How to stop bingeing at the weekend

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London1990
London1990 Posts: 15 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all. Please please please can you give me some suggestions on how to be good at the weekend? I feel so stupid asking this as the answer is very clearly "stop eating so much" but come Friday night/Saturday I literally have no self control. This is really hindering my weight loss as all my hard work at the gym and watching what I eat during the week just gets counteracted by my eating at the weekend, and I have only lost 2lbs in over 3 months.

Thanks in advance :)
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Replies

  • bajoyba
    bajoyba Posts: 1,153 Member
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    What I notice right off the bat is that you don't log your food consistently, and when you do log, your calories tend to be very low. If your diary is accurate, I don't think you're eating enough, and that may be contributing to your need to binge.
    I recommend making sure that your weight loss goals and calorie goals are sustainable. What is your height, current weight, and goal weight? You may find that if you give your body more fuel, you'll feel more satisfied overall and won't feel the need to go overboard on the weekend.
    Once you find a calorie amount that is right for you, my other piece of advice is to log everything you eat every day. If you're giving your body the proper fuel and nutrition it needs and still feel like you want to binge on the weekends, logging everything may make you more conscious of what you're actually eating and might slow you down a bit.
  • ffhsanfran
    ffhsanfran Posts: 63 Member
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    schedule non-food related activities, at least think about them even at a bar or restaurant outing. Eat regularly, don't skip meals, small portions and snacks, before or after exercise. exercise is good. but don't make it your ticket to overcompensate. Stay cool.
  • TheVimFuego
    TheVimFuego Posts: 2,412 Member
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    Up the protein early in the day to keep you fuller for longer?

    I prefer run super-compliant during the week and cut myself a little slack at the weekend. But it is only a little slack, not a full on binge. It's all about the weekly average for me.

    During the working week the psychology of not really eating much during the day and going for it in the evening also helps me as I will tend to snack late (on everything, not just protein bars ;)). I understand some people don't get on with this pseudo-intermittent fasting thing but I can't imagine it any other way now.

    I honestly could not have done this before I had a period of limiting the processed carbs. I know it's controversial but I do think there is some mileage in a bit of carb restriction helping to curb cravings.
  • Alpina483
    Alpina483 Posts: 246 Member
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    I honestly could not have done this before I had a period of limiting the processed carbs. I know it's controversial but I do think there is some mileage in a bit of carb restriction helping to curb cravings.
    +1
  • Cortneyrenee04
    Cortneyrenee04 Posts: 1,117 Member
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    I'd say plan your meals and leave yourself a few hundred extra calories for going out or extra treats. Exercise a little more so you can eat a little more.
  • katorihanzo
    katorihanzo Posts: 234 Member
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    Plan your meals. Sit down on Thursday night and log everything you're going to eat Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Leave yourself a few hundred extra calories in case you end up having a couple beers or eating fries instead of a salad, but otherwise STICK to it. After you've planned, it just comes down to willpower. If you still binge, you'll know you're just currently not in the right frame of mind to be dieting. You need to be motivated enough to grab an apple instead of a chocolate bar.

    And if you DO go over, go for a run.
  • London1990
    London1990 Posts: 15 Member
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    What I notice right off the bat is that you don't log your food consistently, and when you do log, your calories tend to be very low. If your diary is accurate, I don't think you're eating enough, and that may be contributing to your need to binge.
    I recommend making sure that your weight loss goals and calorie goals are sustainable. What is your height, current weight, and goal weight? You may find that if you give your body more fuel, you'll feel more satisfied overall and won't feel the need to go overboard on the weekend.
    Once you find a calorie amount that is right for you, my other piece of advice is to log everything you eat every day. If you're giving your body the proper fuel and nutrition it needs and still feel like you want to binge on the weekends, logging everything may make you more conscious of what you're actually eating and might slow you down a bit.

    Thanks for your reply :) My intake for Monday to Thursday is accurate, and I've updated Friday and Saturday to show what I ate.

    What do you think I should set my intake to?
  • London1990
    London1990 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thanks to those who have said about planning meals, that's a really good idea. During the week I have structure as I know what I'm going to have for breakfast and lunch, so I will def start thinking about what I'm going to eat at the weekend in advance.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
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    Hi there,

    Had a look at your diary - you're definitely leaving a lot of calories on the table in the week. Which will leave you hungry and craving come the weekend! Perhaps try and eat a little more in the week - hit your calorie target and eat back your exercise calories.

    I found this link very useful, to work out my calorie intake: http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/975025-in-place-of-a-road-map-short-n-sweet?hl=road+map&page=13#posts-16457000

    Good luck!
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
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    Those 2 pounds in 3 months should be motivation enough for you. You're spinning wheels.

    I really dislike the word 'should'.

    This comment is just critical and unhelpful. Why bother posting anything at all?
  • Capt_Apollo
    Capt_Apollo Posts: 9,026 Member
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    what helps you succeed during the week? is it the fact that you are at work and have your time and mind occupied? and coupled with the fact that you probably pre-log and pre-package all your meals, you are probably doing great 5 days out of 7.

    Five days out of seven. hey, thats pretty good. thats like, 71% on point. thats awesome. i know people that struggle to have ONE good day.

    maybe you can mentally allow yourself to have one cheat meal. Maybe on Friday night, to celebrate the end of a long work week, you enjoy some drinks and a relatively unhealthy meal?

    also, i'd like to point out that at 1,200 daily calories, you aren't giving yourself a lot of room. what is your loss per week set at? i bet it's set really really low, and that you'd probably do better mentally and physically at a higher calorie intake.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Hold yourself more accountable for what your diary shows. I enter everything I eat accurately (if you just filled in for the last couple days, for example, I highly doubt you took the time to weigh everything and remember exactly what you ate those days) and I know that if I go over, it will slow my weight loss... and the pleasure of eating something for 5 minutes just isn't worth that.

    It's worked for me. But the diary is a tool you can use in your advantage too. I know at the end of the day if I can have a treat (and most days, I can!) because I've entered everything correctly and I have some calories left. This way I don't even feel the need to binge.
  • Hildy_J
    Hildy_J Posts: 1,050 Member
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    You were slamming members the other day because they have been here for 2-3 years and have thousands of posts and have helped plenty of people.

    You guys expect a medal because 80% of your posts are helpful and 'only' 20% are sarcastic, rude and unhelpful?

    No. Drop the 20%.
  • igotabulletproofheart
    igotabulletproofheart Posts: 104 Member
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    Every time you feel a binge coming on, grab some air-popped popcorn. Make sure you always have some made.

    Or meditate and do yoga. I don't know how or why but that's stopped me from even desiring unhealthy snacks!
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,672 Member
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    Hi all. Please please please can you give me some suggestions on how to be good at the weekend? I feel so stupid asking this as the answer is very clearly "stop eating so much" but come Friday night/Saturday I literally have no self control. This is really hindering my weight loss as all my hard work at the gym and watching what I eat during the week just gets counteracted by my eating at the weekend, and I have only lost 2lbs in over 3 months.

    Thanks in advance :)
    Your weekends are habitual. Like most people, you look forward to the weekend to "relax" your efforts, which includes calorie control. Till you break that habit, it will continue.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness industry for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • tjthegreatone
    tjthegreatone Posts: 324
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    Oi get a room you too!

    OP: you're starving yourself during the week. The weekend is your body playing catch up + some damage due to the pyschological restriction. I'd ease off the deficit (maybe aim for 1b/week loss and a few hundred more per day) and get into the mindset that this is a 24/7 game. You can undercut a bit during the week so you have a few leftover calories to splurge for the weekend - then your overall weekly intake will be roughly on point.
  • Fullsterkur_woman
    Fullsterkur_woman Posts: 2,712 Member
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    Those 2 pounds in 3 months should be motivation enough for you. You're spinning wheels.

    I really dislike the word 'should'.

    This comment is just critical and unhelpful. Why bother posting anything at all?
    I actually agree with that. I didn't lose anything the first 6 months of the year, but I did get back to my exercise habits. Since the end of June, I've been able to be more consistent with my calories, and I've lost 8 pounds. I'm sorry if that rate of progress is not sufficient for you. Oh wait, no I'm not. I'm actually thrilled to be 8 pounds down while eating an amount that keeps me sane and continuing to get stronger with my lifts.

    OP, I personally find that restricting a lot on the weekdays leaves me with little willpower to stick to a careful budget on the weekend. 1600 calories a day? Nope, can't stick with it. 1800? Sure, no problem. Just gotta find the level that works for you.

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