Diet Plan Help

tsalagi82

Last week I had a cheat day on Sunday, ate very clean (no processed foods, sweets, etc.) Monday thru Friday (with no cravings!) and figured I'd let myself cheat on Saturday. I ate within my calorie range the next day, but I noticed cravings starting to creep back in. I didn't eat clean (processed/fast food) even though I stayed within calorie range. Since this wknd I've started bingeing again UGH! Is it the processed food that makes us binge and crave foods? All I've eaten today is sugary/salty stuff. Oh I gained back everything I lost last week and I'm so mad!

So, what should my game plan be? Eat clean, whole foods for 2 weeks straight, then have a cheat day? What are your thoughts?

L1zardQueen

How many calories are you eating a day? Are you eating back your exercise calorie burns?

tsalagi82

Tiny_Dancer_in_Pink wrote: »

How many calories are you eating a day? Are you eating back your exercise calorie burns?

I'm eating anywhere from 1400-1600, minus exercise calories burned (200-300).

CoachJen71

Your gain is probably glycogen and sodium tied water weight. If you are netting less than 1200 cals a day, you may be setting yourself up to binge. (And yes, salty/greasy/sugary foods often trigger cravings for more of the same.)

L1zardQueen

Minus meaning, your intake is only1100 to 1300 or are you eating them back?

kommodevaran

It could be an imbalance that triggers the cravings - either too much "junk" and poor nutrition, or too much "whole" but bland food, and also poor nutritionally - or a restrictive mindset of good/bad, on/off, clean/cheat, eating right/diet down the drain - or just too easy access to hyperpalatable food - and of course blaming yourself for having taste preferences and seeking out food you like, and generally feeling of not being in control, is not going to reduce cravings/tendenecies to binge.

I have a lot fewer and a lot weaker cravings after I started letting myself eat whatever I want, but stick to regular meals on ordinary days and let special occasions be occasional.

pamfgil

Eating high sugar high salt makes you crave more of the same, rather than having cheat days, try eating mostly nutritient dense foods most of the time with the occasional treat, and teach yourself how to make your healthy food taste good to you

DietPrada

In my experience it's the carbs that create the cravings, and not enough protein. Try having a burger wrapped in lettuce rather than a bun if you have to have fast food. Skip the fries. Go easy on the sugar. I don't advocate a "cheat day" as it can tend to derail you and is not worth the hassle. I've been doing this 4 years and I don't have cheat days. I do however go out for dinner and have a steak and salad and a couple of glasses of wine, or grab a burger with lettuce wrap and zucchini fries. Even if you are not low carb, making choices that are lower in carb can head off the tendency to binge and go off plan (I know, I was a binger for 20+ years). Salt doesn't really create cravings, I have about half a teaspoon of salt a day on my food.