Birthdays/Special Occasions

Jubee13

I reached my weight loss goal several weeks ago and have since lost a few more pounds. Now, I’ve lost weight many times, but usually when I reach goal, I stop tracking, have an eating free-for-all and gradually gain it back. I’m very determined not to let that happen this time! Saturday is my birthday. Today at work, they had a special lunch for me, complete with cake, but I tracked it all and am still well within my calories. Tomorrow is our family celebration, and I plan to fully enjoy that. I don’t really have anything planned for my actual birthday, but I’d love to take the day off from tracking. My question is for those who have maintained for awhile. What is the best way to handle these special occasions? I know I’ll be right back to tracking from Sunday on. Do you fully indulge and not track? Do you not track but try to stay “mindful”? I’d love to hear from the voices of experiences!

brenn24179

I don't always log but I try to be cautious all the time. I am going on vacation next week and wont log, then get back on. Maintenance is much harder than getting the weight off.

whmscll

I fully indulged for dinner on my b-day without going crazy. Ate and logged as usual during the day. Nice restaurant dinner. Ate the incredibly yummy crusty bread with butter. But we didn’t feel like having a starter. Ordered a high protein meat dish for my entree (braised lamb shank with squash and cheese mashed potatoes, beet salad), enjoyed a glass of red wine with it, and then split a gooey chocolate dessert with my husband. Have no idea how many calories. Enjoyed every bite. Went back to tracking the next morning.

AnnPT77

For a very, very select few occasions, I go full-bore indulgent.

My birthday is one of those. My NEAT is probably just a tad over 2000 calories; a full-bore indulgence seems to top out in the 5000-something area (yes, sometimes I log them; not always). If only a handful of times a year, it's just a blip. NBD.

mstheglitch

I've been maintaining for almost a month now and my Birthday is tomorrow. My husband is still working on losing the last four pounds but he insisted we buy two small pieces of cheesecake to celebrate. I think I'll log all my other foods tomorrow but might just eat a cheesecake piece with no regrets. I set my goal weight at 124 and I tend to drop during the work week and gain a bit on the weekends. Maintenance is hard for sure.

PAV8888

mstheglitch wrote: »

I've been maintaining for almost a month now and my Birthday is tomorrow. My husband is still working on losing the last four pounds but he insisted we buy two small pieces of cheesecake to celebrate. I think I'll log all my other foods tomorrow but might just eat a cheesecake piece with no regrets. I set my goal weight at 124 and I tend to drop during the work week and gain a bit on the weekends. Maintenance is hard for sure.

Happy upcoming birthday!

Why would you regret logging the piece of cheesecake you will eat?

I would only regret logging it if I didn't really want it, or if it didn't taste good for the calories invested!

nowine4me

Happy Birthday. If it were me, I’d eat it, enjoy it and log it. If it’s just a day here and there, you’ll probably trickle back down it goal weight in a few days. It’s the consistent overeating day after day that gets us in trouble.

csplatt

On days like this, I don't track. I've done good work, I'm at my goal weight. One or two days off, then a return to maintenance calories when it's over, has zero impact on maintaining my weight. I even went on a five day cruise this spring and was really afraid I'd gained 5 lb or so but guess what... once I got the courage to step back on the scale (about 10 days after I got home), I hadn't gained a thing.

cwolfman13

Jubee13 wrote: »

I reached my weight loss goal several weeks ago and have since lost a few more pounds. Now, I’ve lost weight many times, but usually when I reach goal, I stop tracking, have an eating free-for-all and gradually gain it back. I’m very determined not to let that happen this time! Saturday is my birthday. Today at work, they had a special lunch for me, complete with cake, but I tracked it all and am still well within my calories. Tomorrow is our family celebration, and I plan to fully enjoy that. I don’t really have anything planned for my actual birthday, but I’d love to take the day off from tracking. My question is for those who have maintained for awhile. What is the best way to handle these special occasions? I know I’ll be right back to tracking from Sunday on. Do you fully indulge and not track? Do you not track but try to stay “mindful”? I’d love to hear from the voices of experiences!

I've been maintaining for 6 years...special occasions aren't particularly material to the whole of what you're doing. What you're doing most of the time is what matters. I haven't tracked anything in 6 years...I have indulgences...I have days when I'm over and days when I'm under. I just monitor what's going on long term and keep an eye on the big picture rather than the minutia of this day or that.

Lolinloggen

Been in maintenance for 15 months now. I still track because I actually enjoy doing it and I know it keeps me more honest with myself

On an occasion like you describeI kinda track if I can - it will be rough and I know it, but it is in my database .
If not possible to track for whatever reason then I will add a rough guesstimate as quick calories (well above maintenance) note party and move on.
As long as these days don't happen a lot it is fine. Mine usually are my wedding anniversary and Christmas that are the big guesstimates

kbmnurse1

I do not log on a special occasion. But, next day back to tracking.

MikePTY

I had one of those days yesterday. Planned out in advance but I went to a pub event that included open appetizers and fully ate till stuffed mode. I put a random estimate of calories as a quick add in my diary, just so I had something. But I didn't think too long and hard of it.

None of us gained weight originally from 1 day of overeating. We gained it from consistent, long term patterns. Special occasions by themselves will not set you back unless you have the frequently.

Panini911

Timely post. i actually hit my goal for weight loss the week of my birthday arrived. THis week! so i'm still sorta anxious about maintenance and just hit my goal and balancing those emotions with my birthday.

Friday and Saturday I went to MFP's "maintenance" calories for the first time. while i plan to slowly increase cals to maintenance for those two days i went all the way. I ate reasonably both days but Friday I had pizza (small portion but still...full on dough), one beer and my bday cake which i ate too much of. Saturday I ate well even for dinner (i enjoyed it very much just wasn't a "big calorie bomb") but then I ate most of a pint of Ben and Jerry's...so ouch.

this is probably not what i should do but i plan to move back to 0.5lb/week loss this week "to be doubly safe" this weekend's double wammy didn't cause a blip right at goal then will transition to maintenance.

brenn24179

I have been eating small portions of stuff and can't believe I am really satisfied to eat a small piece of cake and not three or four pieces like I use to do. But I have to have some so I wont be deprived.

Jubee13

Update: Friday, I indulged, but still ate mindfully. I decided not to track at all yesterday (which was my bd) and started out fine. But after dinner, I ate junk WAY past the point of fullness. I’m taking it as a learning experience. I decided when I woke up this morning that I don’t want to feel that stuffed and sick again. So, I’ll try to always eat somewhat mindfully, even when indulging. Anyway, back to staying within my calories and tracking today!

gallicinvasion

Jubee13 wrote: »

Update: Friday, I indulged, but still ate mindfully. I decided not to track at all yesterday (which was my bd) and started out fine. But after dinner, I ate junk WAY past the point of fullness. I’m taking it as a learning experience. I decided when I woke up this morning that I don’t want to feel that stuffed and sick again. So, I’ll try to always eat somewhat mindfully, even when indulging. Anyway, back to staying within my calories and tracking today!

Proud of you!

Jruzer

I don't track on big days. I just put down 4000 kcal as a placeholder for the day and move on.

WilmaValley

Great suggestions!

cheryldumais

Twice a year I allow myself to indulge. My birthday and Christmas day. I still log it all and since losing weight I can't eat like I used to. I have overindulged a couple of times on my birthday and ended up feeling green from it so it's become alot easier to control my splurges.