Is it okay to eat calorie restricted during the week and and eat a lot on the weekend?

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  • happysherri
    happysherri Posts: 1,360 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    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.)

    Sounds like a great plan. It may take time to adjust and get into this groove, but worth it.

    I was going to suggest what others have. Try splitting a meal or eat smaller portions. Obviously, do whatever works for you, everyone is different. However, I hate feeling hungry or deprived and I feel I would during the week if I tried to eat so little calories. It may work for you. I've been at this 'fitjourney' since about 2012 and I'm still using trial and error to further my results. Don't give up, keep trying.
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    What about: 800 per day (total 4000) 5 days a week, and 2200 on weekends? That adds up to 1200 a day.

    Personally if I tried this, I'd be starving and would not make it long.
  • srk369
    srk369 Posts: 256 Member
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    janejellyroll wrote: »
    cashidy wrote: »
    What about: 800 per day (total 4000) 5 days a week, and 2200 on weekends? That adds up to 1200 a day.

    The potential issue I see with this is that your weekends sound like they are very high but maybe not nutrient dense (with 700 calorie drinks and 1000s of calories for eating out, based on your post). Would you be able to truly meet your nutritional needs on 800 calories a day, 5 days a week? This can be an issue if one is allocating lots of calories to alcohol.

    I completely agree with this. It's hard enough to get the nutrition in on a 1200 calorie diet (the minimum recommended) and I don't see it being made up for on the weekend.
  • pinuplove
    pinuplove Posts: 12,874 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    What about: 800 per day (total 4000) 5 days a week, and 2200 on weekends? That adds up to 1200 a day.

    I'd be a mess and a living nightmare to be around. You're also unlikely to be able to meet your nutritional needs that way, if weekends consist of a few meals out and alcohol. I think a better plan is to eat 1200 - 5 days a week and figure out how to moderate your weekends a bit so that you still come out with a deficit. How much will depend on your current TDEE of course.
  • GoldBikiniGoals
    GoldBikiniGoals Posts: 47 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    What about: 800 per day (total 4000) 5 days a week, and 2200 on weekends? That adds up to 1200 a day.

    You can try, but from a sustainability perspective, it's not likely to work. You say now you're eating 1200-1800 calories on a weekday, you're now talking about cutting that nearly in half so that you can have calorie (but not nutrient) dense foods and copious amounts of alcohol... Might not leave your body with much to run on...
  • cashidy
    cashidy Posts: 152 Member
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    Okay. So maybe I should try more realistic goals such as 1200 and exercise 5 days a week, and the overage I can move to weekends.

    And you know how it is. You say "I am on a diet" and suddenly people start bringing you food and drinks and telling you to live a little haha
  • janejellyroll
    janejellyroll Posts: 25,763 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    What I am gathering is I need to grab a handle on my weekends and not give in to peer pressure haha

    Long term, I think this is going to lead to a much better chance of success.
  • JeromeBarry1
    JeromeBarry1 Posts: 10,182 Member
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    Since VLCD is 500 calories and should only be done for no more than 5 days under a doctor's supervision, I'm not going to advise you do it while supplementing with plenty of vitamins wink wink. However, if you accurately log everything you eat every day including your weekends and can prove that you have a weekly calorie deficit, you should be able, over a very long time, to notice some weight loss. Mentally, I wouldn't want to try it. I'd crash and burn on Tuesday.
  • kshama2001
    kshama2001 Posts: 27,951 Member
    edited March 2017
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    xmichaelyx wrote: »
    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.

    How many calories do you burn via exercise throughout the week?
  • ShrinkingViolet1982
    ShrinkingViolet1982 Posts: 919 Member
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    In the end, it just depends how fast you want to lose. If you don't mind a slightly slower pace, then enjoy your weekends so you don't crash out entirely.
  • DaniG_1987
    DaniG_1987 Posts: 40 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    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.)

    In terms of drinking, one thing you could do is pull the waitress or bartender aside and kind of explain the situation. In the past I have just said I'm the DD for my friends and they think one or two drinks is fine for the DD but I'd rather not or I've had enough to drink tonight but my friends want us to keep going, can you just serve me sparking water with the normal garnishes in it so it looks like a vodka soda? Bartenders are normally are really understanding and you're one less drunk person they have to deal with at the end of the night.

    In terms of food, it definitely took me awhile to learn that splurging on the weekends even just a little bit would cause me to lose part or all of my progress the week before and make the first couple of days of the next week more stressful. Now I try and have more of a balance, like I usually order grilled chicken salads with vinaigrette dressing when I go out or save up more of my calories during the day for when I go out at night. You could also try hosting nights at your place where you know what is going to go into the food or look up restaurant nutrition menus ahead of time and decide what you are going to order before hand.
  • enterdanger
    enterdanger Posts: 2,447 Member
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    I tried doing what you are talking about, but it was like re-starting every monday. And the first 4 days of a cut are always the hardest for me. It was just self-sabotage. This works for lots of people though.

    I try to eat the same every day and have 1 caloriffic meal on the weekend. I do have a drink daily. It makes me less likely to binge drink on the weekend. I guess it's cause it's not as special since I get my yummy craft beer in every day.
  • joemac1988
    joemac1988 Posts: 1,021 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    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?

    Yes, that's fine. And in fact could spur quicker fat loss with severe deficit than a refeed where the deficit doesn't extend long enough to be detrimental. Just don't go whole hog on the weekend; still do your best to track so you remain in an overall deficit.
  • ashleighs148
    ashleighs148 Posts: 334 Member
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    I get everyone is different but it just seems like such a sad way to live, potentially suffering all week on very little calories (dizziness, weakness, etc) and just living for the weekend. I know I'd cave very quickly. There's nothing wrong with banking some calories to eat out at the weekend, a lot of people do it, but you can easily blow your weekly deficit in one day if you're not careful. And the post made about how your weekends won't be nutrient dense is a very good point to consider. Hope you find some way to still enjoy your weekends while losing weight but just be careful.
  • bagge72
    bagge72 Posts: 1,377 Member
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    cashidy wrote: »
    What about: 800 per day (total 4000) 5 days a week, and 2200 on weekends? That adds up to 1200 a day.

    But if you have trouble keeping to calories on the weekend, how are you going to make it work? I mean isn't your whole problem that you just can't stick to a calorie goal on the weekends, and the weekdays are structured? I'm all for saving some calories for the weekend, but it still takes a lot of working and planning out what you are going to eat even if you have more calories. I think instead of starving your self 5 days a week, I would just try to find good average for everyday that you can stick too, and then maybe try putting in a little effort into not binging on the weekends. If you know your going out to eat and for drinks, look at the menu ahead of time, and look for something you think would be in your calorie range, plan on ordering a vodka soda water instead of a 700 calorie martini. and a splash of cranberry juice if you want, or bring packets of crystal light to dump in and make better tasting drinks. There are so many ways to go out have fun and still stay within your calories. Oh and don't worry about the retained water weight after eating out, and drinking. It comes with the territory, and is just water.

    Also 1200 is probably a low daily average. Are you not working out at all. Do you sit around all day and not move at all? Why so low? Are you trying to lose at least 2lbs a week, because you think that doesn't sound like a lot because the people in commercials lose 10lbs a week? You really just need to reevaluate how and what you are eating, because in the end it's not going to be sustainable.

  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
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    #1 rule of fight club is you don't talk about fight club. The same applies here.

    Don't discuss your weight loss objectives with friends, family unless they bring it up. And even then, be prepared to dismiss the topic and change subjects.
    cashidy wrote: »
    Okay. So maybe I should try more realistic goals such as 1200 and exercise 5 days a week, and the overage I can move to weekends.

    And you know how it is. You say "I am on a diet" and suddenly people start bringing you food and drinks and telling you to live a little haha

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