Anyone else feel when they eat 1 high calorie treal meal they will gain weight?

Strudders67

I don't feel guilty about anything I eat or drink. I still have a social life and am not going to fret if I spend one evening drinking with friends or if I have something, when I'm out for a meal, that is more calorie-laden than what I'd typically have at home on other days. If I've had a heavy meal (or expect to have one), I'll increase my time in the gym a little bit to give me more calories. Although I'm roughly eating my Goal amount of calories a day, I regularly check my Average Net for the week as my primary aim is for that to be around Goal. Some weeks it's a little more, but I also know what my TDEE is so if my Average Net is below that, I'm still very happy.

rmtanner

I think a big carb loaded meal can encourage a little water retention on occasion, so it can look like you have added a pound or so but it will soon drop off again. Agree with most people above unlikely a meal can add any real weight unless it's some kind of man vs food type meal

claudiaines5

lulalacroix wrote: »

No I don't. I believe in the math. As long as I eat less than I burn I will lose weight, regardless of treats.

Don't eat less food, eat less calories, eating less food it will take nowhere

VVVeeVee

yea I did. then I totally binged (and i mean...totally) on gummy bears one day and haven't gained anything from it.

Now I'm cool. As long as you don't make it habit.

estherdragonbat

I've found that pre-logging helps with that. It's as though once it's written down, it's a done deal and I own it. (I don't have cheat meals; I have treats and indulgences and make them fit my totals). I haven't 'cheated' or 'blown my diet' or 'been bad'; I've chosen to splurge a bit and I'll either eat a bit less over the next day or so to make up for it or exercise a bit more. It's not a cheat. It's a choice.

What's 'bad' is the impulsive emotional/unmindful eating I've done in the past, where I suddenly realize I just finished a whole big bag of chips mindlessly reaching into the bag until was all gone. The shaving off of a 1/4" strip of brownies from an 8x8 tin and repeating it 6-8 times. The grabbing a strudel on the go at the subway kiosk and deliberately not looking at the nutritional info because I don't want to remind myself it's 450 calories; I just want a snack.

If I go in recognizing and accepting that I'm going to indulge and I decide in advance what the indulgence will be and how many calories it's going to take up, I find I stay in control, I'm aware, I don't feel guilty, and I lose all the negative self-talk about 'blowing my diet'. And I enjoy the treat.

perkymommy

I stay terrified but I've only been back for a little over a week. I lost 25 lbs last year and that's my plan this go round as well since I have gained all of that weight back. I fear that sodium, working out too much, having a drink sometimes, eating too late in the evening, all of that will keep me from losing. I realize that's unrealistic but at the same time I want to lose weight so badly that I let my mind play tricks on me.

estherdragonbat

If it helps, I usually go wayyyyyyyyyyy over my sodium. The weight is still coming off.

lulalacroix

claudiaines5 wrote: »

lulalacroix wrote: »

No I don't. I believe in the math. As long as I eat less than I burn I will lose weight, regardless of treats.

Don't eat less food, eat less calories, eating less food it will take nowhere

I didn't say I eat less food. I actually eat a lot of food.

To be more specific, as long as I eat less calories than I burn I will lose weight.

WinoGelato

perkymommy wrote: »

I stay terrified but I've only been back for a little over a week. I lost 25 lbs last year and that's my plan this go round as well since I have gained all of that weight back. I fear that sodium, working out too much, having a drink sometimes, eating too late in the evening, all of that will keep me from losing. I realize that's unrealistic but at the same time I want to lose weight so badly that I let my mind play tricks on me.

Sodium = temporary water weight - nothing to be concerned about
Working Out Too Much = temporary water weight and/or fatigue and/or injury - so possibly something to be concerned about.
Having A Drink Sometimes = no impact on the scale or progress as long as calories from the drink do not put you over goal and lowered inhibitions from drinking do not result in eating foods above your goal
Eating Too Late In The Evening = no impact on scale if done within your overall calorie goal, can lead to heartburn or sleep issues if you are prone to those things.

You already know these things are not going to ultimately derail your ability to be successful. I'm guessing the reason you gained back the 25 lbs is because like many, you either lost it in a way that you didn't find sustainable for the long term, or because you simply became complacent in following through on the habits you built.