Weekend sabotage!

TheSunAndTheRainfall

I've got into an annoying pattern recently that I need to break. I seem to have started treating Saturdays and Sundays as opportunities to give myself a little leeway - for example, I might say, "I've had a great week, hitting my calorie goals, getting exercise, why not sacrifice 200-300 calories for a bit of ice cream/chocolate/glass of wine?"

The problem is that this acts as a catalyst to my appetite, and I want more. And wow, do I HAVE more! I seem to tend towards extremes; either all or nothing. Here I am now, Monday, and I have two days of eating well over maintenance to make up for.

Ultimately, when balanced with the whole week, I'm still losing weight, but the weekends are meaning that it's VERY slow.

Anyone else identify with this?

RelCanonical

I generally stick to my regular diet the best I can over the weekend to avoid it, and just make sure I'm including treats in my regular diet so I don't feel deprived. To help break the cycle, don't worry about "making up for" the poor weekend. Just get back to normal, or else you may yo-yo up and down due to over-restricting during the week.

kd_mazur

There are certain items that I just don't buy anymore. If there is ice cream in the freezer, I want it all. If there is candy in the pantry, I want it all. If I have a really strong craving for one of these items I have to get my butt in the car to go get it.
If you are unable to control yourself around some items, just don't keep them in the house. If you want to have a glass of wine on the weekend, have one glass at a restaurant. If you want chocolate or ice cream, go to a local ice cream parlor. I find that I can control myself more in these types of environments.

TheSunAndTheRainfall

Good ideas, both. I think going out for these treats is the way forward, it's too easy when it's in the house, and somehow, I think I'd be more likely to have less if I'd had to purposely go out to get it.

Treating Monday as just another day, so far!

ThereAreManyNames

kd_mazur wrote: »

There are certain items that I just don't buy anymore. If there is ice cream in the freezer, I want it all. If there is candy in the pantry, I want it all. If I have a really strong craving for one of these items I have to get my butt in the car to go get it.

Figuring this out about myself was a big factor in finally starting to lose weight, even before I got into calorie counting. For me, when it comes to chocolate especially it's easier to cut it out altogether than to eat in moderation. Now when I decide to give in and have some I'll buy just a six pack of Oreos or one of the individual servings of Millionaire candy my grocery store sells and budget for it in my calories for the day.

I am a frugal shopper and it was hard to make my brain stop going 'but but but the big package works out to be CHEAPER, you just have to portion it out!' but the problem was that once the package was open that whole serving size thing went out the window.

I've stopped doing the whole weekend treat days, I'd just as soon eat normally the whole week rather than get back into that cycle of excess followed by guilt as I try to make up for it.

steveko89

Agree with points already made. I was having the same issue early last year and wasn't even doing well logging those days for the data to show just how much I was hampering my efforts. The best thing I did was commit to weighing myself and logging meticulously daily. When I see the big numbers I'm ingesting I self-correct much faster.

oboeing

i understand this entirely, as every time i tried this, it just continued to bleed into every other stupid day. then i got in the "well, i blew it today already, so i might as well just keep blowing it for the rest of the day". a forgotten lunch box meant a horrible fast food lunch, which then spiraled into a dinner that was also well over because i figured it didn't matter since i'd already eaten junk that day. now, i log everything. if i have calories left, i have a mini blue bunny ice cream cone. 140 calories. hits the ice cream fix, fits into my calories at least once a week, and i have a sign taped to the box asking if i can "afford" to eat it that day. otherwise, i plan a cheat meal once a month with a friend. it's all a matter of making every decision consciously, and breaking the old habits.

also, logging EVERYTHING is helpful, especially on those bad days. it means you have to face what you ate, and see the caloric consequences.

i am by no means perfect, and i still struggle with all of this as well. it's just a matter of keeping yourself accountable, forgiving mistakes (but learning from them) and moving forward!!!

Panini911

I have stopped extras on weekends unless they fit in my calorie allowance. I usually can skip snacks on weekends so that gives me 200 extra calories to add something to my dinner or get one beer or one dessert.

beer is better for me as it's harder to limit quantity with a glass of wine (the entire bottle is left!). For now I prefer to buy a treat in single portions. Once i am solid in my new eating habits I can make them at home and honestly monitor, but it takes time for me to get there (I am one of those "it's in the freezer I gotta eat it all NOW NOW NOW" people).

I do plan a food reward soon. One meal (only one meal) where i say "i'm just gonna eat this". possibly during my vacation. I keep putting it off. it's a one time every few months thing (and ONE meal)

meimei710

This is so helpful! I'm so glad I stumbled in here. I typically do very well throughout the week but come Friday evening everything is out the door. It's like taking two steps forward but three steps back. I started this journey just working on losing 5 lb, rather than losing the five pounds I've gained 5. 😖😖 I'm reassessing my journey I'm coming back to mfp because I feel that my diet is what sets me back. Hopefully this can be my last Starting Over Again! 😫

meimei710

I think my first step is to gut the pantry and toss the "healthy" ice creams and low fat business. It all tastes like 💩💩 anyway. I like y'all's tactic to just have it as a treat in small portions. And to truly go out of the way if I really want it. It may seem costly to purchase in small quantities but I think in the long haul, I'll be saving money by not buying all these treats all the time!! 🤑🤓

WinoGelato

I bank calories during the week so that I have room for some more indulgent meals or treats on the weekends. Additionally I tend to be busier and more active on the weekends, allowing for more wiggle room than during the week.

If you focus on logging everything and making sure the ice cream or wine fits in your calorie allotment, do you still think you’d feel that desire to say “to heck with it, might as well keep eating”? It’s a subtle mindset shift but rather thank thinking you have to make up for weekend eating on Monday - planning ahead to allow room for the food on the weekend may help curb the tendency to overdo it.

meimei710

WinoGelato wrote: »

I bank calories during the week so that I have room for some more indulgent meals or treats on the weekends. Additionally I tend to be busier and more active on the weekends, allowing for more wiggle room than during the week.

If you focus on logging everything and making sure the ice cream or wine fits in your calorie allotment, do you still think you’d feel that desire to say “to heck with it, might as well keep eating”? It’s a subtle mindset shift but rather thank thinking you have to make up for weekend eating on Monday - planning ahead to allow room for the food on the weekend may help curb the tendency to overdo it.

Planning ahead definitely helps!! My biggest hurdle is always the socializing. 😫 i feel like i need to cut myself from the rest of the world or only have MFP friends. 😬

fiddletime

I pre-log meals out. I know that they’ll have some meat, or maybe cheese. So I log it and then eat within my calories. Socializing involves chips and dip. Since I can’t eat “just one” I now skip unless I have enough for ten (about 140 cal). I like eating 10 and feel like I got my junk food in. It takes a lot of practice figuring out what will work for you. There are lots of ideas on here.