One day a week with high calories?

kit_katty

I was reading an article by Jillian Michaels, that said that a day with higher calories, she suggests 2000 per week. Why? Wouldn't that set back your cumulative weightloss for the week?

http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness-specialist/can-i-have-a-cheat-day.aspx

Thanks!

Lyadeia

There's a whole line of thinking that tells us that by cutting calories a lot overtime our metabolisms can actually slow down. I think that Jillian is saying that you can trick your body into thinking that it is not "starving" by feeding it once a week like this.

I don't do it Jillian's way, but I have found that zig-zagging and cycling is effective for my body. It keeps me from craving things throughout the "low" days which makes me not overeat or binge.

fatguyweightloss

This is normally more of a psychological thing than helpful for weight loss. This can be dangerous for some where this cheat days continues for a few days until they get back on track.

taso42

Back before you started down a weightloss path, if you ate low-calories and healthy one day a week would that make you lose all your weight gain progress and cause you to lose weight?

joyita271

I'm not sure why, but Lee Haney (Mr. Olympia and fitness trainer) suggests the same!! So now that's twice I've heard it!

CathiAnne

Not only do I like that idea but it also makes sense. Hmmmmm.

wolfchild59

There's a thread going in Food and Nutrition where people are discussing cheat days as well. I'd say what I said there, but it's too much to re-type.

fatguyweightloss

I'm not sure why, but Lee Haney (Mr. Olympia and fitness trainer) suggests the same!! So now that's twice I've heard it!

I would be careful taking advice from athletes, sure it works for them but they spend 8 hours a day int he gym, I spend 8 hours a day sitting at a desk

I have also heard the concept of a cheat meal. Friends are heading to a mexican restaurant....go ahead and splurge. Though scheduling weekly days to cheat seems dangerous to me.

tmarie2715

This is normally more of a psychological thing than helpful for weight loss. This can be dangerous for some where this cheat days continues for a few days until they get back on track.

I kind of agree. I also worry that it is too hard to have cheat foods in the house and there is some thought that eating those foods causes you to crave them more.

I am zig zagging, so the larger calorie day kind of feels like a cheat day, without putting me in that "cheating" mentality.

rockerbabyy

i do this and its helpful for me. sunday is my weigh in day, and after that i eat what i want. we usually go out to eat and i eat cheetos and chocolate along with healthy meals. sometimes i go over by a couple hundred, sometimes by 1200. ive lost 1-2 lbs a week doing it and i dont see a reason to stop. its easier for me to eat healthy and not "cheat" during the week if i just keep it in my mind that if i can hold out til sunday i can have that candy bar/fast food/whatever. im to the point that i can keep my cheat foods in the house and not touch them until sunday.
would i lose more each week if i didnt do it? maybe. would i be able to stick to healthy eating? i dont know. what im doing is working and until it doesnt any more i dont see a reason to change it

kit_katty

Ah, I didn't search this as most threads are about can one have one, not usually in moderation, but people seem to just want to go nuts.

It's definitely something to think about. Thanks for the input!

Just_Bethy

I think... deliberately..setting out to over eat...to me seems mentally destructive..I prefer to stay at around the same cals every day...but if life takes over and I have a day where I do go over ..eh...it happens and I am ok with that...but I wouldn't deliberately do it...

rileysowner

The reason this is being suggested more and more is that one of the primary hormones for weight loss is Leptin. One week of caloric restriction will substantially reduce your levels of Leptin, but one day of cheating can raise your Leptin levels again which is actually speed up your weight lose overall. Yes is might result in a small increase for that one day, but overall will improve weight loss.

fatguyweightloss

Also depends on what you are cheating with. For some this might be an extra helping of sweet potatoes at dinner while others could have a large pizza to themselves.

fatguyweightloss

The reason this is being suggested more and more is that one of the primary hormones for weight loss is Leptin. One week of caloric restriction will substantially reduce your levels of Leptin, but one day of cheating can raise your Leptin levels again which is actually speed up your weight lose overall. Yes is might result in a small increase for that one day, but overall will improve weight loss.

If your leptin levels are decreasing durign the week probably should increase calories during the week, reduce/eliminate sugar, and gets a good 8-9 hours of sleep at night. If that doesn't work then might consider the bump in calories on day. But even then I would stick to one meal and yes make sure you track calories even on cheat day.

coolcatcan

I have done this (I call it my "cheat" day) and there are a few reasons for this......helping stick to your weight loss goals so you don't feel deprived, and to also vary the calorie intake which does give your metabolism a boost. It has worked for me. A nutritionist by the name of Isabel De Los Rios suggested this and also many other fitness gurus....of course don't go nuts, everything in moderation. On Saturday or Sundays I allow myself to eat whatever I want, if I want cake, I'll have a slice NOT the whole cake and so on.....

I have gone from 131lbs (5'1") to 102 past my weight loss goal and this along with exercise and good nutrition has gotten me here. Hope this helps

Good luck!

fatguyweightloss

....of course don't go nuts, everything in moderation. On Saturday or Sundays I allow myself to eat whatever I want, if I want cake, I'll have a slice NOT the whole cake and so on.....

This is the important part not a license to gorge yourself, moderate indulgences...

SaddyPants

Back before you started down a weightloss path, if you ate low-calories and healthy one day a week would that make you lose all your weight gain progress and cause you to lose weight?

This is my line of thinking as well. I work hard to stay under my calories during the week and so far one bad meal, or even a whole day, hasn't really hindered my progress. I can see how this could be dangerous for some people, but it has been the opposite for me - I don't feel the need to eat junk/something "bad" during the week because if I still want it on my cheat day I can have it.

rileysowner

The reason this is being suggested more and more is that one of the primary hormones for weight loss is Leptin. One week of caloric restriction will substantially reduce your levels of Leptin, but one day of cheating can raise your Leptin levels again which is actually speed up your weight lose overall. Yes is might result in a small increase for that one day, but overall will improve weight loss.

If your leptin levels are decreasing durign the week probably should increase calories during the week, reduce/eliminate sugar, and gets a good 8-9 hours of sleep at night. If that doesn't work then might consider the bump in calories on day. But even then I would stick to one meal and yes make sure you track calories even on cheat day.

Leptin decreases because a person is in a caloric deficit. You can eat whatever you want, but if you are in a caloric deficit your leptin levels will be halved (If I recall correctly) in a weeks time. Eat over one day and your leptin levels will be increased to full, especially eating the very foods that normally people don't eat while trying too lose weight like pizza. The key is to go into a caloric surplus for one day whether that is done with one big meal or whatever, if you remain in a deficit you will not replenish your leptin levels.

ninerbuff

I was reading an article by Jillian Michaels, that said that a day with higher calories, she suggests 2000 per week. Why? Wouldn't that set back your cumulative weightloss for the week?

http://www.everydayhealth.com/fitness-specialist/can-i-have-a-cheat-day.aspx

Thanks!

This is a form of cycling. If you have a set weekly calorie limit and still come in at deficit, it doesn't really matter how you achieve it as long as you don't feel like your starving yourself. So if you eat let's say 1300 calories for 3 days then 2000 on the 4th day, and still cycle to meet your calorie goal, you'd still be in deficit.

ninerbuff

I would be careful taking advice from athletes, sure it works for them but they spend 8 hours a day int he gym, I spend 8 hours a day sitting at a desk

I have also heard the concept of a cheat meal. Friends are heading to a mexican restaurant....go ahead and splurge. Though scheduling weekly days to cheat seems dangerous to me.

Even the Olympia competitors don't spend more than 3 hours at most in a gym. It becomes catabolic and no competitor wants to lose muscle.

I have all my clients do it with no issues. They've come to understand that they can have high calorie days as long as they are accounted for and that they don't exceed their weekly calorie goal.