It's okay to go off your diet once in a while.

dontlikepeople
dontlikepeople Posts: 142 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
This is the hardest part of self love I struggle with, but I'm getting there. Just gotta remember it's "okay" to live a little and over eat once in a while without beating myself up. The majority of our actions are what make us what we are, not the things we do on occasion.

Just gotta be kind to yourself. When you've been in a calorie deficit for a literal year it is mentally taxing to "slip up" and eat too much, but you can't let the stress derail you further, you can't even stress at all. You just have to live! You just have to love yourself, even if it means you over eat that bit of pizza on occasion! No one is expected to be perfect 100% of the time!

So when you go off the diet, when you have that extra 1,000 calories, enjoy it. LET yourself enjoy. Be kind to yourself.

I'm about to eat a bunch of chicken parm and some philly steak pizza, and I have to let myself enjoy it. It's okay to take a one or two day break from strict calorie control.

Replies

  • ChickenKillerPuppy
    ChickenKillerPuppy Posts: 297 Member
    I totally endorse breaks, and think they are key for both your mind and your metabolism, but I would not say "going off your diet" as much as trying to eat your maintenance calories for a period - even for 4-6 weeks or so. It is so nice to have some extra calories to play with every day, and equally important, it gives you practice maintaining your weight loss, which really is the goal.

    What good is losing the weight to then just put it back on - isn't that yo-yo "dieting" what so many of us have struggled with for years? There needs to be more focus on what it means to maintain weight loss. Taking breaks from being in a deficit, and practicing eating at your maintenance calories is a great way to deal with life and practice for the long haul. When I was losing, I would just try to maintain over the holidays. Same thing if I was going through a tough time at work. It's a wonderful tool, and helped me be able to maintain my weight loss once I got to goal.
  • EdgeofDesiree
    EdgeofDesiree Posts: 9 Member
    Agreed! At first, it gets hard to get over the guilt of "going over" on calories. Something that has helped me a lot is actually looking at my caloric consumption for the week, especially after a "bad day." Most often, I am still in a deficit for the week, and worst case scenario, I met my maintenance calories for the week.

    Now, I schedule breaks in my CICO routine. I have a 2-week maintenance break coming up and I am excited to have a little bit of room to slightly indulge.
  • xojenbrassardxo
    xojenbrassardxo Posts: 38 Member
    Couldn't agree more! I've recovered from binge eating disorder and know first hand how badly too much restriction can harm you physically and mentally. I'm currently losing weight because I've been diagnosed with NAFLD, but I 100% believe that going "off track" every now and then is a key part of a healthy lifestyle.
  • SomeMFPuser
    SomeMFPuser Posts: 53 Member
    Deviette wrote: »
    I call it: taking the scenic route.

    It might not be the fastest path, but it sure is nicer along the way.

    This is awesome!
  • swimmchick87
    swimmchick87 Posts: 458 Member
    edited February 2022
    ChickenKillerPuppy wrote: »
    I totally endorse breaks, and think they are key for both your mind and your metabolism, but I would not say "going off your diet" as much as trying to eat your maintenance calories for a period - even for 4-6 weeks or so. It is so nice to have some extra calories to play with every day, and equally important, it gives you practice maintaining your weight loss, which really is the goal.

    What good is losing the weight to then just put it back on - isn't that yo-yo "dieting" what so many of us have struggled with for years? There needs to be more focus on what it means to maintain weight loss. Taking breaks from being in a deficit, and practicing eating at your maintenance calories is a great way to deal with life and practice for the long haul. When I was losing, I would just try to maintain over the holidays. Same thing if I was going through a tough time at work. It's a wonderful tool, and helped me be able to maintain my weight loss once I got to goal.

    This is what I'm working on right now, so it was nice to read this. Work is super challenging right now and I'm just having a really tough time managing it all. I also struggle with black and white thinking and believing that I'm either "on the wagon" (following my calorie goal religiously, hitting my step goals every day, etc.) or "off the wagon" (eating everything in sight). I keep trying to get "back on the wagon" and only lasting for a day or 2.

    The other day it dawned on me that maybe I'm just not mentally in a place where I can handle weight loss right now. BUT that doesn't mean that I have to eat everything in sight/purposefully be eating super unhealthy and being a lazy slob every day. I can take a break, and when I'm feeling ready to get back to it, not have to deal with a bunch of regained weight. I set my diary to maintain my current weight. It's a little crazy to me because I've never eaten this many calories "on purpose." But so far I feel good about it. I'm not having to worry so much about what I eat to hit a lower calorie goal, but also not feeling guilt/associated bad feelings with being "off the wagon." Also focusing on doing some walking/getting more steps just because I know it's good for my body and health, and not so much because I have to hit a certain calorie deficit or "make up" for foods eaten. Hoping it works as far as being able to just maintain for awhile and then eventually get back to it. Certainly better than gaining!
  • carakirkey
    carakirkey Posts: 199 Member
    This is where regular exercise has helped! I can take a break from being worried about calories, but the exercise tends to balance it out. Earn those beers ;)
  • glassyo
    glassyo Posts: 7,757 Member
    I'm not really on a diet anymore because I'm in maintenance but, god, did I need to see this thread BADLY right now. :)

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