Treats and Weight Loss

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  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    I do it in more than one way, depending on what I feel like doing. Most of the time I bank or make up in more than one way, I but there are times where I eat a higher calorie allowance on purpose and don't make up for it. There is no wrong or right there. As long as you realize that eating 500 calories more on weekend means doing away with 1000 calories and slowing your weight loss by about a 1/3 of a pound and you are okay with that, then go ahead. Your calorie allowance and rate of weight loss are not written in stone. If you feel that slowing down or completely stopping every once in awhile is okay and doesn't cause you distress, then why not? Personally, I even have planned mini gains sometimes. As long as you are in control and your calories over time achieve a deficit you will lose weight.
  • DamieBird
    DamieBird Posts: 651 Member
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    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    I do it in more than one way, depending on what I feel like doing. Most of the time I bank or make up in more than one way, I but there are times where I eat a higher calorie allowance on purpose and don't make up for it. There is no wrong or right there. As long as you realize that eating 500 calories more on weekend means doing away with 1000 calories and slowing your weight loss by about a 1/3 of a pound and you are okay with that, then go ahead. Your calorie allowance and rate of weight loss are not written in stone. If you feel that slowing down or completely stopping every once in awhile is okay and doesn't cause you distress, then why not? Personally, I even have planned mini gains sometimes. As long as you are in control and your calories over time achieve a deficit you will lose weight.

    If you don't mind me asking, what's the purpose of the mini gains?

    Also - I think the italicized bit is really the 1 and only secret to weight loss :).
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
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    DamieBird wrote: »
    amusedmonkey wrote: »
    I do it in more than one way, depending on what I feel like doing. Most of the time I bank or make up in more than one way, I but there are times where I eat a higher calorie allowance on purpose and don't make up for it. There is no wrong or right there. As long as you realize that eating 500 calories more on weekend means doing away with 1000 calories and slowing your weight loss by about a 1/3 of a pound and you are okay with that, then go ahead. Your calorie allowance and rate of weight loss are not written in stone. If you feel that slowing down or completely stopping every once in awhile is okay and doesn't cause you distress, then why not? Personally, I even have planned mini gains sometimes. As long as you are in control and your calories over time achieve a deficit you will lose weight.

    If you don't mind me asking, what's the purpose of the mini gains?

    Also - I think the italicized bit is really the 1 and only secret to weight loss :).

    No purpose, really. I just like to eat more sometimes, like during holidays or when I'm working on a stressful projects and would rather not have to put a lot of thought into my food. As long as it's controlled and accounted for I'm fine with undoing a bit of progress for the sake of more leeway. Gain is only problematic if you're spiralling and losing your grip or if the gain is having negative effects on your diet (like feeling guilty or "off the wagon"). In my case I'm pretty relaxed about it because it feels like part of my plan. Nothing that can't be fixed with a month of dieting afterwards, so why not enjoy my time?
  • Silentpadna
    Silentpadna Posts: 1,306 Member
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    cwolfman13 wrote: »
    When I was losing weight, I typically ate maintenance calories on the weekend...I still lost weight...it may have been a bit slower than otherwise, but where the big picture was concerned, I really didn't care...I was never in a big rush.

    ^^^^ This is all about mindset ^^^^^

    I eat in a deficit. I have a target. But, since I'm doing this for good, i.e. tracking and being disciplined, I don't worry about a day where I miss my target. Since I'm still losing weight, at my general goal level, eating at maintenance or even a bit over doesn't worry me at all.

    During the process my goal shifted from chasing a number on a scale to becoming healthy. Since becoming healthy is not a process that is accomplished well while rushing to lose weight, rigidity of a "calorie limit" has gone away. I'll take health over a number any day. I still plan and log early when I can, I am getting in better and better and shape, and if I had a choice to fuel a workout vs. stay under my calorie goal, I'll fuel the workout every single time. The whole purpose for losing weight is overall health. Losing fat is part of the bigger picture.
  • Duck_Puddle
    Duck_Puddle Posts: 3,237 Member
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    Eating 500 calories over your limit for the week is going to slow your rate of loss by some % (the actual % depends on how aggressive your deficit is). It's likely a very minimal difference though. It's obviously your choice to do so and if it makes you happy and helps you sustain your efforts-have at it. Being happy and having a sustainable plan is really the most important thing (barring medical issues).

    I am in the Bank/save calories during the week and eat them on the weekend group.

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