I don't workout on Sundays and eat a more relaxed diet too (within reason), this serves two purposes: it gives me some rest from 6 days of exercise, and it also keeps me sane by giving me some breathing room. I would not like to be the skinny chick wearing the white shirt with very-long sleeves tied to the back.
Do you take a holiday too? What do you do/don't on these days?
My weigh in day is Wednesday and I eat a pretty lax dinner on Wednesday night (and sometimes a lax lunch on Thurday afternoon). I do Wii Active for my workout and I try not to miss a day because I'm scared if I miss a day, I'll fall into those habits again.
I eat pizza every Friday night and drink D. soda too. I don't feel comfortable enough to take a whole day off--and to be honest, I don't really feel the need to. As far as the exercise, there are some days I don't run. I make a strong effort to do something else very active though. I feel better when I move so again, I am doing what I want.
Last edited by Thighs Be Gone; 10-02-2009 at 11:07 PM.
I tend to take a day off now and then when I feel a little batty. Then in the following days I feel like I have no right to eat extra because I had a day off that week. I tend to do really well in the days following.
I take a day off from exercise but not from eating within my calorie range. I don't have the will power yet for it to be just one day. I tried to take a day off for my fiance's birthday and it ended up lasting over a week.
I can't bring myself to have a day off from eating clean because I am too scared that it will lead to a binge...I am hoping once I get better control of it I can. But I'm not even sure that I want to put that kind of stuff in my body anymore - although an ice cream once in awhile would be nice....ahh.
I take 1 or 2 days off the gym because I work out for 2-3 hours on the days I workout and muscle repair is really important. I am in the groove now where I have to make myself take a day off from the gym and that is really awesome!
You're meant to have 1 day off from exercise then your muscles can rest and repair. I normally have 1 day rest from exercise though on busy weekends have 2 days rest. I don't tend to have a day off eatign to plan- I have less healthy meals sometimes but factor it in on my calorie count and make up for it by having very veyr healthy meals the day before and after.
When I lost my weight, I went to the gym 5 or 6 times a week, but I always took a day off after 2 or 3 days. I also did different things when I went, so I wasn't always stressing muscles the same way.
I also counted calories, and I did that every single day, even if I ate more than usual or foods that were not "on plan." I think it's important to keep track this way because your body counts that food whether your mind does or not.
Depending on the nature of your workout, taking timeouts can be important.
For food, I find allowing myself one meal off plan a week is what works best. A whole day is too much. I fact, I only use my "free pass" meal for the week when the circumstances warrant it -- if there is a birthday celebration, social occasion or an activity.
I also have a treat planned into my diet every day, so I don't feel like I am continuously denying myself the rest of the week.
I guess the key for me is to allow enough slack but no more than just enough. If I allow myself more than "just enough" it becomes a slippery slope. But I suspect everyone has a different "just enough" point.
I take time off from excercise a lot. I've never really had a strict regiment. I just move a heck of a lot more than I used to. As far as eating...well, I can't really take a day off because I've traded that for the excercise days off. I also have read way too many threads that started out something like this...
"A day turned into a week, a week turned into a month..."
I know in my heart if *I* start giving myself days to eat what I want instead of what I should, it would never stop at a day...it's not in my blood. But for those who can, "BRAVO" I'm in awe of you.
I have actually done both, taking an entire day off and eating a "cheat meal" - I ended up regaining about 40 lbs. after going off my diet after a cheat day, so this time around I chose one meal a week and i've been going strong for 2 months+. Most of the time, I do not even want my cheat meal. This works for me!