One day off dieting

bflyeffect7
bflyeffect7 Posts: 13
edited October 2 in Health and Weight Loss
I was wondering if anyone else did this? I have just started changing my eating habits and before when I dieted I would always fall to temptation after trying so hard not to eat certain things. I would feel like I had failed and would just keep eating things I wanted bc I felt like I had always blew it. And I know that if I blow it I should just keep on with making better choice but I know that I will not be successful by restricting myself of everything! So what about this concept of one day a week eating something that you like. Of course I know it wouldn't make sense to down an entire pizza but has this worked for someone else? If so, what do you do?

Replies

  • Qarol
    Qarol Posts: 6,171 Member
    Cheat days work for me because they're planned. And then when I'm eating all that, I know it's not out of a moment of weakness. I didn't give into cravings. That day was on the calendar for weeks. I looked forward to it. It was planned. And I can enjoy myself, guilt free.

    But I only have these cheat days once or twice a month.
  • jsdclaypool
    jsdclaypool Posts: 2
    I also fall into temptation when I try to do a strict diet so I take one day a week for a rest day and an off diet day. As I have found the first couple of times I ate like crap but gradually ate better as the diet progressed and I was less likely to cheat on my diet.
  • mjgregg12
    mjgregg12 Posts: 36
    I don't think of what I am doing as a diet, but a lifestyle change. I had beer and pizza on Sunday and recorded it in my food diary.

    Then I worked out extra hard this week.

    The food diary is the greatest thing, ever. I swear, I think twice about what I eat because I know my friends are looking at it!
    Good luck!
  • idiocracy
    idiocracy Posts: 275 Member
    The beginning is always hard. When I went on 1200 calories, I was hungry the first 3 days and crave EVERYTHING. In about a week like this, my body had already gotten used to less food and healthier one, so my cravings now are fruits or salads. I have not craved chocolate or chips in a very long time. And if I do see it, I may eat a chip or two, but then my body sais "enough". Trust your body, respect it and give it good food and you will see how your cravings and "preferred" meals will change. Just don't give up. And don't fret over one day or a small indulgence once in a while. Just get back on track the next day. Good luck!
    You can friend me if you like.

    PS: I agree, it's not a diet, but a lifestyle change. So your eating habits now will be with you forever.
  • razorr42
    razorr42 Posts: 3
    This has worked for me as well I have lost 40lbs using this method since april 2011. I normally eat 1200cal/day and allow myself to eat whatever I want on saturdays. This gives me something food wise to look forward to and even when I do eat pizza/hamburger etc on saturdays my appetite is so small that I rarely eat over 2000cal.

    Good luck
  • Tattoos_and_Tea
    Tattoos_and_Tea Posts: 529 Member
    I do generally have one cheat day a week (saturday). That way I have something to look forward to and I dont self-sabotage during the week. I still manage to be really extra good during the other six days and lose weight. Im sure it will catch up with me one day though!
  • slimmerchick
    slimmerchick Posts: 189 Member
    I think sometimes its good to have high calorie days - it keeps the metabolism up. There is something called calorie cycling which is about this sort of thing.

    I think you need to give yourself a break from being strict 100% of the time
  • amymaria91
    amymaria91 Posts: 202
    I'm finding having something little each day is helping me keep going, rather than splurging one day. I got some weightwatchers cookies (which are a bit weird to begin with) and have one of the packs (2 little ones in each pack) when I'm watching TV on a night. If I had a whole day of splurging then I know that I would eat waaaayyy too much and the rest of the week would be a waste! That's just me, if I had an off day I would eat a whole supermarket!
  • bflyeffect7
    bflyeffect7 Posts: 13
    @Quarol Yes! I feel if I stayed on track all week then it is like a small reward to divulge into whatever it is that I want. I feel that having something to look forward to will help me be succesful in the changes I am making without beating myself up!

    @Jdsclay Its good to know that gradually after gorging the first couple times it will help me to not cheat futher on in my diet!

    @mrjgregg That is how I am trying to think of it as well. So I know that if I am hard on myself and very restrictive it wont work! I had to realize by trying to hide what I ate I am only cheating myself!
  • dls06
    dls06 Posts: 6,774 Member
    You can have a cheat day but don't let it ruin everything you have worked for all week. Always be mindful, even on a cheat day.
  • harpospeaking
    harpospeaking Posts: 8
    bump
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