take the weekends off..read this!! it will help beat plateaus!

Here's the funny thing about this, I was doing this without realizing that there is actually a legit diet created by a doctor based exactly on what i'm doing. For those of u at a plateau, I promise u will beat ur plateaus by doing this! I was stuck in the 140s for a long time. I'm 5'5 and my starting weight was 148. I'm down to 138 now. The past 3 weeks, I've been cutting 500 cals on weekdays. I usually eat about 1230 on weekdays and on weekends I either eat my maintenance cals which are about 1830 or even a little higher. First of all, this works because it helps with cheating on weekdays when u know that ur just a few days away from enjoying whatever u want. Now, obviously u don't want to binge eat on the weekends but do enjoy a slice of pizza for lunch or a plate of lamb biryani (my guilty pleasure) It's an Indian cuisine with spicy rice and lamb. I got this plate at a restaurant, it was rather large. I saved over half for later on in the day. Let me tell u guys, I had drinks with friends on friday and lost 2 lbs because it has tricked my metabolism since I eat so little during the week and up the cals on the weekend. Before cheating on the weekends, I was stuck in the 142 range forever. When I finally started my 'weekends off' I began dropping the pounds. I don't even workout that much besides crunches everyday. Although, I would recommend working out. The only reason I don't is because I plan on purchasing equipment in Aug. because even if u lose weight, u always want to tone ur abs and other problem spots on ur body. As far as just losing weight on the scale though, I really recommend taking weekends off. It has done wonders for me! I usually take friday and saturdays off and then start up on sundays. U can take saturday and sundays off, whatever works. Just make sure it's 2 days towards the end of the week! ;)

I hope thats true, because yesterday and today, I haven't done that well on my diet. I was kind of nervous.

I do think it works. But you still have to count calories to make sure its not nearing 2500cals+, and you need to make sure its not completly fat calories.

I think it's true, too.  I haven't really cheated on weekends, but the few times during the last 3 months that I DID cheat, it seemed to kick my metabolism up or something, because I'd always have a larger weight loss that week.  I'm going to start zig zagging calories now, because I'm down to the final 20 pounds (30 lost)...it's not coming off as fast. 

Also, drinking green tea makes a big difference, so I'm working hard at drinking plenty of it.  I had 5 cups yesterday and the day before and lost almost a full pound.

it's true that it tricks your metabolism, but you can calorie-cycle throughout the week to get this effect as well. Let's say CC reccommended you take in 1300 calories per day, your reccommended calorie intake for the week to lose weight would be 9100 calories. I would suggest counting calories on your higher-calorie days or weekends so that you don't exceed the weekly amount suggested for your weight loss.

Within the week you could do 1200 calories one day, 1600 the next, 1300 the day after that, however you want and this will keep your metabolism from 'predicting' your daily intake. just don't go under 1200 for the day or much over 9100 (or whatever this number is for you) during the week

I can't remember the link for the website i found on this but if you google calorie-cycling there's websites out there that will calculate a week of 'cycling' for you, based on your reccommended weekly intake

I think it makes sense.  For the last couple weekends, I have gone way over - possibly even binged - but by Tuesday morning, after flushing with lots of water on Monday and lots of cardio on monday - I am the same as I was the previous week.   So - I didn't necessarily lose weight or break a plateau, but I'm not gaining.  I think eating low calories during the week and for me sometimes too low due to lots of cardio - and then shocking my system on the weekends - it keeps it in balance.  Maybe keeps me out of what people call "starvation mode".  All I know is its nice to be able to indulge in the foods that I love once in a while and not be afraid I'm gaining 5 pounds.

This guy talks about taking weekends off, plus a bunch of other tips.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10 -unconventional-diet-tips-how-to-lose-50-poun ds-in-three-months.html


I especially believe in the point of wighing yourself every day, and getting a scale that goes out one decimal point.  Seeing the weight swings (up and down) makes you realize that there is a lot of water weight variation every day, but if you do an average (like the chart on this site does - it is a 10 day moving average or "trend") you can see the weight loss and see it every day.  If you do it once a week, what if that particular day is when you have an extra 2 pound of water weight?  That would be VERY disouraging.  But seeing those swings in weight every day, you get used to it and at the same time are able to see the trend downwards.