Dinner tomorrow

jaysanchez4

Going out with a bunch of friends for a birthday, I've been dieting for over a month and lost a lot of weight. I eat extremely clean everyday, go the gym, and always stay under my calories.

I want to have a burger tomorrow and maybe a salad on the side.

Will this ruin my diet? Will I gain any weight from it? Do you suggest I not do this at all?

I just want to hear people's opinions on their weight loss plan and if they were able to squeeze in something unhealthy every so often.

Thanks

flagrantavidity

You will not ruin your diet, I promise. It will take a significant amount of calories to see your weight go up any amount from a single day to the next, nearly to the point of forcing the food down!

Now mentally is a different story, you have done so well and don't want to ruin it with a burger, but guess what? It's just calories, albeit maybe a bit more in one serving than normal, so here is what you do. Look at your calories for the entire week instead of just a single day, if it makes you feel better mentally, cut out 50 calories 6 days out of the next 6 days and you have an extra 300 to work with.

You will be fine, enjoy your burger!

ccsernica

Don't worry about eating clean. That doesn't really help with weight loss. Just watch the calories. If you're reasonably sure you'll go over, plan ahead by "banking" calories, running a deficit for a few days to give you a cushion for over-eating a tad on a special occasion. If you regularly run a deficit, you're probably fine already.

Do I do this? Hell yes. Thanksgiving wouldn't have been Thanksgiving without the stuffing.

AnnPT77

Don't go crazy, you'll be fine. Just don't do it very often. If you want to, eat lighter than usual earlier in the day (not starve yourself so you're mega-hungry, just a bit less), or get in a extra bit of exercise.

Look at it this way: You have to eat 3500 calories *more than your maintenance calories* to gain a pound. You're not doing that, or anything close, in a meal like you're describing.

If you're losing a pound a week, you have a 500 calorie daily deficit. If your dinner out means you eat 500 more calories than your usual daily goal, all you've done is not lose anything that day.

If you eat 1000 more calories than your usual daily goal (with a 500 usual daily deficit), you've delayed reaching your ultimate loss goal by two days. (If your current lost rate is more or less than that, adjust the arithmetic accordingly.)

Is it worth it to you? Only you can decide.

Or, to look at it yet another way, if you eat 1000 over your usual daily goal (with a 500 usual daily deficit), you will have gained a whopping 1/7 of a pound that you'll have to lose again.

Personally, for true celebrations, I don't sweat a lot about going over goal, even when losing. I just calculate the impact, and make sure I don't do it so often that I wipe out all my progress.

Alatariel75

Enjoy your burger. These guys said it ^.

AND - if you do see a rise on the scale after, it will be water weight. If you've been eating the way you say, the burger will likely have more sodium in it than you've had of late, and you might see a bit of water retention. It isn't weight gain, and it will go away.

ccsernica

Alatariel75 wrote: »

AND - if you do see a rise on the scale after, it will be water weight. If you've been eating the way you say, the burger will likely have more sodium in it than you've had of late, and you might see a bit of water retention. It isn't weight gain, and it will go away.

Gawd, yes. One slice of pizza, and suddenly I can't take my ring off my finger I swell up so bad.

jaysanchez4

Thanks so much everyone, I'm going to have a burger with a salad and a ton of water! I'm also going to the gym in the morning and eating pretty light calorie rise until dinner.

Thank You all so much, I really appreciate it.

jaysanchez4

Also, if I do see an increase in weight from water weight. How long until that goes away? And also what can I do to lose the water weight faster?

Thanks!

AnnPT77

jaysanchez4 wrote: »

Also, if I do see an increase in weight from water weight. How long until that goes away?

A few days - varies by person. Give it at least a week, as a man - longer for pre-menopausal women, 'cos cycles.

If you aren't, I suggest starting to weigh yourself daily, so you learn, before maintenance, how fluctuations work in your body - such calming knowledge!

And also what can I do to lose the water weight faster?

Thanks!

Drink adequate water, do cardio exercise, be calm, be patient. Learn how you work!