One day a month..where you say F it?

WalkingGirl1985

Do any of you take a day where you don't worry about calories and enjoy an occasional pig out session..or do you tend to do such things in moderation?

seekingstrengthX2

I do that.
We hire a babysitter once a month and go to the movies. It's an all out pigfest on popcorn and nachos. LOL I have no issue with it, I jump right back on the horse the next day and all is good.

leilaphoenix

There is a difference between a 2500 cal binge on one day and getting back to normal the next day and a 10,000cal weekend binge.

Say F it every now and then for your own sanity but don't go silly.

UponThisRock

I used to do it once a week, but I don't have a desire to do it anymore. Now, the only time I don't hit my calorie goal is when I'm on vacation, or on days like thanksgiving.

addies_mom

Once a week, if I've got the leftover calories, I'll eat whatever the heck I want. Last week it was movie theatre popcorn with butter, the week before a brownie explosion from DQ. I felt super gross after both though, so I may have to tone it down to once a month!

TXBelle1174

I haven't yet but I know I will have at least one piece of cake on my sons 2nd birthday. I feel like crap if I pig out and eat whatever I want and then comes the guilt when I get on the scale and see that I have gained weight.

However, I am going to CA in June and I am going to eat whatever I want!!!

Mygypsysoul

I had a F it weekend.. It was my birthday Friday and pretty much all weekend was shot with celebrations and too much cake.... I still have two different cakes in the fridge.. I'm thinking that I'm going to have to throw them out so I can get back on track!!! Other than this weekend I really try not to have an off day because I find it so hard to get back on track.

ShannonMpls

There is a difference between a 2500 cal binge on one day and getting back to normal the next day and a 10,000cal weekend binge.

I've done a bit of both...girl's weekend away? I ate whatever I wanted all weekend. And drank. It was probably a 7,000 calorie weekend. And then I came home, went right back to my normal healthy diet, and worked my butt off at the gym.

I take 2-3 days off from logging a month, have lunch out, enjoy some red vines, make dinner without using the recipe tracker here, etc It keeps me sane. And I won't call it a "cheat" day - I've got nothing to cheat on

At any rate, this method hasn't hindered my progress. I still have lost 10-12 pounds each month since I started.

eightpock

The Wife and I started MyFitnessPal 3 weeks ago, and we were discussing just that, having one day a month where we had no limits.

I'm on the fence though about it. Maybe when I get down to my target weight, and I am maintaining rather than trying to lose...

vabrewer33

Today will be that day since i've already surpassed my calorie limit and its only 1:30.....but I will definately be better tomorrow...I've got too much to "lose" (yes, I intended that to have double meaning)

flisafakto

I do it 2-3 times a month, especially if I'm sick / hungover / PMSing. It's partly to keep my sanity and to limit binges, cause whenever I really crave something bad for me, I'll tell myself "you can have it on sunday".

The binges aren't completely disgusting either, usually around 2,500 calories. It may be twice my new daily calorie allowance, but it's probably mild compared to what I used to eat! And anyway, after a junk binge like that, I usually feel nauseous and won't crave anything like it again for a few weeks.

EmilyLStuart

From what I have learned, you need a spike day every once in a while to shake up your metabolism. I allow myself a spike day of 2000-2500 calories about once a month (my usual is 1200). So far so good.

poedunk65

i have 1 cheat day every week. remember you can eat anything you want as long as you don't overdue it.

BAMFMeredith

I pretty much just do things in moderation. I stay under my calories, and just work out extra when I know I'm gonna eat crap. A few weeks ago I made sure to work out like a beast so I could go to Buffalo Wild Wings and eat hot wings and drink beer, and I was still under my calories for the day! I probably eat something on the "naughty" list about 2 or 3 times a week (and I drink alcohol a few times a week) but just offset it by working out more and being very conscious of what I'm eating the rest of the time.

I found that when I said "ok this is my cheat day, who cares about the calories" it just kinda snowballed and didn't work for me. But when I don't look at these bad foods as like a special treat, I'm not as tempted to binge out on em. Kinda like telling a kid that a certain toy is off limits. If they know it's off limits, they'll want to play with it 10 times more, but if they know they can play with it whenever they want, they just have to ask permission, they won't see it as much of a big deal and prob won't be as interested.

JustLena75

I do this once per week...but honestly it's wearing thin, I don't particularly like or enjoy it anymore. I suppose that is good though. I feel that is a measure of progress in itself. I don't like the way I feel when I 'junk out' anymore...it's not a happy feeling like it used to kind of be. Stuff that used to taste good doesn't hold my interest much anymore. But it has helped me stay sane in the past. I think I'm getting close to kissing 'F it day' goodbye.

muwchck

I don't really give up anything. I'm learning moderation, and some healthier options of my favorite things. Because of this, I don't really feel the need to go crazy anymore.

WalkingGirl1985

I'll be honest, I do have a problem with Binge eating. Some of you may tell me..No, don't do it..its not worth it. It would be like enabling an alcoholic to have a day to drink once a month..thats my only concern. What would you guys think? I can do things in moderation, but still feel for a day to say f it..i wanna have a day where there is no worries.

jnbud2002

The hubs and I do it on Saturday's, we have family dinner at his dad's house, and well, we don't know what all they put in the meals. So we just figure, that'll be our day! I think if we were to log it, I don't think we'd be going over on cals by too much. We do tend to eat less for breakfast and lunch, and then we eat deliciously at his dad's.

littlebluej

I can do a cheat meal, but not a cheat day.

LorinaLynn

Every weekend. But I rarely go all nutty with my eating. I probably eat about the same or less than when I log everything, unless there's a party or something. Then I'm a total hog! :drinker:

yoovie

with exercise, not food :-/

shanahtehya

I do a free meal every 1 or 2 weeks, either go out to eat or order take out (chinese or pizza). The rest of the time there is nothing that " i cant have" , its all about portion control.

Jennloella

I don't really do it once a week or once a month like that, but I do it when the mood strikes - birthday dinner with friends, dinner party at home, etc. I'm of the mind that everything is ok in moderation though so I never really feel like I'm deprived of anything, I find that keeps me in line more than the promise of a cheat day....

tifarahmonteith

I am by no means an authority on this, but if you are not happy you will not stay on a "diet". My approach to this might be different from a lot of people because I am really only on here to tone up get my muscles back. My weight loss goal is only 6 lb, but if I don't allow myself something that I really really want it is only a matter of days before I fall off the wagon completely!! The longer I have been eating healthily for, the less junk I want to eat, but for the first week or two I focus most on exercise, and less on denying myself something that I want to snack on. I already eat quite healthily as a rule, but if I want a cinnamon bun I eat it. If I don't just have it, I think about it and think about it, and eat like 5 other things that are "healthy" while trying to talk myself out of eating the cinnamon bun. In the end I usually eat the cinnamon bun anyway. I could have just had the cinnamon bun, felt a tiny twinge of guilt, and then kept on my merry way. But instead I ended up eating other things hoping to not want the cinnamon bun anymore, then eating it anyway. Then I feel terrible and after that happens once or twice I officially quit the whole thing. My advice is to start out slowly. If you are miserable you will not last.

moochachip

That's about the same for me - Once a month I'll have one of those 'eat what I want' days. When the urge hits.

haaaleyx

I do it once a week where I just eat what I want. I'll still try and pick healthier options, but I just don't worry about my calories for that day ( I do still log it though ).

rdunlap81

usually when it is that time of the month, I have a day where I consume more calories but I still log everything. I feel accountable if I log it.

keependuring

I purposely don't use all my calories during the week, so that the weekends are more free. But, be careful not to go too over calories for the week or all your hard work will go to waste.

thinmintme

I don't have any cheat days planned just yet.
I might reserve it for my PMS-y days. I'm really, REALLY bad about staying within calorie goals on those days. It's usually 3 days of throwing caution to the wind mostly because I'm irritated and in a lot of pain (my cramps can, at times, be nightmares)
(I also have a day somewhere in there on which I can't eat any food at all until the evening hours but that's a whole other story...)

I'm not sure if I could 'cheat' per say. I might just log everything so I can see for myself what I'm taking in. I become highly annoyed if I forget to log something, etc. So, I feel I'll still need to log it just not worry about the calorie goal so much on those days.

ksmarathon2010

I did the spike diet for a month and it was a lot of work to eat all those calories on Saturday. So, I changed to zig zagging but tweeked it so my highest day is still Saturday. This past Saturday I went to a fundraiser dinner that had frozen lasagna, I couldn't believe I wasted my calories on that and it didn't even taste good. I tend to eat a lot and then the next day it's hard to make myself eat anything. So spiking hasn't made me "fall of the wagon" at all. I actually think it helps me eat healthier, because I know I feel better when I have a better diet.

sssygirl

I have been on here since the beginning of January and I had my first "binge" session this weekend. I had a 3 slices of pizza (should have stopped at 2) and some ice cream.
This is the first time I have really been bad, and I was so worried I would gain weight..I lost a half pound! LOL

I also agree that if you eat too much or a lot of bad stuff, you will feel gross!! I had my pizza on Saturday and my Ice Cream on Sunday.

I don't crave the junk as much as I used to and I just cannot eat that much anymore!!

If you do not enjoy things from time to time..then its kinda pointless..but if you can work it into your life..you will be much better equipped for success long term!