Does anyone take a day off?

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  • faithfulrose
    faithfulrose Posts: 18 Member
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    I think logging everything even if it's a bad day will help to keep you in check. Don't kick yourself from going over, but the motivation of seeing the red numbers might help you try harder to stay on track the next day. It works that way for me! I went over today, but I logged it. I don't feel bad about it, but I will try to be within my calories tomorrow. Weekends are ALWAYS hard for me! :)
  • xOpti
    xOpti Posts: 4
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    I think logging everything even if it's a bad day will help to keep you in check.

    I think this is key. Taking a day off is important sometimes. Nothing worse than being miserable during the holidays watching everyone enjoy the good food and having to exclude yourself. It's just important to remain accountable for your days off.
  • TamLind83
    TamLind83 Posts: 66 Member
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    I totally take a day or meal off once in a while. I just make sure to not make it a something that happens too often because it's really easy to undo an entire weeks work of exercising with a few too many cheats here and there.
  • cronus404
    cronus404 Posts: 31
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    This past week had my only day where i said F it, and even then it only lasted for one meal. I had an unexpected opportunity to go out with someone from work and I just wanted to have some fun without worrying about it, and it was worth it. But the past 3 days since then I have compensated by just eating the bare minimum. I am weak and i know how easy it would be for me to go back to just eating whatever I want. I dont have it in me to take time off now though. I'm highly compulsive and have managed to break the bad habits of food consumption (no snacking, watching calories, no starving, no overeating, portion control) but I know that if I start to slack i can drift in that direction very fast. I am literally terrified right now of stopping this forward momentum and not being able to start back up. Does this mean that everyone is this way, HECK NO. I just wont let myself take any steps backwards for about another 120 lbs.
  • Laces_0ut
    Laces_0ut Posts: 3,750 Member
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    ive only been at this for 4 months so i dont take too many off days( the last 10 years have been off days) im probably averaging 1 serious off day per month. plus i know the holidays are coming up so i probably wont have another off day until Thanksgiving, then Christmas.
  • stevwil41
    stevwil41 Posts: 608 Member
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    I have done it! When I went on my scrapbooking retreat--it was just to much of a hassle to try to do everything on my phone and guess at the calories in the food we were served. I think the key is to not let it derail you. I have let that happen to me. I would have one day that was just a total loss--and let that totally derail me. This time around, I have told myself that there will be days when I will be over my calorie goal and/or not log things in. I just have to get back on track. Besides, I think a cheat day is not a bad thing. It can help us stay on track and not get discouraged. You are doing great!!

    Other than the scrapbooking retreat part this totally describes me! The one thing I've finally learned is that a bad day doesn't have to ruin my eating habits for months (or years). I'm finally able to relax and enjoy myself while still making positive changes to my diet and lifestyle.
  • Black_Swan
    Black_Swan Posts: 770 Member
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    Of course, but I try to log something crazy like 2000-3000 cals (normally I eat 1400) to keep track of statistics so I know how many times this happens!
  • yeahthatpaula
    yeahthatpaula Posts: 29 Member
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    I took the night off last night. I did well in the day, had a nice low-cal breakfast (egg/broccoli mini-frittatas), burned 777 calories cleaning and walking (errands). Then I hosted D&D at my apartment and provided all the snacks. I tried to provide healthier snacks: bruschetta, baguette, hummus, pitas, sweet potato chips, nuts, etc. But I ate a lot, and it all added up. All in all, it could have been a heck of a lot worse and I only went over by a few calories (because I had burned so much earlier).

    I tracked it all. So at least I was accountable.
  • lupa01
    lupa01 Posts: 162 Member
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    I haven't had a cheat day as of yet, because I just started October 1 and I am doing a 28 day detox/cleanse. But as soon as this is over, I will definitely have a cheat day once a week. But what I consider cheating is not going overboard the entire day. I think as long as you eat at least one nutritious meal and snack, and exercise then you will be fine. Also, I always have a calorie deficit that I have just recently starting eating into, only because I think I should eat some of them, but I always still have lots left over. So if that is the case with you, I know you will be fine if you have one cheat day. I hope it goes well for you and much continued success to you!:-)
  • Yakisoba
    Yakisoba Posts: 719 Member
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    No cheat days here. I know how I can go overboard with something, so I stay on target with everything. I even exercise everyday. My "rest" day just involves some house chores or walking.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
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    I do not factor one in, I leave them for the life happens days. My mother is awful at sabotaging me so I know they're gonna happen. So I'm just as good as I can until it happens and then count it as a day off. Less stressful that way.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    Been using MFP for 85 days, that's not long but know days off. I'm afraid if I do that it will just be the beginning of a backward slide.
    I have gone over on my calories once but I logged it like always. Just stick with it.
  • FaithHopeBELIEVE
    FaithHopeBELIEVE Posts: 626
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    Every Sunday. The past month since I've been determined to lose I have been working out 6 days a week as opposed to 3-4 days. Now I sometimes find it hard to NOT workout on Sundays. But I know it's good to at least have one day to rest my whole body. Now it is my "active" rest day.

    ETA: I thought you were just talking about working out then i read some posts after my reply. Today I ate at my in-laws and decided to enjoy myself and had some cake and high fat mac and cheese casserole. I haven't done that in a long time so I don't feel bad. Usually I don't even want that stuff anymore since being on this site. It's ok BUT I will not take a day off this site, like it oo much. I am always going to log in and log whatever I ate.
  • auctoritas
    auctoritas Posts: 204
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    I've been really slack about logging, but I know my macro ratios well enough to stay more or less within the right limits. As far as cheating, my biggest cheat so far was having black beans when I went to Qdoba and then having a small hot apple cider in the same day. I'm on a low carb diet so both of those were a treat for me. :P Other than that day though, I've done really well even when I neglect to track - which usually happens when I go out for wings or something!

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