Weekend Diet Help!

annapage38

Weekends visiting the in laws and parents seems to play havoc with eating healthy! Although I still find myself below my calorie target, I know that a takeaway curry does not compare to a home cooked meal.

How do you guys work around avoiding the takeaway when everyone else in your company indulges?

HealthyVitamins

If you still fit in your takeaway below your calorie goal, then this should not hinder your weight loss (if that is your aim) You are already working around it by working it into your calorie target

If you don't want to eat the takeaway, you could always politely decline and bring along something you have chosen to eat yourself that you feel more comfortable with.

amusedmonkey

I personally don't avoid it. If everyone is having takeaway, then I am too. If you are still within your calories you will still lose weight as usual. The kinds of food you eat make very little difference in terms of weight loss. You could expect a few pounds of water weight, but those go away within a few days of getting back on track. If your focus is not weight loss but health, know that one day every once in awhile makes very little difference to your overall health. Most nutrients are largely cumulative. It's virtually impossible to get a deficiency from one day of less than optimal nutrient intake. With that said, curries, takeaway or homemade, are generally nutritionally sound and include plenty of vegetables and in some cases protein. It also includes some of the best spices health-wise. Just enjoy your meal and stop worrying. You will enjoy your time with your family better if you are not stressed (which, by the way, is more harmful to your health than entertaining a higher calorie food simply for the joy of it every once in awhile)

annapage38

Thank you both. Great advice. I didn't know if eating something fatty, although below my calorie count for the day would affect me. So thanks for advice. Much appreciated x

amusedmonkey

annapage38 wrote: »

Thank you both. Great advice. I didn't know if eating something fatty, although below my calorie count for the day would affect me. So thanks for advice. Much appreciated x

Some people base their whole diet on fat, more than 2/3 of it. They lose as effectively as those on a more balanced diet on the same calorie deficit. It's a learning curve, but soon you will find out that high fat, low fat, high carb low carb, none of it really matters for plain weight loss as long as you are within calories. Quite a few here also fit things that aren't exactly famous for being diet-friendly like chocolate and ice cream, and still lose weight.

Today is my sister's birthday for example, and I plan to enjoy every single minute of it, including all the food. I have been "banking" my calories for a whole week to be able to do that. Being able to enjoy all the things that I've always enjoyed keeps me sane and helps me continue losing weight instead of forcing myself to only eat a certain way then rage-quit because it's not sustainable.

annapage38

amusedmonkey wrote: »

annapage38 wrote: »

Thank you both. Great advice. I didn't know if eating something fatty, although below my calorie count for the day would affect me. So thanks for advice. Much appreciated x

Some people base their whole diet on fat, more than 2/3 of it. They lose as effectively as those on a more balanced diet on the same calorie deficit. It's a learning curve, but soon you will find out that high fat, low fat, high carb low carb, none of it really matters for plain weight loss as long as you are within calories. Quite a few here also fit things that aren't exactly famous for being diet-friendly like chocolate and ice cream, and still lose weight.

Today is my sister's birthday for example, and I plan to enjoy every single minute of it, including all the food. I have been "banking" my calories for a whole week to be able to do that. Being able to enjoy all the things that I've always enjoyed keeps me sane and helps me continue losing weight instead of forcing myself to only eat a certain way then rage-quit because it's not sustainable.

That's really interesting, thank you.
You mentioned banking calories - how does that work? Say if I eat under by 100 a day for 5 days, does that mean I can have an additional 500 the next day?

amusedmonkey

annapage38 wrote: »

amusedmonkey wrote: »

annapage38 wrote: »

Thank you both. Great advice. I didn't know if eating something fatty, although below my calorie count for the day would affect me. So thanks for advice. Much appreciated x

Some people base their whole diet on fat, more than 2/3 of it. They lose as effectively as those on a more balanced diet on the same calorie deficit. It's a learning curve, but soon you will find out that high fat, low fat, high carb low carb, none of it really matters for plain weight loss as long as you are within calories. Quite a few here also fit things that aren't exactly famous for being diet-friendly like chocolate and ice cream, and still lose weight.

Today is my sister's birthday for example, and I plan to enjoy every single minute of it, including all the food. I have been "banking" my calories for a whole week to be able to do that. Being able to enjoy all the things that I've always enjoyed keeps me sane and helps me continue losing weight instead of forcing myself to only eat a certain way then rage-quit because it's not sustainable.

That's really interesting, thank you.
You mentioned banking calories - how does that work? Say if I eat under by 100 a day for 5 days, does that mean I can have an additional 500 the next day?

Exactly! You save calories for a few days and then "spend" them on a specific day to have more calories for an event (or just because).

In my case, my if I eat 1500 calories a day I lose a pound a week. I averaged 1400 calories a day for 6 days, and exercised an extra 50 calories a day which gave me 6x150=900 extra calories to spend today, making today's allowance 2400 calories. I know I will wake up tomorrow with 2-5 pounds heavier like I always do when I eat a lot, but I also know that within 3 or so days these water weight pounds will be gone and my average weight loss for the week would be the same as if I stuck to my 1500 calorie allowance.

space_case

The only thing I notice after eating out is a bump in water weight for a few days after. But, if I stick to my regularly scheduled meal plan and ignore the scale for a few days, it falls off and then some.

annapage38

Amazing. I never knew that was the case! Hello weekend! Haha.