Maintaining without weekend tracking

slbbw

I am easing into maintenance this week after hitting a bit of a mental wall. I am probably 2 lbs away from what I had declared as goal weight but I am also 6 months in, 40 lbs down, and ready for a break. I am finding my patience for tracking on the weekends to be waning. Does anyone have success with tracking weekdays but not weekends. I keep a pretty detailed spreadsheet, which I do not plan to abandon yet so I am likely to do some quick calories adds as opposed to not tracking at all. Any advice to avoid pitfalls.

poisonesse

I've done it, and I've also given up logging completely (and still do that) and yes, you can maintain that way. BUT you still have to be aware of what you're eating! Not logging isn't giving yourself permission to add two cheat days to your week. Me, I've been on this road for over 7 years now, so even on my "non-logging" days, I still weigh my food... I know the calories they hold, so I always know when I've been bad. ;-)

FITnFIRM4LIFE

I bank cals during week and eat higher on weekends, tracking loosely-Sat+Sun.( I need the break from weighing etc.) I quick add estimated cals.
I have maintained, while doing this for 9 years. I don't eat everything in site all weekend, But, I eat pretty much.
I do 80/20 weekdays spot on, weekends are more relaxed.

psychod787

slbbw wrote: »

I am easing into maintenance this week after hitting a bit of a mental wall. I am probably 2 lbs away from what I had declared as goal weight but I am also 6 months in, 40 lbs down, and ready for a break. I am finding my patience for tracking on the weekends to be waning. Does anyone have success with tracking weekdays but not weekends. I keep a pretty detailed spreadsheet, which I do not plan to abandon yet so I am likely to do some quick calories adds as opposed to not tracking at all. Any advice to avoid pitfalls.

Something I am currently working on myself. I am regaining aka bulking. I have the idea that some people can maintain without tracking, BUTTT, I think that sticking to an eating style MIGHT help with this. I am not one that stands by "fad" diets, but they impose limits on people that MAY help them not track. Keto folks just don't eat carbs, high carb vegans avoid fats, paleo avoid anything processed and many other foods... ect... you get the point. It also creates a routine and makes people THINK about what they are consuming. It creates boundaries. JMHO......

morganjw1

I don't track on weekends. I don't cheat a lot either but I feel that I need a break and this helps me to not worry about the weight, tracking, etc. I weigh and track every weekday and have been steadily losing 1-2 lbs per week

LivingtheLeanDream

I no longer track at all but it was stopping tracking at the weekends where I began phasing logging out.
Regardless of logging, I mentally tot up roughly my calories per day so that's what I would suggest you do over the weekend.
I am inclined to eat slightly above my TDEE on a Saturday and at TDEE on Sunday so during the week I eat at slight deficit so it all balances out. I'm now in maintenance 6 years, stopped logging around 2 years ago. The only time I log now is to check how my macros are or if I want to shed a few pounds if I have gained while on holiday/vacation.

BattyKnitter

I'm taking a break-ish for summer. I just have too many fun events on weekends that include yummy foods and I want to enjoy myself. I've been tracking during the week and sticking to my deficit but not logging on weekends. I still watch portion sizes when I'm out and also when I'm home I weigh calorie dense foods like PB, cheese, and avocados but I don't log. So far I've been mostly maintaining, even losing a teeny tiny bit, like maybe .2 to.4 per week.

staticsplit

I still log on weekends but just let myself eat whatever. Usually ends up being a little over maintenance, but not wildly.

Although to be fair, I usually just eat whatever within my calories. Yesterday I had (sadly disappointing) lemon polenta cake. Today I had some biscuits, chocolate, and waffles with light cream cheese and pb2 as dessert. Sometimes I say I'll try to stick closer to the recommended MFP macros, but I'm almost always over on fat and a little low on protein. *shrug*

apullum

I usually run a 100-200 calorie deficit each weekday so I can eat more on the weekends. I still log everything, but we usually go out at least once on the weekend, so I'm just doing my best estimate with any restaurant meal.

staticsplit wrote: »

I still log on weekends but just let myself eat whatever. Usually ends up being a little over maintenance, but not wildly.

Although to be fair, I usually just eat whatever within my calories. Yesterday I had (sadly disappointing) lemon polenta cake. Today I had some biscuits, chocolate, and waffles with light cream cheese and pb2 as dessert. Sometimes I say I'll try to stick closer to the recommended MFP macros, but I'm almost always over on fat and a little low on protein. *shrug*

Today so far I have had my usual breakfast (Greek yogurt, fiber cereal, chocolate PB2, chocolate protein powder), two plumcots, a pint of Enlightened, a Quest bar, and Cheez Balls. I'm having leftover vegan curry for dinner, so there will be vegetables and I'm not completely eating like a five year old. Plus, this all hits my protein goal

walktalkdog

I am in maintenance. I, too, got burned out on logging diligently on weekends, so I just add the quick calorie amount for my daily allotment. I do pay attention to what I'm eating and choose wisely, and then weigh myself Monday morning and if the weight is up I eat at a deficit until it's back down. I find doing this gives me a mental break.

sijomial

I'm retired so every day of the week is a weekend!

Haven't logged food for ages but still log exercise to help me very roughly estimate my caloric needs which vary hugely day to day and even season to season.

My weight trend is my main guide to successful maintenance and tells me if I need to make minor adjustments. The only thing I've lost through not food logging is the precision of those adjustments - in reality I just change the direction of my weight trend rather than set and achieve a certain weight loss in a defined timescale.

shaf238

I took a break from tracking while on holiday recently and honestly, it did my nut in. I guess I'm weird in that I enjoy tracking my intake, it gives me a sense of peace knowing where I've landed for the day/week. Even if I've gone over my goals, I like knowing where I stand.

Could you try pre-logging for the weekend during the week day? Even if it's just loosely?

staticsplit

apullum wrote: »

I usually run a 100-200 calorie deficit each weekday so I can eat more on the weekends. I still log everything, but we usually go out at least once on the weekend, so I'm just doing my best estimate with any restaurant meal.

Today so far I have had my usual breakfast (Greek yogurt, fiber cereal, chocolate PB2, chocolate protein powder), two plumcots, a pint of Enlightened, a Quest bar, and Cheez Balls. I'm having leftover vegan curry for dinner, so there will be vegetables and I'm not completely eating like a five year old. Plus, this all hits my protein goal

Sounds delicious! Yes, I'm the same. I'd rather keep a small deficit on my normal days so that I have leeway if a friend spontaneously invites me for dinner or I go out for drinks, without having to stress. Or some days I'm just waay hungrier than others, so I listen and eat more on those days.

psychod787

shaf238 wrote: »

I took a break from tracking while on holiday recently and honestly, it did my nut in. I guess I'm weird in that I enjoy tracking my intake, it gives me a sense of peace knowing where I've landed for the day/week. Even if I've gone over my goals, I like knowing where I stand.

Could you try pre-logging for the weekend during the week day? Even if it's just loosely?

Tracking is like a warm blanket in some ways to me.

LivingtheLeanDream

@phychod787 aww I think someone needs a hug but hey, you do what works for you, if it brings you that hug in a blanket then stick with it
cheers, Irish

psychod787

LivingtheLeanDream wrote: »

@phychod787 aww I think someone needs a hug but hey, you do what works for you, if it brings you that hug in a blanket then stick with it
cheers, Irish

Thanks Lean! I have not weighed or tracked in 2 days. Lol.... Bulk life! Lol

JennJ323

That's what I do... I track pretty diligently during the week, then the weekends I hardly track at all. I still have a mental note of what I'm eating and don't go wild.. but I don't input every item that I eat. So far so good, been about 5 months!

jrwms714

Glad that this works for some of you. For me, I track every day and have for the past 7 years. It's easy and quick and works with my Type A personality. Like others on here, I am also retired, so every day is a weekend and every day is one that I spend my NEAT and don't worry about it. My eating behavior and attitude has totally changed over the past 7 years, so weekends are just another day for me. Food has really become something I do in order to be healthy, and I don't really crave anything, so it might be easier for me that way. My mindset is so different than it was when I started. Everyone has to do what works for them.

stdyh4nd

I programmed in a deficit so that I don't have to track the weekends. I eat consistently on the weekdays so that if I eat more than normal on weekends it will balance out to maintenance. If I eat less it will be a slight deficit. As others are mentioning it's not an invitation to go nuts but if you're eating in a restricted eating window there's only so much pizza and beer that one can eat in a sitting.

staticsplit

I am thinking of doing this as I often hang out with friends on the weekend or go out to eat so it is guesswork anyway.

ChelleDee07

I have maintained this way since I reached goal back in Sept of 2017. Initially I only took Saturday and Sunday off... This means no logging, weighing or getting in the gym. For more than a year now I have taken Friday from lunch time through Sunday night 'off'. I get back to my healthier lifestyle first thing Monday morning. I am in the gym during the week doing cardio/strength training. I weigh and log my food Monday through Friday morning... This method has worked well for me. My weight will shift up on Monday mornings (some of which is sodium from foods I typically don't eat during the week) and I shift it right back down by Wednesday or Thursday each week. With taking my weekends off, I do eat more freely but I do not gorge myself. It's been sustainable for almost 2 years now.

nat8199

I eat a bit below maintenance during the week, and then only log breakfast, maybe lunch, on the weekends. If we go out to eat, or ever to a friend's house, I don't bother logging. This has been working for me since I hit my goal weight.