free Day

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lauraleenaft
lauraleenaft Posts: 58
in Introduce Yourself
So i have ben doing well on mfp for a few weeks now,I came on with the thought that fridays would be my free day,a day that i would eat how i wanted and did not work out. But now i am wondering if that is not a good idea? Does anyone out there have free days? I guess i thougt if i gave my self a day to indulge it would give me something to look forward to and i would not give up like i usually do. any ideas??

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  • rikisue206
    rikisue206 Posts: 99 Member
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    I kind of have a free day. On Sunday's I do not work out and eat what I want, but I still do it within reason. I am still doing my protion cotrol. Think of it as a life change and not a diet. Maybe that will help you on your free day. :happy:
  • PBmaria
    PBmaria Posts: 854 Member
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    Maybe eat something "bad", but stay within your calorie allowance?

    Don't give up!!!
  • brianna626
    brianna626 Posts: 156
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    Or maybe just a cheat meal rather than a whole day?
  • coolcatcan
    coolcatcan Posts: 133 Member
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    I have a "free" day or I call it a "cheat day. Mine is on Sundays and I find that it actually helped me move the scale and stick to healthy eating. Just when you have your free day, eat what you want, but do it in moderation. For example, have a piece of cake, not two. Have 1 cookie, not 2, etc......

    I have a book called "the diet solution" that talks about how important these "free/cheat" days are to weight loss. Just don't lose control. Helps keep you on track during the week, something to look forward to and actually helps jump start your metabolism (if you are a good girl during the week).

    I'm proof, I've lost 25 lbs and am now at goal weight.

    Hope this helps!

    Good luck!
  • smkey
    smkey Posts: 121 Member
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    I haven't started with free days or meals yet... but in my mind - I'm going to do a free meal. Not an entire day. If you do a whole day and go all out, you really could blow your whole week. It's harder to do THAT much damage in a meal. (I still could blow my week in a meal, mind you - which is why I haven't let myself do it yet).
    Good luck and let us know what works!
    Sandi
  • rwd5046
    rwd5046 Posts: 302
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    I call them cheat days but I feel so guilty when I have them that I basically torment myself. So I agree with the others, still do the portion control and try and stay healthy but don't put so much emphesis on what you eat. Don't use MFP on that day or you'll surely torment yourself and if you don't excerise don't worry. It's a rest day as well.
  • upinthecosmos
    upinthecosmos Posts: 149 Member
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    I allow myself to eat out on weekends but I keep within my calorie range so it's up to me on whether I keep it healthy or not. Of course I can eat a little more the healthier I stay:-) I don't really exercise yet but I will be working that in soon. I just started up again in June so I try not to cheat more than that so that I stay on track. If I give myself too much leeway I may not find my way back & this way I feel like I have some cheat in there so that I'm not feeling to stressed or tortured:-)
  • lauraleenaft
    lauraleenaft Posts: 58
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    I have a "free" day or I call it a "cheat day. Mine is on Sundays and I find that it actually helped me move the scale and stick to healthy eating. Just when you have your free day, eat what you want, but do it in moderation. For example, have a piece of cake, not two. Have 1 cookie, not 2, etc......

    I have a book called "the diet solution" that talks about how important these "free/cheat" days are to weight loss. Just don't lose control. Helps keep you on track during the week, something to look forward to and actually helps jump start your metabolism (if you are a good girl during the week).

    I'm proof, I've lost 25 lbs and am now at goal weight.

    Hope this helps!

    thanks this does help,i think i will look into that book! and i will think on my fun cheat day that i still should stay in reason!

    Good luck!
  • rikisue206
    rikisue206 Posts: 99 Member
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    I call them cheat days but I feel so guilty when I have them that I basically torment myself. So I agree with the others, still do the portion control and try and stay healthy but don't put so much emphesis on what you eat. Don't use MFP on that day or you'll surely torment yourself and if you don't excerise don't worry. It's a rest day as well.

    I don't think that you need to toment yourself, even on a bad day. Just track it like normal and remember that tomorrow is another day. Beating yourself up can add a lot of stress that can also prevent weight loss. It is ok to mess up now and then. We are all human!:tongue:
  • Alacey88
    Alacey88 Posts: 487 Member
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    Or maybe just a cheat meal rather than a whole day?


    I agree with having a cheat meal one day a week before a whole day.
  • lauraleenaft
    lauraleenaft Posts: 58
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    thanks everyone,it is all helpfull! I still am not sure yet what i will do. I have allready cheated today,but just feel bad for it. Like i could undo all the good i did this week! But i cant beat myself up for ever,i just have to start fresh tomorrow,and if i decide to take it easy one day,i will do it in moderation!
  • _beachgirl_
    _beachgirl_ Posts: 3,865 Member
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    I don't do anything like that, but I am finding that I am craving things that I gave up more and more. It's like a child when you've told them they can't have a toy, it makes them want it even more, it ends up being all they think about. Since this isn't a diet but I guess a lifestyle change, I decided that I am no longer going to deny myself something I really want. I'm not going back to drinking soda every day and eating chocolate, but there's no reason I can't have a scoop of ice cream with the kids. One scoop, not a 3 scoop chocolate fudge sundae with whipped cream! I am going to try to keep within my goal of 1200 and when I do want to eat something, just really pay attention to portion size.

    As far as cheating.... Finish each day and be done with it. You have done what you could. Some blunders and absurdities no doubt crept in; forget them as soon as you can. Tomorrow is a new day; begin it well and serenely and with too high a spirit to be cumbered with your old nonsense. - Ralph Waldo Emerson
  • deborahbannister
    deborahbannister Posts: 9
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    thanks everyone,it is all helpfull! I still am not sure yet what i will do. I have allready cheated today,but just feel bad for it. Like i could undo all the good i did this week! But i cant beat myself up for ever,i just have to start fresh tomorrow,and if i decide to take it easy one day,i will do it in moderation!

    1 day of eating "bad" wont hurt you as long as you don't eat bad everyday! Just remember that! We all mess up. We all have our binge type days but as long as you don't do it frequently you should be okay. Just keep exercising and keep going! You are right when you say you cant beat yourself up forever. You'll end up giving up if you fret over it too much because you'll never feel perfect enough. Just keep trying and you'll succeed eventually!

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