One Binge Day A Week?

ohdearlaura

I'm eating between 1200 and 1400 calories a day, and I think it's okay to have one binge day every week. I think it helps keep focus the rest of the week, and I was told it keeps your metabolism on track?
Can anyone tell me about if this is good or bad?
I choose one day randomly out of the week, so I don't end up being on a cycle of the same 6 days and then a binge day, 6 days and a binge day.
I also like to eat fairly healthy still, but I don't count calories whatsoever. I do love my carbs though, for real

barbiex3

if you can get back on track then yes. but i have a had time getting back on track

Coyla

If you're losing weight, then it's working. There is no one way that works for everyone. If you're losing and that binge day keeps the diet from becoming too much of a deprivation, then stick with it.

timeguardian13

good question! I'd like to know the answer too!
I kind of do that too.... but I am trying to at least keep track of the amount of food....
not sure if it is any good though

SarahNicole317

There is a big difference between bingeing and having a treat. You shouldn't have an entire day devoted to eating like crap. You can't out train the dinner table... calories in calories out.

Greenwellj

Sometimes when you do that it takes your body about 3 days. If I do that I don't get anywhere.

surfrgrl1

I have a binge meal that I plan for every Friday evening when I go out to dinner with my boyfriend. I know I'll go over my daily calories, but i still try to make some wise choices. We generally share dessert, but if I'm feeling piggy, or I want something that he won't eat (which is a lot of things) then I'll have my own. Saturday is a new day, and I get right back on track. This week, I will be going to dinner with girlfriends on Thursday, so that is going to be my splurge meal, and on Friday I'll go someplace that has healthier stuff. My boyfriend is really supportive of me, and he eats pretty healthy. So he's fine if we go to Panera for example instead of The Outback, etc.

ohdearlaura

SarahNichole: Like I said, not eating like crap, just eating healthy foods in amounts I really feel like eating, instead of sticking to a calorie plan.
Greenwellj: It takes your body about three days for what?

juliesummers

Personally, it hasn't been working for me. I do well all week, then Sundays I eat larger quantities (still of healthy foods, like protein powders, oatmeal, flax seed, beans, etc), and I spend all the next week working off what I gained on that day, only to gain it back on the following Sunday. It has kept me stuck at the same weight for a month now.

Mark4Fitness

Hmmm, Binge day... I would say that if you are at a caloric deficit for most of the week and then binge (which means what? Half a cheese cake?), is not really a good approach to eating. It is fine to reward yourself now and then as we are only human after all. I agree with SarahNicole to "treat yourself" once in awhile. I personally love the light Klondike Krunch bars at a 170 Calories apiece!

SarahNicole317

SarahNichole: Like I said, not eating like crap, just eating healthy foods in amounts I really feel like eating, instead of sticking to a calorie plan.
Greenwellj: It takes your body about three days for what?

Then it isn't bingeing. Just clarifying for others who are interested in the information. Like I said... big difference between bingeing and having a treat or mental break without over doing it. If it is labeled as 'binge' then someone reading this because they want help also is going to say "okay, I can have a binge day and lose weight"... six weeks from now they will see that they are either gaining or getting nowhere.

scottymcnasty

If I know that I am going to have a bigger meal or a couple of drinks in the evening I tend to ensure I get myself in calorie credit. For example I went out for a lunch date with my wife and knew that we would eat and drink more than usual so in the morning I trained a bit longer and added a run in. I had me a extra 1000calories to comsume at my will. I love food and wine so exercise = the ability to eat more. I have cut wine back to 2 or 3 nights a week and only 2 glasses.

mmhenry28

If I know that I am going to have a bigger meal or a couple of drinks in the evening I tend to ensure I get myself in calorie credit. For example I went out for a lunch date with my wife and knew that we would eat and drink more than usual so in the morning I trained a bit longer and added a run in. I had me a extra 1000calories to comsume at my will. I love food and wine so exercise = the ability to eat more. I have cut wine back to 2 or 3 nights a week and only 2 glasses.

This is exactly what I do aswell.

Chunkabutt83

I do one meal a month, pizza is my favorite food and we have a delicious pizza buffet in my town. Once a month I allow myself to go there, I'd like to say I "go crazy" with it lol, but my stomache has shrunk too much to really eat a bunch anyways. I think its good to give your body that jolt though.

Kimblesnbits

It would be impossible for me to get right on track the day after a binge day...totally wouldn't work for me. For some reason when I do binge, I fall off my healthy lifestyle for a couple weeks!

megz85g

i have a cheat meal, on sunday nights after weighing that morning. i used to do a whole day but would find it would then take me half the week to get back to my WI weight, then that wouldn't leave much time to actually get a loss.

BrewerGeorge

How about a maintenance day? You know what your maintenance cals are, right? Just eating to that level for one day will give you 450 or 900 EXTRA calories (depending on whether you're set at 1 lb/wk or 2 lbs/wk). Continue to log everything to "stay on the program" so to speak, and you know that you haven't lost any ground that day - you just haven't gained any ground either.

kstep88

If it works for You then GREAT.

In my experience, its been bad. I eat out and go over then spend a whole 3-4 days trying to get back to my previous weight. I like to do a binge snack....Pick one random thing I'm craving and have it once a week. I also keep it portioned. Like one candy bar Saturdays or bread on another Saturday. By bread I mean the super unhealthy biscuit kind, but just a serving size...The key is moderation, and portion control.

ohdearlaura

I REALLY like the idea of a maintaining day, though I usually eat just enough on a "binge day" to reach maintaining weight haha. So I guess that's what you'd classify it as.