Is it okay to eat calorie restricted during the week and and eat a lot on the weekend?
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cashidy
Posts: 152 Member
Please don't attack me, I have a serious question. It is not about disordered eating.
I have a problem. I eat 1200 to 1800 calories a day. On the weekend, I eat anywhere from 2500 to 4000 calories. I am not bingeing per se, but go out with friends, and cmon, one mixed drink can be 700 calories and one good meal can be thousands. I have tried years to stop, at this point I am coming to terms it is not an option, I am not able to regulate on weekends.
This means I keep gaining weight not losing it.
Would it be safe to have a low calorie diet during the week to make up for the extra on the weekends?
I have a problem. I eat 1200 to 1800 calories a day. On the weekend, I eat anywhere from 2500 to 4000 calories. I am not bingeing per se, but go out with friends, and cmon, one mixed drink can be 700 calories and one good meal can be thousands. I have tried years to stop, at this point I am coming to terms it is not an option, I am not able to regulate on weekends.
This means I keep gaining weight not losing it.
Would it be safe to have a low calorie diet during the week to make up for the extra on the weekends?
1
Replies
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Many people use a weekly Calorie goal vs. daily.
Home>Reports>Weekly Digest will give you your weekly Calorie goal and track how you've been from Monday-Sunday.1 -
Maybe when you order your meal on the weekends ask them to box up half of it before they bring it out, or split a meal with one of your friends that might help keep the calories down a bit.6
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Have you worked out the math to see if it is even possible? There's a big difference between 1200 and 1800 kcal per day, and between 2500 kcal and 4000 kcal per weekend day.
Just to take an example, say your maintenance is 2000 kcal per day, or 14000 kcal per week. Next say you eat 4000 kcal on Saturday and 4000 on Sunday. That gives you 6000 kcal for the rest of the week, 1200 kcal per day, to eat at maintenance. If you wanted to lose 0.5 lb/week you've have to cut ~1800 kcal off of that, giving you only ~800 kcal per day. This scenario seems unlikely to be successful long term.
Many people, myself included, eat less during the week to allow for some indulgences during the weekend. That's a fine idea. I eat 200 under per week day to give myself 500 over each weekend day. But I'd suggest you look carefully at your calorie goals and habits to see if your plans are realistic.16 -
Cashidy,
this journey is so personal you must track your result then determine if what is happening is right for you or not. All of us have different genetics, goals and desires. I know we all want approval and to be accepted and approved of, but the best person to make this call is you! I keep very tight caloric intake during the week and on the weekend I while out however if I dont hit my previous low or lower then on the weekend i back off a little. this way I keep loosing overall weight. BUT THAT IS JUST ME... DO YOU !!0 -
Run a weekly calorie goal then and budget your highest amount of calories towards the weekend.
I will say though, a little research can go a long way. If I want to go to the bar, I want to actually drink so getting cocktail for 500+ calories really isn't worth it for me. There's lots of drinks that you can have for 200 cals a piece or less that are still delicious and get the job done. Same for restaurant meals. I can absolutely go blow 1600 calories in a single sitting at a restaurant -- but maintenance for me is around 2700 cals, so that still leaves me 1100 calories I could eat across the day without eating into my deficit for the week -- There are also plenty of delicious, amazing tasting options that will run you the sub 1000 calorie mark, even the sub 600 if you choose right.
It's all about your goals, if you want to lose weight, you need to create a caloric deficit. Regulating on the weekends absolutely is an option -- but that's what you're treating it as, an option not a priority. If you continue to out eat your TDEE, you will continue to gain.3 -
This is exactly what I do. 1600-1800 calories Monday-Thursday, and whatever I want (within reason, but I don't count calories on weekends) Friday night - Sunday.
Down 12 pounds since January 1.3 -
My best opinion is to reduce calories in what you eat on weekend. I love mixed drinks too so my dietitian told me to drink clear liquor instead of dark. Now I compromise with flavored vodka and diet soda... still not the best for you but not 700 calories either. I have a friend who eats totally healthy during week but on weekends she drinks like a sailor and eats high calorie meals. She struggles with her weight because of it.. Dietitian told her that her weekend routine is messing with her metabolism because of the back and forth mixed signals she is sending to her body. She started making simple changes to lower calories on weekend and is maintaining weight now. It is little changes that can help.0
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What is your weight and height?!!
I read people's diaries and I am shocked at what they eat.
I am 5'9 184lbs (was 196lbs two months ago), and I would struggle to eat 4000 calories on any day --bulking or cutting. I would have to eat at a restaurant 4 times a day.
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It's technically 'ok' but you can easily wipe out 5 days' worth of deficit in a weekend blowout, resulting in a net zero loss.5
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I eat on a deficit during the week and eat a splurge meal with wine on Saturdays and I am still losing0
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It works for me. I did this while losing weight and still doing it in maintenance (over a year now).
I also drink quite a bit on the weekends, but never a 700 calorie drink. I can (and do) have a full bottle of wine for less calories than that. Ditch those sugar bomb drinks and switch to something with less calories except for special occasions and you'll find losing a lot easier. ::drinker::2 -
Need2Exerc1se wrote: »It works for me. I did this while losing weight and still doing it in maintenance (over a year now).
I also drink quite a bit on the weekends, but never a 700 calorie drink. I can (and do) have a full bottle of wine for less calories than that. Ditch those sugar bomb drinks and switch to something with less calories except for special occasions and you'll find losing a lot easier. ::drinker::
It works, and I do this often, bit when I am flat for a week or I lose only a .5 instead of 1lb. I don't feel like it was worth it.0 -
Also: seriously consider what you're drinking for 700 kcal per drink. That's a good-sized serving of ice cream.
I've got a bomber of a barrel-aged Belgian quad at home which is about 770 kcal. But that's the alcohol equivalent of six shots of liquor. Definitely a "sometimes food."3 -
NOt 'unsafe' but it might not result in weight loss. What is the amount of calories you need now in order to maintain your weight? You need to average less than this to lose.
Taking your averages, if you eat 1500 per day M-F and 3250 on S/S that is 14,000 per week or 2,000 per day average. If your current total energy use averages 2000 or less you won't lose.
You can try lower calorie drinks. Rum/Gin/Vodka/etc. and diet soda is going to be about 100 calories per drink rather than 700.
You can also try moving some of the bar nights home. Have a group of friends over. BYOB style and everyone brings food. Gives you more control over what you eat and drink. Saves $ also!!
Options are to burn more calories (get in an extra cardio session or a few each week to earn more calories) or cut back somewhere. You could TRY to eat 1200 on M-F but if you're unable to feel satiated at that level, then its not likely to last.
Ultimately you have to choose which is more important. Maintaining the social status quo or weight loss.Please don't attack me, I have a serious question. It is not about disordered eating.
I have a problem. I eat 1200 to 1800 calories a day. On the weekend, I eat anywhere from 2500 to 4000 calories. I am not bingeing per se, but go out with friends, and cmon, one mixed drink can be 700 calories and one good meal can be thousands. I have tried years to stop, at this point I am coming to terms it is not an option, I am not able to regulate on weekends.
This means I keep gaining weight not losing it.
Would it be safe to have a low calorie diet during the week to make up for the extra on the weekends?
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It's hard for me too--Hubby wants to eat out on Saturdays and that throws everything off.1
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I might be overestimating my splurging on the weekends, but when I drink of course it is easy to "alcohol eat". I am trying to not drink alcohol at for a bit, but it such a social thing it becomes hard. I will try to put reminders on my phone to choose diet soda and vodka or something like that. That is a good idea. I will also try and reduce calories on the weekends. (Reason I don't is at work it is scheduled and easy to track my food, on weekends it is not scheduled and therefore hard.)3
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Thank you all
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What about: 800 per day (total 4000) 5 days a week, and 2200 on weekends? That adds up to 1200 a day.0
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I might be overestimating my splurging on the weekends, but when I drink of course it is easy to "alcohol eat". I am trying to not drink alcohol at for a bit, but it such a social thing it becomes hard. I will try to put reminders on my phone to choose diet soda and vodka or something like that. That is a good idea. I will also try and reduce calories on the weekends. (Reason I don't is at work it is scheduled and easy to track my food, on weekends it is not scheduled and therefore hard.)
You can also alternate drinks. Have a mixed drink w/ diet soda - then the next drink, just order diet soda. This can cut your consumption and you still look like you have a mixed drink, if you feel the need to fit in. Though if your friends would give you a hard time for not drinking, analyze the quality of your 'friends'. If you want to go out with them and NOT drink, you can always say you are on medication where you can't mix it with alcohol. If you feel you need a reason...0 -
I might be overestimating my splurging on the weekends, but when I drink of course it is easy to "alcohol eat". I am trying to not drink alcohol at for a bit, but it such a social thing it becomes hard. I will try to put reminders on my phone to choose diet soda and vodka or something like that. That is a good idea. I will also try and reduce calories on the weekends. (Reason I don't is at work it is scheduled and easy to track my food, on weekends it is not scheduled and therefore hard.)
Just don't drink at all during a cut phase. Michelob Ultra which is one of the lightest and best-tasting light beers, is 90cals a bottle. I could easily drink 7-9 of those things in one drinking session. That's a potential 810 calories on top of the chips or meat I usually eat with beer. It's not worth it, and it's really not worth it at all whether dieting or not.
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