Why??? Free Days??? Why???

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Utefootball2010
Utefootball2010 Posts: 22
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been on this weight loss journey for a little over a year now... I've been "yo-yoing" on the idea of "free days." Why should an individual have a free day???

Well, maybe it's a way of rewarding that individual???

Maybe, it's a way of taking a break from eating so healthy???

I have no idea... But there is pro's and con's to a so called free day...

Pro's

* It allows the individual to have their favorite foods for that day
* It allows the individual to remember how certain foods taste and how it feels after eating it... (most of the time it's a "i'm sick" feeling)
* That's all I can come up with

Con's

* It allows the individual to eat unhealthy food
* It puts more risk on the indvidual to gain some of that hard earned weight loss back
* It puts the individual in a rut to make smart decisions on portioning or indulging (it's hard especially if you eat a trigger food, for example mine would probably be cool ranch doritos, once you eat it, you can't stop)

This is all I can come up with... Again the question comes... WHAT ARE THE PURPOSE OF FREE DAYS???

This is an excuse but my free day this weekend screwed me up!!!

Is there any suggestions or tips that you use when it comes to free days??? Please share...

Replies

  • LadySavage
    LadySavage Posts: 13
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    maybe try working out extra time on your free day? if i workout m-s 1.5 hr a day, & sunday is my free day and i eat a larger portion or something not-so-healthy, i might increase my workout that day to a full 2 hrs
  • aippolito1
    aippolito1 Posts: 4,894 Member
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    I don't do free days. I do free items. If I'm really craving something bad for me, I make sure to eat the recommended serving or less and make sure I work it off if it doesn't fit in my daily calorie intake. That way, I get what tastes good, and don't reap the consequences (or too much of them!)
  • Maxmumof2
    Maxmumof2 Posts: 2
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    If you reduce your calories during the week, let's say you save 100 per day, you can then have an extra 500 calories on, let's say a Saturday to enjoy your favourite meal or treat. As long as you do not exceed your weekly calorie target, you should be fine. This is how I dropped 2 1/2 stone (35lb) previously and went from UK size 22 to UK size 10-12. Unfortunatley, due to depression and other factors I have regained the weight plus more, hence why I have now joined this group to try again. Good Luck.
  • BassBoneBabe
    BassBoneBabe Posts: 226 Member
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    I agree with arielle. I don't do the free days thing. Everything I eat fits into my calories, or I do an extra time of exercising THAT DAY to make up for it. I agree that most of the time the foods just make me sick.

    To me, I think I am more important then to have "free days" It was the free days that got me here. Not saying not to enjoy life and the yummy foods, but just work it into your day and make sure it fits into the plan.
  • greeneyes82
    greeneyes82 Posts: 318 Member
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    I don't do free days. I do free items. If I'm really craving something bad for me, I make sure to eat the recommended serving or less and make sure I work it off if it doesn't fit in my daily calorie intake. That way, I get what tastes good, and don't reap the consequences (or too much of them!)

    This is also what I do. I only have what the serving states or maybe half a serving if it's too much! I have noticed that when I try to have a "free day" where I eat greasy food, I end up feeling sick afterwards!:sick: It's like my body knows now that the greasy food is bad for me! I'm glad this has happened so I won't backtrack!:drinker:
  • ivykivy
    ivykivy Posts: 2,970 Member
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    They are also called refeed days. Some people use it as a carb up day. This is a nice explanation for Tom Venuto. The free day is also part of the body for life plan.

    http://www.mens-total-fitness.com/cheat-days.html
  • Utefootball2010
    Utefootball2010 Posts: 22
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    Thank you all for the suggestions... I definitely will implement them and see what I can do...
  • Whiskey5JDA
    Whiskey5JDA Posts: 37
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    sometimes i do free days, but it is usually for days when i am really physically active (i.e moving, competition, and such) or when i go to church activities and am not able to count. how ever i do not forget the responsibility i have to my body and don't "pig out" I usually save that for special days. either way i try to burn off the calories
  • luv2run4fun
    luv2run4fun Posts: 92
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    Same goes for me!!!
    I don't do free days. I do free items. If I'm really craving something bad for me, I make sure to eat the recommended serving or less and make sure I work it off if it doesn't fit in my daily calorie intake. That way, I get what tastes good, and don't reap the consequences (or too much of them!)
  • jennylynn84
    jennylynn84 Posts: 659
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    I'm in line with most people on here in that I don't do completely "free" days. I will splurge on an item - but I have to earn the calories for it through exercise.

    Example - my husband and I had really been wanting pizza. So we went to the gym on Saturday and busted our butts. Burned a ton of calories (more than enough for pizza) and went and had a reasonable amount of very thin crust pizza, low on all the fatty pizza meats.

    It was great and I didn't pay for it at all!

    As for fast food and the like - no way. Part of me thinks "when I've reached my goal I'm going to go have Taco Bell" - just once, just because it's a guilty pleasure and it would be a reward, etc, etc, etc. But I won't. Mostly because I know that after the healthy high veg, low fat diet I've been eating all that grease and fat and low grade meat.... I'd probably throw up.

    Anyway, at least once a week (usually on a weekend when I have more time to work out) I bust my booty at the gym and then have something I really want - sushi, pizza, greek, even dessert.

    Knowing that when the weekend comes I can earn/eat foods I really like makes me less likely to be bad during the week on days that I really can't spare the calories.
  • bethrs
    bethrs Posts: 664 Member
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    We are "free" everyday. I am not a slave to this "diet" - instead I have learned to make healthier choices. I think the language makes a diference. (I don't really like her, but I think Jillian Michaels once said something like 'There are no Cheat days- this is not a game, it is your life, you aren't cheating.'

    That being said- Saturday was my mother's birthday and I ate a cinnabon- a miniature one, but I had one. I did not do extra time at the gym. I do not plan to. That extra how many ever calories likely did set me back on some weight loss, but I know me and I know I wanted that cinnabon, so I made the right choice in that moment, and I still feel good about it.

    I think it's all about what is worth it to you. It was worth it to celebrate with my mom. I had one cinnabon and that was that. I didn't let that spin me out of control, and even though my calorie total for that day was likely a sad sight, I'm okay with that. My lifestyle has changed, and that lifestyle is built on smart choices, information, and flexibility.
  • aprilwilliamsba
    aprilwilliamsba Posts: 9 Member
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    I agree with a lot of the people who posted here. I personally think free days are a bad idea because it's like giving yourself permission to go on a free-for-all. I think giving into a single craving is *much* safer than a whole day of delicious fatty and sugary food! :)
  • iRun4wine
    iRun4wine Posts: 5,126
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    About once a month I do a pre-planned cheat meal (and sometimes a dessert, too). I pre-plan it so that it's not impulsive, but deserved and accounted for. I get it out of my system, and move forward...

    It's all about finding what works for YOU though... that's the most important thing you can do.:flowerforyou:
  • smae1980
    smae1980 Posts: 794 Member
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    We are "free" everyday. I am not a slave to this "diet" - instead I have learned to make healthier choices. I think the language makes a diference. (I don't really like her, but I think Jillian Michaels once said something like 'There are no Cheat days- this is not a game, it is your life, you aren't cheating.'

    That being said- Saturday was my mother's birthday and I ate a cinnabon- a miniature one, but I had one. I did not do extra time at the gym. I do not plan to. That extra how many ever calories likely did set me back on some weight loss, but I know me and I know I wanted that cinnabon, so I made the right choice in that moment, and I still feel good about it.

    I think it's all about what is worth it to you. It was worth it to celebrate with my mom. I had one cinnabon and that was that. I didn't let that spin me out of control, and even though my calorie total for that day was likely a sad sight, I'm okay with that. My lifestyle has changed, and that lifestyle is built on smart choices, information, and flexibility.




    I agree. I make more healthy choices on a daily basis than I did before, so if i want a little something extra one day, I have it. This is not a diet, but a lifestyle change for me
  • Sunsh1ne
    Sunsh1ne Posts: 879 Member
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    I actually don't let myself have free days. Instead, I approach this as a lifestyle change - I want to be healthy for the rest of my life, and that includes every day this week. The closest thing I do is being forgiving when it comes to big holidays like Thanksgiving, but even then, I focus on making healthier choices. When I do eat my trigger foods - and I have a lot - I portion out exactly one serving before I start eating, and I make myself stop there. So I can have meals that feel like cheats, but actually fit into my day. Maybe you could try portioning out a big bag of chips into single-serving baggies (maybe with a friend - I needed help being honest with portions at first, and still do sometimes) and when you want to indulge, just have that one baggie. My grandmother always said "The feast is the first bite."
  • Iceprincessk25
    Iceprincessk25 Posts: 1,888 Member
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    For me modertaion is key. There are some peeple out there who have the attitude of "oh I just messed up my whole day or my whole week with this cheeseburger." and they fall off the wagon. I'm not one of those people. I can have that snack or that cheeseburger or that candy and know that I will be right back on track afterwards. Do I do it everyday? NO.

    It sets me up for failure if I totally deny myself the naughty things in life!
  • suziblues2000
    suziblues2000 Posts: 515 Member
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    I'm thinking that I really LIKE the choices I"m making lately. And I really LIKE how it's affecting my body and my health! Why would I want to 'pig out' on crappy food now that I've experienced how healthy I can be??

    When I hear "free days" and "give myself permission" etc, it sounds like the person is torturing her/himself with a diet instead of enjoying it the benefits of it!
    Instead, I am "giving myself permission" to be healthy and slim!

    And if I do make a birthday cake for my husband or mom or whoever...I will give everybody what they want, and if I feel like it, I will have some, then I'll throw the rest away in the garbage or give it away to somebody because I've learned that it's bad for me. I thought it would be hard to throw away birthday cake, but surprisingly it was very easy! Something must have changed in me.
  • FireMonkey
    FireMonkey Posts: 500 Member
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    I don't do "free days" either. I plan out my food and exercise in the morning and leave a little wiggle room in case somebody at work is bringing in treats. Some days I exercise more, some days less, and adjust my intake accordingly. If there are treats, I have a small portion and feel fine with it. My problem wasn't so much that I ate unhealthy food all the time; I just ate lots of food without really thinking about what a normal portion is. :blushing: Now that I've learned about normal portions I don't feel tempted to eat more. Well - most of the time anyway :laugh:
  • gummibaehr
    gummibaehr Posts: 143
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    I take a different approach to my "free day." I don't count my calories on Sundays. However, I DO NOT use it as an excuse to binge on what ever I want! I still eat sensibly, but I like having a little break from the numbers each week. My weekly weigh in is on Mondays so this helps keep me from losing control. :-)
  • kobrie17
    kobrie17 Posts: 106 Member
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    i do free days 1 day a week or 1 every 2 weeks.

    Sometimes, you just cant get to healthy food- like on a holiday or road trip. 1400 calories is easy when you can get to nutritious food but its nearly impossible when you're at a party on a road trip or working a super long shift.

    But usually I do free days so I can go out to a restaurant, or have a splurge food ( bad stuff like french fries or cheesecake) and not have to starve myself the rest of the day.

    Usually on my splurge day I find i'm eating like my friends around me that aren't on a diet.

    I've been strict with my diet for 5 months now, and its a way of like. I just couldn't do it forever if I knew I couldn't splurge regularly.

    splurging can actually help your metabolism because it shocks your body with all the food it has to burn--more than usual.

    and unless you go super overboard (3,000 calories on top of your daily needs) you won't gain

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