having a day off per week

electricblue6
electricblue6 Posts: 6 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi I am just wondering what people think of having 1 day off of diet/tracking calories per week? I am at goal weight and have been doing this method for a couple of months now. Every Friday night through to Saturday night I cease counting calories and allow myself to eat/drink whatever I like. I still run 10-13km on a Saturday morning and take Sunday as a rest day from exercise. I run on average 45 km per week plus 3 intense bootcamp classes. I really look forward to the weekends and have managed to maintain following this method. The only trouble is that I tend to go over the top with what I consume within this 24 hour period, I don't log it (by choice in an attempt to break away from normality for 24 hours) but can only assume that it is somewhere in the vicinity of 3000+ calories. From Sun - Thurs I track my calories at a 1200 + exercise and mostly eat back my exercise calories (within 200 of them anyway) I always finish the week in a defecit. Whilst I enjoy this day off it sometimes leaves me feeling guilty and unimpressed with myself the following day, as I do today. Does anyone else follow a similar routine? I tell myself the next day, I am not going to do that next weekend, but always do as I work extremely hard with tracking diet and exercise during the week!

Replies

  • rben1e
    rben1e Posts: 11
    Why are you on such a low calorie count if you're at your goal weight? I've been chided for having a 1200 calorie diet and I'm trying to lose 20 lb in a hurry and I'm fifty pounds over my goal weight. Nor do I exercise as vigorously as you do. My guess, and that's all that is it, is that your body is rebelling against having so little nutrition. I'm surprised you're not still losing weight. Why not try upping your calories to something more reasonable. You probably won't feel as much of a need for the day off, and even if you do take the day off, you might not feel compelled to eat so much. That said, I've heard lots of people say that taking one day off a week helps. I suspect it varies from person to person.


    Ray
  • MSeel1984
    MSeel1984 Posts: 2,297 Member
    I started tracking on the weekends/every day for this exact reason.

    If I take a day off of working out, I still try to log everything. I've been having a hard time with low blood sugars lately and corrections often put me over on calories, which makes me feel bad. I think it's good to just be aware of what I'm eating...even if it's annoying. Plus that way I don't let myself go completely crazy. Today I had a HUGE breakfast after a pretty solid workout, then I went rock climbing, so I tried to have more calories at the beginning of the day. Just trying to eat lighter the remainder of the evening.

    I think logging also has made me much more aware of how many calories I consume from alcohol which gets me especially on the weekends.

    But that's just me. It sounds like you're working super hard and are being pretty strict on calories (dunno if I'd go 1200 kcals if you're at your goal weight and working that hard-are you still trying to lose?)
  • Sovictorrious
    Sovictorrious Posts: 770 Member
    I think it is a good idea for some not me.

    What I do is control my portions and make sure I hit my macros. So I eat what I want.
  • Will_Thrust_For_Candy
    Will_Thrust_For_Candy Posts: 6,109 Member
    Are you binging in that time frame because you are too restricted throughout the rest of the week? I mean I feel like there has to be a bit more to it than just that you actually just eat that much food, if that makes sense?

    Since you are at your goal weight, and with your level of activity, I really don't think that you need to stay at 1200+ exercise calories. I think that you would be fine to adjust your intake and that might give you more wiggle room during the week so that you don't go crazy in that 24 hours.

    With that being said, I do something similar. I aim for a little less during the week so that I have a bit of cushion on the weekends if I want to indulge. Although I listen to my body and if I need more during the week, then I have it.

    I mean you just have to find what works for you but from the sounds of it, this is kind of not working for you :ohwell:
  • magurski
    magurski Posts: 45 Member
    Why are you on such a low calorie count if you're at your goal weight? I've been chided for having a 1200 calorie diet and I'm trying to lose 20 lb in a hurry and I'm fifty pounds over my goal weight. Nor do I exercise as vigorously as you do. My guess, and that's all that is it, is that your body is rebelling against having so little nutrition. I'm surprised you're not still losing weight. Why not try upping your calories to something more reasonable. You probably won't feel as much of a need for the day off, and even if you do take the day off, you might not feel compelled to eat so much. That said, I've heard lots of people say that taking one day off a week helps. I suspect it varies from person to person.


    Ray

    This. If you're in maintenance, readjust your goals. Unless you're wafer thin, you could probably normally eat more, especially with that energy expenditure from all the running your doing.

    That being said, if you're not actually gaining with your 24 hour break each week (and a 10-13km run during that?! you're probably dealing with a majority of those extra calories right there!), I say don't feel guilty about it. It's working for you. Guilt is a good way to start developing an eating disorder, which isn't healthy.

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