You're over your calorie limit after lunch - what do YOU do?

Bratsche

Hi all - a scenario for you

I went out for lunch today, not something I do often (daughter home from college for a few days this week). I'm now OVER my calorie limit for the day, which means....what?

Its no help telling me what I "should" have done, because its done...so.....

What do YOU do in this situation?
Eat a modest dinner and REALLY blow calories?
Go work out till you drop and hope you've worked out enough that you can have a salad (sans dressing) before you go to bed?
Drink water and hope you manage till tomorrow?

I'm looking forward to your answers on this one!

nmclaurin

At WW they told us to have a HUGE salad filled with all types of veggies. Lots of food for very little calories. Do you mind opening up your food diary?

jbucci1186

i would work out to compensate (and so i could eat dinner) and drink a lot of water.

azimisp1

Have a normal dinner - nothing huge, just what you would normally have Like you said, what's done is done. The best thing you can do is get back on track with your next meal. One splurge meal with your daughter won't throw you off track. As far as exercise goes, just keep on with your normal schedule.


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kamoira23

Don't let it get you down too much! It's only one day! Work out a little extra if you have time, drink plenty of water, and start again tomorrow!

dclove0912

Eat a modest dinner. Make it something that is high in veggies and fruits so you really fill up on it without all the calories and fat (like a salad, light on the lettuce and heavy on the onions, peppers, carrots, tomatoes, apples, etc!) Drink lots of water to purge the salt from your system, too, or you'll feel cruddy tomorrow. One day this week won't kill your plan!

nlewis22

If I'm being totally honest here, which I am, I would still have a sensible, small dinner and chalk it up as a "cheat" meal. It's a special occasion, your daughter was in town.

taso42_DELETED

Have a normal dinner - nothing huge, just what you would normally have Like you said, what's done is done. The best thing you can do is get back on track with your next meal. One splurge meal with your daughter won't throw you off track. As far as exercise goes, just keep on with your normal schedule.

exactly this

jamk1446

Just remember that this is only one meal. Get right back on track to whatever you have been doing that is working for you.

Shawna0101

Eat if you are hungry, keep it healthy of course and start fresh tomorrow. Blowing your calories for one day is no big deal, I have done it a few times and I am still losing.

Chrissy2627

Get in your regular exercise then eat a light supper and make sure to drink plenty of water. Its okay to go over calories occasionally, just don't get into a habit of it. For future out to eat trips, it often helps to check out the online nutritional guides of the restaurant that you are going to so that you can prepare what you would like to have. That is what I usually do. I have been on vacation for the past several days, eating out about twice a day, but haven't gone over my 1460 daily cal limit yet. Good luck to you! I just wouldn't skip supper if I were you, I think that you will get overly hungry and then have difficulty not overeating tomorrow.

banjjo

I have done this. How far are you over? I would have vegis and healthy protein for dinner so you aren't starving, and not worry about working out. You won't blow it on one lunch and having a healthy dinner won't add many more calories. I know it's frustrating though. Sometimes in these situations I end up binging because I get so frustrated, but really in reality, I don't think one day of too many calories over will make a difference. Good luck! I hope others may have some good ideas.

Kolohe71

I'd go to the gym to minimize the damage and then eat veggies (salad) for dinner with water. If I'm still over, oh well, it's only one day and I can start fresh tomorrow.

Remember, it's not a sprint, it's a marathon.

techymum

Agree with things already written - have a regular dinner, perhaps lighter than usual, drink lots of water, and enjoy the time with your daughter! Don't let the concern over calories override the great time you had with her!

snakegoddess_3

I agree with everyone else. Definately eat because you'll probably get hungry. Don't over do it but don't punish yourself for a cheat meal and hop back on tomorrow. You can cheat now and then

OtakuEngineer

First i wouldn't panic over it... what I would do is eat a dinner that is sensible since I spent your calories elsewhere for the day, if I can fit in a little workout to help work some of those lunchtime calories off I would, but I also wouldn't overwork myself to point of collapse, drink a lot of water, and just don't worry about it. If this isn't an everyday occurrence one day really shouldn't matter every now and then.

You already said yourself it's not something you do often, just compensate the best you can without killing yourself over it, eat to not be hungry but not full either, and make tomorrow a better day.

bluefox9er

I'd eat dinner as normal, and treat tomorrow as a new day! treat this as a lifestyle and not as some sort of extreme regime and roll with the punches :-) as long as you eat sensibly for the most part, nothing bad will happen!

kmeekhof

Get in a workout - even just 30 minutes and eat a modest dinner including some protein. One day will not hurt you!! Don't skip, it could just make you want to eat a lot tomorrow morning!

LauraMarie37

Hahahaha well the devil on my shoulder would eat whatever I wanted (and probably drink a good bit, too), since hey, I already am over for the day, why try to salvage a lost cause?

The angel on my shoulder would see if there's something fun that me and my (hypothetical) daughter could do together that would burn *some* calories - go for a walk, take a Zumba class, whatever, then try to eat lean but filling things for the rest of the day (a giant, veggie-filled salad, greek yogurt, a high-fiber snack bar, whatever). I would end the day over calories, but not beat myself up for it, and be glad I still made some good, healthy choices throughout the day.

The real me vacillates somewhat between that angel and that devil, depending on the day and my mindset. But don't we all?

AmandaR910

I would drink about a gallon of water, eat a light but filling dinner, and not worry about it.

sgv0918

Have a normal dinner - nothing huge, just what you would normally have Like you said, what's done is done. The best thing you can do is get back on track with your next meal. One splurge meal with your daughter won't throw you off track. As far as exercise goes, just keep on with your normal schedule.


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THIS

ANeWcRe8N

1 day wont hurt, but I would usually try and eat something light for dinner, drink tons of water, and workout to help burn off some of the calories. Dont beat yourself up about it though

ajbeans

I would eat a normal dinner, get in a little extra workout if you have time (but not a kill-yourself type -- just a moderate one), and get back to normal tomorrow. One day isn't going to ruin your week, and chances are you probably didn't even go over maintenance calories, so it won't make you gain (maybe some water weight if your meal was high in sodium, but that doesn't count). Don't freak out about it. Just carry on as normal.

ladygloria

Have a normal dinner - nothing huge, just what you would normally have Like you said, what's done is done. The best thing you can do is get back on track with your next meal. One splurge meal with your daughter won't throw you off track. As far as exercise goes, just keep on with your normal schedule.

This! No shame in going over your calories. There is a built in deficit and the worst that can happen is that you have less of one. Whatever you choose, don't skip a meal.

SueInAz

It really would depend on how I'd been doing the days previous to the "blown" day. If I'd been really good, I'd just chalk it up to a good time and move on. I might hit the exercise bike or the sidewalks for an extra 20 minutes to help burn off a few more calories, and I might not depending on my free time that evening.

If I knew I'd been going over recently, I'd probably eat a very small dinner full of veggies and lean protein and get in that extra workout time with a very small snack after the workout so I wouldn't be ravenous later that night.

I'm of the mind that I'm doing this as a lifestyle. Special times with families happen and are a normal part of my life. I don't want to miss them or not enjoy myself because I might not lose 1/2 pound this week.

cbirdso

This has happened to me. I just make sure I eat a VERY NUTRITIOUS dinner (because overeating calories ALWAYS makes me hungrier than I would be normally) and eat within 'normal parameters' for the next couple of days or so for sure.

I then think over what I WILL do differently if a similar situtation occurs. Sometimes, the answer is: "it's unavoidable" and sometimes I have been able to zigzag my calories ahead of time to accommodate a special occasion or make better choices.

If I learn something new about how to handle these types of situations I consider it a success and move on. Good Luck!

Alissa_Sal

Have a normal dinner - nothing huge, just what you would normally have Like you said, what's done is done. The best thing you can do is get back on track with your next meal. One splurge meal with your daughter won't throw you off track. As far as exercise goes, just keep on with your normal schedule.

This.

In the past, I have been guilty of really all or nothing type thinking. If I blew a meal, the whole day was blown, and heck, maybe the whole week was blown too.

One of the things that I'm working on is just accepting that this is a life long process. I kind of blew it at a special dinner at my parent's house last night, but instead of letting that set me off course for days or weeks, I'm just back to it today. I think that's what you have to do - just accept that what's done is done, and move forward in a healthy normal way.

vsetter

Have a healthy semi-low calorie dinner tonight and get your regular amount of exercise. Maybe tomorrow (and the next) try to have some calories left over. Make it balance for the week --- not for the day!

workinprogress12_2

Smart people!!! Seems you got affirmation about dinner. Light with lots of water and knowing you enjoyed lunch with your daughter!

momof3and3

It is not called cheating, it is called living! We all will have times in our life that we will live...a piece of birthday cake, an ice cream sundae or a glass of wine. The goal here is to become more aware of what and how you eat, so day to day you make good choices. The goal is to not deprive yourself of a treat every now or then; there is no way you can live life without having a special meal or a piece of cake ever again.
Enjoy your special lunch...eat a normal dinner that is on your new lifesyle eating plan, drink water and tomorrow go back to your day to day. Don't weigh yourself tomorrow, sometimes over endulging will cause a temporary water weight gain which might upset you.

Enjoy your time with your daughter...they grow up way to fast!

Bratsche

You all are great - thanks for the "keep your chin up" motivation and the suggestions - especially the water, I forget about that.

This was just one of those days - a VERY sincere thank you to everyone and the help and support you offer!

J~