One day out with friends ruins any weight loss

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Ducks47
Ducks47 Posts: 131 Member
edited May 2019 in Motivation and Support
Hi all,

I’m really struggling to maintain my social life and diet. I’ll be in a 500 calorie deficit for the week and then go out with my friends one night and my deficit becomes only like 300 calories avg. Tonight I went to dinner and ate at maintenance or maybe a little over. When I divide that by the entire week it messes up the deficit I’ve been running. Does anyone have advice on how to have a social life/estimate calories at a restaurant (not listed where i am)? Between the meal and wine, it’s making my weight loss less than 1 lb a week. Should I just quit being social? Im disappointed but also relieved I only had 2300 calories instead of like 3500. I’m a female in her 20s, 5 feet 7 inch, 169 lbs. Really bummed out about this though.

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  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
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    A night out typically is increased sodium and wine - so water weight...go out enjoy life
  • Terytha
    Terytha Posts: 2,097 Member
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    Do you have to order wine? Or can you slowly sip just one glass?

    Can you order smaller portions, or have some of your meal put in a to-go box?
  • Ducks47
    Ducks47 Posts: 131 Member
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    I think you’re right. I had dessert and wine and that made it difficult. Thank you for the advice. I might try eating less during the week by maybe 100 cal. Thanks !!
    Panini911 wrote: »
    you are still losing though. maybe just keep a smaller rate of loss but live your life more happily?

    if you quite being social you'll just end up in this struggle at maintenance. Most members recommend just working out new habits during the loss phase instead.

    Some will increase their daily deficit a bit more on week days to save up calories for the weekend (basically working on a weekly calorie goal VS daily). Personally i am already pretty low calorie i would struggle during my main loss phase to eat ANY less to save calories.

    so that leaves making better decisions when out:
    - look at the menu ahead of time, many now post nutritional facts. But even if they do'nt you can read between the lines and plan your order ahead. Plan an order you will enjoy but also fits in your goal. you can often mix and match and remove things. Personally rice doesn't do it for me so i'll skip that to save calories for eaxmple. Select low fat cuts of meat. Sauces on the side. opt for grilled veggy sides.
    - Maybe look at lower calorie drinks. Drinking less. Not drinking every outing. Don't have a drink AND a dessert.
    - good choices only means fitting your calorie goal i am not labelling foor good or bad here.

    You can maybe encourage restaurant choices that will make it easier for you to make good choices within your calorie goal (not all the time but some of the time). Or maybe invite them over and cook so you have more control.

  • asochable
    asochable Posts: 43 Member
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    Your daily deficit goes to 300 instead of 500 calories? Or your total calories in for the week is now 300 less than calories out? I find the nutrition tab where it shows net calories compared to the weekly goal helpful. In my case, I’m set to 0.5 lb per week and so I check the net calories over the week and try to make sure it’s around the goal (maybe 300-500 over for the week if I had one big outing). Given the built in deficit, that still puts me at losing weight, just slowly. Also use a weight loss trend app! Over time you may see those evenings out don’t make much difference.
  • pierinifitness
    pierinifitness Posts: 2,231 Member
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    Having a social life and following your weight loss goals are not incompatible. It’s like walking and chewing gum, you can do both at the same time.

    Take responsibility for your decisions on what you drink and eat when socializing. Once you do, problem solved!
  • nooboots
    nooboots Posts: 480 Member
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    My friend has just come to the end of 18 months of weight loss and lost 3 stone, which averages out at .5lbs a week, some weeks she didnt lose for ages, being very fond of the booze and holidays, other weeks quite a lot came off.

    18 months is nothing actually, so why not either go for .5lb loss a week, which shouldnt interfere with your social life, or you could go for a 750 calorie deficit in the week, which might make up for the weekends. on the other hand you might really go for it at the weekends as you're so starved of lovely things.
  • Suuzanne37
    Suuzanne37 Posts: 114 Member
    edited May 2019
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    I read a post recently on Instagram from Syattfitness wherein was stated, “Being 100% on point with your nutrition isn’t perfect. It’s prison”. He also stated to hit your nutrition, 80%, rather than 100% so that you can go out and enjoy yourself.

    Review the restaurant menu ahead of time, skip the dessert and have a 6 oz glass of wine vs. a 9 oz. Go out and enjoy yourself.
  • brittanystebbins95
    brittanystebbins95 Posts: 567 Member
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    When I was trying to lose, I would ask my friends if we could go places where I knew the nutritional info (or could find it) or I would ask if we could do something that did not require eating out. Occasionally, I would eat before leaving and then just order a side salad or some fruit to be social.
    Sometimes they would get annoyed, but they all knew how important my goals were to me.
    Having fun or spending time with your friends does not HAVE to involve food or drinks. See if any of them would maybe want to explore some local hiking trails, and you can pack a picnic lunch or something.
  • PaytraB
    PaytraB Posts: 2,360 Member
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    When I was trying to lose, I would try to keep 100 calories below my daily limit to "save" for the weekend. Weekends are difficult. This gave me an approx 500 calorie cushion to help me.

    On the afternoon in question, can you eat a salad or low calorie small meal/snack before going out to fill your stomach? This will keep you from ordering dessert and maybe also eating a smaller meal out. Meals out are high in sodium & calories, for the most part.
    Limit your wine to one or two glasses; then drink water. You can have both glasses at your disposal and take turns sipping on both throughout the evening so that people don't notice that your wine drinking is limited. Lean heavily on the water.

    You can do this. It's a lifestyle change that includes making aware decisions to find that balance. You are currently still losing, which means you are doing really well. Congratulations!
  • gallicinvasion
    gallicinvasion Posts: 1,015 Member
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    It helps me to decide whether I’m going to use extra calories on drinks or good food. (Personally, I don’t ever want to drink one drink only. If I can’t have enough drinks to get me drunk, I’d rather have zero drinks😂). So if I’m going out twice in a weekend, I’ll choose one night to be my drinking night (ignore the food) and one night to be my delicious-food night (no alcohol, spend any extra calories on a good restaurant meal).
  • asochable
    asochable Posts: 43 Member
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    Another thing I’ve been doing that helps to stay closer to my calorie goal while eating out is to order steak! They can only make steak so unhealthy and it usually comes with veggies and a potato so you can normally keep the calories lower than many of the other dishes. For me, it means I feel like I’m splurging having steak out, but I’m also making a healthier choice than some of the chicken dishes where they add lots of sauces etc.

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