Hi all,

So one of my best friends who has always been a larger girl (she's about 5'9" and i believe she told me her heaviest was about 220lb), recently lost and kept off A TON OF WEIGHT (don't know exactly how much but she looks awesome) and it's been going on 2 years. Anyway, she did it by going to the gym 5 days a week and being very strict about not slipping on her healthy eating during the week but she wasn't crazily restricting herself - being French Canadian meat & certain carbs are still a staple in her diet, just more portion controlled. However, she allowed herself to indulge on "Faturdays".

She wouldn't go crazy, but when Saturday rolled around she drank whatever she wanted to, ate whatever she felt like and didn't count calories or feel ashamed for it - she just didn't care and let herself have fun. It was the one day of the week where she allowed herself to relax and take a "break" from her regular eat/gym schedule.

I've never tried this technique, but I'm wondering if anyone else has? Do you think it encourages binging and then a slippery slope to giving yourself allowances throughout the week? Or do you usually give yourself allowances during the week anyway and maybe a reward system like Faturdays might actually work to keep you on track during the weekdays?

I'm thinking about trying it out - the one day i can have a few beers, make that delicious mac and cheese casserole i've been craving or have deliciously bad snack with a movie, without worrying about counting my calories or feeling bad about what i just ate.

What do you guys think?

I wish (wish, wish, wish!) this kind of thing would work for me but it doesn't. But it DOES work really well for other people! Only you can discover if it works for YOU! You've got nothing to lose by trying! If it sounds like a plan you can live with long-term, it sure seems worth giving it a shot, right?!

If you do decide to do it, maybe give it a more positive name than "Faturdays", though, lol! Relaxaday? Enjoyaday? Funday?

Lmao, I actually like the name Faturdays! To me it's funny and kind of rebellious - plus it might remind you that you're being fat for the day but make sure it's only for THAT day! Thanks for the advice!

I just started counting calories at the end of January and I also have Faturday (love that) worked into my weekly schedule. It is working amazingly for me! It helps me stay focused all week long and gives me something to look forward to. I feel in control and I am doing better than I ever have at losing weight and sticking to a plan.

I have tried something like this before. It didn't work. Faturday would lead to Fatsunday, Fatmonday, Fatuesday... etc ad infinitum. I eat intuitively right now and if I'm hungry for something I eat it. I stop when I'm full. I don't eat with the intention to overeat.

Locke, do you restrict yourself from certain foods or are you practicing portion control?

If it works for her, I say go for it. I've always heard "cheat days" are risky- a "cheat meal" is better because you can plow through an awful lot of calories in a single day, but it's harder to do that type of damage in a single meal. But obviously it works for her.

I do this but just call it my "cheat day" (although I think Faturday is kind of funny and my day is also on Saturday). I still work out on my cheat day but I do allow myself to eat and drink whatever I want. It really has worked for me. I think it actually has helped me stay on plan and eat healthy during the week and it's something I look forward to. Sometimes my cheat day changes from Sat to Sun though depending on my schedule.

It does not work for me. I have issues with binge/emotional eating however. It opens a portal that sucks me right back in, maybe not the first time, but eventually. Since I tend to go overboard on "free days" (or even free meals, really) I find myself hyper restricting to make up and just generally feeling very obsessive and negative about the whole process. Therefore leading to more binges. I would think if there are any type of binging issues you are dealing with, eating this way is very risky.

No-holds-barred meals work for me, but no-holds-barred days would be too risky. I can do A LOT of damage in a day. As others have said, you'll have to experiment to find out what works and what doesn't work for you.

Freelance

I think it depends on the person. I know I could not have Faturdays, it would definitely mess me up, or it seems like it will. I think in some people it will cause them to start to binge but only they would know and hopefully not by trial and error.

I have a couple of holidays where I'm going to a buffet so I set those days ahead for me to eat what I want. One will be Easter and the other Mother's Day unless we don't hit a buffet on the latter.

Though I think it's good never to deprive yourself everyone has to see what's best for them. I'm quite surprised with myself being this is the first time I'm not ravenous on this diet. Maybe because I've up my protein a bit, I'm really not sure.

Same here, as a former bulimic I would probably try to get a lot of food in on my one day. Not the binging kind of day but one close to it that would actually throw some weight or water weight my way. But one meal I could handle. If I did more than that I would feel pretty guilty also.

Cheat meals but not cheat days.

Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't think i've really had an issue with binging per se, but I would say that I do have an issue with portion control. I think if I try the faturdays thing, I'll continue to be mindful of my portions but I wont restrict myself from the carbs or whatever my selection is. We'll see how it goes, but as another poster said - you won't know until you try!

I drink what I want alcohol-wise. I stopped drinking a few months ago and it made no difference to my weight loss (in fact I gained). I draw the line at eat-what-I-want though, even once a week.

Don't get me wrong. There is a time for me to go off plan, but once a week is not it. Being in good company is worth it. Or at a great restaurant. But not on a Faturday for Faturday's sake.

I agree with novangel...Cheat meals but not cheat days, for me at least. And it'd best be a good meal! Gourmet.