How often do you give yourself permission to eat whatever you want, in whatever quantity you want?

CaliMomTeach

I have been logging since 7/16 and got to my goal weight a couple of months ago (lost about 55 pounds). I went on a week vacation with family, all inclusive, and decided to eat and drink whatever I wanted, in whatever amount I wanted. I'm not going to lie, the freedom was amazing after counting calories and logging for so long. I had pina coladas, onion rings, chocolate milkshakes, full fat latte drinks, dessert every night, and ordered whatever sounded good on the menu. I put on about 4 pounds, and have reset my info on here and have cut back to 1200 calories again. I don't mind doing this, as I realize that I now know how to take it off. My question to you all is this...how often do you allow yourself to do this or do you? I'd like to think I can have a week like this once or twice a year on vacation. I always thought that learning to eat healthier would lead to a lifestyle change, not a lifelong "diet". But I did not really want to keep up that lifestyle change on vacation a couple of weeks ago. Is this normal for those of you have have been at this for a while? Does that mean I will always wish I could eat whatever I want, in whatever amount I want? I know what my caloric intake needs to be to maintain my weight, and it is not a lot. I seem to maintain at about 1500 a day.

1coolmofo

For me I don't plan cheat days,on a schedule. They will naturally come up. Example, dinner out for my roommate b day last week. This weekend I am going to a NASCAR race and I know I will not follow tightly to my cals this weekend. But I will diligently log my food and spend extra time in the gym next week to make it up.

DietPrada

Last time I gave myself permission to do this was after surgery, I thought "I'm just not going to track for a week or so, eat whatever, concentrate on getting better". I wish I hadn't. 4 months and 14kgs gain later I managed to put the brakes on. As someone who spent 20 years trying to get to a normal weight without success, I will NEVER give myself permission to do this again, no matter the circumstances. Most I do is VERY occasionally go out to dinner and not track what I ate, just have what I want. Most times if I go out to dinner I choose wisely and put it all in my diary afterwards to stay accountable.

Good on you if you can keep it under control, but a lot of people cant.

jpoehls9025

OP post question of how often?

NEVER!!

JeromeBarry1

I don't stress if one day each month turns into a high calorie inaccurately tracked CI day. One day per month is useful for maintaining a healthy, vigorous, NEAT. It's when that day turns into several days, as happened in April, that I have to find a way to break the cycle. My downfall in April was Nutella, and to break that cycle I insisted that no-one in my household ask for or purchase Nutella. It's the only thing I ban. Consequently, my daughter asked for chocolate chips and now has the refrigerator full of chocolate-coated strawberries. Grrr.

sabinaholtby

I do it every week, one full 24hr period. I am really a big thinker and this eating habits change thing is so mental, the free day makes me think. I don't want to diet forever. I spend lots of time thinking about what will happen when I hit GW (by August). I have nothing figured out, but right now it's working, weight loss may have slowed so might need to rework it all, but for me it's a mental exercise.

Brans34

I always allow myself to eat whatever I want, I just eat smaller amounts of it. A couple times a month we may go out for dinner and I always end up going over on those days, but I don't let it carry on for days at a time (except maybe 2 days in a row when I'm about to start and my hormones are insane). If I let it go an didn't watch it for a whole week straight, I would never be able to get back on track though, and I have worked too hard to get where I am, and I'm so close to my goal now.

bbell1985

Once or twice per year, but not for a full week. Maybe a day. Or a few days out of a vacation.

estherdragonbat

I don't. I pre-log indulgences where possible. I make room for treats. But I don't have cheat days. I have days where I choose to have more calorie-dense foods in moderate amounts without going over my allotment (though I will exercise to increase my deficit if I need to).

MyDailyPursuit

I know some people can handle cheat days or weeks. But, I have failed at that. I find that taking a break from the counting and logging while on vacation just becomes the proverbial slippery slope undoing all the progress I made ... I continue as if I am still on vacation when I return until I start preparing for the next year's vacation about 6 mnths later. I have done this for many years and I know that it is unhealthy to yo-yo like this. This year I am planning to bring on vacation some of the things I eat now (like protein powder) that I cant get while away. I will eat a lot of vegetables, lean fish, and low carb drinks while avoiding bread, desserts. I need to keep logging. I get in trouble when I don't log. That's the plan anyway. I have been working at this latest healthy dieting since mid January and leave for vacation May 26.... Wish me luck..

paperpudding

Maybe one day per year when i pay no attention whatsoever to quality or quantity - that would be Christmas day

Other than that, i do have meals out which I log as very guestimates or quick add calories - but I try to keep loosely within weekly calories.

and once or twice a year when I go on away somewhere on holiday (vacation) I take a complete break from tracking - but I still try to make sensible choices and eat in portion controlled manner.
I just dont weigh or log anything.