Cheat Day? Challenging weekends??

aggie613
aggie613 Posts: 21
edited November 12 in Food and Nutrition
So, my nutritionist has me on 1300 calories a day, and at least 3 workouts/week without eating those calories in order to lose 1 lbs per week. I realize that the only way to make this work is to actually eat 1300 cals/day, but I feel so deprived on the weekends!! My boyfriend and I have date night every Friday, and while I try to make good choices, I usually go over and then feel like I have to get an extra workout in to make it up. I've already started incorporating more than 3 workouts anyway, but there's even more pressure when I feel like I have to burn off even more for the extra food.

Does anyone else struggle with this? Any tips? We usually have sushi, so food isn't as big a challenge as the sake that goes with it! ;) I've REALLY cut back on my drinking, so I've already made concessions there. The nutritionist has given me a couple of tips - "pick your treat", as in the alcohol OR the tortilla chips OR the dessert, but how do you not feel deprived??

Replies

  • kris523sydney
    kris523sydney Posts: 34
    Ive always heard that you are supposed to have one cheat day. My cheat day is Saturday....I let myself have whatever I want wthout going too overboard.
  • annieheavrin
    annieheavrin Posts: 47
    I let myself have 1-2 cheat meals per week. Usually on the weekends. :) This way your body keeps guessing & doesn't get so used to eating a certain number of calories each day. I like to think of it as a "reset" for my body.
  • duetwithjosh
    duetwithjosh Posts: 121
    As long as your cheats aren't too extreme (don't just throw *all* moderation out of the window), one day a week definitely shouldn't stop your progress. Try it, though! See how your body reacts.

    One of the big challenges for dieters is to be able to find a nutritional profile they can adhere to without feeling unsatisfied. If you feel totally deprived, you're going to give it up. Better to allow yourself to 'cheat' on the weekends than to be eating excessively seven days a week, no? :)
  • Becky_Boodle
    Becky_Boodle Posts: 253 Member
    I personally don't feel the need to have a "cheat day" but that doesn't mean I deprive myself of the luxuries of life...I like to spread it out in small quantities over the week...the way I see it is if I want to eat something that's not so good for me I make sure I'm burning those calories...I like to go to the gym 6 times a week doing strength training and cardio...I eat healthy most of the time, but like to have a few drinks and so far that works for me...I've lost 8 lbs in the past 45 days...I think that everyone is different and you just need to figure out what works for you :)
  • premiumchilenita
    premiumchilenita Posts: 600 Member
    I LOVE food as most of us do, and I find it really difficult to say no to certain things or at certain times. And yes if you deprive yourself you will feel like you won't want to do this for very long.
    I am married to a wonderful Samoan man and Samoans LOVE their food, more so QUANTITY of food. When I am faced with this buffet table of food at family functions, I will have a taste of most things, even if it's just a spoon full of certain things. that way I don't feel like I've missed out and I don't over eat too much either.

    it's funny though, coz when people see my plate it's lots of little spoonfuls of everything. Hey, keeps me happy :)
  • aggie613
    aggie613 Posts: 21
    Thank you all! I think I might have to try a week with NO cheats and see if I lose any more than I did with it. Like you all said, I'll figure out what works for me. Ironically, some of my best weeks have been when I did cheat, and then when I did pretty much everything right, I didn't lose, or even GAINED! That's more frustrating than having to face the nutritionist after an evening of overindulgence! lol.
    I just got back from jogging with the dog, so I feel more empowered right at the moment :)
  • mstawnya
    mstawnya Posts: 450 Member
    I do a cheat day at least every week. Generally it's a lot of drinks which means I then indulge in foods that have no nutritional value like cake & chips. :) What always surprises me is that there's a loss on the scale the next day. It usually only lasts a day, but ti's still there. :)
  • SmartAlec03211988
    SmartAlec03211988 Posts: 1,896 Member
    I have a cheat day every week, where I eat 2x my daily calories. I did go a little crazy last week (I meant to eat 3100 calories but I ended up eating like 4300). If I gain a little as a result, that's OK because I've been having a cheat day for a few weeks now and have lost every time.
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