Eat More 2 Weigh Less

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need help pretty please with sugar on top! :)

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squishycow7
squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
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Hiiii buddies, I need some opinions!

So, I've been eating at my TDEE - 15%. All well & good.

BUT I've been having a lot of trouble mentally/emotionally with calorie counting. I'm getting obsessive about it, and it is NOT healthy.

As a result, I've decided that I'm only going to log my calories on workdays (generally M-F, so I'll essentially have weekends & vacations off). Should I make my deficit a little bit larger, since I'm assuming I'll be going over at least 2 days a week? I've only got a few more pounds to lose, so I know I shouldn't go TOO low... Just confused about how to set this up, or what you all think. I was thinking of making it a 20% deficit for my workdays? Has anyone done something like this? Does anyone have any thoughts? I'd really appreciate it!!

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  • FaithHopeBELIEVE
    FaithHopeBELIEVE Posts: 626
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    Right there with ya. I just posted on my wall that I was taking a logging break. Hubbie loved that I wasnt measuring every little morsel of food. Not sure what I'm doing to my girls as they see me this way too. I need to tame it down a bit. ANYWAY it is psychological with me. If I get through the day and I realize I can only have 10 more carbs or 100 more cals then I will surely binge and I did for almost a whole month...I was in a deep funk and depressed. SO. I say if you know how you feel and if now after logging for awhile you know how much you need at each meal then i would definitely take a break or do the M-F and not log weekends. Just eat healthy and excercise like nomral. I am listening to my stomach now. :) And keep your amounts the same dont go to 20%.
  • tangiesharp
    tangiesharp Posts: 315 Member
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    Should I make my deficit a little bit larger, since I'm assuming I'll be going over at least 2 days a week? I've only got a few more pounds to lose, so I know I shouldn't go TOO low... Just confused about how to set this up, or what you all think. I was thinking of making it a 20% deficit for my workdays? Has anyone done something like this? Does anyone have any thoughts? I'd really appreciate it!!

    There are others that do something similar to this. They take one day a week off, but keep daily calories at their 15% cut for the other 6 days.
  • jyska
    jyska Posts: 728 Member
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    Personally, since consistency is so vital at this point, I'd be hesitant NOT to log. But I certainly understand your concerns!! I think if you chose not to log though, it's important that you do not change your cut value to accommodate that. Try perhaps to stick to things on the weekend that you find easier to guage quantities and you can keep a loose running tally in your head instead? I think eventually that is the goal we all want to get to...to be able to keep that loose running tally in our heads and just kinda flow instinctively day to day. But unfortunately, we have to relearn all of it and that's where the logging comes in. Pay real close attention to what your servings look like during your logging days so that you'll know how to recognize them when you don't log or measure. Don't just willy-nilly your off log days...I think we still need to be conscious of our choices.

    A game that I like to 'play' is guess that portion. I'll guestimate what I think a portion is, then weigh it and see how close I am (or measure). This game helps me a LOT when I can't log because I'm learning what value things have by looking at them. :smile:
  • jackiecroberts
    jackiecroberts Posts: 115 Member
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    I totally agree with jyska. It is a slippery slope when you start tracking certain days and not on others. I have done it in the past and I end up going back to my bad habits. Tracking for me is just like keeping track of my finances. I am not obsessed with it, yet it is a very small yet important part of my day. I have a smart phone, so tracking takes no time at all. I get about 1950 calories a day, yet if I make some bad food choices, I am quickly eating over my calories. If it works for you, that is great. I just know for me I am giving myself free rein to eat anything and I will gain for sure!!!
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
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    Don't just willy-nilly your off log days...I think we still need to be conscious of our choices.

    Agreed - I don't think my off-days will become OMGEATEVERYTHING days! My point isn't to go nuts, it's to relax. Thinking about calories and exercise and macros and blah blah blah 24/7 is driving me absoultely crazy. I get so guilty and depressed when I go over, I get guilty if I don't exercise, I avoid going to fun places/parties/restuarants because I'm afraid of overeating. I'm clearly battling some mental health issues here! Not that I'm like, insane, but... I fear I might GO insane. So yeah, my off-days won't become crazy days, they'll become CHILL OUT days. Which might equal going over my calories... but since I don't want to stress, I just want to be purposefully ignorant about it.

    Obviously I don't want my need for sanity to overtake my need for weight-loss (I know it's only 3lbs but whatever, that's another debate). So making sure I have enough of a weekly deficit is still important to me for my body... and having 2 days off from being obsessive compulsive is important to me for my mind...!
  • goldengirl28
    goldengirl28 Posts: 130 Member
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    could you not do a few days pre planning and then just eat what you've planned for?

    i have 3 days where i layout in the fridge (in a box) exactly what i can/will have and just eat everything in the box, i track those 3 days all in one go, normally on a sunday. it tends to be Monday/tuesday/friday as those are my busy days.

    Then i eat what is allocated and just cook food for the family (they train those nights as well so they always eat different to me)

    that way it feels like your having a break
  • FaithHopeBELIEVE
    FaithHopeBELIEVE Posts: 626
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    Just was giving my opinion if her personality was similar to mine. I do feel you should log UNLESS you have a mentality like mine. I BINGE if I see I cant have anything else even when I'm not hungry. So I have an issue I know and not logging is definitely helping me.

    ETA: I also dont want to log for the rest of my life. I think when someone (like me) understands how much protein, carbs, fruit veggies, good fats, etc...that they should have they can do it okay without constantly logging. BUT ONLY UNTIL YOU UNDERSTAND. :) I think I am there. If I am hungry I WILL eat. I lost 20 lbs doing it this way 9 years ago.
  • squishycow7
    squishycow7 Posts: 820 Member
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    could you not do a few days pre planning and then just eat what you've planned for?

    I've been doing that for all my breakfasts and lunches during my workweek. It does help, but at the same time it's still feeding into my obsession with counting and planning ...cause if I stray from the plan, I'm still wrecking myself with guilt. This is more of a mental problem than an actual food problem, really..
    . I BINGE if I see I cant have anything else even when I'm not hungry. So I have an issue I know and not logging is definitely helping me.

    Logging has definitely helped me with this problem too. But I'm hoping that I now have the skills to realize that hey, maybe a bag of Skittles + a hamburger + chips + ice cream is nooooot a good afternoon snack! lol
    But at the same time, I want to be able to sit down on a saturday afternoon and just have a bag of chips without counting out my portion. Hopefully my mind won't let me eat 2938784923 calories, but hopefully it will also not make me feel like a miserable fatass if I do - cause afterall, if I'm strict during the week, a weekend splurge (not bindge) shouldn't tear me down.

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