Well, chickies,
I realize now that the only time I really stay on program is during phase one. I've thought about this, and thought about this, and I think I will stay on phase one until all this weight is off, but have one cheat day a week. One day a week that I can use food as entertainment instead of "feedings." Wouldn't it be great to do phase one, but have one "pizza night" a week? Do you think that would work?

I would go into phase two like I am supposed to (and I KNOW I am supposed to, that is how the plan goes) but everything goes to he-- in a handbasket for me on phase two.

If I can go right back to phase one after the cheat day, wouldn't that work?

I've got a Florida beach vacation coming up in July, and I have about 25 pounds to lose. I am highly motivated but I just need to figure out how I can live with this for three months!!

You guys are probably sick and tired of me going on and on about my new "plans" every week, but dang this is hard, and I have to talk myself through it!!

Thanks for listening!!
MM

Moonmirror, Pa-leez!! Your plans give us ideas, too. You're fine. I think a cheat day is fine as long as you don't go overboard. "Pizza night" can't constitute a whole pizza, etc. My problem is that when I cheat, I feel sometimes that I should keep on cheating!

Your weight loss will be slower, but I think if you can do it, go for it. Have you tried different carbs in P2? For example, instead of having brown rice, have strawberries? Or whatever...

I'm in P 1.5 myself. That is, I have about 2 servings of carbs per day, if that. I also have my cheat days, but I'm still losing, slowly, but surely!! You'll have to let us know how it goes...

C

I think that weight loss is a journey that is different for everyone. You have to do what works for you. If that is what works for you and you lose weight, then do it! The same things don't work for everyone.

Well, I have not cheated with the exception of some extra nuts and Cool Whip, and I am losing much slower than a guy who admits to an occasional fast food hamburger WITH bun and an almond joy candy! Drives me nuts, but because the program is about my health, I'm sticking with the plan. I also agree that we are all different in terms of how our bodies process food, etc. I just know that I can't look back.

MM-
I have only second hand experiance to contribute to this one. A friend of mine has been doing a low-carb diet for about a year, and every Sunday is her day off. She is very careful about her food all week and on Sunday she has fast food for lunch and dinner and makes sure to get some yummy, sugary dessert. She's lost about 60 pounds and is looking great (she started at about 200). So at the very least, that plan can work for some people. Of course, you wouldn't have to go quiet to extreme on your bad day, and it would make it even easier to recover.

Personally, I don't think I've had a perfect food week since starting Phase 2. Yet I've continued to loose. I agree that Phase 1 was somehow easier to maintain because there are stricter guidelines. Give you're new plan a try for a few weeks and see how it goes. (And of course more exercise will help too)

Thanks Kayzan,
That info is helpful. I'm actually struggling here, I want desperately to eat a wider variety of foods. I'm tired of nuts, salad, and vegetables. But that's my whine for today.

Kinda sounds like the equivilent of the "Wendie Plan" on Weight Watchers. The theory being that you need some "high point" days so that your body doesn't become too complacent. At least as far as WW's is concerned, it really does seem to work for some people. I also know from prior experince on WW's that the weeks when I ate way over my point allotment one day, I had better losses. One Thanksgiving I ate 67 points and registered a 4.3 loss two days latter!!! Go figure. Then again..I'm back here again on the diet trails

Go for it. You can try it and see if it works, if it does, then hooray... if not, keep on thinking about other 'plans'.... I'd be interested to know, so please keep us informed. I'm very close to that way myself. Food is such an issue with me and I need strict guidelines. Whizzywigg

You mean you don't just live for veggies and salads Wierd Besides, if this is supposed to be a lifestyle and not just a diet, you're not going to be good forever. Might as well figure out what honestly works for you, and what you think you can maintain.

The Body For Life program incprporates a free day into each week. No food guidelines or exercise on that free day. It seems to work for people on that plan, so I don't see any reason it wouldn't work with this!

I have to treat myself once a week or I would go mad

I stick to my plan during the week but my treat day is on Monday night. My friend and I go to Tim Horton's after our WW meeting and I have a French Vanilla coffee, sometimes a doughnut if I feel like it, but not always.

As long as I know it is coming I can prepare for it and then if I am allowed the doughnut I don't crave it as much...I can choose to take it or leave it...it is nice to have the option.

I think that although I am looking at my WW/SBD as a lifestyle I can't promise myself that I will never have an ice cream, doughnut or bag of chips ever again in this lifetime

I figure that as long as I eat predominantly healthy 95% of the time I will be okay

I think we all indulge in things we shouldn't....like brownie bites a client brings into work....but I'm tlking hypothetical of course.

Yeah...hypothetically...

Free days aren't bad, but if you have a tendancy to binge eat or are extremely sensitive to sugar I wouldn't recommend it (I speak from experience). When I lost the bulk of my weight, I had one meal I indulged in every 1-2 weeks, worked wonderfully (I would always have dessert too).

My experience of free days were eating until I felt sick and end up in a sugar haze... not good. Also if you have very little weight to lose, it's a good idea to still keep track of what you eat since for a few people it can be detrimental to weight loss efforts.

I don't mean to be a wet blanket, if it works for you, go ahead. I know of some people who write down their craviungs for a week and indulge a couple of them one night a week, that's always an option too.

Mauvais Roux: mmmmmm French Vanilla cappucino's. I guess I am lucky, I prefer Dunkin Donut Doughnuts to Tim's (and they have seemed to have closed all the Dunkin Donuts in Ottawa). I'll occasionally have a Tim Bit or two though.

Cheers!

Ali

I agree ali...I can't have a "free day" or I would go overboard. Planning for a treat or one special meal a week works better for me

I noticed that the Dunkin Donuts have completely disppeared over the last few years in Ottawa....oh well... one less place for me to indulge...