Weekend splurges

guava6982

Hi! I just joined yesterday, and I'm excited about the information that I've seen so far. I drank the NROLFW juice last year, but never got fully on board with the calorie suggestions, largely because of my weekend splurges. I'm just not sure what the best way to deal with this is. My weekday eating is pretty clean, which makes sense because I am less likely to be social during the week. The weekend is typically when meals out, drinks with friends, and other treats are consumed. I try not to be excessive, but very few meals out are as healthy as what I make at home. If I exercise that day, these things fit into my calories for the day, but this is not always the case. This lifestyle worked when I did WW because my points earned for exercise throughout the week could offset the points consumed on the weekend. When I say "worked," I say it loosely because WW was not the right solution for me in the long run. This way of eating does not really work if I follow the recommendation of keeping calories consistent throughout the week.

I am pretty active, lifting heavy 3-4x/week, biking to work several days a week, HIIT after lifting a couple of days a week, and a weekly Zumba class. I figured out my TDEE based on a sedentary job and no exercise, thinking that if I track my exercise calories separately, it might make more sense on the weekends, but I'm not really sure if this is the best approach. Any thoughts on how to follow the calorie advice while still having a social life?

Thanks!

Cclancaster

I believe the first question that needs to be asked is did you figure out your TDEE using the correct activity level? I ask this because maybe with that number you won't be to far off from your splurge number over the weekends. I recommend a steady intake just because it allows your body to get used to being able to expect a certian amount of food. Something that might work though is to figure out your TDEE-15% cut using the right activity level and then save 100 cals a day over the week and use them over the weekend? This is just an idea so hopefully Kiki or Lucia will chime in.

guava6982

That's a good point. Previously, I was trying to fit a meal out into a calorie budget of 1450 (or something in that ballpark). If I use the "moderate activity" setting, it won't be so excessive. Hmm...

ANewLucia

Yes, that is exactly what I was going to say, with the higher intake, I usually do have a day or 2 per week that I eat more at maintenance and not cut. I just started eating maintenance full time. But previously every 3/4 days I ate a maintence. Remember it is a numbers avg thing going on...think about it, you have your cut value, which includes your exercise cals. Well you workout, and try to net at least BMR and then there are a couple days a week that you are still eating your cut value. Days you don't workout you are still burning calories because you get out of the bed and go about your day. So you are burning up bmr cals plus all the other cals as you move around all through the day. So, especially if you are like me and have a nice high burn on Saturdays, then you have extra cals to eat anyway.

But again, now that you have a daily higher allowance, it may just meet your "weekend fun" needs...

guava6982

Thanks for the clarification. I looked back over the past 90 days, and my splurges rarely put me over 2000 calories, so it seems like it will work out ok. I think I'm ready to get on board! Woo hoo!

ANewLucia

That is awesome...it is so funny, I think...oh man I am going to splurge, whew I barely hit maintenance...

Now that you can eat more...the splurge really isn't a splurge...big difference between 1200 or so cals and 2000...LOVE IT!

guava6982

Eek! I'm scared! It can be a fine line for me between increasing calories in a healthy way, and using the increase as a way to rationalize eating junk. Like, "Oh, I have plenty of calories. I can eat a handful of chocolate chips and not track it" kind of thinking. So, I will have to be careful and check in here frequently. I'm looking forward to chatting!

Zylayna

Eek! I'm scared! It can be a fine line for me between increasing calories in a healthy way, and using the increase as a way to rationalize eating junk. Like, "Oh, I have plenty of calories. I can eat a handful of chocolate chips and not track it" kind of thinking. So, I will have to be careful and check in here frequently. I'm looking forward to chatting!

Many of us have found that the craving for 'junk' isn't there so much because we are so full of GOOD food! Of course TOM always messes that up, but that's ok. haha! And besides, who doesn't like chocolate and chips?? Go ahead and eat them! Just don't let them be a staple in your diet and do your best to hit your macros. And you do have to have to be honest in tracking everything. Helps you hit your macros and your calories properly.

ANewLucia

Eek! I'm scared! It can be a fine line for me between increasing calories in a healthy way, and using the increase as a way to rationalize eating junk. Like, "Oh, I have plenty of calories. I can eat a handful of chocolate chips and not track it" kind of thinking. So, I will have to be careful and check in here frequently. I'm looking forward to chatting!

Many of us have found that the craving for 'junk' isn't there so much because we are so full of GOOD food! Of course TOM always messes that up, but that's ok. haha! And besides, who doesn't like chocolate and chips?? Go ahead and eat them! Just don't let them be a staple in your diet and do your best to hit your macros. And you do have to have to be honest in tracking everything. Helps you hit your macros and your calories properly.

Oh my goodness, when you up your calories and you are trying to hit your macros, you remain pretty full and all the binging is really never a problem. Oh not that there won't be days that you may go overboard, but for the most part, you are sated so much of the time (if you are eating your six meals a day and getting in that protein) that you really stop all the binging.

ANewLucia

Matter of fact, when I initially upped my calories, I was so stinkin stuffed most of the time that I didn't even eat all the beloved stuff I binged on before. I almost had an aversion to food because I had to learn how to really eat. So, it took a while before I even desired eating anything too pleasurable...lol. Now...a different story...hah, another day, another blog...lol

guava6982

Thanks ladies! It's great to hear how successful you've been. I changed my settings yesterday to reflect a 15% reduction from my TDEE, based on "moderate activity." My energy has been zapped lately, like I'm not getting enough fuel, so I think this will be a nice change.