"free" day advice, please!

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  • licorice_tea
    licorice_tea Posts: 59 Member
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    I have a restaurant meal once a week at which I can eat however much I like. Sometimes even two in one day!

    I log each one as 2000 calories, which is probably pretty accurate as to what I can put away at a restaurant. It may seem silly, but logging them that way is really important to me -- I'm not going to blow a restaurant meal on something that isn't amazingly tasty if I know it costs 2000. It makes me really save up and use my restaurant meals for what really brings the most enjoyment to me. It also approximates the real effect it is having on my weight loss -- if I log 2 cheat meals, and then check my weekly totals and notice I am over maintenence, that's really helpful to see. Finally, logging it as 2000 calories is still completely mitagatable by exercise -- I try to burn 800-1000 calories that day (maybe by walking all around London before eating) and do my best to bring the daily calorie count down to maintnence at least.

    This is what works for me anyway :)
  • Lathandria
    Lathandria Posts: 42 Member
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    I started having a cheat day on the weekends and I noticed come Monday I would want to continue eating that way. Its so not worth it. Try having a cheat meal instead and keep it within your daily calorie limit.
  • njitaliana
    njitaliana Posts: 814 Member
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    The only time I have a "free day" is when I'm on vacation or when it's a holiday and I have a holiday meal. Still, I keep whatever I eat within my calories and I log it. I don't go over calories just because it's a holiday or a vacation. But, definitely, you haven't been at it long enough to be having days where you randomly eat and don't log. That's more for when you get to maintenance.
  • alasin1derland
    alasin1derland Posts: 575 Member
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    congratulations on your 6 pounds. well done. instead of solely considering free days, maybe you can add extra calories thru exercise. when I want to join in on beer and pizza I eat plain chicken breast and salad for lunch (under 150 cals) and add some exercise which adds to calories and enjoy my night out. I can stay within my calorie deficit by buying more calories thru exercise. good luck.
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Ok first... typically when you go overboard once in a while, it's mostly water weight and will go away. Heck I was over my TDEE by 2000 yesterday... it's not even enough to gain a pound, but it will probably show as 4 lbs on the scale (I'm not masochistic and didn't weigh myself this morning). Just water weight from sodium. It won't stay forever.

    Second, free days are a recipe for disaster. I could easily eat 6000 calories in a free day, which would totally defeat the purpose. If you have to, make it a free meal. Better, have one high calorie item in that meal, so that you're over by 400 and not 2000. Better yet, eat what you want, but make it fit in your calories every day, learn to make healthier versions of what you're craving etc.

    Third, save your cheat meals for special occasions. In the end, if you're going over by 2000 every week end, you'll just sabotage yourself. And whatever you do, log it... it keeps you accountable.
  • dmenchac
    dmenchac Posts: 447 Member
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    Most of us on this site have had "free" days for 20+ years. Its the reason we are like we are.

    Why do you want more?

    Oh, maybe because life has fun events that involve food and pulling out your iPhone to log every bite of a passed appetizer and lovely dinner at a wedding might be a big drag?

    It's perfectly possible to achieve a healthy lifestyle without having to log every. single. day. for the rest of your life. I'm proof.

    OP: I'd stick with this awhile before straying for now, but 2-3 "free" days a month were ALWAYS part of my plan. While losing, while maintaining. There is a reason I have stuck with this for 1,000+ days, why I was able to lose 130 pounds in 15 months, why I've been able to maintain that loss for a year and a half and counting: I did not make myself miserable. Some people do perfectly well logging every morsel that passes their lips for decades. I'm not one of those people. I log most of the time, and I log diligently. But I also take days off from logging (and I am a consistent exerciser). Rule #1: Don't weigh yourself for several days after a "free" day, at least not if you're prone to water retention like I am; it's only fat gain if you're above your overall maintenance calorie needs. Rule #2: A free day may be a big issue if you are prone to binging, or let it roll over into a free weekend, free week, etc. Rule #3: What works for me might not work for you; find your own way and do what's best for you and still lets you achieve your goals...in short, live the healthiest life you can ENJOY.

    I can say this: I am 100% certain that if I had not worked "free" days into my plan, I would not be the weight I am today, with the physical and mental health I enjoy daily. I would have given up.

    So, dmenchac, THAT is why some of us want free days.

    I am very happy that worked for you. However enabling entire cheat days drastically reduces your chances of having sustainable weight loss. I find that many people with weight issues are prone to binging or emotional eating. Having an entire cheat day is exactly a recipe for disaster. You can ruin an entire week's effort in one day. Why not try a 'cheat meal?' and see how it goes? Like I said, I am happy it worked well for you, but you are the exception, not the rule. Not everyone has your self control.
  • acarmelo1
    acarmelo1 Posts: 76 Member
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    I eat a Double Whopper with bacon and onion rings every 2 weeks I call it my reward, but in that same day I do a ton of exercise and burn like 600 calories so it compensates.

    And when I am with family and events I do log everything I eat.

    Is not a drag as someone mentioned before.

    And everybody on MFP should do it.

    Or else when you want to see a progress reports, it will not be real since you will have blank days.

    SELF CONTROL is the first thing we need when we are on this.
  • Marcia315
    Marcia315 Posts: 460 Member
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    I find a "cheat meal" works better than a cheat day.

    On my birthday, I ate really light in the morning, got a good workout in, and then went hog wild at dinner. Appetizer, wine, ordered whatever I wanted, dessert.

    The next day, back on the wagon.

    I also accept that some days, I will go over. Some days, I'll be under. I look more at the weekly total than the daily total.

    I'm here for a lifestyle change, not a crash diet.
  • catherinestokes332
    catherinestokes332 Posts: 9 Member
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    I appreciate all the advice. It was very helpful. Thanks so much, everyone!

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