[singforthedayx]

So, my best friend spent the weekend with me. On Saturday night we went out to Friendly's to eat. Now, in my diet plan I make it a point to allow myself cheats if the occasion calls for it. I've always figured it's better to tell myself it's okay every so often than to beat myself up because I did something I wasn't planning to do.

Anyway, in preparation - the only other things I ate that day was a protein shake for breakfast, a Lean Cuisine entrée for lunch and some watermelon. I ordered at the restaurant with virtually no care about calorie content. Which is totally fine...

The next day, I reset the clock and planned to go back on track. I had my usual protein shake for breakfast... then my friend and I went to see The Switch. (awesome movie, btw) I hadn't planned on popcorn... but I got a small one. Still not a big deal, because I didn't eat lunch at all. Essentially, the popcorn became my lunch.

I had dinner as usual... but later that night I became downright piggish. I wasn't even that hungry but in the course of the evening I had eaten a snack, some chocolate, and an Italian Ice. (And it doesn't help that I went three days Friday-Sunday without working out AT ALL)

Now, I'm in no way saying I'm letting this get me down. It's Monday, and a new week and I am 100% back on board. I just want to make some observations here, and see if anyone else has experienced anything similar.

1) I notice I do awesome with my regular diet plan... as long as I keep myself on schedule. (Normally my only day to cheat is Wednesday night at work when my co worker and I get nachos, or if I want fast food- I get something tiny.) But if I do something sort of off my plan, like this weekend, my natural binge instincts come back. I'm generally pretty good at keeping them away.

2) If I don't exercise on a day when I'm usually supposed to, I feel more inclined to binge.

3) And vice versa. I had every opportunity to do a workout after my friend left yesterday- but I had already eaten off my regular plan, and in my head I thought "Well, I'll just start over tomorrow." instead of "Well, at least burn off a FEW of those calories."

Anyone notice anything similar with them?

Hope everyone has a good week! xoxo

[leannerenee]

I'm with you on this one. If I cheat just a little, I'm quick to say, "Well I might as well go all out and eat nachos/ Coke/ ice cream/ burgers for the rest of the day." Meanwhile, if I just kept myself to the one little thing I "cheated" with, I wouldn't feel like such crap the next day.

[Mickeypnd]

yes. yesterday was my boyfriends brother's b-day and we threw him a little party and when I got off work I have a cream filled doughnut, pepsi, TWO bowls of ice cream and a piece of cake. and I went to bed without exercising.

I don't do this often but when I do i go all the way! lol. today im back on track, for I don't see one bad day as any reason to stress, or cry over and a reason to stay off the wagon.
Although I didn't gain any weight either! shocker.

[singforthedayx]

I know, Mickey! I think I LOST weight... but I'm not counting it 'cause I weighed myself just after BFBM this am, so I probably sweat off like 10 lbs of water lol ...

[dayoneagain]

Yeah, I notice those things too - especially the last one of if I cheat I might as well wait until the next day before doing any exercise.

If I ever cheat I always try to plan it as much as possible in advance so I still feel like I've kept 'on track'. But it's hard sometimes...

[L R K]

You are defintely not the only one! I have the same problem. It's actually the workout thing that is worse for me. If I skip even one day the next day i'll be more likely to just skip it again. After I skip I literally have to force myself back to my usual routine and then I am usually good - it's just that one day after that can bring on "the curse of the skips"

[L R K]

Oh and when I do have a scheduled "cheat" day I like to refer to them as "planned treats".

I am not cheating, I planned to eat it so it doesn;t cause me to go down that I can eat whatever I want today road.

[Krizstyling]

So true. I find eating six small meals during the day really helps me! Instead of reaching for a bag of chips (that don't exist anyway) I reach for an orange or banana or apple...and if that doesn't work, I wait 20 minutes and reach for a healthy granola bar and that usually does the trick!

[Apeyness]

Anytime I eat out, the salt content makes me crave sweets later! It never fails! I usually have one day on the weekends where I cheat as well. Better to do it on plan then to cheat everyday!