Weekend gorging?
 

I find that I do well with my calories monday through Friday. Then the weekend comes and I give myself one cheat day, which ends up being both days. Or I get into the mindset of, oh it's the weekend, it's okay. I hate it! Like all of my progress has gone down the drain.

Any ideas for controlling calories on the weekends? Tips for staying within the desired 1400 calories?

no cheat days
 

I personally don't like cheat days because then I end up gaining all the weight back that I worked so hard to lose that week. I give myself like a cheat minute where I have a cookie and it fits into the 1400 calorie range but cheat days are a set up for a binge if you ask me. whenever I cheat all day it ends up being a 5,000 calorie day. some people can do cheat days so get some other opinions before you figure out what is right for you.

I used to do the cheat day, that ran through the whole weekend, and totally messed up all that I had achieved during the week. Bad strategy for me!

I recently read how to go with a 90/10 plan, eat on track 90% of the time, and indulge 10% of the time...I can stay on track as much as I want, and then there are days when I will be self-indulgent - at one meal. Giving myself permission to do that feels better. Most of my choices are really good, and then once a week, I just gotta have a Double Quarter Pounder with cheese! 730 calories at one sitting. Fortunately I'm soooooo over fries and Coke. And the rest of the day, I can adjust other items, or add more cardio to burn that burger off. That's like 90 minutes of walking for me.

Georgia

I just eat on weekends like I usually do rest of the week. I used to give myself freedom to eat what I wanted on the weekends, but it was impossible for me to lose any weight. It doesn't mean I don't still have a beer or two on the weekend watching the game, but I still try to stay within my calorie range.

Only time I really let myself go off plan is at a special family event or some other special event. Even then, I try to stick to healthy things and limit my portions, but realize it's not possible to stick so strictly to my calorie limit on those days. This may happen maybe once every couple of months.

I don't do cheat days. I do a cheat meal about once a month (I had one this weekend, & was up a whopping FIVE POUNDS the next morning!). Allowing myself a full day, particularly an unstructured weekend day, would be a recipe for disaster.

I DO let myself have treats, if they fit within my calorie allowance.

If you feel that you go overboard when you give yourself cheat days then I'd just add maybe something extra to your meal plan like maybe some ice cream or something like that on the weekends. I personal give myself a day to eat what I want to avoid binging..

You pretty much just described your issue. You give yourself leeway on the weekends and you end up eating too much all weekend. You can derail a whole week's worth of onplan behavior with 2 days of offplan eating. The answer seems pretty simple - don't have a cheat day on the weekends. I have always treated the weekend days just like regular days. I plan for breakfast/lunch/snacks, and if I'm going out to dinner I try to make a healthy choice.

Now that I've reached maintenance, I do have a treat meal (just a meal, not a treat day or treat weekend) and allow myself a glass of red wine (no more than 2 alcoholic drinks - because alcohol tends to loosen my will power and make me eat more).

A good quote I heard on this board awhile back. What do you call someone who cheats on the weekend? A maintainer. Think about it!

As far as tips - plan for the weekend. Stop at the store on Friday night and pick up stuff for your weekend meals. You can treat yourself a little, fresh berries are starting to come into season. Make a beautiful salad for lunch with sliced strawberries and warm, grilled chicken. Make sure your weekend meals are something you look forward to eating, but are still onplan. If you're out running errands, take your healthy snacks with you. A serving of dried mango, a Cliff Nectar bar, a baggie of sugar snap peas - be ready!

Yup, that describes me exactly! In maintenance, I can watch closely during the week, eat more on the weekend and stay weight-stable. If I go TOO overboard on the weekends or it spills over to the weekdays too, then I start to regain. To lose weight, I have to stay on plan 7 days a week, or be REALLY active (as in; vacations involving 10-15 mile day hikes or weekends with 15 mile runs).

To avoid it? My strategy is to keep busy and out of the kitchen as much as possible. If I'm moving, then I'm not eating. I get into trouble when I have too much time to think about food, and it's right there .... calling me ....

All good ideas. Thanks!

i agree with the no cheat days. i work treats into my daily count. Like the other day, I had a Reese's peanut butter egg. I just bought 1 at the store, ate, was very happy, and went about my day. I love pizza on the weekends so now I make my own so I know the count, I have been wanting mac and cheese so last night I made my own homemade mac with whole grain pasta, and yummy Velveeta. I made it into a casserole with a can of tomatoes, lean hamburger, and a little cheddar on top. All for just under 430 calories a serving then added a Cesar salad. you can find ways to enjoy your weekends and still stay on plan. Keeping with in a calorie range and watching your servings has to be a lifestyle change, not just a 'diet'. Anytime you want eat a little more than your body can burn, you just have to accept the possible stall in weightloss and move on. I know for me, I as soon as I am another 3lbs down, I am going to go to a burger place with my husband that has this awesome homemade chips. its not that i am rewarding my self with food, its that 175 has been a mini goal for so long, I don't want to stall it when I am SO close.