Can you still have a "free day" on BFL if you are doing a LC version of BFL? I have successfully completed two challenges of regular, by-the-book BFL, but have since discovered the LC way of life. When doing BFL before, I enjoyed knowing I had the freedom on that free day to eat my forbidden foods and found that I could EASILY stay on the plan for the other 6 days knowing I could have the treat I craved on my "day off". Quite often by my day off I didn't crave that treat anymore, but it was still peace of mind knowing that it was coming. When I indulged on my free day...I indulged completely, and still had an awesome result on the program. Has anyone done LC BFL and indulged on their free day?

Thanks for any input!
Lily

Hi Lily

I've done BFL challenges by the book and LC and I usually treat the free day differently with both of them. I could never bring myself to go all out when doing it by the book - just too much damage to have to fix the next week. I used the day to have more calories, because by the book BFL is pretty low cal (remove fat from the equation and calories tend to go down). Doing it LC I used free day as a day to eat when I was hungry and to not have to count anything. No eating 6 meals, no protein requirement, usually some baked LC cheesecake. Kind of a mental rest, no calculating. Calories on LC free day tended to be lower because of it - LC BFL tends to be higher calorie during the week for me, though.

If you were to have a huge carb blow out that day you'd probably feel really ill afterward, it might interfere with how you performed the next few days. However, if you borrowed from the CKD carb up foods list you might not fair so badly - but that would mean planning and limiting fat and that's not really a free day, now is it?

HTH
-Nat

I do pretty much the same thing as Nat. On Sundays I don't worry about what time I'm eating and I allow myself some kind of Atkins allowed junk food, like Pork Rinds, 0-carb beef Jerky, Atkins bars, stuff like that. But I still stick to Atkin's on those days.

Arnie

Thanks Arnie and Nat! On our first two challenges, as I mentioned, my husband and I went ALL out and ate anything our hearts desired (for me it was ALWAYS blueberry pancakes with syrup for brekky, lots of chocolate through the day and pasta or pizza for dinner or and we'd only go to a movie on that free day so we could enjoy popcorn and butter). That being said, I usually felt like CRAP that night and the next day. I think I might have developed a disorder (mild) where even now, when I want something - I want LOTS AND LOTS of it, I think it's like my "final supper" again. It takes a lot of self control for me to be mindful about my portions (and it isn't even when I'm hungry, it's just that I feel I'll never get it again or something...weird I know.) I don't ever wnat to feel that "gross" again after bingeing on a high carb meal, but in my head I feel better knowing that I "CAN" if I want but hopefully I remember what I felt like the week prior and won't do it.

Since discovering the LC WOL, I feel so much better and I want to continue with it forever, but I loved the structure of the BFL workouts.

I will take your advice Nat and just not do any conting that day, have the LC stuff I want, when I want it. Thank goodness for LC bake mixes, etc. I can still have my blueberry pancakes with maple syrup and stay true to my new LC WOL!!

Thanks for your comments Nat and Arnie - you helped!!

Lily

omg lily i feel exactly the same way!! have prob controlling the portion too! want lots and lots of it.

on free day, my quick fix first choice - i'd try to get good carb e.g if i wanted muffin i'd make some using wholewheat non-processed flour, substitutes etc. (i made 6 solid muffins last week and ate 3 of them within 6 hrs lol my...) it might not be too low carb but right ones at least

but if i cant reach my 'first choice' goal (too lazy) then i'd just go ahead eating whatever

like you - i love free day cuz yes its good to look forward to somethin and the motivation is unreal. just can hold myself another day to keep eatin right knowin that tomorrow is free day and at same time looking forward to another week thinking that oh my did i stuff some foods

you seem to have good progress so keep it up

its all good - know our limits ;- )

you stuffed a little gained a little but then again you can always lose them all!

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I don't diet. I just don't eat as much as I'd like to. ~ Linda Evangelista
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