[kaebea]

i think alot of people do what you are talking about ^ i just don't think of it as "cheating". that's such an ugly word. and for people with a binge eating disorder, "eating whatever I want" means something entirely different
i just think of it as flexibility with my diet. no one would disagree that it's okay to allow yourself a treat once in a while.

[Lucky Charms]

Originally Posted by Thinfor5Minutes

I got an audio cassette of the Body for Life book, and the author DOES advocate having a "free" day where you eat anything you want. Apparently nothing is off limits. I remember thinking to myself when I heard that that I would lose all of the benefits I had gained in the previous week if I had a day like that, plus it would be harder to get back on the wagon the next day. It's better just to stick to plan every day, IMHO.

I followed the Body for Life program many years ago in college and lost 40 pounds. The key is that while you have a free day each week, the other 6 days you follow a very structured eating plan with limited food options. (Your basic bodybuilder diet with lean protein sources, complex carbs, portions based on your fist size.) There is also an exercise component, which helps you build muscle.

In the end I think the people who are really successful at BFL do not go wild on their free day. If you read the newest book by some of the people who won the contest they tend to have one free meal versus the whole day. Even then many of them pick healthy options like fish, turkey burgers, or pizza with veggies.

I think about doing BFL again, but I have a hard time sticking to such a limited food list. Currently I am trying calorie counting, and try to stick to an average of 1700/day. I do try to calorie cycle, so that I eat a few more calories on Saturday and a few less on Sunday to balance it out. I decided I would rather eat a bit more and lose weight slowly. I don't think I would stick to any program if I tried to eat less than 1400 calories.

[Samantha100]

What concerns me is that you stated you did NOT count calories on the weekends. That could be your problem. So what works for me? I have a digital food scale on my kitchen counter and weight everything I put in my mouth. I use FitDay on my computer to track my calories, nutrition, weight, and exercise. I enter the food in FitDay BEFORE I eat it to see the impact the food is going to have on my body. I try to make my calories count with good, wholesome food (plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables). I keep track of the amount of water I drink and try to consume no less that 87 oz per day. Because I have high blood pressure, I watch my sodium and caffeine intake. My goal is to eat between 1400-1600 calories/day and walk no less than 3 miles/day on my treadmill. All of this has allowed me to lose about 11 pounds/month average.

[WS09]

I use to have a calorie counting book years ago and I got fed up using it. I try to eat more healthy foods and exercise 3 days a week at home.