Absolutely, rest up. We dont realize it be stress hormones (Cortisol) can be building up in your body and you need time to relieve that stress hormones and allow your body to recover! Enjoy your day off *wink*

Sorry, but I just don't agree with all the naysayers! In my opinion, it depends on your goal. Is your goal to lose weight as quickly as you possibly can? Or are you okay with taking time to do it? I have 'cheat' days in my eating plan, and don't feel one bit guilty about them, even if I go up a pound or two. I know that for me, weight loss is lifelong, NOT a sprint. I have my 'cheat' day or meal and then get right back on track.
That said, I have a lot of self control, and can eat a reasonable portion of a 'cheat' food, without going overboard. If you don't, then you need to evaluate from there.

I went back and read all your post, I would think that you can add a little extra to your normal calories if you are looking to enjoy a maybe not so healthy meal. Everyone keeps talking about making it realistic and a life change and it is........so long as you know that you cant go crazy, order the pizza, have ONE slice and forward the rest of the pizza over to a neighbor or family/friend. You can always make a home-made pizza super healthy and get fuller off of that. That's me, I eat really healthy, calories in and calories out = weight loss. Have to be realistic and just enjoy yourself with once a week with an off meal or an off desert. Also I pay close to attention to the emotional connection to this 'relaxation day' I tend to not eat unhealthy choice unless I have in fact burned calories that day, that way I'm not associating rest and reward in the same day.

Now, my family and I manage to have a weekly pizza night without any problem, but very few losers are like this! I either make homemade pizza or do a take and bake and can weigh out a slice, eat it, and not beovely tempted by more. That said, these are not fatty chain pizzas, even Papa Murphy's is fairly sensible on the calories of many of their pizzas, and lacking that extra salt and fat seems to work to help me not crave more. It lacks the cracky quality of normal pizzas ;)

When I first started out losing weight, two years ago, we did NOT do pizza night. That was added in as our family's one quick, non-homemade meal after I had already established good habits and could easily choose not to binge on a food. Early in your weight loss, it's likely a temptation you just don't need. The scale needs to go down and temporarily or long term, pizza is one of the worst foods for achieving that end.

Great to hear. It'll come off if you stay on plan, and the fact that you're not seeing the scale go up is a good thing, it'll go down eventually ;)

Calories in 1 (one) slice of Cheesy Bites Pizza, cheese only: 360.

It only goes up from there.

I disagree with those who say go ahead and do it. I think if you're like a lot of folks here, you won't stop at 1 slice. In fact, you might not stop for days... :no: Don't do it. Find an alternative that will be healthier for you. Some of the homemade recipes here sound good and not hard to make.

Jay

It's not about getting it off as quickly as possible, I don't think that is what people are saying. I think it's about her state of mind. Is a cheat day when you're going out on a special date a good idea, and you're feeling great, maybe, is it a good idea when you feel like giving in? Probably not.

A day off? Oy. If it's steady, consistent weight loss you're after, you'll have to be steady and consistent sticking to your calorie allotment.

Back to business tomorrow? You've got to do what needs to be done TODAY. Pushing things off till tomorrow is something I did for years. I tomorrow-ed away decades. Decades.

That bolded sentence - Or deserved? is what scared me the most.

Deserve some calorie, fat laden, carby, junky food that can't help you reach your goals? Why would you deserve that? Why?

What you deserve is to be the best you possible. You deserve to know what it's like to walk around in a slim, trim, health-iest for you body. And everything that comes with it.The added energy, stamina, fitness level, self confidence, self worth, self respect, fitting into each and every chair this world has to offer, including restaurant booths, roller coasters and airplanes. You deserve to shop in any store you want and have a smokin' hot enormous wardrobe. You deserve to feel great in your own skin. You deserve to be the very best you.

Stick to that plan of yours, tweaking it if need be. Going over every thing with a fine tooth comb to ensure that you're not going over your calories so that you can get that scale moving in the right direction - downward - so that you can get what you truly deserve out of life. :hug:

One thing I would add to what others have said: if you plan is so hard that you really crave a "free day", you may need to change your plan. If you feel like you are constantly forcing yourself to exercise, forcing yourself to not eat, starving to death and you'd give anything to just have it go away for a day . . .that means you need a new plan, not a day off from a plan that isn't working.

I used to diet like that--super super super tough, deny myself everything, push myself to the max, no exceptions, and after a while I would desperately, desperately need a day off. But after a few months, that day off would spiral into weeks and months off because I would dread going back on plan so much.

This time, this successful time, I made the plan livable. I ate few enough calories that I lost weight, but I ate enough that I wasn't hungry all the time. I exercised, but not until I collapsed. And that urge for "cheat days" went away. I might day dream about a free-for-all, but I don't need one, crave one, fixate on one. That's what is meant by "sustainable".

Someone said to me once: If every day you run as far as you can, you'll end every day with a failure. But if you run what you planned to run every day, you'll end every day a success. And you'll end up going just as far. In that spirit, I think it's best to adjust a plan SLOWLY. If you planned to exercise today, exercise today. Live up to your plan, it will give you pride. But maybe think about changing your plan to include a rest day on Thursdays from here on out. There's certainly nothing wrong with a rest day--the fact that you want one so badly suggests that you need one--but do it in a way that makes you successful.

In the same way, I crave junk food when I am hungry. My body wants me to eat, so it tempts me with images of the most delicious food. But I learned that if I eat 100-200 more healthy calories a day, I don't crave the junk food nearly as much. It might still look good, but I can put those thoughts aside. So I'd stay in your calorie limit for today--after all, fulfilling the plan is what makes us feel successful and powerful--but consider adding another snack or whatever to the plan starting Monday.

Well, yes, a stuck scale IS frustrating.

But this makes no sense to me.

Stay on plan if you're losing, but go OFF if the scale ISN'T moving. Which just makes the scale LESS likely to move, or at least to move in the direction you want....

I know that lots of people have planned treats. But this doesn't sound like a planned treat. This sounds like saying "I deserve a treat because I've been working so hard."

I agree. You should go ahead and treat yourself. A day off of workout, a bubble bath, a manicure, a relaxing moment with a hot cup of tea?

When we feel like we're working hard but not getting somewhere it's fine to pamper ourselves. But for a lifestyle change to truly work, we can't pamper ourselves with food when we feel bad, IMHO.

I used to work at Pizza Hut. They put crack in the food. I would chew up breadsticks just to taste the toppings and spit it out in the trash can all day.

I understand your frustrations but if you MUST cheat (which isn't a good idea...keep putting off your "cheat day" and eventually you might not want one --> steady losing in the long run) don't make it fast food/Big Pizza.

If you still want pizza, they have 200 calorie Dijorno pizzas that are roughly the size of a dollar bill. I know frozen pizza isn't the same as a big greasy pizza from pizza hut but it's still pretty tasty and not going to screw up your plan.

Shmead, I hear you loud and clear about the fact that maybe the OP hasn't chosen the right plan if she's looking for a *free* or *off* day from it.

But there is something that has to be kept in mind - there IS a transition period, an adjustment stage that one must work past. Very few people can go from eating french fries, pizza and ice cream one minute to eating cottage cheese, salads and chicken breast the next without a bit of *discomfort*. It does take time to lose the wants and desires of the old lifestyles' foods to the falling in love with the healthy stuff.

What worries me is that the OP feels that eating the *bad* stuff is reward for eating the *good* stuff for a period of time. If that's the case the transition period will be very difficult and lengthy and so may this weight loss journey. I think there will have to be an adjustment in the way of thinking.

Sorry, I hate speaking as if the OP isn't here and we're talking about her behind her back, but I know of no other way to get this across with the written word and over the internet My apologizes to the OP.

I had to switch what I wanted. I stopped settling for foods that merely tasted good. They had to taste excellent and be excellent for me, long after I was done chewing. I raised my standards; required more from myself.

I also didn't focus on what I was giving up, but on what I was GAINING. And man oh man did I stand to gain a LOT (and I did!!) by NOT giving into my every whim and desire, especially in the early stages. I had to man up and learn to tell myself no! I think it's Rhonda who has one of my favorite signatures - losing weight isn't for sissies! I love that. And let's face it, in the early stages, there's some uncomfortable moments. But you've got to push past it. There is no other way to grow and improve upon yourself.

OK girls.... so... I really appreciate all of the great advise. I wanted to come back and tell you about my day.

I sort of have the urge... to lie about it, but I understand that is only detrimental to me... and does me no good at all. I understand that you all are here for support and advise, and I need to be honest here...

So...

Here's what my day ended up being....

Breakfast
2 scrambled eggs (cooked with pam)
1 bagel thin with 1 tbs low fat cream cheese

Lunch (mom and I went out shopping and to lunch and ended up at a place I had never eaten)
Spinach burger (this I think was one of the best choices, however... it was on a hamburger bun and was mixed with bread crumbs to stick it together.. although... I couldn't detect the bread crumbs too much so I'm not sure how much was there)
1/2 order of steak fries.... I know this is horrible... they had NO veggie choices... should have just left off the side.
a pickle spear

Supper
(sooo my husband... who is no help to me whatsoever when it comes to trying to lose weight had heard me talking about wanting a pizza bite pizza... so... guess what... he brings one home)
1 slice of pizza (with cheese and hamburger meat)

90 calorie cappachino

No real exercise other than walking around shopping.

I don't feel completely devastated by the day... I do feel somewhat good because I didn't eat ALL the fries... and I only ate ONE piece of pizza...

I feel the most guilty about not exercising... BECAUSE... I forgot that tomorrow night is my company Christmas party and I won't be able to have time to go to the gym tomorrow either!

However... I have recorded an exercise show on TV and plan on doing it when I get home from the party.

I ordered grilled trout for the party btw.. which I think was the best choice I could have made.

I also want to say that I appreciate the comments about me thinking I need a day off is more like saying I can or will one day be able to end this journey... or that it's more that I have a mental thing I need to get over and quit trying to reward myself with food.

I really haven't thought of it that way... but you are right. I should NEVER be rewarding myself with food! Actually... after eating that 1 slice of pizza... my stomach is KILLING me... so... it's not only non beneficial... it's harmful!

I am going to start setting small goals for myself... with small non food related rewards.

Maybe that will help.

Thanks again for all your support and thoughts, I appreciate it!