Help please: What should I eat on my days off?

I've always had trouble with days off. They are always what ultimately throw me off track of my "dieting" and I end up failing. What do you guys suggest I eat on my days off? Is going to a restaurant ok or not? Should I still follow my 1200 calorie limit, or is that just ridiculous. What do you guys do on your days off? appreciate any responses. Thanks! ????????????????

Replies

  • I've always had trouble with days off as well. I usually try to stay on the same time frame as if I'm at work.
    Going to a restaurant is perfectly okay. I usually try to look at their nutritional information online before going, that way I already have an idea of what I'm gonna be eating, how to track it, and depending on when I go - what I can eat the rest of the day. Honestly there's some restaurants I CANT eat at.... just wayyy to many calories. So what I would do is eat something really healthy at home and order a side salad at the restaurant.

    On my days off I be sure to keep moving. That's when I do most of my house work. But I also make sure to take a long walk/run on those days just in case some boredom eating occurs. At least I would've burned more that day and it wont be that bad.

    Feel free to message me any time =)
  • Phoenix_Warrior
    Phoenix_Warrior Posts: 1,633 Member
    I don't take days off but I also don't eat 1200 calories. consistency is the key to weight loss. A weekend of unlogged food can derail a week of deficit. I would still log, even if you go over.
  • ktsimons
    ktsimons Posts: 294 Member
    I tend to look at my calories over the course of a week. I don't eat all my exercise calories back every day so if I go over my 1,400 daily limit on a day that I don't work out, it doesn't affect my losses for the week.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I've always had trouble with days off. They are always what ultimately throw me off track of my "dieting" and I end up failing. What do you guys suggest I eat on my days off? Is going to a restaurant ok or not? Should I still follow my 1200 calorie limit, or is that just ridiculous. What do you guys do on your days off? appreciate any responses. Thanks! ????????????????

    Days off from what?
  • wilmnoca
    wilmnoca Posts: 416 Member
    I eat the same, but less carbs.
  • The days off are from dieting in general.
  • Thanks for the replies guys! It really helped! ????????????????
  • BlueBombers
    BlueBombers Posts: 4,064 Member
    I usually eat below my goal every day so on Sundays when I don't workout if I go over a bit I don't sweat it.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    The days off are from dieting in general.

    Why? Maybe try adopting a healthy lifestyle that incorporates a few treats and then you don't need time "off"?
  • Littlestandrews
    Littlestandrews Posts: 96 Member
    The days off are from dieting in general.

    Why? Maybe try adopting a healthy lifestyle that incorporates a few treats and then you don't need time "off"?


    This^^
    About once a week I have a Snickers bar. 250 calories of goodness. But I bank my calories for it. In fact, I eat something I really crave at least once a day, I just watch my calories so I don't overdue it.
    I haven't taken one day off since starting on July 13th because I know it would derail me. Have a cheat meal (not a full cheat day) and get back on the wagon.
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    Oh! I thought the OP meant days off from WORK. Lol!

    I have found that I can easily wreck a week's deficit by taking days off from dieting. At my weight, I'm only projected to lose .5-1 lb/week, so no loss, as I've been exhibiting for the past month due to "days off" is pretty daunting. My suggestion is that you don't think of this as a diet, but a systematic method to change how you eat for life. If you can't live without donuts, for example, for the rest of your life, try to budget one in every once in a while. Good luck to you!
  • WhiteRabbit1313
    WhiteRabbit1313 Posts: 1,091 Member
    The days off are from dieting in general.

    Why? Maybe try adopting a healthy lifestyle that incorporates a few treats and then you don't need time "off"?

    ^^agreed!
  • I know what you mean.. Keep up the good
    work
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    I log 7 days a week. I take rest days from exercise .. but I eat the same way every day. I just would be sad if I messed up a good week by going crazy on just one day.
  • QuilterInVA
    QuilterInVA Posts: 672 Member
    Would you tell an alcoholic to have a day off? It's just the same with us where food is our drug of choice. You don't take days off because it undos what you have done and could set you on another road where you gain even more. Instead you plan a reasonable diet where you can eat out occasionally and maybe have a treat once a week.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    I'm not sure what you mean by days off, but I eat the same way almost every day.
  • DeltaZero
    DeltaZero Posts: 1,197 Member
    Stop "dieting" and make this a life change. Not a temporary "journey" but plan to better yourself for forever.

    Or, take days off and screw up the hard work you put in the other days.
  • Guys, guys, guys, chill. Seriously. Everybody is different. I call it dieting, but i know its not that, its a lifestyle change. But this works for ME. I've done years worth of research online. I've dug deep. Many sources say that taking one or two days off a month from your "life style change" is good. Were only human. Food is a big part of my life and culture. So my "days off" really help me in the sense that I feel not totally deprived of what I want. I'm just an 18 year old girl who wants a little lee way once in a while to hang out with friends or what have you. My body is still young. It'll bounce back. Its not like I'm full on bingeing on my days off.????
  • Stop "dieting" and make this a life change. Not a temporary "journey" but plan to better yourself for forever.

    Or, take days off and screw up the hard work you put in the other days.

    I'm aware of that. I know that dieting is temporary and you have to change your lifestyle. It just wasn't the proper word for the sentence at the time. ????
  • The days off are from dieting in general.

    Why? Maybe try adopting a healthy lifestyle that incorporates a few treats and then you don't need time "off"?

    ^^agreed!

    ok let me rephrase that: days off from my "lifestyle" change in general.
  • Would you tell an alcoholic to have a day off? It's just the same with us where food is our drug of choice. You don't take days off because it undos what you have done and could set you on another road where you gain even more. Instead you plan a reasonable diet where you can eat out occasionally and maybe have a treat once a week.

    That may work for you, but days off work for me. We're all different.
  • fitgirlandfoodie
    fitgirlandfoodie Posts: 1,014 Member
    Log regardless of what you decide to eat. Even on bad days I log (take a peek at yesterday). I don't really take days off..saying that I don't restrtict any foods I like anways. If you want to eat out, eat out but just be honest and log. Life is always going to happen, so if I end up having a slice of cake, or a steak without really planning it, I'll have it , and work around it later.

    I think you may find that, eventually, you'll prefer healthier options the majority of the time, and feel slightly off after enjoying high cal, high fat treats. (thats my experience anyways..two weeks ago I had my masters graduation, worked hard on workouts all week, had a dinner of foie gras, steak and cheese for dinner and actually ended up getting sick from being so full of rich food)

    Enjoy your days off if thats what your going to do, but I would strongly suggest logging regardless, just to be mindful :) xxx
  • loserlee123
    loserlee123 Posts: 109 Member
    I don't take days off but I try to earn additional calories on the weekend and if I know what I am having for dinner, I usually enter those calories first and then figure out breakfast and lunch.
  • dan_IRL
    dan_IRL Posts: 204 Member
    To rephrase what everyone else is saying. Don't think of it as "days off" just think of it as days where you work small indulgences into your lifestyle. If you want to go out to a restaurant with friends, do it. Just be mindful of what your eating. A cheeseburger and fries every great once in awhile didn't kill anyone. 10 cheeseburgers and fries a week, that's where you run into problems.

    I track everything every day. (at least most days anyway) Some days i'm going to go over. As long as the days you go over are far less than the days than you stay within your chosen range, you will be fine.

    Just lighten up your mentality on the whole thing and you will build healthy habits and behaviors that will keep you healthy for life.

    unfortunately for me, and i'm sure a lot of us on here, we are learning these things much later in life.
  • Log regardless of what you decide to eat. Even on bad days I log (take a peek at yesterday). I don't really take days off..saying that I don't restrtict any foods I like anways. If you want to eat out, eat out but just be honest and log. Life is always going to happen, so if I end up having a slice of cake, or a steak without really planning it, I'll have it , and work around it later.

    I think you may find that, eventually, you'll prefer healthier options the majority of the time, and feel slightly off after enjoying high cal, high fat treats. (thats my experience anyways..two weeks ago I had my masters graduation, worked hard on workouts all week, had a dinner of foie gras, steak and cheese for dinner and actually ended up getting sick from being so full of rich food)

    Enjoy your days off if thats what your going to do, but I would strongly suggest logging regardless, just to be mindful :) xxx

    Thank you sooo much! Will do! ????????????????????????????????????
  • To rephrase what everyone else is saying. Don't think of it as "days off" just think of it as days where you work small indulgences into your lifestyle. If you want to go out to a restaurant with friends, do it. Just be mindful of what your eating. A cheeseburger and fries every great once in awhile didn't kill anyone. 10 cheeseburgers and fries a week, that's where you run into problems.

    I track everything every day. (at least most days anyway) Some days i'm going to go over. As long as the days you go over are far less than the days than you stay within your chosen range, you will be fine.

    Just lighten up your mentality on the whole thing and you will build healthy habits and behaviors that will keep you healthy for life.

    unfortunately for me, and i'm sure a lot of us on here, we are learning these things much later in life.

    thank you. You've given me plenty to think about. ????????????
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    I've done years worth of research online

    I'm just an 18 year old girl

    Ok....
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
    I find just working in treats now and then is better than taking an entire day off. I think that tends to be more effective in staying on track.
  • bwogilvie
    bwogilvie Posts: 2,130 Member
    I don't take "days off," but I think of my calorie target as a weekly goal. Some days I'll eat a lot; others I'll eat less. And still others, I'll eat a lot but exercise a lot too. As long as it all balances out in the end, that's fine. I've even had a few days with negative calories (one day I ate around 3000 calories but bicycled 111 miles in the Berkshire Hills).