Time Off for Weekends?

Some diets give a "day off" each week from the plan so the dieters don't feel too locked in.  I've never known if that was helpful or not.  It's nice for the brain to not feel trapped into something completely.  But if you are trying to get your body away from a food you are addicted to, once you get that food back into your body, it can make it harder to keep away from it again.

I remember reading Alissa Cohen's book "Living on Live Food" for the first time (half reading material, half recipe book -- great raw recipes!)  She said that when she first looked into eating a raw food diet, she and her friend said, "Let's just eat raw during the week and we can eat cooked foods on the weekends."  She said that never worked for her because she needed a high commitment level to stick with the raw eating.  Once she let go of that on the weekend, it was difficult to get going again on Monday.

I've found the same to be true for me with whatever healthy eating goal I have.  If I let go on the weekends or over the Thanksgiving holiday or Christmas weeks (yes, they turn into weeks!), then it's so tough to get my brain and body back in gear to be where it needs to be to commit again.

Not only that, but let's do the math.  "The weekend" isn't a small portion of the week.  It may feel like it at first, but it's almost 1/3 of it!  That's like 2 steps forward, one step back.  And if you have a hard time getting back to your goal on Monday or Tuesday, it may even be closer to 1/2 off, 1/2 off.

So what's the solution?  Do you still need a break from the restrictions of totally healthy eating all the time?  Then perhaps letting up just a little with allowing bigger portions or something sweet, but not refined sugar -- taking your "cheating" a few steps up from what it's been in the past AND just letting it be for one meal or one event -- not a WHOLE weekend, vacation, or holiday season.  And remember, if you're addicted to sugar like I am, if you let a little sugar back into your body, it will just cry for more.  So be cautious with your choices and you'll continue on your path to a healthy life.  TTFN!