Your views on free weekends or free days?

BrianJLamb

There are some foods that I LOVE to eat that would definitely NOT be considered healthy food. I am neurotic about dieting and eating healthy and my brain is/has never been good at doing anything in moderation. I would never let myself eat a chicken wing if I was on a full-time healthy lifestyle kick. In order to maintain my sanity and not feel like I am depriving myself of things that I love, I give myself free days on the weekends. Usually a Saturday or Sunday where I can turn my brain off, do whatever I want, and eat however I please.

What this does for me is allow me to control my urges for unhealthy food by giving them a goal date. I wont say that I cant eat pizza or wings because they are bad for me, just that I cant eat them until the weekend. It kills the craving for the time being and generally when the weekend comes there is a whole other craving that I can take care of.

How do you guys think the free weekend effects me physically? Do you think it is an unhealthy precedent to set physically and mentally?

allehp

I have always been told that having "free" weekends and dieting during the week is a great way to maintain your weight, but not to lose weight. Having a free day or weekend about once a month is perfectly fine though, and does wonders for your sanity!

karleen

yea i agree, a full weekend is a bit much. i know id def throw myself off track. once or twice a month you can splurge but i wouldnt go nuts. that just makes me wanna eat bad again and aagain!!

sweetheart03622

Tried it... didn't work for me. I found that I was spending all of my time that day obsessing about eating everything I liked... I was consuming wayyyy too many calories and was keeping myself in a standing position with weight. I'm just starting this week, but I'm doing maintenance calories on the weekends and weight loss calories during the week. Coupled with the extra time to work-out harder, that's anywhere from 1,000-1,500 extra calories on Saturday and Sunday without killing my weight loss (at least in theory). That's a ton of extra food! We'll see how it goes..

BrianJLamb

I have always been told that having "free" weekends and dieting during the week is a great way to maintain your weight, but not to lose weight. Having a free day or weekend about once a month is perfectly fine though, and does wonders for your sanity!

Did they ever explain why it wasn't a good way to lose weight? I do it and when I put my mind to it, I can get the weight off pretty effectively, but I have mentioned it to people and some suggest that it isnt healthy. I can't see why it isnt and they dont know why it isn't, they just feel it isn't.

@Karleen...try gorging yourself on whatever the bad food is. LOL...if I do a bad Saturday dinner, I wake up with a food hangover and the same remorse that people get from alcohol hangovers, vowing to never eat chicken lomein and ben and jerrys again.

cerysrhi

I like having a free day but I tend to keep in mind my calories for a maintain day. on a normal day I am only allowed 1290 cals to lose 2lb a week but on a maintain day I can consume 2000cals its my belief that if I eat within a maintain calorie day then it won't hinder my weight loss. the other thing I do to cure my cravings is have a bad food snack every day I have 3 meals and 3 snacks each snack is normally 100 -150 cals so I have a 100 cal bag of crisps or a 150cal chocolate biscuit but only for 1 snack the other 2 are supposed to be healthy choice snacks x

reikichris

You can fit some of the fun foods into your diet without going over your calories as long as you do so in moderation. My family does take out Friday every week. We order pizza, Indian food, Taco Bell, Applebee's etc. I can have two pieces of Veggie Pizza or 1/3 container of take out Indian with 1 cup of rice without going over my daily allotted calories. Sometimes I have to do a little extra cardio to fit it in (Zaxbys) but it is soooo worth it.

You can fit the fun foods into your diet. You just need to find a balance, or, as allehp mentioned, you will likely find that you are able to maintain, but not lose.

Liatush

For me, I prefer to, say, save enough calories to have a "free" meal once in a while, but I know that certain foods are bad for me and they have gotten me to where I am today, desp trying to lose weight... so my brain knows its not worth it, and I usually can distract myself from the cravings when they come, or just have a tiny piece of something (like .5 slice of pizza, or a thin crust slice) and stuff myself with raw veggies and water to kill the hunger. So far, it has been working. Once I get to my goal weight, maybe I'll let up once in a while (once a month, a meal a week? It depends on how my body takes it and what it is I really want to eat, but that's a slippery slope). I KNOW that having 2500 cals worth of cheese fries is not an app i'd ever order again, no matter what. I know that a cheeseburger amounting to nearly 1500 cals is simply not worth it. Not even on a day i'm super good with cals. Why do so much damage to myself, to my body, just to satisfy a momentary desire? Once I get my body to look the way I want, I would think I'd want to cherish it and give it the best of everything, not keep pushing its limits with bad foods...

shanolap

I feel the exact same way!! After working out 40+ times last month and on goal for daily this month I am exhausted! I'm going out of town for V-Day and plan on NOT working out, eating 1 meal a day where I eat what I want, not what is healthiest for me. I think that all of my focus has started to chip away at my desire to workout in the early mornings (easy cardio and yoga, not hard work, just early!). I am still doing hard workouts in the evening but..... you know, feel myself getting a bit off track.

So I think an occasional non-diet/healthy whatever you call it weekend is in order. I hope to come back refreshed and revved up for another month and a half of kickin' some serious *kitten*!

humpalc

If you really approach this from a 'healthy lifestyle' perspective, rather than a 'cheating on my diet' perspective, than I think it is important to incorporate those things you just can't give up - I don't necessarily do a 'cheat day,' I still log what I eat, and try to stay near my calorie goal, maybe get an extra workout in that day or the next, but I don't call anything necessarily off limits - We went to pizza ranch (buffet) as a family last weekend, and I still ate some pizza - just not as much as I normally would - had more salad and fresh veggies than usual, made sure the pizza was thin crust and that the toppings were to the healthier end of the spectrum. My hubby also recently deep fried some jalapeno poppers at home (grrrrr.....I LOVE those!) and I had one, rather than 6

I think it's important to try to make this something you can live with long term, rather than something you'll quit eventually because you feel deprived.

becalee26

I usually do one bad takeout meal every 2 weeks if i am really craving it. Since i am starting out, I won't do it until I see the scale drop some. My friend used to do ww but never on the weekends. I could never do that but it works for some though.

shreddingit

free days and free weekends are no good, if your serious about reaching your goals then you need to focus and stop thinking about unhealthy food. I only have had 3 cheat meals since september, and I dont crave fast food anymore which was my reason for being over weight.

kms1981

I give myself one meal each day of the weekend. So maybe we go to lunch or dinner Saturday and then I cook dinner Sunday. I eat healthy the rest of the day and don't binge on my free meal, but I do get to taste what I have been wanting. My sister and husband have been doing this for 12 months now and have lost 70 & 75 pounds each. I just started in January and have lost 20...hope this helps.

BrianJLamb

If you really approach this from a 'healthy lifestyle' perspective, rather than a 'cheating on my diet' perspective, than I think it is important to incorporate those things you just can't give up - I don't necessarily do a 'cheat day,' I still log what I eat, and try to stay near my calorie goal, maybe get an extra workout in that day or the next, but I don't call anything necessarily off limits - We went to pizza ranch (buffet) as a family last weekend, and I still ate some pizza - just not as much as I normally would - had more salad and fresh veggies than usual, made sure the pizza was thin crust and that the toppings were to the healthier end of the spectrum. My hubby also recently deep fried some jalapeno poppers at home (grrrrr.....I LOVE those!) and I had one, rather than 6

I think it's important to try to make this something you can live with long term, rather than something you'll quit eventually because you feel deprived.

Notice I am not calling it a "cheat day", I call it a "free day." A cheat day is inherently bad. A free day is not.
And I completely agree with what you are saying about long term goals and deprivation. If I resent the fact, on some level, that I cant eat something or have something that I want, then it is self-defeating and damaging, at least in my mind.

@shreddingit...I don't agree with you at all. To say that something coin something as 'no good' or to suggest that people serious about reaching their goals need to prescribe to a specific standard without offering any real evidence or support statements doesn't really seem to contribute. Can you elaborate as to why they are 'no good' and why goals cannot be met having them?

Cristy_AZ

I agree that this is a lifestyle not a diet, I've thought about this a lot and don't think "cheat days" would work for me. I don't think that I am depriving myself either, I allow myself a piece of pizza or a square of chocolate. I'm just getting into this clean eating and what I wonder is if people take the day off from logging too? I don't see the point of that, I mean I ate what I wanted on Christmas and New Year, but its all in here and seeing what it was makes me wonder if I'll ever do it again, my next potential cheat day will be 3/31 on my birthday and I am undecided how to deal with it. I know I already told my coworkers no cake or pie. Maybe when I'm maintaining or even not morbidly obese I'll look at it differently. Interested in seeing more responses here.

BrianJLamb

I agree that this is a lifestyle not a diet, I've thought about this a lot and don't think "cheat days" would work for me. I don't think that I am depriving myself either, I allow myself a piece of pizza or a square of chocolate. I'm just getting into this clean eating and what I wonder is if people take the day off from logging too? I don't see the point of that, I mean I ate what I wanted on Christmas and New Year, but its all in here and seeing what it was makes me wonder if I'll ever do it again, my next potential cheat day will be 3/31 on my birthday and I am undecided how to deal with it. I know I already told my coworkers no cake or pie. Maybe when I'm maintaining or even not morbidly obese I'll look at it differently. Interested in seeing more responses here.

Cristy, I see your point and I think that maybe I tend to generalize and apply my situation to the situation of others. I weigh 177 lbs and my goal is to lose about 20 more. When I get there I will see how I feel, but I think that I will start feeling better and almost normal again somewhere around 162, so I am only 15 lbs off from that goal. I have gone up and down with my weight a good deal, so I know how to make it come off. It is just keeping pace. If I were to lose 20 lbs over the next 3 months, I would be content with that. I look at it and think, "Well, if I am on point 85 percent of the time or 90 percent of the time and I slack here and there, but with controlled slacking, I will be on track."

dawnslaughter

i eat what i want all week so long as i dont go over my calories. for the week.. it does not matter about the odd day

shanolap

If you really approach this from a 'healthy lifestyle' perspective, rather than a 'cheating on my diet' perspective, than I think it is important to incorporate those things you just can't give up - I don't necessarily do a 'cheat day,' I still log what I eat, and try to stay near my calorie goal, maybe get an extra workout in that day or the next, but I don't call anything necessarily off limits - We went to pizza ranch (buffet) as a family last weekend, and I still ate some pizza - just not as much as I normally would - had more salad and fresh veggies than usual, made sure the pizza was thin crust and that the toppings were to the healthier end of the spectrum. My hubby also recently deep fried some jalapeno poppers at home (grrrrr.....I LOVE those!) and I had one, rather than 6

I think it's important to try to make this something you can live with long term, rather than something you'll quit eventually because you feel deprived.

Notice I am not calling it a "cheat day", I call it a "free day." A cheat day is inherently bad. A free day is not.
And I completely agree with what you are saying about long term goals and deprivation. If I resent the fact, on some level, that I cant eat something or have something that I want, then it is self-defeating and damaging, at least in my mind.

@shreddingit...I don't agree with you at all. To say that something coin something as 'no good' or to suggest that people serious about reaching their goals need to prescribe to a specific standard without offering any real evidence or support statements doesn't really seem to contribute. Can you elaborate as to why they are 'no good' and why goals cannot be met having them?

I agree that it's not a "cheat day" but a "free day". If what you want to eat is french fries and gorge on them is not condusive to losing weight. I eat as much clean food as possible, plan all my meals a week in advance, allow within my calories a glass of wine AND chocolate and do this as my typical LIFESTYLE. For my free day, I am going to have the filet mignon WITH bleu cheese and a nice pinot and probably an appetizer (which is a typical no-no for me). What I am not going to do is eat half a pizza. I will keep in mind what the sodium, alcohol calories and cheese (yummmm) will do to my goals and imbide accordingly. I plan on switching my goals to mainteance and logging daily. Betcha I lose a pound by Monday!

cardbucfan

I eat what I want in moderation whenever rather than waiting for one day. I log it, am mindful of my calories for the day and this approach is working really well for me. I'd say 80% of the time I eat pretty healthy with 20% things that folks would say isn't good for me. My issue has always been quantity so as long as I only eat 2 cookies instead of an entire bag, I've made a change for the better that I can maintain and live with forever.

Also, I plan ahead for those "big days"-Super Bowl, Christmas, Thanksgiving, anniversaries and birthdays. I get a super big workout in that day and the day before (sometimes the day after too!) so I have the calorie room.

shanolap

I eat what I want in moderation whenever rather than waiting for one day. I log it, am mindful of my calories for the day and this approach is working really well for me. I'd say 80% of the time I eat pretty healthy with 20% things that folks would say isn't good for me. My issue has always been quantity so as long as I only eat 2 cookies instead of an entire bag, I've made a change for the better that I can maintain and live with forever.

Also, I plan ahead for those "big days"-Super Bowl, Christmas, Thanksgiving, anniversaries and birthdays. I get a super big workout in that day and the day before (sometimes the day after too!) so I have the calorie room.

That's what I'm talking about!!!!

kitta3

I allow myself one bad day.. and I dont go too overboard
for me, it keeps me going or else I'd quit every diet
seems to work for me!

I say, if its going to keep you going on this diet, and keep you motivated, then have one day.
dont go CRAZY but enjoy yourself

VickiMitkins

The problem with free weekends is that those bad foods can be addictive which derails you later on. Think about it. After you have eaten salty or fatty foods, don't you want more of the them? That came home to me a few months ago. I had almost eliminated simple carbs from my diet and reduced fats significantly. A co-worker had resigned and we gave her a going away party at a local club. I decided to splurge and get their version of raw fries which included lots of salt, crumbled blue cheese and dip (it was soooo good). Problem was that I found myself craving the salt and fat for days after. Same thing happend a couple months ago during a trip. I was hungry and went to Mc'Donalds. Got medium fries and the new fruit drink. Both tasted great, but I craved salt for a couple of days after (not the fruit). I think splurging is ok, but every weekend might not work so well. Maybe only one meal on the weekend or once a month like others have said. Once you really gave up all the sugar, salt, and fat real food tastes a lot better and you won't want the bad stuff as much.

jamielr84

I say if it works for you and you are still losing weight.....then you are really lucky! If I have a "free day" it always shows on scale!:grumble:

Silvergamma

The "I've been good, I deserve a day off" mentality is what has derailed me in the past. At this point "free days" or "cheat days" (I'm not sure I see what the difference is) are really dangerous for me, and throw me into a binge cycle. Since joining MFP, my strategy has been to be truthful with myself about what I'm eating, and not to cut things out, just cut down on the volume and log, log, log.

BrianJLamb

The problem with free weekends is that those bad foods can be addictive which derails you later on. Think about it. After you have eaten salty or fatty foods, don't you want more of the them? That came home to me a few months ago. I had almost eliminated simple carbs from my diet and reduced fats significantly. A co-worker had resigned and we gave her a going away party at a local club. I decided to splurge and get their version of raw fries which included lots of salt, crumbled blue cheese and dip (it was soooo good). Problem was that I found myself craving the salt and fat for days after. Same thing happend a couple months ago during a trip. I was hungry and went to Mc'Donalds. Got medium fries and the new fruit drink. Both tasted great, but I craved salt for a couple of days after (not the fruit). I think splurging is ok, but every weekend might not work so well. Maybe only one meal on the weekend or once a month like others have said. Once you really gave up all the sugar, salt, and fat real food tastes a lot better and you won't want the bad stuff as much.

I can see that. I am luck that it has the reverse effect on me. Eating bad food on a free day makes me feel like crap the next day. I wake up dehydrated or feeling like I have to poop in my pants. I begin to associate the bad food with feeling bad and as the weeks progress, I generally eat less of those bad foods even on my free days. Eating a thing of french fries or some pizza and then waking up at 2 in the morning dehydrated checks me back into reality.

I hope to one day get to the point where I will let myself eat a gyro midweek and consider it a good day if I am on point with my calories. The problem for me has always been that if I eat something "not healthy" during the week, I feel like I have failed and I want to give up on things. At least if I build a day in for stupid food, I am in control of it.

lizard9800

I give myself one cheat day a week, mainly for sanity purposes. It usually involves going out to eat with friends and not worrying too much about calories. Athough, I do make sure I get a really good workout in that day and drink a lot of water. I think your metabolism could use a boost once in a while so it doesn't get too used to only burning X-amount of calories every day. Plus, the bonus is that going out and seeing everyone at a restaurant gorging themselves makes me realize how gross it is and how healthy I want to be!

miss_emma_joey

I have cheat days on Sundays, but I still work out. I have mac and cheese and pizza mmmm! Just don't binge ridiculously!

BrianJLamb

I give myself one cheat day a week, mainly for sanity purposes. It usually involves going out to eat with friends and not worrying too much about calories. Athough, I do make sure I get a really good workout in that day and drink a lot of water. I think your metabolism could use a boost once in a while so it doesn't get too used to only burning X-amount of calories every day. Plus, the bonus is that going out and seeing everyone at a restaurant gorging themselves makes me realize how gross it is and how healthy I want to be!

That was my belief, too. I figured it was healthy to give myself a bunch of fat calories and what not to burn through so my metabolism doesn't get used to always eating low. That was the response or a response contrary to that is what I had been hoping for the whole time.

eates

I eat what I want in moderation whenever rather than waiting for one day. I log it, am mindful of my calories for the day and this approach is working really well for me. I'd say 80% of the time I eat pretty healthy with 20% things that folks would say isn't good for me. My issue has always been quantity so as long as I only eat 2 cookies instead of an entire bag, I've made a change for the better that I can maintain and live with forever.

Also, I plan ahead for those "big days"-Super Bowl, Christmas, Thanksgiving, anniversaries and birthdays. I get a super big workout in that day and the day before (sometimes the day after too!) so I have the calorie room.

This. I'm horrible at "dieting" I, quite simply, don't have the will power to do it (and before anybody starts with mind over matter and I could have the will power if I wanted & blah blah blah- I know that). I have no intention of depriving myself for the rest of my life. I'm re-teaching myself to make healthier choices not for the short term goal of losing weight but for the long term goal of being healthy. I haven't given up eating out or pizza or ice cream. Now I just have 1 serving of ice cream instead of 1 bowl that contains about 700 calories.

capnananda

I wouldn't go as far as a whole day but for sure indulge myself with a MEAL everyonce in a while.

JeanMargaret

Any kind of "free" always ends in ruin for me. Today's a perfect example. So, I'm working on ridding my vocabulary of free days, free meals. Not necessary. This isn't a game in which you get a "free meal" or "get out of calorie counting". It's life. I've got to learn to eat sensibly ALL the time.