after my last post and talking to my friend i noticed something input?
My friend and my last post made me realize something today. Im a binger on the weekends. I have always had the mentally that if " i eat good all week" even if I do stick within my points over the weekend then that is acceptable. This revelation was brought to my attention even more when I noticed I horded away all my "flex" points for the weekends. My friend said that is really not a maintaining mind set. Dio you maintainers have any advice on how to not binge on the weekends? I do want to treat myself occasionally and not feel bad for it, however if I want that extra treat during the week instead of the weekend I want to learn how to deal with it and not feel that im beign punished when the weekend comes and i have less points to work with. For some reason lately I feel constantly guility no matter what way I go. I feel like i shouldnt binge at all period, but Iknow i will have a slip up becaue im human, do i plan to have slips ups all the time no, but i know i will have them. I also dont want to feel im "bad" for having a candy bar during the week instead of the weekend for example. Is there a way to balance this monster within me? Hope this makes sense. I tend to rattle alot lol
Well, to me, that's almost exactly a maintenance mindset. Not BINGING on the weekends, necessarily, but going at a lower calorie (ie losing levels) during the week and being more flexible on the weekends. This is how I try to structure my maintenance. These aren't "binges" in the sense that I eat excessively, but I do have treats (like a cupcake) and I don't worry too much about them.
I find that, on weekends, there's a lot more going on, event-wise. I'd much rather eat lower during the week when I have my routine, then be able to splurge a bit on the weekend. I couldn't do this and still LOSE weight, though (although if you're staying in your points range, you may find that you can). But it definitely works for me, for maintenance.
I just feel lately I dont know what way is right. I told my friend i save my flex points for just the weekend and she said you may just as well call it binging. I do eat all my regular points during the week. I just want to feel not ashamed whatever i pick and not do "actual" binging all of the time
i guess in a nutshell what im trying to figure out in my heart and soul is there a "right" way to maintain once you get there? when I get to maintence I just dont want to go back to binging on the weekends. Is there a way to find balance with everything?
I'm not sure how many 'flex points' you get or save for the weekend, but I would think it would depend on how big that 'binge' is. If you're saving them up for 1 cupcake, then there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. If you're not eating anything all week so that you can sit down with a pizza and eat the whole thing, then that's a binge, and that's something you'll need to deal with. I think a lot of us might save our points (or in my case calories) for special things sometimes - every couple of weekends I save some calories for a few glasses of wine in the evening. I don't think that's binging or going overboard.
EDIT: I'm not a maintainer, I realized after I wrote in that was who you were asking. I'm just a girl with an opinion for everything.
Last edited by Priscatip; 02-18-2009 at 04:53 PM.
Reason: Not a maintainer
First of all, there is no single "right way" to do it. The proof is in whether you successfully maintain! So you won't know until you get there and try a few things.
Second, let's get clear about "bingeing." This word means that you ingest whatever you want in large quantities without limits. So if you are talking about eating within your points, then you are technically not bingeing.
However, you could have life a little easier, perhaps, if you used more of those flex points during the week instead of saving them for the weekend. Try it one week and see how it goes.
It all has to do with the role that food plays in your life. Are you using food as a reward? As something you're entitled to after a hard week? As your "goodie" for being a grown-up? If so, maybe take a good look at that. Too many overweight people tend to be "recreational eaters," and sometimes that can be a misuse of food. There are other rewards besides eating...
I treat the weekends like any other day. Now that I'm maintaining, I have a weekly treat meal once a week where I go to a nice restaurant, have wine, split dessert, occasionally eat out of the bread basket - but I do not go ALL OUT - I still stick to my forever no's (no cream based sauces, no sugary soda, limit fried foods, no packaged baked goods, limit 2 glasses of wine - I don't drink alcohol the rest of the week) and try to order sensibly. I noticed my weight crept up a little when I started being more lenient in the treat area or allowing more than 1 a week, so I have started reigning it in.
I often have daily treats, but they are small. My idea of a treat is a biscotti with my skinny latte or a small piece (100 calories) of dark chocolate. I have been a maintainer for 4 years and I still estimate calories every day.
It all has to do with the role that food plays in your life. Are you using food as a reward? As something you're entitled to after a hard week? As your "goodie" for being a grown-up? If so, maybe take a good look at that. Too many overweight people tend to be "recreational eaters," and sometimes that can be a misuse of food. There are other rewards besides eating...
yep this is me alot. Maybee i should explain better. Heres how I use my points since i started in SEpt. I use my normal daily points daily. Use them all up. Save my 35 flex points for the weekend. When the weekend comes i stick within my daily point range still and divide up the flex points between saturday and sunday usually. Sometimes with my points for the weekends i eat whatever i want. Sometimes i eat sensible most of the day then thrown in dessert for the day during the weekends. Major events happen for me on the weekend the majority of the tiem where we go out to eat or my kids are over and then we usually have pizza night. I guess at this point i just dont jknow what is right, what is wrong if theres a right or wrong and if i shoudl feel guilty or not if I eat a whole pizza with those say extra 35 points. Not sure if this makes sense. Im petrified of gaining weight, im petriefed of not maintining, im basically just petrified. Int he past when I have been petrified and i still do it at times i either cut out alot of calories and then binge on the weekend or just binge on the weekends. Growing up thats what i would do period I would eat good during the weekend and then eat like a pig friday through sunday. I dont want to be how i was in the past but dont know how to not feel like a petrified little kid now.
Hey! The more you stay on your plan, and within your points, then the more in control you will feel. And that will help you to feel less afraid. It just takes some getting used to, really.
I think you have to figure out the difference between a treat and a binge, and that varies from person to person. To me, it's about quantity and quality, and also the emotional and mental context. But to me, binging and treats are not at all the same thing.
I don't think it's right to say that having a treat on the weekend is not a maintenance mindset. That is exactly what many successful maintainers do. And many feel their success depends on NOT varying their plan on the weekend. You have to figure out what's right for you.
sometimes i do and sometimes i dont i notice when I dont count within my points and then binge then i feel a loose of control. when I count points and eat within those points no matter what i eat then sometimes i feel in control and sometimes not.
after my last post and talking to my friend i noticed something input?
The more you stay on your plan, and within your points, then the more in control you will feel. And that will help you to feel less afraid. It just takes some getting used to, really. 
