Every day is hard!!! Cheat Days??

equestrian_girl
equestrian_girl Posts: 15
in Motivation and Support
Hello fellow users!

I am 26, 5'2", and currently 120 lbs as of this morning. Probably actually 123ish by end of day. I have technically reached my goal!!! Woohoo!! I started at 131 in September, which is the heaviest I have ever been. Looks heavy on a short person!

So it sounds great, I've lost 10 pounds since september... however, I have yoyo'd between those two numbers this whole time. I have seen my goal weight two other times, butchered maintaining, and had to start all over again.

I can have two great weeks of eating approx. 1200 calories a day with a bit of exercise, and this brings me down two or three pounds. I usually let things slide over the weekends, especially eating out with friends or dinner at a family member's, so I gain a bit from the weekend, then have to work hard all week to lose it in time for the following weekend lol.

I do find that I seem to maintain weight between 123 and 125 if I allow the cheat weekends, but to stay at my goal of 120, I have to be extremely disciplined, which always has me asking, IS IT EVEN WORTH IT!?!!?

I am a bridesmaid in three weddings this summer, plus I just really want to look amazing for bikini season slash cottage season. I am also going on two big trips. I went to Asia last summer and hated all the pictures of me so the memories are tainted :( I don't want that to happen again.

Are my cheat weekends ruining my discipline?? I have fallen off the bandwagon countless times because of weekends. But complete abstinence from salt/sugar/fat/booze seems like a life not worth living!!

How do you find moderation? Are cheat days even worth it? If I were to eat clean 24/7, would I eventually quit my salt/sugar/fat addiction??

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Replies

  • Holly_Roman_Empire
    Holly_Roman_Empire Posts: 4,440 Member
    First of all, start netting more than 1200 calories. Your BMR is 1241, so I'm guessing you can eat even a little more than that and continue to lose weight.

    Start tracking anything and everything that goes in your mouth, that includes cheat days too, if you decide to go that route.

    You don't have to eat clean to lose weight, but I can't speak to how it would kick any kind of "addiction." Many people have success that way, and others just end up craving un-clean foods more until they binge.

    You are already within a healthy weight range, so accurately tracking your calories is critical. Not logging something as seemingly small as a few peanuts can send your deficit down the drain. I'm willing to bet your cheat weekends are ruining your progress.
  • SunsetSafari
    SunsetSafari Posts: 39
    I feel for you, because as you speak, it's like you're talking about me! I'm the same height as you, and just like you, maintaining was hardest and the weekends seemed to destroy everything.
    I struggled for months, until I got tired and gave up: I gained weight big time and saw that goal disappear so quickly literally everything I had worked for.
    I joined MFP in february this year, and since then I have changed. I got fed up of the yoyo: I felt completely out of control and tired. I decided to stop splurging, even on the weekends. Instead I do one cheat meal and one or two deserts a week. I feel so much better now. Cheat days don't work for me, instead eating something if I really crave it, and promising myself one special meal a day does.:smile:
  • equestrian_girl
    equestrian_girl Posts: 15
    You are totally right, I should be noting my coffees with cream and sugar, and the details I figure don't matter, because they do... I will have to figure out exactly what I can consume to keep the deficit and not feel so restricted. It's worth it to me to look into it.
  • equestrian_girl
    equestrian_girl Posts: 15
    Thanks for understanding, it's great to hear someone knows how I am feeling :) and who has been there.
  • snowflake954
    snowflake954 Posts: 8,399 Member
    I agree that you should be logging the so called "cheat days". Perhaps you have no idea how much you are really eating, and I bet you'd be surprised. For me a "cheat" would be a desert. Are you exercising weekends? Maybe you can only afford one cheat day. You must resolve this issue or you'll wind up yo-yoing for the rest of your life. As you get older, it gets worse. So, you have to take control here. Don't give up logging. You have to know how much you can afford on that night out, or you can never relax and really enjoy it.
  • highlanderthedog
    highlanderthedog Posts: 14 Member
    I am similar to you...5'1" and weighed in this morning at 119.5 (the half pound makes a difference to me! Lol) except I am 44 not in my 20s! My goal is 114 but may lower it to 110....and I know I need to count every calorie that goes in my mouth since I have just a few lbs. to lose now. I weighed 124-125 for five straight years. Gained 10 happy lbs. after getting married! I ate clean and healthy during the week and would indulge on the weekends. I didn't count calories back then but I certainly knew how to maintain my weight. IMO it is not worth all the work tracking during the week to ruin it during the weekend. I know this because I lived it for so many years. Nowadays I will have one cheat meal during the weekend and that is going out to eat with my husband, having wine and making a healthy choice or not eating the entire meal. Restaurants serve larger portions. If I eat great during the week and then eat processed or high fat food I feel gross anyway so I keep reminding myself of it. IT is not easy!!!! I keep telling myself..."if you keep doing what you are doing then you will always get what you get"....meaning indulging on the weekends and not losing weight. Good luck!

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