow my deficit.

Having a higher calorie count on the weekend can fit into a plan, if you manage it and count and still end up with a deficit. But don't fool yourself that you can't do enough damage in 2 days to undo 5 good days.

Osiris275

Calories always count sadly... I used to eat badly as the weekends, solved that by doing my weigh in on Monday mornings. Now I always have a really good weekend!

TheRootofGroot

godlikepoetyes wrote: »

So far, the most important thing is that I LOG everything. Since I started, I have pretty consistently gone over my calorie goal, sometimes by a LOT. I no longer freak out about this because I lost weight easily (89 lbs.) and I am in maintenance now. But when I really go "wild" I record everything I eat, or have eaten.

That makes a big difference.
Even when we overdo it, when we log we can at least see what it will take to strike a balance, and already the habit of logging puts us so much further ahead of things, especially in terms of macro balance.

jessicarobinson00

Banking calories during the week and blowing my deficit during the week is the reason it took me 2 years to hit my goal weight...So it does matter. Just log these weekend splurges, but watch a weekly deficit rather than a daily one: keep you on track so you continue to see results

Intentional_Me

jessicarobinson00 wrote: »

Banking calories during the week and blowing my deficit during the week is the reason it took me 2 years to hit my goal weight...So it does matter. Just log these weekend splurges, but watch a weekly deficit rather than a daily one: keep you on track so you continue to see results

Is there a spot of MFP to view weekly deficit or do you just do the math?

Lounmoun

Mindless eating on the weekend is a good way to wipe out your deficit for the week and stall or gain weight back. You will probably have to work out harder during the week or eat less to make up for the weekends.
Eating at maintenance level one or two days a week is a better idea.

pomegranatecloud

I don't use weekends as a free for all. I don't really eat any differently on weekends than I do during the week, except I'm more likely to have cocktails or wine. I try not to mindlessly eat. If you're eating because you're bored find something to do, and ask yourself whether you're actually hungry or just bored. If you're hungry then opt for a healthy snack or meal or something portion controlled.

Nachise

oliverneedsyou wrote: »

jessicarobinson00 wrote: »

Banking calories during the week and blowing my deficit during the week is the reason it took me 2 years to hit my goal weight...So it does matter. Just log these weekend splurges, but watch a weekly deficit rather than a daily one: keep you on track so you continue to see results

Is there a spot of MFP to view weekly deficit or do you just do the math?

Go to the menu and select Reports. From the pull down tab, select Calories, and choose the reporting period as Week. You can see your daily progress.

I log daily, and when I'm in control, I weigh and measure almost everything. My husband and I have dinner out on Friday nights and Sunday nights, and I eat accordingly during the day, and give dinner my best guesstimate.

Personally, I have never done well eating back all my exercise calories. Doing that put me on an 18-month plateau. I only eat back 25% at the most. That way, if my exercise calories for the week keep me in a deficit, then I can let loose a LITTLE bit on weekends and "special" occasions.

arditarose

Calories count on weekends my dear. I just ate enough yesterday to wipe out a whole weeks worth of a deficit. It's a real situation.

Ready2Rock206

My scale often tells me on Monday that those calories certainly do count on the weekends even though I would love to pretend they don't. Telling me that today in fact, my hike I did yesterday was totally voided by all the crap food I ate.

jahillegas_51

Yes, everyone has basically added the tough love. Calories don't care what day of the week it is, they count the same on Saturday night as Monday morning.

I highly suggest you look into IIFYM, that maybe something that suits your lifestyle well. Let me know if you need help understanding it!

Ultimately, you have to chose what is most important. Would you rather eat all the doughnuts or eat one, enjoy it, and still be on track to meet your goal? That is basically IIFYM in a nutshell. However, the choice in the moment is hard as hell. You can see all the doughnuts and you know the enjoyment that will come from them. Its much tougher to see your physical goal, because you can only visualize it. Its not tangible like the food.

If you choose the food you accept the potential consequences that follow. If you are scared about weight gain, I suggest not standing on the scale after a weekend like this. It tends to compound the effects of the choices and you want to punish yourself. Which for some, like myself leads to a Pandoras box of a nasty cycle of binge & punish.

dave_in_ni

I do let myself go a bit on a Saturday, I had a burger with fries and some beer last night, also a peanut butter cup or 2. When I weigh on a Monday I am more or less the same weight but then I am in a big deficit all week so can afford to let go a bit on a Saturday.

grenachegirl

I really wish calories didn't count on the weekend but unfortunately it seems they do! I've been sticking to 1200 calories a day for exactly 12 weeks, in this time I've lost 33lbs. I absolutely attribute this to being consistent and not using the weekend as an excuse to binge or overeat, it's not been easy, I've had to rethink the habits of a lifetime and dig deep, I'm focusing on the end goal and I'm not going to let anything derail me, especially if it's just because the day of the week begins with an S.
Good luck OP xx

Paulina1230

Osiris275 wrote: »

Calories always count sadly... I used to eat badly as the weekends, solved that by doing my weigh in on Monday mornings. Now I always have a really good weekend!

Me too. I always stop and think "is this cookie or icecream really worth it", when I know Im facing the dreaded scale monday morning. 9 times out of ten...its not worth it and my monday weigh ins are not dreaded so much anymore.

Wolfena

weight loss is basically a mathematical equation.... if you eat more/too much on the weekends, it's not "free calories" - your are just adding back on what you worked to subtract earlier in the week. If your total calculation is still a deficit, you'll still lose.

Christine_72

oliverneedsyou wrote: »

jessicarobinson00 wrote: »

Banking calories during the week and blowing my deficit during the week is the reason it took me 2 years to hit my goal weight...So it does matter. Just log these weekend splurges, but watch a weekly deficit rather than a daily one: keep you on track so you continue to see results

Is there a spot of MFP to view weekly deficit or do you just do the math?

It's easier to see in the app. get into the menu, then Click on "nutrition". You can select 'day' or 'week' view from there.

jo_nz

Another point I noticed from your post was that you said the splurge was a bit of a reward for you recent loss - using food as a reward can be tricky so just be aware and maybe try for some non food treats.

LivingtheLeanDream

You really could wipe out the weeks deficit by mindless weekend eating.
If you want to do this then you will have to increase the calorie deficit during the week. You'd still have to be calorie aware at the weekend even doing that.

Savyna

What I like to do is eat more in my calorie goals during the week so that Friday I can enjoy sugar and cream in my oatmeal, Saturday enjoy a splurge at dinner with my bf. Sundays vary. I still try and count what I ate on the weekend though because its good to know where youre at. You shouldn't feel guilty though/try not to feel guilty. Youre a human being, you want to enjoy the food/things around you. Maybe the next time though try to have maybe 1-2 or 3 of the things that you usually like to eat that in big portions have a ton of calories in it, and just make smaller versions of it. That way you get to enjoy what you really like to eat, but not put yourself over.

WinoGelato

I am one who plans my week to have more indulgent weekends, that's just naturally when more social events fall and I like having a buffer to work with. I usually bank 100-200 cals during the week to give me an extra 500-1000 for dinners out, family bbqs, things like that.

But I definitely agree with the advice to log everything including the days you are over your goal. Understanding how that impacts your weekly deficit, as well as the outcome on the scale (short term as well as long term) is a big lesson toward developing a sustainable approach.

kanaada

Thank you all for the messages and I understand from all of you that indeed I should be more mindful when it comes to mindless eating on the weekends!! Thanks for all the advices