Treat myself

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katiekat1991
katiekat1991 Posts: 4 Member
edited January 2018 in Health and Weight Loss
I’m going out this evening to a steak night for a friends birthday. I’m counting calories for my weight loss. Eating out makes this more difficult. So my question is do I try to stagger my calories to make up for the extra I will most likely have tonight or do I eat as I normally would all day and just accept that I will most likely end up going over my goal calorie count for the day. I’m only a few days into this so I am really working at making healthy eating a habit. Should I omit the potato and just eat extra veg tonight? I’m still learning how this process works... I really am trying not to view the tougher days as “cheat” days.

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  • crb426
    crb426 Posts: 657 Member
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    It's ok to eat fewer calories during breakfast and lunch to account for the dinner calories.

    That said, you can still make good calorie choices at the steak house. Pre-plan your choices and pick the ones that will fit, or at least won't undo any hard work done so far.
  • quiksylver296
    quiksylver296 Posts: 28,442 Member
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    One meal didn't make you fat, and one meal won't make you skinny.

    Some people, if they know they're going out like that, will shave 100 calories off their previous 3-5 days to allow a buffer.

    Some people eat lighter that day. (I can't do this. It backfires on me and I don't make good choices at the restaurant because I'm so hungry.)

    Some people make the best choices possible at the restaurant and don't sweat it.

    One thing that really helped me was to learn my TDEE (Total Daily Energy Expenditure) or maintenance calories. My TDEE is approximately 2400 calories. My weight loss goal calories are 1870. So, if I go to the restaurant and eat a bit more, let's say 2200 calories for the day, guess what? I'm still under my TDEE and therefore still in a deficit for the day, just a smaller one. This knowledge REALLY helped me not beat myself up when I had a higher calorie day.
  • Need2Exerc1se
    Need2Exerc1se Posts: 13,575 Member
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    Do whichever you prefer. This is your life and your process. If you want to have a higher calorie meal and just move on as if it never happened that is fine. It won't make much difference in the long run if you do this occasionally. If you want to make those extra calories up by eating lighter for a few meals over the next few days, that's okay too. If you want to eat the potato, eat the potato. If you want to skip the potato for something lighter, then do that.

    It's all about you. What do you want to do? What will make the whole plan, not just one night, easiest for you?

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