How do you celebrate your birthday whilst dieting?

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Replies

  • On my birthday I ate a slice of cake, 2 alcohol beverages and somewhat of a fattening dinner. I gained 3 lbs. Be careful. 1 day ruined me! I stuck to my calories several days before and after yet that one day did me in....
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    I celebrate with a rack of BBQ baby back ribs, baked beans, cake and ice cream .........

    Heh heh heh "rack".
  • JenAndSome
    JenAndSome Posts: 1,893 Member
    I personally wouldn't worry too much since it is only one day, but since you say you don't want the usual, perhaps you could go hiking or something with your family during the day so that you can still have a great dinner and a few drinks without feeling guilty.
  • determinedbutlazy
    determinedbutlazy Posts: 1,941 Member
    On my birthday I ate a slice of cake, 2 alcohol beverages and somewhat of a fattening dinner. I gained 3 lbs. Be careful. 1 day ruined me! I stuck to my calories several days before and after yet that one day did me in....

    You did not gain 3lbs in fat, you retained some water due to sodium. You would have to eat 10,500 calories over your total energy allowance for the day in order to gain 3lbs of fat.
  • helenrosemay
    helenrosemay Posts: 375 Member
    The first week of my diet was my Birthday and of course we went out for a meal. I started off with healthy choices, chicken & veg, a couple of white wines, but then got home drunk more wine and had a takeaway. Looking back it didn't matter that one day of indulgence as I still lost weight and have continued to do so.
    I say just enjoy it. It's one day out of a year.
  • Event_Horizon975
    Event_Horizon975 Posts: 226 Member
    On my birthday I ate a slice of cake, 2 alcohol beverages and somewhat of a fattening dinner. I gained 3 lbs. Be careful. 1 day ruined me! I stuck to my calories several days before and after yet that one day did me in....
    Huh!?!?!
    If you truly gained 3lbs of fat (not water weight/retention) then you had to have consumed 12,000 calories in that single day. This is also assuming you never left bed and remained completely inactive as to not burn anything beyond the 1500 your body burns just to function. :noway: This is a tall order.
  • atb0821
    atb0821 Posts: 458 Member
    On my birthday I ate a slice of cake, 2 alcohol beverages and somewhat of a fattening dinner. I gained 3 lbs. Be careful. 1 day ruined me! I stuck to my calories several days before and after yet that one day did me in....

    You did not gain 3lbs in fat, you retained some water due to sodium. You would have to eat 10,500 calories over your total energy allowance for the day in order to gain 3lbs of fat.

    Yep. Sodium will make you think you've gained, but you'll lose it quick once you flush it out.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    Put the chocolate in the freezer and eat it a piece or two at a time, making it fit your goals. Have only one piece of cake and enjoy it. Give the rest (or most of it) away. Or simply make/buy a smaller cake so there are less leftovers. Eat and drink to enjoyment but not excess, realizing that this is a special occasion and it's okay to splurge occasionally.

    Get back on track the next day.
  • mom2sons02
    mom2sons02 Posts: 111 Member
    I agree with the other posters, eat out, enjoy your birthday. Something you could do to keep those gift boxes of chocolate away, ask that they donate any money they would spend on your birthday gift to your favorite charity. I am considering "charity water" for my next birthday.
    The more water I drink daily, the more I realize how important it is. And I don't have to walk 12 miles every day to get my supply. Anyway, enough preaching-Happy Birthday!!
  • On my birthday I ate a slice of cake, 2 alcohol beverages and somewhat of a fattening dinner. I gained 3 lbs. Be careful. 1 day ruined me! I stuck to my calories several days before and after yet that one day did me in....

    You did not gain 3lbs in fat, you retained some water due to sodium. You would have to eat 10,500 calories over your total energy allowance for the day in order to gain 3lbs of fat.

    Yep. Sodium will make you think you've gained, but you'll lose it quick once you flush it out.

    It was still very depressing to see the scale change and it took over a week to go down.
  • Phoenyx01
    Phoenyx01 Posts: 9 Member
    You could also use your birthday as a free day. I have been giving myself a free day each week, but honestly it has really been a free meal the way I have been doing it. In one meal, i.e. birthday dinner, have what you want, and then use that guilt to strengthen your resolve! So just treat your birthday like a going away party for your fat, and start your program in earnest the day after! :happy:
  • elainecroft
    elainecroft Posts: 595 Member
    I'm going to go rock climbing in the morning, and then my sister is throwing a party in the afternoon, where I will eat whatever I want. :)
  • gsgitu
    gsgitu Posts: 118 Member
    Hi everyone tomorrow is my 28th birthday and usually my birthday revolves around food and drink, breakfast in bed, family lunch,dinner with friends and a night drinking at a bar or at karaoke!! Oh and of course the cake several servings naturally and then leftover cake for breakfast the next day when i have a hangover,not forgetting the 10 boxes of chocolate you received because everyone thinks buying a fat girl chocolate is the perfect gift !!
    This year i don't want that,its not the person i want to be anymore ...everyday your either making a positive step towards your goal or your moving further away from it.
    Im changing my lifestyle and i think my birthday is a positive way to start. Can anyone give me any ideas how to spend my birthday in a healthy way? Thanks

    Ask for a cauliflower cake instead of the usual
    ***gag***
    ya, i almost spit my tea on my keyboard. that's funny. maybe some broccoli frosting to go with it. i prefer my moms red velvet cake. no one makes it like mom does.
  • mrslcoop
    mrslcoop Posts: 317 Member
    I will have one dessert at the restaurant so that I am not further tempted by leftovers.

    I really like that idea.
  • tigerblue
    tigerblue Posts: 1,526 Member
    One day won't kill your efforts, just like one great day won't make you an instant success. You don't want to be so rigid that you'll start to resent your change in eating. Instead of saying "no" to everything, exercise moderation: Two small bites of cake, one spoon of ice cream, maybe a deviled egg or two... and plenty, plenty of water. Keep moving about socializing, which will help you burn the cals. Oh... btw, hope you have a wonderful birthday!

    This. Moderation in all.

    Seriously. When I started this journey almost 4 years ago, I vowed that it would be something sustainable! That means real life every day. Part of my family`s celebrations always centers around food. And much of my "entertainment" and most date nights include eating out. We celebrate with food, in large part because we are not big drinkers as a family. So I will not give these occaisions up. I also will not sit and watch my family eat, and I will not fix "special food"" for me. So my solution is as above. If I know that there is a celebration coming, I move more and eat less coming up to it. And then I watch my portion sizes. If we are eating out, I look for the healthiest alternative, although sometimes that is realtive! (After all, if your son chooses McDonalds for his special day, your choices may be limited!) Although I do not deprive myself, I also do not go totally out of control. For me, even at Christmas, I ate sensibly. Yes, I went several hundred cals over my allowance, but not several thousand!

    So enjoy, but be sensible. Then get back on track the next day.
  • highervibes
    highervibes Posts: 2,219 Member
    I usually go out for a big steak, huge piece of ice cream cake and then I finish by having sex with my hubby.
  • dlionsmane
    dlionsmane Posts: 674 Member
    EAT ALL THE FOOD!

    This ALL THE WAY! its your birthday damn it! Enjoy yourself!
  • Mischievous_Rascal
    Mischievous_Rascal Posts: 1,791 Member
    My take on it is -- This is not a diet. This is a life-long change. Celebrations are going to happen and when they do, I live it up. Then I get right back on track. Maybe look at it like this: Does ONE whole day of healthy eating while the rest are poor give you any real progress? Of course not. The same can be said of ONE day or night out of celebrating with food/drink. It won't derail your goals just so long as you immediately get back on program.

    Good luck & HAPPY BIRTHDAY! :drinker:

    Exactly. And have a very happy birthday!!!
  • bob_day
    bob_day Posts: 87
    1. Learn to eat mainly for nutrition and not so much for pleasure --
    learn to enjoy healthful foods.

    2. For your birthday, do something special that does not involve
    eating
  • rainbow198
    rainbow198 Posts: 2,245 Member
    In my opinion go out an enjoy yourself with your friends and family etc. Life is short!

    I still go to my fav. restaurant every year and enjoy myself like before my weight loss. The only thing I do differently is that bake cupcakes and make some homemade ice cream. I plan for it and I have an increase workout and drinks lots of water the next day. I know my weight will be up the next day due to sodium, but it's just one day.

    Have a happy 28th birthday!!!!!
  • MFPRat
    MFPRat Posts: 201 Member
    Tomorrow is my birthday. Tonight, I'm going out for a few beers with a friend.

    At some point in the next few days, there may be cake.

    I'm going to enjoy my birthday. After all, it only comes once a year. As long as I don't stretch my celebration for the whole year, I don't need to be worried.

    PS: if it just so happens that there is NOT cake involved...I will go out for ice cream and really enjoy it!
  • kimmymayhall
    kimmymayhall Posts: 419 Member
    Happy pre-Birthday! Eat the foods that you want to. Don't go overboard just because "that's what we do on birthdays", just enjoy yourself. You'll probably see an increase on the scale after, but it won't be much fat gain. You've got many days behind and ahead of you that contribute to your progress.
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
    Today is my birthday and I'm on my 3rd donut. Heading to an italian restaurant at lunch for stuffed shells and fried calamari. Then some cake and ice cream later.

    Bottom line: it's just one day. You may feel bloated after but you can flush all that out with good water intake and get right back on track. We should have something special to look forward to on our birthdays :smile:

    Happy Birthday :)
  • suziepoo1984
    suziepoo1984 Posts: 915 Member
    Its your birthday, enjoy it :) No diet on this day..Maybe if you feeling too guilty, then have all the foods in moderation..but have fun!
  • kmbweber2014
    kmbweber2014 Posts: 680 Member
    I turn 28 next Tuesday. I'm planning on breakfast with my family, a run, then the rest of the day at our local amusement park with my son, where I will eat junk food and drink Pina Coladas. It's my birthday and I will do what I want
  • ingeh
    ingeh Posts: 513 Member
    for me birthdays,anniversary and christmas are free days! Its a special occasion and one day wont hurt. Yeah you might "gain" a few lbs in bloat but it will go down.
  • Enjoy yourself, and eat all you're offered! One day isn't going to hurt much. You've done amazingly well so far, and you'll do amazingly well after it too.

    Happy Birthday! :flowerforyou:
  • jpolinisse
    jpolinisse Posts: 149 Member
    Shots!!
  • jamiebxo
    jamiebxo Posts: 116
    Firstly, happy birthday! :) I hope you have a great day.

    As for your question, give yourself the day off! It's your birthday, relax and celebrate it by eating the cake and whatever else you like :) it's only one day 'off' your diet.
  • Mslmesq
    Mslmesq Posts: 1,000 Member
    Happy Birthday!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Woo-Hoo!!!!!!!!

    Ideally (aside from food / drink), how would you want to spend your birthday? Any activity you like? What did you enjoy doing as a child? Many times we like to do an adult version of the same thing, or the same thing. Perhaps ask for something special that involves this activity.

    Whatever you do, or don't do, don't beat yourself up over one day. Enjoy and celebrate!