I do pretty well all week but,

paulei1975

I'm pretty much on track most of the week, but there is that day when I have friends come over and I over indulge ( pizza, beer, sweets). I've been doing cardio pretty much every day for at least an hour a day or more. I would like to know, if this one or 2 day a week free for all will catch up with me. Feedback much appreciated

SassyDingo

What's your weekly intake like? Are you under your calorie goal on a weekly basis? Lots of people will 'save up' their calories for the weekend and it seems to work for them.

rileyhall00

Yes and no. Its good to spike yiur your metabolism once in a while. However if your body adjusts to this thwn all those days were u cut 300cals are being wasted. Be honest and log all that bad food and see how you go. Sure you'll still lose weight.

paulei1975

I'll open my diary, on a normal day I'll have around 2 to 300 calories to spare. Thank you

littleburgy

Weekend indulgence is totally normal -- as long as it doesn't make you go over your weekly calorie average, in theory you should be fine. Track what you can, after a few weeks you'll probably be able to tell whether or not it's a hindrance or not.

rachjenn

Don't beat yourself up over what you're doing. If I was you, I'd try to save some calories over the week, then the "naughty day" be very strict in the morning/afternoon, then naughty in the evening.

You've got to give yourself some indulgence :-)

Ninkyou

Some people allow cheat days, but you really need to make an effort to not make it a "free for all" day. You still need to exercise moderation.

Let's do some math here. Let's say your current goal is a 500 calorie deficit daily.
500 x 7 (days a week)=3500 calorie deficit for the week

On Sunday you have the guys over, order some pizza, get some beer, have some chocolate chip cookies, chips, soda to watch the big game.

I dunno about your local pizzerias, but mine, one large slice of pepperoni is 479 calories. You're keeping up with the guys so you eat 4 slices.

3500-2000 (4x slices pizza)=1500 calorie deficit for the week

On top of that you indulge in some (let's pretend here) Miller Lite or Coors Lite. Each of those bottles/cans is roughly 100 calories. You decide to drink 3 beers.

1500-300 (3 beers)= 1200 calorie deficit for the week

Then there's chips. You're not weighing or counting how many you eat. But damn these Cool Ranch Doritos are the bomb. One serving (1oz, 28 chips is 150 cal). You've probably eaten 2 or more servings.

1200-300 (2x Doritos)=900 calorie deficit for the week,

I mention cookies, right? Can't keep you hands off them. You eat 4 of them like there's no tomorrow and still, you want more. You didn't even think of the caloric content. I'll be generous and say 2 cookies is 170 calories (I'm looking at you, you tiny Pillsbury ready-bake cookies!).

900- 340 (4x cookies)=560 calorie deficit for the week.

Is there more food than this? Chicken wings? Buffalo wings? Oreos? Ice cream? I'm sure there probably is.

But anywho, just stopping there you're only at a 560 calorie deficit now the entire week. You're not going to lose much with that.

This is just an example of how a "free for all" day might go. Not saying this is what happened or what you did. But you can easily see where you need to moderate. If you keep doing free for alls, you could blow your entire deficit.

laursoar

Each week, maybe try to keep the indulgences as close as you can to being within your calorie goal too? When I know I'm going to be social at night, I choose to eat low-calorie but balanced meals for breakfast and lunch and usually exercise in the daytime so that I then have a big amount left for the nighttime. You might not be able to throw back ten beers and a whole pizza this way, but you should be able to have a couple of slices and a couple of beers. Then, maybe go a little bit over for the snacks.

Capt_Apollo

i like to indulge myself too. but i had to figure out where i'd be willing to make some cuts and where i didn't.

i'll never stop eating pizza. but when i order some i try and get some veggies on there, or my favorite which is chicken and tomato pizza. i also have to know myself and while yeah, i can probably destroy an entire pie, i can do two slices of chicken and tomato pizza and i'll be good to go. especially if i'm drinking full beer. thats some place i will not sacrifice at. i love my full bodied beers. and again, i know that if i'm having a good IPA, i can really only drink two. i mean, i could drink the third one, but then i'm being exsessive because i'm full, and the times i've ordered the third one, i'm drinking it so slow that it gets warm half way through.

heatheralvina

Just limit yourself go online and figure up how many calories are in the slice of pizza you guys typically order, figure up how many calories are in a serving of what is normally at these functions. Figure up how many calories you want to consume and what the portions would be and stick to it. If someone asks why your not eating more simply say "man, I'm full!" you don't have to explain anything if you don't want to!

Also...maybe a bit girly, but you could possibly make the pizza yourself? Buying a whole wheat crust, low fat cheese, fresh veggies, turkey pepperoni (tastes EXACTLY the same!) etc., I cant remember if it is on MFB or sparkpeople but there is a tool where you can plug in all your ingredients and how many servings the recipe makes and it will give you calorie total per serving.

Consider cutting the beer. SERIOUSLY! I had a serious problem drinking my calories, juice, soda etc, just buy cutting those out I save so many calories a day! by not having the beer and opting for maybe a diet soda or water you will save calories. You can pour your drink in a glass so your friends wont be aware your drinking diet soda or water

also, try eating before the get together, a high protein, low cal snack,. A banana and chocolate PB2 is my go to snack

Consider doing a longer workout on your "cheat day"

And be sure to log into MFP so you will know just how much you did cheat

I hope you can use some of these tips!

SideSteel

Are you making progress at a rate that you expect to when you cheat on the weekends?

If so, then I'd say you're fine.
If not, then I think you know why.

It's pretty much that simple.

servilia

Mak up for it on some other days, even if you're below your goal those days. Look at weekly avgs instead of daily and it'll work itself out.

paulei1975

Thanks for the great feedback everyone.

paulei1975

Some people allow cheat days, but you really need to make an effort to not make it a "free for all" day. You still need to exercise moderation.

Let's do some math here. Let's say your current goal is a 500 calorie deficit daily.
500 x 7 (days a week)=3500 calorie deficit for the week

On Sunday you have the guys over, order some pizza, get some beer, have some chocolate chip cookies, chips, soda to watch the big game.

I dunno about your local pizzerias, but mine, one large slice of pepperoni is 479 calories. You're keeping up with the guys so you eat 4 slices.

3500-2000 (4x slices pizza)=1500 calorie deficit for the week

On top of that you indulge in some (let's pretend here) Miller Lite or Coors Lite. Each of those bottles/cans is roughly 100 calories. You decide to drink 3 beers.

1500-300 (3 beers)= 1200 calorie deficit for the week

Then there's chips. You're not weighing or counting how many you eat. But damn these Cool Ranch Doritos are the bomb. One serving (1oz, 28 chips is 150 cal). You've probably eaten 2 or more servings.

1200-300 (2x Doritos)=900 calorie deficit for the week,

I mention cookies, right? Can't keep you hands off them. You eat 4 of them like there's no tomorrow and still, you want more. You didn't even think of the caloric content. I'll be generous and say 2 cookies is 170 calories (I'm looking at you, you tiny Pillsbury ready-bake cookies!).
Yes I really need to watch these day, thanks for opening my eyes.
900- 340 (4x cookies)=560 calorie deficit for the week.

Is there more food than this? Chicken wings? Buffalo wings? Oreos? Ice cream? I'm sure there probably is.

But anywho, just stopping there you're only at a 560 calorie deficit now the entire week. You're not going to lose much with that.

This is just an example of how a "free for all" day might go. Not saying this is what happened or what you did. But you can easily see where you need to moderate. If you keep doing free for alls, you could blow your entire deficit.

Greenrun99

Are you making progress at a rate that you expect to when you cheat on the weekends?

If so, then I'd say you're fine.
If not, then I think you know why.

It's pretty much that simple.

Just this... That is all. If you still want the cheat day etc, reduce by a small amount during the week to make up.. or workout before your buddies come over.

hstoblish

Start your day with a long hike, or get the guys to play a game of touch football or hockey. I know a group of guys who all play in a league together and I swear the reason they've weathered aging so well is that they play hockey at least 3 nights a week together and drink together on the weekends. A few of them complain about being able to gain muscle, but that's whole other discussion. If your current crowd isn't into it, I'd definitely recommend finding a team of some sort, it'll help you get that social time but also add in a fitness component.

Another idea is to switch to a less calorie intense alcohol. If you suddenly develop a taste for bourbon and soda or scotch, none of the guys are going to judge you and you need to drink less and slower than with a beer.

I have a feeling you're probably not the only guy in the crowd you hang out with that is feeling this way so some of the other guys might appreciate you bringing along some healthier home-made snacks (you can always say you're trying to learn to cook if you don't want to say that you're trying to lose weight).

ETA: watch out for Tonic though! Soda water is fine, but tonic has more calories than you think.