After a weekend of fooding..............

QueenofCaffeine4Life

I am pretty strict during the week. On the weekends I tend to be less aggressive with my water intake. I also tend to eat a bit more 'fun and frivolous". However, this weekend I went full force into no no land. I ate all the goods.

So what do you typically do? Do you go really strict the next few days after a binge or do you just jump back into eating like your suppose to? I gained 3lbs over the weekend. I know most of it is water retention and from eating carbs (bloat).

Advice....tips to get back on plan without derailing the whole train.....................GO

SuzySunshine99

Just get back to what you were doing and move on. You don't need to try to compensate after a free-for-all weekend...that can start to seem like you are "punishing" yourself for going over your calories.

That said, if you generally like to eat more on the weekends, you could lower your calorie goal a bit during the week, and save the excess for some weekend fun. Many people keep track of their weekly calories instead of having the same calorie goal every day. I am in maintenance mode, and eat at a deficit all week so that I can have a surplus on the weekend. It all balances out.

QueenofCaffeine4Life

SuzySunshine99 wrote: »

eat at a deficit all week so that I can have a surplus on the weekend. It all balances out.

That is interesting. I stayed okay on the calorie part. Only went over by about 500 calories total. Except what I ate was loaded with fat, carbs, and nothing really healthy. I was at a ball park and had things I don't allow myself normally; fried chicken with ALL the skin and breading, chicken fingers, fried apples, cornbread...etc...
I generally eat low carb and lower calorie.

I need to learn more about the calorie deficit idea. I just assumed you needed to be at or below your calories for the DAY for weight loss. I didn't know you could "calorie cycle"....kinda like "carb cycle" to lose weight. That is cool.

SuzySunshine99

Calories are what determine fat gain/loss. So, if you only went over by 500 calories, it's really not going to have any recognizable impact on your progress. As you said, more carbs or sodium than usual can cause water retention, but that's temporary.

It takes a little more effort to "calorie-cycle", since the app is not really set up that way, but it definitely works with my lifestyle.

WinoGelato

Yes many people “bank” calories during the week, planning ahead for more indulgent weekends. I’m one of those people as social events tend to be more during the weekend, saving 100-200 cals/day under goal provides a cushion of about 500+ calories on the weekends. What matters for weight loss is a sustained calorie deficit over time, not what happens on a single day.

That said, I’m also wondering about your approach - is it too restrictive? Are you creating a view for yourself where food is good vs bad? Because really, any of the foods you described are things that could be eaten in a diet of all things in moderation without feeling guilt or concern about damage to your progress. Sure there are more nutrient dense foods but in the context of an overall balanced diet - nothing wrong with ball park food on occasion.

As others have said you’ll probably see a temporary spike in water weight due to sodium and carb heavy intake but it’s temporary.

QueenofCaffeine4Life

WinoGelato wrote: »

That said, I’m also wondering about your approach - is it too restrictive? Are you creating a view for yourself

Maybe so! I have it in my head that carbs are bad. All carbs. I rarely eat fruit. Very seldom if ever eat anything 'white'; no sugar, bread, rice, potatoes, or the like.
I keep under 1350 a day as well.

I do have the mentality of a low carber. But I also have the idea of being under calorie wise.

I don't feel like I am hungry, really. I do eat. I just don't eat anything that is in the no-no category for low carb eating. When I do eat 'that stuff' I do feel very guilty even if I am under my caloric range.
I also, usually, drink a gallon of water daily. When I am out of town or traveling I don't do so. I FEEL it in my body when I don't.

WinoGelato

becklorik wrote: »

WinoGelato wrote: »

That said, I’m also wondering about your approach - is it too restrictive? Are you creating a view for yourself

Maybe so! I have it in my head that carbs are bad. All carbs. I rarely eat fruit. Very seldom if ever eat anything 'white'; no sugar, bread, rice, potatoes, or the like.
I keep under 1350 a day as well.

I do have the mentality of a low carber. But I also have the idea of being under calorie wise.

I don't feel like I am hungry, really. I do eat. I just don't eat anything that is in the no-no category for low carb eating. When I do eat 'that stuff' I do feel very guilty even if I am under my caloric range.
I also, usually, drink a gallon of water daily. When I am out of town or traveling I don't do so. I FEEL it in my body when I don't.

Do you have a medical condition that requires you to restrict carbs? Or is it just a diet that you enjoy that you find filling?

At the end of the day - weight loss comes down to just one thing and that’s a calorie deficit. Eating low carb or restricting certain trigger foods can be an effective way of achieving that calorie deficit, but for some people it has the opposite effect. Being overly restrictive and cutting out foods you enjoy can lead to overindulgence, binging, even giving up.

The best advice I offer is to find a way of eating while you’re losing, that you could stick with in maintenance as well. If you truly enjoy the low carb approach that’s great, but there is nothing inherently bad about any carb containing foods (of any color) and that includes grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables... all of which can be a very healthy component of a nutritious and calorie appropriate diet. And then things like fried chicken, cornbread, baked apples - maybe not an every day thing but all of these things are delicious and in the context of your overall balanced diet can be eaten in moderation. Guilt has no place in a long term sustainable and successful approach. If eating certain foods makes you feel guilty it’s time to reassess.

QueenofCaffeine4Life

[/quote

The best advice I offer is to find a way of eating while you’re losing, that you could stick with in maintenance as well. If you truly enjoy the low carb approach that’s great, but there is nothing inherently bad about any carb containing foods (of any color) and that includes grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables... all of which can be a very healthy component of a nutritious and calorie appropriate diet Guilt has no place in a long term sustainable and successful approach. If eating certain foods makes you feel guilty it’s time to reassess.
[/quote]


I guess I have been told so long that CARBs of any kind are BAD BAD BAD and will cause weight gain. That I can't get over that thought. I don't have any medical issues. Just overweight. I need to lose at least 40lbs to feel comfortable with myself.

WinoGelato

becklorik wrote: »

[/quote

The best advice I offer is to find a way of eating while you’re losing, that you could stick with in maintenance as well. If you truly enjoy the low carb approach that’s great, but there is nothing inherently bad about any carb containing foods (of any color) and that includes grains, dairy, fruits and vegetables... all of which can be a very healthy component of a nutritious and calorie appropriate diet Guilt has no place in a long term sustainable and successful approach. If eating certain foods makes you feel guilty it’s time to reassess.

I guess I have been told so long that CARBs of any kind are BAD BAD BAD and will cause weight gain. That I can't get over that thought. I don't have any medical issues. Just overweight. I need to lose at least 40lbs to feel comfortable with myself.

[/quote]

Carbs don’t cause weight gain, an excess of calories cause weight gain. That can happen even while consuming a low carb diet. No particular food group or food causes weight gain nor does one particular food cause weight loss. It’s about total calories.

Take some time and read the stickied most helpful forum posts at the top of the getting started section, they have a lot of great information about how to use the site, set appropriate calorie and macro goals, etc.

LyndaBSS

I actually don't binge. Emotional overeating was a real problem for me before mfp. If I chose to behave like that again, it would unravel quickly.

Do you find it interesting that the particular foods you binged on were carb foods? Maybe your body is trying to tell you something. 😉

AnnPT77

becklorik wrote: »

I guess I have been told so long that CARBs of any kind are BAD BAD BAD and will cause weight gain. That I can't get over that thought. I don't have any medical issues. Just overweight. I need to lose at least 40lbs to feel comfortable with myself.

It's a myth.

Calories are the key to weight management. Carb intake is in the realm of individual variation and preference: Some people find that carbs tend to spike their appetites, so it's better to avoid them; others find they need ample carbs to maintain their energy level, especially during workouts.

If you've been eating roughly X grams of carbs daily, then suddenly increase to X+100 grams, even within calorie goal, you'll see a scale-weight jump from water retention, because while we're metabolizing the carbs, we hang onto a bit of water (I always forget how much, bit it's in the realm of 3-4 grams) for each additional gram of carbs.

But it's water, not fat, and so not really relevant to long-term fat loss. (It doesn't matter what X is: Low, medium or high carbs. If your normal scale weight includes X grams of carbs in transit on average, that scale weight will include the associated water grams as well. It's the increase from what's typical that accounts for the scale "gain".)

This is also the explanation behind the quick (and potentially exciting/motivating) scale-weight losses that many people will see when switching to a lower-carb way of eating. They have fewer carbs in transit on average, so don't hold the associatedwater. Much of the initial fast scale-weight loss is really water weight.

Long term, this all pretty much evens out to consistent fat loss on lower-carb vs. higher-carb ways of eating, at equal calories.

Nutrition is important for health, but carbs (absent medical issues) are not that important, except via appetite, satiation, energy level, and compliance with reduced calories (if they affect those factors for you). Protein is important (you need a certain minimum for best health). Fats are important (you need a certain minimum of those, too). Micronutrients and fiber are important (ditto). Carbs are more a personal-preference issue.

The carb-related water weight fluctuations convince people via personal experience that if they cut carbs, they lose weight fast (for a while ), and if they eat extra carbs they regain dramatically. But it's all just water weight fluctuation.

Personally, I don't care about my water weight (as long it doesn't become medically pathological, it's part of how a healthy body functions). I care about my fat weight. And I like carbs (especially veggies and fruits). I lost around 50 pounds in less than a year eating around 150g carbs daily, and maintain a healthy weight (for 3+ years now), eating close to 200g of them.

ilovekiwis

Yes, your eating pattern is too restrictive and it sounds like your hunger cues aren't doing their job either. This may improve with a more well-rounded diet. Carbs are an important part of that, and quality matters. Others have explained how sustained weight loss depends on CICO (calories in, calories out.)

Just don't punish yourself for overeating by doubling down on what caused you to binge! That can create a nasty cycle.

Consider adding in more activity to your day to allow for more calories. 1350 is near the minimum healthy amount for a small woman and it isn't sustainable for most people over a long period of time, especially if you have a lot of weight to lose. There is also evidence to suggest that chronically eating an aggressively low calorie diet lowers your metabolism over time. Variety is healthy and making room for controlled treats helps normalize eating at a comfortable calorie deficit :-)

bobsburgersfan

QueenofCaffeine4Life wrote: »

I guess I have been told so long that CARBs of any kind are BAD BAD BAD and will cause weight gain. That I can't get over that thought. I don't have any medical issues. Just overweight. I need to lose at least 40lbs to feel comfortable with myself.

I'm losing weight while eating ALL the carbs. I hope over time you can let go of the idea that any food is bad. It's cool if you actually enjoy eating low-carb, but it's not wrong to eat them!

I agree with everyone who said to go back to eating as normal; I wouldn't restrict yourself any further. 500 calories equates to only 1/7 of a pound, and your MFP calorie goal (assuming that's what you're using) has a deficit built in, so once the water weight fluctuation subsides, I doubt you'll even have a gain for the week.