Weekend binges wiping out weekly deficit

dracaene · May 2017

I'm having this problem where I keep bingeing on the weekends. My daily calorie deficit is only 250, so these weekend binges are not only wiping out my entire weekly deficit, they may even be putting me over my maintenance calories. Normally I would suggest to myself that I increase my daily calorie limit to reduce the feeling of deprivation and maybe stop the weekend binges, but with only a 250 calorie deficit, there's really no room for that. Other than avoiding all social situations revolving around food, I'm really not sure what to do. Would appreciate any advice/tips!

Ironandwine69 · May 2017

Can you create a bigger deficit during the week?

Machka9 · May 2017

Exercise more on the weekends.

rsclause · May 2017

I feel your pain, I gained three pounds in two days.

whitpauly · May 2017

I'm in the same boat unfortunately:(

cityruss · May 2017

Take some responsibility for your own actions and stop overeating on the weekend.

pinuplove · May 2017

Eat less through the week to create a larger deficit or
Eat less on the weekend to create a larger deficit or
Exercise more on the weekend to create a larger deficit or
Exercise more through the week to create a larger deficit

Create a larger deficit.

aimeetu · May 2017

I feel ya on this. I started pre-logging my weekends on Friday night to the best of my knowledge. This helps me at least be on the lookout for calorie bombs that are coming my way. I also decided a while back that my weekend is Saturday only. I can "weekend" eat on Saturday but Friday night is still on program and Sunday is still part of my week. It has really helped me gain control.

leajas1 · May 2017

dracaene wrote: »

I'm having this problem where I keep bingeing on the weekends. My daily calorie deficit is only 250, so these weekend binges are not only wiping out my entire weekly deficit, they may even be putting me over my maintenance calories. Normally I would suggest to myself that I increase my daily calorie limit to reduce the feeling of deprivation and maybe stop the weekend binges, but with only a 250 calorie deficit, there's really no room for that. Other than avoiding all social situations revolving around food, I'm really not sure what to do. Would appreciate any advice/tips!

Maybe one day per week (Friday or Saturday) plan to eat at maintenance and eat all your exercise calories back. That way you get that mental feeling of "letting go" but you do it in a responsible way without ruining all the hard work you did during the week.

tinkerbellang83 · May 2017

dracaene wrote: »

I'm having this problem where I keep bingeing on the weekends. My daily calorie deficit is only 250, so these weekend binges are not only wiping out my entire weekly deficit, they may even be putting me over my maintenance calories. Normally I would suggest to myself that I increase my daily calorie limit to reduce the feeling of deprivation and maybe stop the weekend binges, but with only a 250 calorie deficit, there's really no room for that. Other than avoiding all social situations revolving around food, I'm really not sure what to do. Would appreciate any advice/tips!

Whilst I agree with other posters about taking some responsibility for your actions, here are a couple of things that I find helpful myself when I am feeling more indulgent than normal.

> I found myself unintentionally Intermittent Fasting because I get up slightly later than I do during the work week and go straight into my workouts (I can't stomach food before exercising, make me want to vom) so I have a 4-500 calorie brunch and then have the rest of my allowance + exercise calories to play with for the day. Which is more than enough for a couple of pints and a bar meal - usually chicken goujons with chips or a burger.

> Walking everywhere - I get a good 10000 steps in most days and this again gives me more calories to play with.

> Including stuff I like during the week, I almost always have chocolate on a daily basis, not a massive bar, just a kit kat or some malteasers (both under 200 calories) and maybe a small kids dairy milk bar (100 calories).

> Fakeaways - instead of depriving myself I occasionally have a takeaway but I'm trying to cut down on this purely because they are so hard to track if they aren't from a chain restaurant. So I make my own stuff some weekends from recipes I find on Pinterest so far I've tried:

Big Mac Fries
Slow Cooker Lamb Kebab
KFC Style Chicken (oven baked)
1 cal spray homemade fries
Falafel
Burgers
Thai Green Curry

JennaLynnNagy · May 2017

Limit your daily total sugar intake (including fruit) to 50 grams or less, and also lower your daily carbs to 100 grams.. so at least your body won't store excess fat

tinkerbellang83 · May 2017

JennaLynnNagy wrote: »

Limit your daily total sugar intake (including fruit) to 50 grams or less, and also lower your daily carbs to 100 grams.. so at least your body won't store excess fat

The body doesn't store excess fat if you're eating in a deficit, it's not necessary to go reduce carbs or sugar to lose weight!

EricExtreme · May 2017

Choose to not overeat. Nobody is shoving the food into your mouth. It's that simple . We choose what we put into our mouths. Choose to not overeat

apullum · May 2017

I usually skip breakfast on the weekends, because I'd rather use those calories later in the day. We usually wind up just having brunch and then a light dinner.

You can also go to social situations and eat less. Have a meal before you go, so you aren't hungry. If you're at a restaurant, order something that can be shared with others, or just have a low calorie drink. If you're at a party or event, offer to bring something that you'd like to eat. Or suggest to your friends that you all do something together that doesn't feature food.

cityruss · May 2017

JennaLynnNagy wrote: »

Limit your daily total sugar intake (including fruit) to 50 grams or less, and also lower your daily carbs to 100 grams.. so at least your body won't store excess fat

Wait, so I can eat 6000 calories a day, as long as I'm limiting sugar and sub 100g of carbohydrates and not store excess fat?

Mind.
Blown.

bagge72 · May 2017

JennaLynnNagy wrote: »

Limit your daily total sugar intake (including fruit) to 50 grams or less, and also lower your daily carbs to 100 grams.. so at least your body won't store excess fat

I think I'm going to need an explanation for this one.

racheldix92 · May 2017

Weekends can be rough! I struggle with this too. I can be so good through the week because the majority of it, I am by myself, not influenced by other people's "yummy" choices. It doesn't sound like you're being irresponsible...for one, you're here--asking for advice! It sounds like the weekends are tough because of the social aspect of them.

I get it...Friday evening date night, coffee with the girls Saturday morning, Saturday evening BBQ with family, Sunday morning brunch...weekends can be tough. End of Story. (This may not be your typical weekend, but the number of interactions that revolve around food is greatly increased between Friday evenings and Sunday afternoons.)

I have never been a person who likes surprises, so I like to always know where I'll be going on the weekends. I research options before I arrive at restaurants so I know what my lower calorie options are, I always order a water even if I order a cocktail too. I try to do spritzers instead of full-bodied wine (can save you up to half the calories per glass!) When dinner comes, I make a mark down the plate and move half the serving over a bit and only let myself eat half then take the rest home. I know what I can order at the coffee shops and skip the bakery.

I also get into the "lazy weekend slump." Then, I keep a bottle of water with me at all times and try to find ways not to think I need a snack. The biggest help for me if simply not having high-calorie, sugary snacks around the house.

If I still have really overdone it, I throw in an extra workout or an additional 30 minutes on the bike...I do what I need to keep MFP daily number GREEN!

Good Luck!

bagge72 · May 2017

I think that if you do enjoy going out every single weekend and binging, you need to live for the weekend I guess. Eat less during the week, and workout more where ever you can.

I'm not sure about your thought process for eating more during the week so you are less hungry, because you would also have to avoid all social situations that involve food because you wouldn't be as hungry, and you know not eating what everyone else is, just isn't fun, and requires you to stay home and Netflix and Chill with you hands.

Or another option, research where you are going to eat, and eat what fits your calories, and not care what you friends think about it.

dracaene · May 2017

Good advice so far. I guess really what I'm in need of are some coping mechanisms to help me stay in control, when I'm faced with trigger foods (foods that I cannot seem to help over eating) like baked goods, or potato chips. I have very little trouble maintaining discipline throughout the week, but it seems like every weekend lately has been some sort of special occasion where I wind up surrounded by food that I would normally not keep in the house precisely because I KNOW I have trouble resisting it.

leajas1 · May 2017

If you really can't control yourself then I suggest you make a rule for yourself that you can't eat those things unless you're in a position where you can measure/weight them out and track them. Then, have a treat planned and waiting for when you get home. That way it's easier to say no to those things when you're out because you have something to look forward to later in the evening.

c_ward1983 · May 2017

Well the simple answer is to not binge on the weekend. If you must, then pair it to with a hard workout session. I don't binge on the weekend, for now I just don't track on the weekends. I'm usually much more active so it helps to offset any gains.

Weekend binges wiping out weekly deficit

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