Calorie binge day

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Replies

  • GauchoMark
    GauchoMark Posts: 1,804 Member
    There is a huge difference between a "binge" or Cheat day and taking a day or two for a planned feedback.

    The binge is bad for a bunch of reasons. You can easily undo a weeks progress in a day - maybe more. Also, it is still reinforcing the bad habits that got you overweight in the first place.

    I would either do a single meal where you eat what you want, but put a 2-3 hour time limit on it - don't let your "meal" drag on for all day. I would suggest going to a fancy restaurant and enjoying yourself and celebrate your weight loss or something else. Then go to bed and get back to it tomorrow. This has some great mental benefits if you are feeling the grind, but not a lot of physical benefits. However, it shouldn't set you back too terribly as long as you don't let yourself "binge".

    The other option is to take 2-3 days and just plan to eat at maintenance or maybe 200 or so over. This has some great physical benefits if you have been dieting for a while without breaks. Mentally, it isn't much different from a normal day because you are still counting everything, but you have more calories to treat yourself to.
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
    O.o If it weren't for the ice cream I eat my cheat days are healthier than my normal days then again its easier to eat healthy when you actually cook it instead of grabbing something microwaveable on the way out the door.
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  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    I have one every week and I have for over 10 years. I plan it so I am in control. God rested on the 7th day so why don't we?

    I would still log it but don't freak out over what you ate or any weight gain.
    Because, you will gain weight but it's mostly just water from sodium and storing of glycogen.
    Let's say you burn 3,000 calories a day and you splurged and ate 3,500 calories. The odds of that 500 calorie surplus turning into 0.14 pounds of fat is slim to none because your body will most definitely be storing excess calories in your depleted glycogen stores. Which actually causes a greater short-term water weight gain then fat would.
    The point I'm making is many people after a "bad" day get on the scale and freak out because they gained 5lbs. Then they blame the junk food and splurging. Well my friends, they did NOT gain 5lbs of fat unless they literally had a 17,500 calorie surplus with completely full glycogen stores. The weight gain is just water and if you go back to eating right that water weight comes off fairly quickly.

    Mindset is so extremely important to long-term success. When we fall off the wagon, which most of us do. We lose motivation, control, and feel guilt. When you "JUMP" off the wagon, you remain in control and tell guilt to kiss your *kitten*.
  • dunnodunno
    dunnodunno Posts: 2,290 Member
    What I do when I want to eat a few more sweets or something else at dinner is still log the food & weigh it on my scale & then I'll just input it in another day during the same week. I do that so I know I'm being accountable & already had a dessert another day.
  • hmroebuck
    hmroebuck Posts: 64 Member
    I guess there is something I'm missing. If a person ate at a 500cal deficit for 6 days (with the 7th to binge) that is a 3000cal total deficit for the week. How are you getting that it would take 5500 to offset the week of work?

    The only way I can see a binge day being okay is if you work the estimated calories into a deficit throughout the week. If you are working a plan for a 1lb/week loss (500cal daily deficit) and want a 3000cal binge day, your daily deficit would then need to be 1083!

    If you are just wanting to hit McDonald's once a week, that's different than a "binge day." That's a splurge meal, which is much easier to adjust for.
  • Russellb97
    Russellb97 Posts: 1,057 Member
    I guess there is something I'm missing. If a person ate at a 500cal deficit for 6 days (with the 7th to binge) that is a 3000cal total deficit for the week. How are you getting that it would take 5500 to offset the week of work?

    The only way I can see a binge day being okay is if you work the estimated calories into a deficit throughout the week. If you are working a plan for a 1lb/week loss (500cal daily deficit) and want a 3000cal binge day, your daily deficit would then need to be 1083!

    If you are just wanting to hit McDonald's once a week, that's different than a "binge day." That's a splurge meal, which is much easier to adjust for.


    That's because one "bad" day doesn't offset anything except the scale very short-term. After a high calorie day we feel bloated and weigh more due to water and not body-fat.
  • Supertact
    Supertact Posts: 466 Member
    Having a cheat day can wipe out progress of a hole week.
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  • donaldshaw70
    donaldshaw70 Posts: 14
    I had 5000 calories today as a reward for losing 8 pounds in 15 days. It won't make one bit of difference and by next Tues, I'll have lost a little more. It's all good. Everyone can have a day like this as long as they have a good week before and a good week after.

    Enjoy! :D
  • newnotnew
    newnotnew Posts: 11 Member
    Definitely log it. You will eat less if you log everying.
  • gelar93
    gelar93 Posts: 160
    Today I am thinking to go on free day of whatever i want and not counting calories for the day.is this recommended? I am afraid to fall of the wagon and undo my work .its only for the day since and I will go back to counting tommorrow.Do you have days like this?

    Pretty sure most of us do, but still log your food. Makes your more cautious and makes you work harder tomorrow

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