I've noticed that a few people allow themselves "free" days or "free" meals. I was wondering if anyone else does and how often. Weekly, monthly, when you reach a certain goal? Also, is it hard to get back on track after? I've played with free days before and it seems like it always backfires on me so I'm curious what others' experiences have been.

Hi:

I think if you've got the right restriction free meals & free days won't matter. I cannot overeat and keep it down. If you can, you probably need a fill. If I want something, I have it. I don't have much of it, but I have it.

Sue

Before good restriction, I allowed Sundays to be my 'free day'.

Now, there is no need for one. I eat whatever, can't eat enough to really matter.. unless it's junk food, and I don't set time limits on it, I just have it on occasion.

I dont believe in this personally. I think its diet mentality. I approached banded life as a lifestyle, - and to me, that means that NO food is evil, ALL foods are included and that learning to balance your choices so that most choices are healthy and the rest are "treats" and consumed minimally was important.

Treat days to me just encourage stuffing your face one day a week - not a healthy habit.

Yeah, I can see that point. I've just seen some successful weight loss from people who have adopted this policy so I was wondering if it worked for anyone else. It doesn't work for me because I can't seem to get back on track after a free day.

My daughter has a woman in her support group who gives herself one day a week where she can eat anything she wants. She has lost over 200 lb.

We all find ways to make it work for us individually. I count calories, some people set exercise goals, some give up certain foods. There are probably as many different ways of dealing with banding and eating as there are bandsters. If free days work for you as rewards for being faithful to your plan the rest of the time, go for it.

I don't have free days or free meals, but I do work for a treat once or twice a week which I can take at my leisure. I think if I were to try for total abstinence I would fail. I need something to look forward to. Knowing I can have a Starbucks latte on Sunday will stop me from trying to bargain with myself that one latte today, and then tomorrow, and then the next day won't do me any harm. I'm very goal oriented so that type of thing works for me. Finding what works for you is the key to success. :rolleyes2:

I agree that a free day may help keep you on track but what happens as you get closer to goal? I follow Jachut's line of thinking that nothing is off the menu really. I think that puts food up on some pedastal which I then find myself thinking about nothing other than getting to that free day or free meal. I think a big part of this whole process is the mental change about the way we all see food. If you want to treat yourself go for it. Having a small treat every couple of days will probably take some of the stigma we put on unhealthy foods away and I doubt there would be much difference in weight loss if you had something not so great when you wanted it vs. building up a weeks worth of anticipation to have those foods. As others have said once you get restriction you really can't eat enough to have a negative effect.

Chris

The only treat I allow for myself is once a month while out to diner I'll have an extra glass of wine. I do this only if I did a workout that day * and I never miss that workout, to have one of my vices*

Thankfully I've lost the craving for the carbs or sweets that helped me get fluffy - It's not been difficult to make good healthy choices, ... I don't see a treat her or there is a bad thing, I'd keep it to a minimum though:)

The only treat I allow for myself is once a month while out to diner I'll have an extra glass of wine. I do this only if I did a workout that day * and I never miss that workout, to have one of my vices*

Thankfully I've lost the craving for the carbs or sweets that helped me get fluffy - It's not been difficult to make good healthy choices, ... I don't see a treat her or there is a bad thing, I'd keep it to a minimum though:)

"Get fluffy" I like that.

One thing I'd like to mention is that not all of my treats are food ones. I'll buy myself something new and a little indulgent for my wardrobe or take the evening off in the kitchen (I'm a stay-at-home mother, so that's a treat for me) or spend an extra half hour or so soaking in the tub with a trashy novel. I focus on the fact that I'm rewarding myself, not on the fact that I'm eating or drinking something naughty.

ok, if you look at my record, you will think my advise isn't worth much, but i just got restriction...so..

i personally do not do free days or free meals, because it encourages me to obsess over it...like i used to do. now i eat very little, and if i do want something that is sweet or not good, i eat it, i just can't eat very much. the cool thing is, most of the time, i don't want it. before the band if i would have allowed myself to do that it would have been catastrophic, because there was no stopping point.

now, however, if i want a girl scouts cookie, i have one, but one is fine with me...not 20. ...if i allow myself to eat it when i want it, i don't focus on it, and life seems more free.

i also believe the body craves things for a reason, and it is not a bad thing to satisfy, for instance, now that my caloric intake is so low (i'm really only getting about 500 calories a day, because i'm too tight)..i crave things like meat, carrots, green Beans, etc. i rarely crave any type of junk.