FREE DAYS ARE A HORRIBLE IDEA

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Replies

  • mattschwartz01
    mattschwartz01 Posts: 566 Member
    If you regularly treat yourself to a "free day," just once - eat as you like, but still calculate the calories you're consuming on that day. It may shock you - you can EASILY undo an entire week's worth of work in one free day, or even one free meal.

    Instead, 1-2 days per week, I increase my net calorie goal to 1,500. It's just enough to help me stay in line at 1,200 most of the time.

    I agree that "free" or "cheat" days are a bad idea. The point of a lifestyle change is learning to reward yourself with things other than food. When I make the 300 pound mark or 62 pounds lost, I'm getting an hour and a half massage. Way better than binge eating at the local buffet!
  • hungryhobbit1
    hungryhobbit1 Posts: 259 Member
    If you see a big gain immediately after a "free day" it's probably because your sodium was off the charts. Next time, keep it under 2500 mg and you'll be fine.
  • shadow2soul
    shadow2soul Posts: 7,692 Member
    I have lost 98 pounds and have "free days" all the time.
    :drinker:

    But according to her that's not POSSIBLE!! :laugh:
    Be fair--she did not say that. She said you "can" undo a week's worth of work in one day/meal, not that you necessarily always will. It may have been in response to the person who posted about eating 9500 calories at a buffet--few people do that, but it does show that it can happen.

    I must have missed that post. That is definitely overkill.

    Oh well, I'm still gonna have a slice of cake today and no one can stop me.

    tumblr_m5x9n1xf3D1rqfhi2o1_500.gif
  • mandi108
    mandi108 Posts: 16
    I think free days are fine.... Just maybe throw in an extra workout or something to balance it out. I am by no means a dieting expert but it seems to me that if you deny yourself EVERYTHING you love to eat then eventually you'll give in to temptation and just binge and binge.
  • kirlia
    kirlia Posts: 81 Member
    Well crap!! I have been doing this all wrong then... Think how much more weight I could have lost had I not had those refeed's every Saturday... :drinker:

    OP's weight lost: 12 lbs

    This guy's weight lost: 312 lbs

    Yyyyyyyyyea...I wonder who people are going to be more inclined to take advice from...
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    it would have to be one hell of an epic free meal for me to undo the work I've done all week. EPIC.


    I regularly have days where I eat at maintenance (500 calories over my regular allowance). And sometimes more. Hasn't hurt my progress at all. It HAS helped immensely with my adherence to my new lifestyle/exercise/way of eating.
  • courtney_love2001
    courtney_love2001 Posts: 1,468 Member
    I just do a free "meal." And I don't go crazy. My free meal this weekend was a cheeseburger and fries, but I took half the burger home. All about portion control. This is a lifestyle change, and I still eat the things I want, just in moderation and not stuffing myself silly.
  • AllonsYtotheTardis
    AllonsYtotheTardis Posts: 16,947 Member
    Well crap!! I have been doing this all wrong then... Think how much more weight I could have lost had I not had those refeed's every Saturday... :drinker:

    I am regularly blown away by your transformation Ed - you have worked so hard, and got amazing results.
  • Lacey_Cakes
    Lacey_Cakes Posts: 223 Member
    I eat 1800 to 2000 a day so I guess every day is a cheat day!!!:)

    Ponyta! You can have as many calories as you want :)
  • mandi108
    mandi108 Posts: 16
    Well crap!! I have been doing this all wrong then... Think how much more weight I could have lost had I not had those refeed's every Saturday... :drinker:

    Congratulations!!! You are a true inspiration!
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    ...for you.
  • laserturkey
    laserturkey Posts: 1,680 Member
    I allow myself to go over my calorie limit for special occasions once in awhile. I've been doing just fine, thank you very much.
  • skinnydreams1997
    skinnydreams1997 Posts: 48 Member
    I prefer to have 2 cheat meals a week. I also let myself have 4 tablespoons of peanut butter, and chips once a week. It's all about moderationa and it all averages out. On cheat meals I prefer to eat whatever I want without binging, and that hasn't hurt my progress at all. I almost have abs now! :P
  • likitisplit
    likitisplit Posts: 9,420 Member
    I have lost 98 pounds and have "free days" all the time.
    :drinker:

    But according to her that's not POSSIBLE!! :laugh:
    Be fair--she did not say that. She said you "can" undo a week's worth of work in one day/meal, not that you necessarily always will. It may have been in response to the person who posted about eating 9500 calories at a buffet--few people do that, but it does show that it can happen.

    I must have missed that post. That is definitely overkill.

    Oh well, I'm still gonna have a slice of cake today and no one can stop me.

    tumblr_m5x9n1xf3D1rqfhi2o1_500.gif#Evil%20Laugh%20Gif%20500x359

    Even then, that's about three extra pounds. Not ideal, but it's not going to kill you. If you lose a pound a week, you'll lose 49 pounds that year instead of 52.
  • joyjay4fun
    joyjay4fun Posts: 160
    Well crap!! I have been doing this all wrong then... Think how much more weight I could have lost had I not had those refeed's every Saturday... :drinker:
    OMG... 312 lbs?!

    That is INCREDIBLE. Congratulations!

    Beat me to it :-) Congrats, that is freaking awesome!
  • Beastette
    Beastette Posts: 1,497 Member
    Everyone is different, and has a different idea of what "free days" even mean. For instance, I have a 12.5 mile run tomorrow. 1,500 calories barely covers my BMR. I would eat my own children if I tried doing what you suggest.

    If it's working for you, do it until it doesn't anymore. Then, do something else. I'm glad you're happy with your plan for now.
  • pamla77
    pamla77 Posts: 36 Member
    i think its a matter of finding what works for you. I have one free day every week, and have lost a total of 70 lbs or so. I am a believer in free days all the way! :) but it works for me, may not for someone else.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    NO.
  • ingeh
    ingeh Posts: 513 Member
    Im set at 1600cals at the moment, I only go over and crazy when its special occasions. Birthdays, anniversary or holidays. I went to a chinese all you can eat bar and probably at 2-3000cals that day then I lost 2lbs that week! I try to fit naughty foods in when I can but I dont binge on them. But I had a bad easter and ate rubbish for a month and gained 2lbs so I know the damage 1-2 days can do when they roll nto 3-4 days then more!
  • Annerk1
    Annerk1 Posts: 372 Member
    I don't do "free days" but I do have "splurge days" now and then. I've been craving pizza for two weeks, and I knew that if I didn't cave in to that craving in a common sense way that I would binge. So I ordered a medium thin crust Dominos with veggies. Ate 3/4 of it yesterday, I was still under my net calories for the day and it was soooo good. I actually just had the last of it for lunch--285 calories which fits into my typical lunch allotment. I no longer have teh craving, so I can keep working towards my goal without a setback.

    On a similar note I also don't take rest days from exercise. About once a week I won't power walk due to a work related time constraint, but otherwise I do five miles a day religiously. When I had an injury that kept me from running a few weeks ago I added in an extra hour of power yoga every day to compensate.
  • MayaSPapaya
    MayaSPapaya Posts: 735 Member
    Do you realize how many calories would need to be consumed in order to undo an entire weeks worth or work?!?
    I go out to eat around 2, sometimes even 3 times a week for dinner and I get what I want. I don't eat it all and I don't neccesarily go crazy, but it still puts me over. But I've never been over my TDEE so it will not affect my progress.
    ALSO, I DONT LIKE THE USE OF EXCESSIVE CAPS IN TITLES, STOP YELLING AT ME.
  • dr_tina
    dr_tina Posts: 225 Member
    Free days are awesome!!! I have lost 40lbs and in the best shape of my life and have a free day every Saturday. Your body and mind needs a break and it keeps me going. Has not caused me problems at all and I am 40 yrs old, so to each their own!
  • 1223345
    1223345 Posts: 1,386 Member
    I don't get why people must instantly respond with attacks. Why would that be anyone's first response? I cannot get my head around it....
    Anyhoo, I tend not to do days where I allow myself things that I have cut out, because the things I have cut out were cut out because they make me feel crummy. I do eat what I really like and feel good eating daily. Of course, my idea of what is undeniably delicious may look different from someone else's , but it works rather well for me. I think you make a good point though. I have heard often people with cheat day remorse saying they wish they would have kept it small. Your idea will do many people good.
  • caviggia
    caviggia Posts: 63 Member
    I think it depends on who you are and what works for you. I have a free day once a week (usually on my "super Saturday" workout days and it helps me in a number of ways. And I'm talking a good 1,500 over my daily net for losing weight (1200 daily). And for me, I have dropped 4.5in 3 weeks and that's all good in my book. With water weight it might go up 1-3 pounds the next day but it is usually back to normal after 2-3 days and the dropping continues the other 4 days, even at my last stubborn last few pounds I'm aiming for.
    But It wouldnt be wise if I was eating 6,000 calories, not working out, and laying in bed all day, that might be the whole 1.5lbs I lost that week lol....
  • Morninglory81
    Morninglory81 Posts: 1,190 Member
    I eat 1600 daily with one day that I boost to 2600 and I am loosing. I think you just have to be accountable and keep your eye on your goals.
  • _SABOTEUR_
    _SABOTEUR_ Posts: 6,833 Member
    If you end up with the same calorie deficit at the end of each week, I don't see how it makes any difference. It's just a case of personal preference.
  • LaurenAOK
    LaurenAOK Posts: 2,475 Member
    I don't get why people must instantly respond with attacks. Why would that be anyone's first response? I cannot get my head around it....

    I literally did not see one single person respond with an "attack."

    OP posted a rather strongly opinionated title "FREE DAYS ARE A HORRIBLE IDEA" which many people on here disagreed with based on personal experience. Naturally, many who responded here are defensive and put off by the OP's accusations. They are simply trying to show her that her opinion isn't necessarily right. How is that attacking her?

    An attack would be, "OP, you are an idiot. If you honestly think cheat meals are a bad idea you are not welcome here!!! what a stupid thing to say!!!! GET OUT WE HATE YOU!"

    Sorry, I just think people are way too sensitive on these boards.

    Anywho, I agree with most of what's been said - if cheat days don't work for you, OP, that's fine... but for many of us they work just fine. In fact, to many of us they aren't "cheat" days at all, because this is a lifestyle change, not a diet.

    I also think these kinds of threads do more harm than good because as someone else mentioned, this is why we see threads all the time like "omg I binged and went 500 cals over my goal now I've ruined my hard work I give up :(" Because threads like these told people new to weight loss that cheat days are awful.
  • twinkiemon
    twinkiemon Posts: 216 Member
    I have cheat meals every now and then where I don't worry about calories - I used to do it weekly but then it would turn into a cheat day and I'd cram everything bad for me into that 24 hour period. I usually do a cheat meal every 2-3 weeks usually when I go out with friends and then I work out a little harder in the days before or after it to make sure that I don't put on weight.
  • teeduran
    teeduran Posts: 54 Member
    that's a great ideal I don't do free days...I realy want to get smaller to enjoy life..I do miss things now and then I;ll do you're way...:bigsmile:
  • theCarlton
    theCarlton Posts: 1,344 Member
    No, Crystal Pepsi was a horrible idea.
    crystalpep.jpg

    Except, this guy doesn't agree, but who cares what he thinks?!
    dnc-crystal-pepsi.jpg

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