Occassional free day?

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jillfuzz
jillfuzz Posts: 10 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Anybody have any luck with having a FREE eat day every month or so? I've been staying on track, but have been starving lately and am thinking that an occassional free day to eat what I want may help with my long-term success. Just wondering how seriously this would impact my weight loss.....? Obviously, the crazier I go, the less I may lost that week, but again, I'm thinking about long term success, what's realistic and what may work for me. Thoughts?
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Replies

  • LemonJADE
    LemonJADE Posts: 89 Member
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    I don't think it would affect you too much if you had a free day! It is always nice to treat yourself, for example I treated myself to a bag of sweets today and I have no regrets! Food is a wonderful thing and it is always nice to eat the bad things once in a while!
  • healthygreek
    healthygreek Posts: 2,137 Member
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    I go out to dinner and have what I want once a week including dessert and I still lose. I don't eat freely the rest of the day though and I'm sure to exercise.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
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    There's no such thing as a free lunch.
  • kbelliot
    kbelliot Posts: 38 Member
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    I have had a free day once a week on Staurday since I started seriously trying to lose weight 7 weeks ago and I have lost 16 pounds in that time. Having a free day gives me something to look forward to each week as a treat for eating healthy all week. I don't go crazy or anything, I still try to stay within my calories for the day and I exercise on my free day so that I have more available calories to eat treats. My free day normally inclused pizza, pancakes, or a slice of cake and a couple of beers since I also eat very few carbs during the week. I know that I could possibly be losing faster if I cut out my free day, but I would not be very happy doing it. :smile:
  • toomuchrose
    toomuchrose Posts: 2 Member
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    I don't have much success yet to back up my right to an opinion, but I'm working with a health coach provided by my health insurance company, (And it's not just an insurance company, it's a very respected medical center organization). She endorses the idea of an occasional free day to keep me from feeling deprived and get those cravings out of my system. I simply refuse to spend Thanksgiving Day, Christmas dinner or my birthday dieting, that's a little extreme. One big meal isn't going to make that much difference. Of course, the important thing is not to stretch it out to more than one day! No leftovers for the next 3 days like I used to do, etc.

    In February I planned my free day for a Mardi Gras party and for my food tracking, I put in 3000 calories entering as quick add calories. That was the best way I could estimate it. The great part was, I got that craving for potato chips and brownies out of my head for awhile. The next day I went back on track and had the satisfaction of realizing the greasy chips weren't all that worthwhile cause they made me feel kind of yucky, and I haven't craved them since. Once you get used to healthy eating, taking a brief side trip into junk food shows you how it actually makes the body feel awful! :wink:
  • trophywife24
    trophywife24 Posts: 1,472 Member
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    I have a 'free' meal once a week or so.... an entirely free day maybe once a month.
  • tripodsmom
    tripodsmom Posts: 95 Member
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    I call saturday my Crazy Day, I do extra excersize, keep at or just a few over calories but eat what i want and dont watch the rest of my macros. It keeps me sain...
  • NinjaTheGinger
    NinjaTheGinger Posts: 89 Member
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    Perhaps, if you can control yourself after that "free day". You know what works for yourself, so go with that gut feeling. If you don't believe you can "stay on the wagon" after that cheat, then perhaps you should skip that free day until you feel confident enough in yourself to know you can stay on track afterwards.
  • Querian
    Querian Posts: 419 Member
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    I occassionally have a free meal but not the whole day, and I usually still try to stay within my budget by either exercising extra or eating light for my other meals.

    If you are starving all the time maybe you should up your calories in general. How much are you eating every day right now?
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    Why are you starving? I have found that weight loss does not need to be painful...you don't have to go hungry. I never have hunger pangs. I would suggest maybe re-evaluating your caloric intake. Do you eat exercise calories back? You should (that's the way this tool is designed). Honestly, you shouldn't need to be hungry all of the time to lose weight.

    In RE to a free day...I actually take a diet break every 6-8 weeks and eat to maintenance for a week or so to spike my metabolism. I also calorie cycle a lot...so I have a big day one day and more restrictive day the next, etc.
  • Sherbog
    Sherbog Posts: 1,072 Member
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    There's no such thing as a free lunch.

    I pay for over the top meals by putting more time in walking or exercising and eating less before going out to dinner.. I agree there is no free lunch. It is so much hard to take off than to put on. Another thing I do is to eat fewer calories the day before I have a scheduled meal out.

    It's all a math game to me.

    Shirley in rainy Oregon
  • cricket_77
    cricket_77 Posts: 165 Member
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    I think a free day is fine as long as you don't over do it and eat everything in sight! If you use it as a day to consume 6000 calories, then it might be a problem!

    But if a free day allows you stay on track, then go for it!
  • MissDeAnn
    MissDeAnn Posts: 47 Member
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    I think a free day is fine as long as you don't over do it and eat everything in sight! If you use it as a day to consume 6000 calories, then it might be a problem!

    But if a free day allows you stay on track, then go for it!
    agreed.
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
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    Depends how free your free days are?

    If your calorie intake wipes out any deficits you've created on the other 6 days - you will not lose.

    So - no such thing as a free lunch.
  • seanezekiel
    seanezekiel Posts: 228 Member
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    I have one once a week. I weigh in every Friday morning and have something bad on Saturday evenings.
  • junejadesky
    junejadesky Posts: 524 Member
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    You should never deprive yourself because that is a path to failure. It's not about what we are giving up, but what we are gaining by staying within our calories and eating what we love. If you feel like you need a free day, just take a day off from logging and see what happens. Sometimes taking the pressure off trying to be perfect is the best medicine.....
  • supermodelchic
    supermodelchic Posts: 550 Member
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    I am on a program right now, I allow myself 1 cheat meal a week, and it is still healthy, I would not take a whole day of meals, put me off track ..goodluck
  • bailyc
    bailyc Posts: 57 Member
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    In RE to a free day...I actually take a diet break every 6-8 weeks and eat to maintenance for a week or so

    I do this too and it has been pretty successful
  • EmmaKarney
    EmmaKarney Posts: 690 Member
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    You should never deprive yourself because that is a path to failure. It's not about what we are giving up, but what we are gaining by staying within our calories and eating what we love. If you feel like you need a free day, just take a day off from logging and see what happens. Sometimes taking the pressure off trying to be perfect is the best medicine.....

    I fully agree with this.

    However - it's all about accountability and if you take days where you obviously go way over on calories it will have a knock on effect on your progress and then you can't really complain about "plateaus' and "just not being able to get the weight off"

    You know what I'm saying....
  • canadiandee
    canadiandee Posts: 196 Member
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    For me, it's unrealistic to not have a free day or a meal. I typically loosen the calorie budget on the weekends, but still log all my food and exercise. If I know I have a treat day or a meal, I don't seem to miss my old favourites quite as much. If it works for you, do it.

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