Taking a pause from low calories, once in a while.

Artemiris
Artemiris Posts: 189 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hi all,

does any of you eat at (almost) maintenance every once in a while? For example, every three months or every 10 pounds lost?
I don't mean overeat for 1-2 days, I mean eating at maintenance for a few weeks.

Is it helpful/necessary in order to have a successful weight loss? What do you think?
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Replies

  • rissadiane
    rissadiane Posts: 355 Member
    I've found that it can help me drop a few pounds. But I only do it for 1-2 days. I could see it helping you not get burnt out but it can definitely become a slippery slope.
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
    I don't think it's necessary at all for weight loss, but some people enjoy doing it.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Yes, I do/did this when losing weight. Maintenance breaks, or diet breaks, are great for physiological and psychological reasons. Here are a couple of articles about them:

    Diet breaks
    * http://www.bodyrecomposition.com/fat-loss/the-full-diet-break.html/
    * http://strengthunbound.com/when-to-take-a-diet-break/
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    I ate at maintenance for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year.
  • scolaris
    scolaris Posts: 2,145 Member
    I think it sounds very worthy... Better than all that gnashing of teeth, tearing of hair, and rending of shirts that goes on around here! Lol
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    I ate at maintenance for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year.

    Slacker.

    I may have eaten at your maintenance for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year.
  • Artemiris
    Artemiris Posts: 189 Member
    Thank you for your point of views.

    @jemhh, this is exactly what I was thinking about. I wouldn't really use the word "diet break", because I would still be logging everything and be sure not to go over my limit.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    Artemiris wrote: »
    Thank you for your point of views.

    @jemhh, this is exactly what I was thinking about. I wouldn't really use the word "diet break", because I would still be logging everything and be sure not to go over my limit.

    I always log too. People call it different things so there's no standard definition/term for it. I eat at maintenance, exercise like normal, and log.
  • Artemiris
    Artemiris Posts: 189 Member
    @jemhh How often do you do that? And for how many days?
  • momandmedaycare
    momandmedaycare Posts: 5 Member
    Ya but couldn't you eat a few over the day before and spend some extra time on the treadmill the next day? Especially during the holidays when eating in your calorie goals is harder?
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited October 2015
    @Artemiris I don't do it on a set schedule. When I am losing weight, I am usually not hungry beyond "oh, it's dinner time" kind of hunger. When I get to the point where I am just hungry all of the time, I take a week off. Well, actually 8 days because I usually do Sunday through Sunday. I am usually ready and raring to get back to cutting my calories by Friday at the latest, but I make myself wait because the extra calories for a few more days helps me out with exercise (lifting) so much.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    DeguelloTex wrote: »
    I ate at maintenance for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year.

    Slacker.

    I may have eaten at your maintenance for Thanksgiving and Christmas last year.

    In all honesty, the chocolate pie may have put me over, but I ate a little less in the few days leading up to it.

    I think I'm leaving all options, but possibly not the food, on the table this year.
  • VykkDraygoVPR
    VykkDraygoVPR Posts: 465 Member
    I don't mind "breaking" my diet. If I have an event, I'll eat what I want. If I'm feeling tired, and hungry, I'll eat more than usual. As long as I lose at a reasonable rate, I don't really sweat it.

    I find that just eating something really satisfying is better than just eating more though. So, say a nice medium rare steak (fillet, or a New York strip), with lightly salted steamed broccoli, applesauce, and a generous helping of A1.
  • thankyou4thevenom
    thankyou4thevenom Posts: 1,581 Member
    If anything it's probably more helpful for those of us who are older and have been obese our entire lives in order to help with loose skin. Give your skin chance to catch up with the lack of fat underneath!
  • JodehFoster
    JodehFoster Posts: 419 Member
    We won't deny ourselves anything during vacations, I guess you could call that a break. We love to try new things & always seek out something special when away.
  • insearchofcheese
    insearchofcheese Posts: 45 Member
    I just took my first week long "break" (after 7 months) and ate a maintenance for a week. I logged everything and continued my usual workouts. This was more of a mental break. I was getting to the point I was thinking about food all the time. I have also re-evaluated my daily calories now that I'm back at deficit and decided I can deal with a slower pace of weight loss. Otherwise, I think I'm setting myself up for failure long-term.
  • holly55555
    holly55555 Posts: 306 Member
    I just let myself go a little over my calories on the weekends. It evens out. :)
  • hapa11
    hapa11 Posts: 182 Member
    I give myself permission to eat at maintenance any day I want--it helps if I have a day that I'm very hungry. Ironically, knowing I can go up a little if I want helps me stay under.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
    I eat at or above maintenance periodically, but not on any type of schedule. Occasions where I choose to eat more than usual just periodically present themselves. Parties, vacations, houseguests, holidays, etc. I don't plan higher calorie days because I know they'll come along unplanned.
  • DeterminedFee201426
    DeterminedFee201426 Posts: 859 Member
    As of now I eat at maintenance 2 days of the week and the other 5 I make the deficit so kinda having a little break everyweek. . Before I started back the losing weight phase I had been maintaining for 3 months because everyday I was in a deficit I felt extra hungry it was only a deficit of -350- and the reason for the extra hunger for me were that I was eating so many carbs high for so long .. and not eating much of fibers fats or protiens
  • CaliDollFace
    CaliDollFace Posts: 27 Member
    That doesn't usually work out well for me. I am more successful under a strict plan.
  • Artemiris
    Artemiris Posts: 189 Member
    I think I need to better clarify what I meant.

    By "eating at maintenance" I did not mean the occasional break caused by vacations/events/dinner out...
    Neither was I talking about increasing the calories because of hunger or cravings.

    I meant a conscious plan to eat at maintenance for, let's say 3 weeks, every (let's say) 3 months, or every tot pounds lost.

    Some people claim that keeping a restrict diet for a long period of time is not ideal and that it might be beneficial to eat at maintenance (and, obviously, as a consequence, interrupt the weight loss) every once in a while.

    I personally find it quite resonable and I was curious to know if anyone did that.
  • hamlet1222
    hamlet1222 Posts: 459 Member
    I can't see anything wrong with doing that at all, perhaps even just eat what you want when you want, but keep logging - and see where you 'naturally' settle.
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,562 Member
    I took a break from logging all last month. It was pretty refreshing.
  • looney9708
    looney9708 Posts: 174 Member
    jemhh wrote: »
    @Artemiris I don't do it on a set schedule. When I am losing weight, I am usually not hungry beyond "oh, it's dinner time" kind of hunger. When I get to the point where I am just hungry all of the time, I take a week off. Well, actually 8 days because I usually do Sunday through Sunday. I am usually ready and raring to get back to cutting my calories by Friday at the latest, but I make myself wait because the extra calories for a few more days helps me out with exercise (lifting) so much.

    Do you gain a lot of weight or just a few pounds water weight if you do this?
  • Christine_72
    Christine_72 Posts: 16,049 Member
    looney9708 wrote: »
    jemhh wrote: »
    @Artemiris I don't do it on a set schedule. When I am losing weight, I am usually not hungry beyond "oh, it's dinner time" kind of hunger. When I get to the point where I am just hungry all of the time, I take a week off. Well, actually 8 days because I usually do Sunday through Sunday. I am usually ready and raring to get back to cutting my calories by Friday at the latest, but I make myself wait because the extra calories for a few more days helps me out with exercise (lifting) so much.

    Do you gain a lot of weight or just a few pounds water weight if you do this?

    curious about this too

  • Asher_Ethan
    Asher_Ethan Posts: 2,430 Member
    During vacations I always log everything but I'm usually at 3k calories everyday. But I'm okay with that as I would rather enjoy my vacations.
  • jessikundrick
    jessikundrick Posts: 7 Member
    Every Saturday I don't log and I have my treats. This is when I plan to go out to eat or have some candy. It really helps me stay on track for the week because I know at some point I'll be able to eat something fun instead of giving it up completely. Without it, I would end up giving up on my diet entirely, so I think it's a good idea :smile:
  • PinkPixiexox
    PinkPixiexox Posts: 4,142 Member
    It won't 'boost your metabolism' or 'speed up the weight loss' (I've heard a lot of people do it for these reasons!) but eating at maintenance for a week or so is definitely a good move, in my opinion. It's always nice to have a controlled 'break' from the whole idea of weight loss every now and again - it can get a little overwhelming.

    Eating at maintenance (or near to) for a week was my way of giving myself a rest from constant losses. Don't get me wrong, I loved the weight loss but sometimes I wanted to have occasions where I could eat a substantial amount more - so I did.

    Once you're back in a deficit, you'll continue to lose. The key is here - not to go overboard and not to binge eat. Tracking is still important :)
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
    Yep! Everyone should do this once a week.

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