5 days on 2 days off

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redlips_bighips
redlips_bighips Posts: 9 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Has anyone tried this?

It’s basically eating completely clean and healthy for 5 days, then having 2 days where you still eat healthy but have treats and cheats? I find this works better for me as I have a major sweet tooth and I like the odd pizza
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Replies

  • FlyingMolly
    FlyingMolly Posts: 490 Member
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    I’ve tried it! It worked really well for about a month until I kind of forgot I was doing it and the weight came right back on. Maybe tracking would have helped, but I don’t know—I find it really hard to moderate “treats.”

    Keto’s been working surprisingly well for me since any cheating at all would risk knocking me out of ketosis, which would hurt my pride. ;) It seems to work better for me to just not even try to bargain with my bad habits, so if you’re like me then finding a plan you can live on and enjoy eating on without wanting to “cheat” might be a safer bet.

    Ultimately, though, whatever reduced-calorie plan you can actually follow is the right one for you. If it’s working, why worry?
  • sardelsa
    sardelsa Posts: 9,812 Member
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    I guess it could work, but make sure you track all days.. it can all add up.

    What I typically do in a deficit, somewhat similar, though I don't label my food...I tend to bank my calories during the week, being more strict, then indulge and eat more on weekends.That being said.. I am not overly restrictive during the week otherwise I would have a tendency to go all out and overdo it on the weekends.

  • redlips_bighips
    redlips_bighips Posts: 9 Member
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    Thanks for your comments. I have been very strict in the week sticking to high protein lean fats and lots of fruit and veg, Very similar to slimming world plan but with no syns and little carbs. Weekends have been the same but if I wanted an alcoholic drink or a pizza then I’ve done it. I don’t believe in completely eliminating food, or depriving yourself of anything. I have quite a lot of weight to lose so maybe this is why it’s working for me, I track every day what I eat and I exercise. I just wondered if anyone else did this and if they found that it was working! Not everyone’s the same! X
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
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    If it works for you. I personally don’t really eat that “healthy” (well in my mind it’s fairly healthy- I eat at home 90% of the time home cooked food) and I eat treats every day.
  • redlips_bighips
    redlips_bighips Posts: 9 Member
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    I get the calorie counting thing that you call all 7 days - days off. But eating what I want everyday would consist of mostly pizza and chocolate within my calories, nothing else! So yeah
  • bemyyfriend0918
    bemyyfriend0918 Posts: 241 Member
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    I have heard this works for many people. I have a friend that lost 100lbs this way. You have to do what works for you and don’t worry about what other people think!
  • olive1968
    olive1968 Posts: 148 Member
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    This is the fastest way for me to lose zero weight.
  • potatowhoruns
    potatowhoruns Posts: 87 Member
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    Although I agree with some of the above points about allocating treats as part of your every day calories to encourage a lifestyle change, rather than a short term diet, my understanding is that you can consider your calories as a weekly allowance, rather than a daily one. So as long as you are still logging on all 7 days, and maintaining the deficit overall, then you should be okay. I am trying to do something similar because of how my week day and weekend schedules differ, but I am only 2 weeks in, so can't give any guarantees.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
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    ladyhusker39 wrote: »
    I practice a variation of this method. It's called 7 days off. I eat what I want within my calorie goals for 7 days a week.

    ^^ love this answer and do the same :smile:
  • melissa6771
    melissa6771 Posts: 894 Member
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    @redlips_bighips

    I have done this pretty much my entire way. 81 pounds down. I basically follow Bill Phillips body for life way of eating. I know I can because I have done it for years (except when I got completely off track but that was my fault) it's pretty much six days on, one day off. I have always lost consistently doing this. Look him up.
  • MegaMooseEsq
    MegaMooseEsq Posts: 3,118 Member
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    potatowhoruns wrote: »
    Although I agree with some of the above points about allocating treats as part of your every day calories to encourage a lifestyle change, rather than a short term diet, my understanding is that you can consider your calories as a weekly allowance, rather than a daily one. So as long as you are still logging on all 7 days, and maintaining the deficit overall, then you should be okay. I am trying to do something similar because of how my week day and weekend schedules differ, but I am only 2 weeks in, so can't give any guarantees.

    I average by week, although I do not do a strict 5/2 split. I've lost 41 pounds over the last year, so it's been working fine. So long as your higher days don't wipe out your lower days, and you're patient with possibly having a little extra water fluctuation, it's a perfectly good way to go.
  • VintageFeline
    VintageFeline Posts: 6,771 Member
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    redlips_bighips wrote: »
    I think we can all agree to disagree. No 2 people are the same and we are all on different journeys. Although if you trek back to my original post I was only asking people who have tried this or are doing the same thing, not asking for people’s opinion in general. Have a good day.

    I think you've gone off the deep end a little. You unfortunately don't get to dictate who replies and the insights from others can be really helpful, especially if they have lost/are losing and have stayed consistent. Strategy sharing can give us a lightbulb moment.

    Lots of people "bank" calories, which is basically what you're doing. Using your calories weekly as opposed to daily is actually really common round these parts and something I do myself.

    Nobody here is being mean, throwing a little sarcastic humour in perhaps? Sure, but that's humans. And you're British, we're notoriously sarcastic! So you should be well used to that dry humour. Nobody is raining on your parade.
  • bcradio1
    bcradio1 Posts: 43 Member
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    Define eating 'clean'? As in washing your food? Definitely do that.

    You can eat whatever you want as long as it fits your calories and that you are getting a minimum of 0.4g fat and 0.6g of protien per pound of bodyweight each day. Enjoy your food 7 days a week.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,874 Member
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    I just eat...for the most part my diet is pretty nutritious...but I sometimes have less nutritious items. I don't assign specific days for this or anything or plan/schedule it out...I just go about living my life. In the context of my diet on the whole, my less nutritious choices are pretty irrelevant.

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