1-day cleanse

Hi everyone!

Just to avoid any misconceptions, I am on a normal 1,200cal-day diet and am losing weight little by little. However, I am going to attend my father-in-law's 60s birthday party on Saturday at a restaurant.... 5-course dinner... I know that I will overeat (I am not planning to explode with food, but not planning to deprive myself of great food on a special occasion, either). I would like to have a 1-day cleanse on Friday to make sure I don't feel too bad because of Saturday's indulgence.

I could simply drink water the whole day, but I don't want to completely deprive myself of calories. Can you guys suggest something?

Much appreciated!

Replies

  • Greenrun99
    Greenrun99 Posts: 2,065 Member
    Who is on a normal 1200 calorie a day diet??? That isn't normal for most people.. and neither is some crash course cleanse because you have a dinner the next day. Enjoy the birthday party, eat food.. then the next day get back at it.
  • scot30316
    scot30316 Posts: 169 Member
    Yeah just enjoy the day with family. One day won't make a difference in the long run. And just saw your location...if this is the French Laundry or someplace like that then I am so jealous.
  • paleojoe
    paleojoe Posts: 442 Member
    Hi everyone!

    Just to avoid any misconceptions, I am on a normal 1,200cal-day diet and am losing weight little by little. However, I am going to attend my father-in-law's 60s birthday party on Saturday at a restaurant.... 5-course dinner... I know that I will overeat (I am not planning to explode with food, but not planning to deprive myself of great food on a special occasion, either). I would like to have a 1-day cleanse on Friday to make sure I don't feel too bad because of Saturday's indulgence.

    I could simply drink water the whole day, but I don't want to completely deprive myself of calories. Can you guys suggest something?

    Much appreciated!

    Nothing wrong with fasting for 24 hours before the party... your body will be fine.
  • randomtai
    randomtai Posts: 9,003 Member
    Who is on a normal 1200 calorie a day diet??? That isn't normal for most people.. and neither is some crash course cleanse because you have a dinner the next day. Enjoy the birthday party, eat food.. then the next day get back at it.

    This...develop a healthy relationship with food...it's for life.
  • Cindyinpg
    Cindyinpg Posts: 3,902 Member
    Who is on a normal 1200 calorie a day diet??? That isn't normal for most people.. and neither is some crash course cleanse because you have a dinner the next day. Enjoy the birthday party, eat food.. then the next day get back at it.
    Yes, this is my thought too. At 1200 calories you do not want to restrict yourself even more. Enjoy the party and start again the next day, a few indulgences in a single day will make less of a difference than you think. :flowerforyou:
  • naterar
    naterar Posts: 48 Member
    You can fast up to 3 days without any ill effect to your performance. I have clients that do 3 day water fast while doing P90X double and do fine with energy and stamina. I don't think a day will be bad for you.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    If I eat big on a saturday, I won't tend to eat on Sunday until I feel really hungry. Then I pick up eating normal meals for the rest of the day.

    Even if you were to eat 3000 cal on saturday, and change nothing else, it's not going to do serious damage to your diet. It just means that this week, you'll be at (assuming 2000 cal maintenance) a deficit of 3600 cal instead of 5400 .. +/-1/2 lb less lost this week. that's all.
  • j6o4
    j6o4 Posts: 871 Member
    If you're within your weekly calories, I dont see the harm if you fast one day and make up the calories the next day.
  • DeltaZero
    DeltaZero Posts: 1,197 Member
    If I eat an entire tub of ice cream in one day, I will be cleansed.
  • pwittek10
    pwittek10 Posts: 723 Member
    Go out and walk 5 miles, if you already do 5 then go 10.
    Pre burn is what I think of it as
    Have fun no mater what
    be in control of your choices.
  • Thank you everyone for your opinion! I just don't understand the negativity in a couple of posts - I simply asked for suggestions... 1,200 calories per day is what MFP suggest I should have to lose a healthy 2lbs per week - just fyi.
  • sullus
    sullus Posts: 2,839 Member
    You can fast up to 3 days without any ill effect to your performance. I have clients that do 3 day water fast while doing P90X double and do fine with energy and stamina. I don't think a day will be bad for you.

    Days 2 and 3, they should have more energy and stamina than normal:

    http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10837292
  • _HeartsOnFire_
    _HeartsOnFire_ Posts: 5,304 Member
    Who is on a normal 1200 calorie a day diet??? That isn't normal for most people.. and neither is some crash course cleanse because you have a dinner the next day. Enjoy the birthday party, eat food.. then the next day get back at it.

    QFT.
  • Go out and walk 5 miles, if you already do 5 then go 10.
    Pre burn is what I think of it as
    Have fun no mater what
    be in control of your choices.

    That's a good idea... Maybe just an extra workout in the morning will be better than under-eating one day, then overeating the next day))
  • DeeVanderbles
    DeeVanderbles Posts: 589 Member
    I'm with the others that say just eat normal Friday and indulge Saturday. One day here and there isn't going to hurt you. In fact, allowing yourself to indulge periodically will help you stay on track.

    That said, to answer your actual question, 'cause you're gonna do what you're gonna do, what about some carrots/celery and hummus? A salad for lunch with romaine lettuce, some tomatoes, green peppers, cucumbers, etc., isn't high calorie, it's the salad dressing that's the killer. Use an olive oil and vinaigrette combination, sometimes I just use a little balsamic vinegar. Add a hard boiled egg or two for some protein. You could do the same thing for dinner.
  • Showcase_Brodown
    Showcase_Brodown Posts: 919 Member
    There's not really such a thing as a "cleanse." That's a made-up buzz word.

    However, I know what you mean. Essentially you want to subtract calories from one day to add to another, and that's fine. It could just mean eating less (or nothing) for breakfast and lunch of that day to make room for extra calories that evening.

    As long as you get enough calories for the day (or for a weekly total if you wanted to look at it like that), it doesn't matter how many meals you eat or what time you eat them. As long as it works for you.

    I will say, if you are not used to fasting, you're going to feel pretty hungry.
  • Look into 6:1, the maintenence form of 5:2 where you eat a quarter of your TDEE. Occasional fasting is healthy. Don't mind what's "normal" to other people if it's what you're inclined to do.
  • instead of a cleanse, perhaps just make that day very light. no sodium broth based soup; steamed vegetables; some fruit. and water.
  • MB_Positif
    MB_Positif Posts: 8,897 Member
    If I eat an entire tub of ice cream in one day, I will be cleansed.

    This. Or Taco Bell
  • PhoenixStrikes
    PhoenixStrikes Posts: 587 Member
    Thank you everyone for your opinion! I just don't understand the negativity in a couple of posts - I simply asked for suggestions... 1,200 calories per day is what MFP suggest I should have to lose a healthy 2lbs per week - just fyi.


    Exactly, and here's the problem with MFP. You can tell it you want to lose a ridiculous amount of weight per week aka 2lbs, even when you don't need to and it will let you go down to 1200 calories a day but no lower. Unless your morbidly obese (and it doesn't look like you are) you're setting your goals too high. Don't be ridiculous and fast on Friday! just go for an extra long workout before hand and enjoy your day. Honestly unless you burn only 1700 calories throughout the day 1200 is stupid low.
  • MireyGal76
    MireyGal76 Posts: 7,334 Member
    I don't know why this makes me so sad.


    Unless you are planning on going to one of these on a weekly basis, and you keep to your diet pretty well the rest of the week, one big meal is not going to derail you and condemn you to failure.

    Your weight is not like a debit card... It's not a matter of instant transactions.... i.e. if you buy something today, your bank account balance decreases accordingly.


    Instead, it's more like a credit card statement... It is how your eating transactions accumulate over time that determine your balance at the end of the month.

    Advice: Look at your weight MONTHLY instead of DAILY

    If you are set to 1200 calories (which is a whole new debate of its own - which I won't get into here), you are already at a pretty strong deficit. You can afford to eat more (on a day to day basis), and still expect to see a decent balance (potential weight loss) at the end of the month. One special event is not going to kill you. (If you went to ten in one month, that may be a different story)


    If you feel like eating a bit less the day before this event, or maybe even the day after, then fine. But do NOT starve yourself...
    a) it's not overly healthy for your body (physically)
    b) it's not a good food habit to get into (mentally)
    c) it's not necessary (from a goal perspective)
    d) you are likely to be really hungry and therefore more prone to overeating at the meal


    Might I instead suggest having a healthy snack about an hour before the event so that you are actually somewhat full (of healthy food) and therefore less inclined to binge on the less healthy, more calorie dense food?


    just my humble suggestion
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
    You don't have enough to lose to be using the 2 lb per week option. That is not the healthy way to lose.

    If you fast all day Friday and then eat a lot on Saturday you're going to feel like crap. Better off to go the other way, eat lightly Friday and before the party, eat sensibly at the party and then eat lightly again on Sunday.