Who else has a “Free Day”?

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ma66ie72
ma66ie72 Posts: 75 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Before I started this diet I went to my Doctor and we talked about nutrition, how much to eat, how often to eat, what I should avoid and what combinations of food I should eat together for best results. He also told me to take a free day every week and allow myself to have the foods I love for one day... I modified that and I allow myself a "free meal” once a week and when I am more accustomed to eating healthier and I am not craving my favorite foods as much I plan to have a free meal once every two weeks and extend the time between free meals to at least once a month. Does anyone else do this? Does it affect your weight loss for that week or are you able to continue to lose without a problem by exercising more or cutting back on calories throughout the remaining week?

My first week with a free day I went a little over board and had Sushi ( Lawdy, I love Sushi) AND Pizza ( Lawdy!! I adore pizza) .. I gained four pounds of the eight I lost the week before... now I am much more careful and I moved my “free meal” to the same day I get weighed (so I have the whole week to work off the free meal). I just eat what I want AFTER I weigh in the morning, usually saving as many calories until I eat the free meal in the evening. I also bust my as* the day after my freebie meal too... I learned my lesson the first time! I was SO upset to have gained after doing SO good the week before.

Anyway, my free meal is TOMORROW and I don’t know what I want more!!! Pizza or Sushi???? or Mexican..... or Pasta OHHHHH Shrimp Scampi linguini..... :)
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Replies

  • xraychick77
    xraychick77 Posts: 1,775 Member
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    nope i dont do it.
    it sets people up to ruin everything they've worked for the entire week.
    you can ruin a whole week in one meal, let alone one day.

    instead i do the eat smart everyday route. meaning i eat what i want. if i want an ice cream cone, i have it. if i want a cherry turnover i have it..i just make sure i fit it into my daily calories. that way i dont feel deprived

    ps..also as you stated..you save your cals till your free meal..which is another set up to fail. you'll starve yourself all day and the binge and end up eating too much. it happens.
  • msmith5251s
    msmith5251s Posts: 80
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    I do this too... a 'free meal' once a week, and I agree about doing it on your weigh-in day as well.
    Unfortunately, I have had a 'free meal' every day for the past four days.
    Time to jump back on the weight-loss horse and start eating healthier.

    I don't think it would do too much to your weight-loss progression as long as you remain at your daily calorie limit meal included.
    And I also think it is rather necessary to give yourself a free meal once a week at least until you get used to this life style change- because, in my opinion, it keeps you on track.
    Looking at my experience, if I go into this cold turkey I will ended up eating all of my favorite meals (like I have done the past four days). And that definitely messes up weight-loss progression.
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    Right on! It's how I've been doing it all along and recommend it to pretty much everybody.

    LOL @ the person above who thinks you can ruin a week with one meal or one day. By that logic, you can eat like a pig every day, but "fix" it by eating well one day.
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    I don't "free" days or "free" meals. I eat what I want, when I want it. I've learned to eat the things I love in moderation, fit them into my daily calories and move on with life.

    I feel like doing it this way has helped to get my binge eating under control because I know if I want something - I can have it right THEN. I don't have to eat 1000 calories of other "Stuff" while trying to satisfy a craving I may be having. I think it makes this less of a "diet" and more of a lifestyle change. I don't feel guilty for what I eat either because I'm not depriving myself of ANYTHING.
  • rachellosesitall85
    rachellosesitall85 Posts: 497 Member
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    If you're weak in this area, I wouldn't do it. But someone did mention, why not just add it into your daily calories? That way, you stay in the range, and treat yourself without binging. You can also go by the 80/20 rule. Eat healthy 80% of the time and occasionally spoil yourself with 20%. You can also just eat what you want, just in moderation or substitute it for something healthier. If I tell myself "no" too many times, one day I'll most likely binge and we wouldn't want that. You can tell yourself "yes" and not go overboard. I don't believe in depriving yourself of the things you enjoy for the rest of your life.
  • bhagavatilad1
    bhagavatilad1 Posts: 277
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    This is a lifestyle change so I think it is a very good idea to give yourself a little bit of lifes pleasures, Pizza anyone.
  • pmmarshall
    pmmarshall Posts: 9
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    My husband has always suggested that I have a free day when dieting. It stops the cravings (and I think it makes you realise how bad your body feels after eating the junk).

    I listen to this advice as he played football for years and was quite the health fanatic :)
  • change_happens
    change_happens Posts: 491
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    I eat what I want, when I want.
  • Michelle_H
    Michelle_H Posts: 24
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    I don't have a Free Day; would that be a day where you just ate whatever you wanted and in whatever portion size you wanted? If so, that's something I couldn't see myself doing as I'd probably make up the week's deficit in that one day, lol. On Saturday I tend to eat a little more of my calories for a brunch and that sees me through to the evening where I've saved my snack calories to add into my evening meal... but all this equates to is perhaps a couple of pieces of garlic bread with dinner or a bit more pasta/rice than usual, or a larger steak. I still add it into my calories for the day and try not to go over.

    A Free Day sounds like a slippery slope to right back where I was 12 weeks ago and that's somewhere I don't need to be again.
  • lunglady
    lunglady Posts: 526 Member
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    Right on! It's how I've been doing it all along and recommend it to pretty much everybody.

    LOL @ the person above who thinks you can ruin a week with one meal or one day. By that logic, you can eat like a pig every day, but "fix" it by eating well one day.

    Agreed!
  • ma66ie72
    ma66ie72 Posts: 75 Member
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    LOL! I can’t eat what I want when I want it....that’s how I got here. My free meal gives me something to work hard for... if I have that one meal to look forward to as a reward for busting my butt with exercise and staying under calories everyday it makes it easier for me. I eat really healthy the rest of the week and since I’ve continued to lose lbs and tighten up ... for now I think it’s OK....but, I could change my mind at any time.

    Thanks for replying!
  • msmith5251s
    msmith5251s Posts: 80
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    LOL! I can’t eat what I want when I want it....that’s how I got here. My free meal gives me something to work hard for... if I have that one meal to look forward to as a reward for busting my butt with exercise and staying under calories everyday it makes it easier for me. I eat really healthy the rest of the week and since I’ve continued to lose lbs and tighten up ... for now I think it’s OK....but, I could change my mind at any time.

    Thanks for replying!

    I definitely agree! :D
  • Dave351
    Dave351 Posts: 45 Member
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    I do the free meal once a week!! Mmmmmm, cheat meal night!!! However, I'm not so much concerned about weight as I am bodyfat.
  • TrishJimenez
    TrishJimenez Posts: 561 Member
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    Before I started this diet I went to my Doctor and we talked about nutrition, how much to eat, how often to eat, what I should avoid and what combinations of food I should eat together for best results. He also told me to take a free day every week and allow myself to have the foods I love for one day... I modified that and I allow myself a "free meal” once a week and when I am more accustomed to eating healthier and I am not craving my favorite foods as much I plan to have a free meal once every two weeks and extend the time between free meals to at least once a month. Does anyone else do this? Does it affect your weight loss for that week or are you able to continue to lose without a problem by exercising more or cutting back on calories throughout the remaining week?

    My first week with a free day I went a little over board and had Sushi ( Lawdy, I love Sushi) AND Pizza ( Lawdy!! I adore pizza) .. I gained four pounds of the eight I lost the week before... now I am much more careful and I moved my “free meal” to the same day I get weighed (so I have the whole week to work off the free meal). I just eat what I want AFTER I weigh in the morning, usually saving as many calories until I eat the free meal in the evening. I also bust my as* the day after my freebie meal too... I learned my lesson the first time! I was SO upset to have gained after doing SO good the week before.

    Anyway, my free meal is TOMORROW and I don’t know what I want more!!! Pizza or Sushi???? or Mexican..... or Pasta OHHHHH Shrimp Scampi linguini..... :)

    I have a day once a week where I eat maintenance and the pattern seems to be once a month during my pms i also have almost a whole week where I dont have much of a deficit and eat more maintenance. I am sure it is slowing me down but I am not loosing ground. Even with the slip up this past week. I didnt regain any of the weight I have lost so far. I stayed steady cuz I made sure I didnt go crazy. I was just a little depressed and couldnt restrict myself. And I cheered myself up a little today by telling myself that I revved up my metabolism for another round of loosing weight for the next 3 weeks. Now I am refreshed and ready to kick but again. But yes I have a cheat day every once in awhile. I figure i am in this for the long haul. It is a marathon not a sprint.
  • ma66ie72
    ma66ie72 Posts: 75 Member
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    I just realized that tomorrow will be the first time I log what I eat on my free day in my food diary. This changes things. Now I don’t feel I can eat whatever I choose with wild abandon...

    Damn you, Food Diary... damn you, Accountability!
  • chevy88grl
    chevy88grl Posts: 3,937 Member
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    LOL! I can’t eat what I want when I want it....that’s how I got here. My free meal gives me something to work hard for... if I have that one meal to look forward to as a reward for busting my butt with exercise and staying under calories everyday it makes it easier for me. I eat really healthy the rest of the week and since I’ve continued to lose lbs and tighten up ... for now I think it’s OK....but, I could change my mind at any time.

    Thanks for replying!

    Oh I have no doubt that just about everyone on this site will say eating what they want, when they want it is how they got here. But, I also think what got a lot of us here was the size of the portions we were eating. Eating one donut is okay - eating an entire dozen is not. The key is learning to manage portions. I read labels. I used to measure out portions - but as I've gotten more comfortable with it - I've learned to eye ball portion sizes (and am proud to say I am NEVER over - almost always right on the dot or even slightly UNDER!).

    For me, portion control has been a HUGE key to my success. I think Americans as a rule have a very distorted view of what is a true portion size of food.
  • autumnbreeze89
    autumnbreeze89 Posts: 38
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    I actually hate free days. For one for me it seems like i have no control over what i eat. Or the portion sizes.
    I have nothing against them and I do have them every once in awhile. I try for at least once or twice a month.
    But it being summer its a little more difficult. Each to their own
  • ma66ie72
    ma66ie72 Posts: 75 Member
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    You’re absolutely right, Chevy88grl... portion control is key.


    @Trisharrell... I like what you said “it is a marathon not a sprint”
  • taso42_DELETED
    taso42_DELETED Posts: 3,394 Member
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    I just realized that tomorrow will be the first time I log what I eat on my free day in my food diary. This changes things. Now I don’t feel I can eat whatever I choose with wild abandon...

    Damn you, Food Diary... damn you, Accountability!

    "Technically", you shouldn't worry about logging the free day, but we all know, it's hard to not-log once you have a good trend going. Just have fun with it. I get a weird sense of accomplishment from logging a massive free day sometimes. (other times, i don't bother logging it).

    Let the doubters doubt, and keep on doing your thing :)
  • Dave351
    Dave351 Posts: 45 Member
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    If you do a no/low carb diet then carb load on cheat days you'll actually catch a buzz...carb rage!

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