Treat days once a week?!

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IeuanAlexanderSaunders
IeuanAlexanderSaunders Posts: 17 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Should you have treat days once a week and how far can you realistically go without ruining the weeks worth of work ?

Replies

  • Maxematics
    Maxematics Posts: 2,287 Member
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    I eat whatever I want as long as it fits in my calories. Other people bank calories during the week so they can splurge a little on another day. A once a week "treat/cheat" day where you don't track isn't the best idea. It works for some people, but can undo a deficit easily for others.
  • Yi5hedr3
    Yi5hedr3 Posts: 2,696 Member
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    Never a cheat day, only a weekly cheat meal.
  • xtina315
    xtina315 Posts: 218 Member
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    I've been eating whatever I want, within my 1400 cal allotment, and still losing
  • cdcjensen
    cdcjensen Posts: 30 Member
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    Most weeks, I bank some calories during the week so I can loosen up on weekends, just ensuring that my total calories for the week stay where MFP says I should be for 7 days worth of calories. I like this approach because it's not all decided by one day - it's the ebbs and flows over time, which is more realistic to life, I think. But, you should still record everything on your cheat meal or day - otherwise, you don't really know how many calories you ate and how you should adjust the rest of the week to account for the excess. I lost 150 lbs using this approach and have used the same method for the year and a half since I met my goal, so I'm convinced it can't be but so bad!
  • thereshegoesagain
    thereshegoesagain Posts: 1,056 Member
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    I allow myself 1 treat meal a week and I don't log it. It's almost always a meal out with a martini, wine and desert. I like having a break from logging. Yes, I always gain a couple of pounds, but I'm sure it's from all the salt which causes temporary bloating. The next day I get back on track and the weight is almost always gone by the 2nd day.
  • Nicklebee93
    Nicklebee93 Posts: 316 Member
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    I have a 'cheat' day but i make sure i don't go over 2,000 calories. Its more of less when i have family get togethers and i don't feel like trying to under eat.


    Everyone always say: you cant lose weight in a day. And therefore you cant gain weight in a day. Splurge a little, but be mindfull and don't go too overboard!
  • vivmom2014
    vivmom2014 Posts: 1,647 Member
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    There is no way I could confine treats to one day. I eat whatever I want every day within my calorie goal. If I feel like I'm going to eat a lot - it's cardio time.
  • Orphia
    Orphia Posts: 7,097 Member
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    xtina315 wrote: »
    I've been eating whatever I want, within my 1400 cal allotment, and still losing

    Yep, just eating what I love within my calorie limit is how I've lost 34 kg (75 lbs) since April.
  • cityruss
    cityruss Posts: 2,493 Member
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    Look at the maths.

  • eldamiano
    eldamiano Posts: 2,667 Member
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    I have treats every day. I wonder what I will have today....
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    I have treats every single day ....make them fit into your allotted calories, simple :smiley:
  • CariTJR
    CariTJR Posts: 343 Member
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    cdcjensen wrote: »
    Most weeks, I bank some calories during the week so I can loosen up on weekends, just ensuring that my total calories for the week stay where MFP says I should be for 7 days worth of calories. I like this approach because it's not all decided by one day - it's the ebbs and flows over time, which is more realistic to life, I think. But, you should still record everything on your cheat meal or day - otherwise, you don't really know how many calories you ate and how you should adjust the rest of the week to account for the excess. I lost 150 lbs using this approach and have used the same method for the year and a half since I met my goal, so I'm convinced it can't be but so bad!

    ^^ This. I use the same approach, because if I stuck rigidly to my calories each day some days when i've exercised a lot, like gone for a long run, i'd be scrabbling around in the cupboard trying to find things to eat to hit my calorie goal when i'm not even hungry, but other days (mainly weekends) i'd go over my goal easily, so I just make sure that I stay within my weekly goal. I work a 'treat' into every day, I can't live without chocolate, so I eat some every single day, it's just about finding the right balance and what works for you personally.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
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    I bake (brownies, cookies, pie, etc..) something just about every week. I also have dinner and the dessert with my family, so I plan everything else I eat through the day around dinner plans and the dessert.

    Just plan it before hand and you can do this everyday or like you said, just once a week. You could also conserve a few calories each day (bank calories) and use them on "treat" day.
  • jaynee7283
    jaynee7283 Posts: 160 Member
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    xtina315 wrote: »
    I've been eating whatever I want, within my 1400 cal allotment, and still losing

    This, but I'm allowed 1700 calories. Have lost 18 pounds in 2 1/2 months so far.
  • RoxieDawn
    RoxieDawn Posts: 15,488 Member
    edited March 2016
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    double post thanks to firefox/mozilla.
  • lml852014
    lml852014 Posts: 243 Member
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    I used to do those cheat days where I didn't log all day and I think since I've stopped doing that and am actually logging at maintenance (i tend to do this on saturdays only) I noticed I am still losing at a consistent rate rather then slower then I'd like.
  • murp4069
    murp4069 Posts: 494 Member
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    cdcjensen wrote: »
    Most weeks, I bank some calories during the week so I can loosen up on weekends, just ensuring that my total calories for the week stay where MFP says I should be for 7 days worth of calories. I like this approach because it's not all decided by one day - it's the ebbs and flows over time, which is more realistic to life, I think. But, you should still record everything on your cheat meal or day - otherwise, you don't really know how many calories you ate and how you should adjust the rest of the week to account for the excess. I lost 150 lbs using this approach and have used the same method for the year and a half since I met my goal, so I'm convinced it can't be but so bad!

    This is my approach as well, and it works very well for me. I don't have cheat days or treat days, but I tend to eat more on the weekends and prefer to have the calorie flexibility then instead of during the week. I still eat whatever I want to eat during the week, including making room for treats like ice cream, but I am very careful about portions and moderation.

    Just make sure that your treat/cheat day still fits within your weekly calories. Keep in mind that one day of eating whatever you want in whatever quantities you want may stall weight loss or even cause weight gain, especially if your weekly deficit is relatively conservative. If your MFP is set to lose 0.5 lbs/week, your weekly deficit should be approximately 1750 calories. You can very easily wipe out an entire weeks deficit in one meal at an italian restaurant.

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