What do you do when you screw up for a day?

phlumpet

I mean really screw up, like make an awesome pecan pie for a special occasion and go 1000 calories over your daily goal. Do you exercise like crazy the next day? I'm afraid that if I eat less today to make a calorie deficit, it will just backfire (I used to be a notorious yo-yo dieter) and I will end up eating a ton of bad stuff tonight out of hunger or I won't have enough energy to do my long run tomorrow. Any tips? Should I let it go?

chevy88grl

I was 1200 calories over my daily goal on Friday. What did I do? Well, I logged it all, closed out the diary and started fresh yesterday. I'm not obsessing over it. I don't feel guilty over it. I am not berating myself over it. What's done is done. One day isn't going to undo all your hard work. Each day is a new day and you need to look at it like that - don't hold yesterday's decisions over today's head.

Don't eat a deficit. Don't workout to the point where you aren't consuming any calories for today. Go back to your normal eating and workout routine.

What's done is done.

xMissAprilx

Mess ups happen. I just realize what I did and continue the next day as normal. Drink LOTS of water to lose whatever water weight I might have added and just try not to do it again. I'm not going to eat less than normal the next day, but I might exercise an extra 30mins to an hour just help boost my confidence in myself.

getyupcowgirl

Awesome words of wisdom!

crazynay96

every day is a new day. Don't harp on it. You screwed up yesterday? So you did. Today you learn from it and you keep it moving and you don't do it again! Good luck!

martina123321

New day, fresh start...........that is all

Good luck by the way.

megz4987

I don't believe you can erase a mistake the day after (just me). The way I do thing is if I know I'm going to a friends house and may snack or to a function and will snack/have dessert, I'll exercise before hand to leave room for it mainly because I know I won't want to exercise when I get home.

ninerbuff

I mean really screw up, like make an awesome pecan pie for a special occasion and go 1000 calories over your daily goal. Do you exercise like crazy the next day? I'm afraid that if I eat less today to make a calorie deficit, it will just backfire (I used to be a notorious yo-yo dieter) and I will end up eating a ton of bad stuff tonight out of hunger or I won't have enough energy to do my long run tomorrow. Any tips? Should I let it go?

I don't worry about it. I'm happy and just workout a little harder the next day.

Stuartm1

One day isn't a disaster it's not a race to lose weight it's a lifestyle change Remember MFP sets you at a level to lose weight so it just means you don't hit the target that day. If you know you are going to eat lots try to do some extra excercise during that day to give you additional net calories.

billsica

I look at every day as a different day. I don't start making deals with myself to eat less today to eat more tomorrow.
I don't have cheat days. If I know I'm going ti eat more, or if I mess up. I just deal with it, as a part of life.
Try learn from it and move on to tomorrow.

heather7marie

If I mess up really bad, I put it behind me and move on, knowing that slip ups happen. One day isn't going to be the end of the world as long as you get back to the grind the next day and don't make a habit of it.

sarahsmom1

each day is its own

eates

Just start again the next day. I'm not planning on spending the rest of my life never indulging a bit. Just get back on track the next day and go from there.

randylevy

Drink extra water and get back on track. You'll be fine. Even if you don't lose a pound this week, congratulate yourself for getting back on track.

Stuartm1

I don't believe you can erase a mistake the day after (just me). The way I do thing is if I know I'm going to a friends house and may snack or to a function and will snack/have dessert, I'll exercise before hand to leave room for it mainly because I know I won't want to exercise when I get home.

Good Answer

phlumpet

Thanks all! I can tell by your weight loss tickers you are all doing great so I will trust your words of wisdom!

kyle4jem

Mmmm I love Pecan Pie Haven't had any in ages, mind.

Honestly, you went over budget... no big deal. :smokin: Seriously, don't beat yourself up about it and certainly don't starve yourself out of guilt. :noway:

Now if you were eating pecan pie everyday.... well then I'd be giving you the waggy finger and telling you to buck up you ideas

It'll all balance out by the end of the week and even if it doesn't, there's always the week after. There is no quick fix to losing weight and there will always be ups and downs... that's only natural.

melissabee31

Studies show that people who think negative thoughts or thoughts of guilt about what they eat can actually secrete hormones that hold on to fat instead of lose it. The more you think "I shouldn't be eating this" in your head, the more your put your body at physical risk to backfire. Yes, mistakes happen. If it happens more than once a week, though, and you are constantly giving in to sweets, you are probably not eating enough calories.

I'm an avid SELF reader and believe in their diet advice. I took a "quiz" in a recent magazine and it asked, "Are you always hungry?" Why, yes. "Are you on a diet?" Yes, I am. "Then you're probably heading for the sweets due to deprivation of calories in general." Sure, eating more calories doesn't make a sweet tooth disappear. But if you are trying to avoid sweets and find that you can't, eating an extra snack earlier in the day (like carrots or string cheese) can fend off later cravings for the candy bars.

Gemini_at_36

:flowerforyou: The day you screw up eventually ends, (they all do). You start from a fresh day all over again. You try to think why you ate what you ate and if there is a way to next time do something different. I read your board but already forgot the details. Next time when you make a pecan pie, look up "eating well" and see if they have a recipe for a pecan pie that is healthier. I love lasagne, cheese and cooked one yesterday from eating well. No it doesn't taste as sinful as an original fatty lasagna but NOW I can wear danskos because my feet don't swell and my 3X sizes are getting very baggy. I can learn to eat different tastes. Just remember, tomorrow is another day and when you wake up in the morning tell yourself, I'm staring over.

russelljclarke

Just get back on the horse and DON'T give up!

grassette

IF I know ahead of time, I exercise and bank the extra calories (a Weight Watcher strategy), and if I did not plan ahead, I exercise more over the next few days to burn off the extra. I agree with not obsessing about it. We all need to feast, except that we can't feast all the time, or too frequently.

Not that I am against a fast. Fasting is good for you spiritually, if you do it with spiritual intention, and reasonably no more than once a week.

The other thing is finding out how much of that pecan pie you can eat, and adjusting accordingly. It might mean a sliver, or 2 TBsp worth, but sometimes that is enough of something delicious. You can really enjoy each tiny morsel to the max and make it last as long as a full piece.

l23hornet

I allow myself to mess up at least once or twice a week, But i make sure i'm extremely disciplined on the other 5. I don't feel guilty because i plan on having a healthy lifestyle for a very long time and i'm not going to hold myself back from little pleasures during the whole process.

Good luck.

rachelleahsmom

I'm so happy to have read this post. It's not even 2 in the afternoon and I have consumed all but 200 of my daily calories. I will try to exercise a bit, but Sundays are usually reserved for church and family. It was the church part that did me in today - family fun day which included hot dogs, potato chips and dessert. I did eat a carrot when I got home...

mp09aap

as long as its no more than once every 2 weeks its ok to have a day where you go over on the calories, even by 1500 cal. as long as its not more than once every 2 weeks you will loose weight

randylevy

"Don't hold yesterday's decisions over today's head."

Well said. I love that line.

atsteele

I mean really screw up, like make an awesome pecan pie for a special occasion and go 1000 calories over your daily goal. Do you exercise like crazy the next day? I'm afraid that if I eat less today to make a calorie deficit, it will just backfire (I used to be a notorious yo-yo dieter) and I will end up eating a ton of bad stuff tonight out of hunger or I won't have enough energy to do my long run tomorrow. Any tips? Should I let it go?

You need to fuel your body for a long run. Go with some good carbs and some lean protein tonight but in moderation (with water before your meal and maybe even after) and I think you'll be fine. I go over my calories for the day a lot, sometimes even 1,000 calories over, and it doesn't affect my maintenance/long term goals because I set my calories goals for weight loss... even though I am maintaining. So it averages out.

SpartanTrainer

Don't skip any meals. It is ok to cheat once in awhile. It is better to have that pecan pie today than never and binge later on. You might feel heavier now but once it is digested you will not have gained anymore. If you feel like you over did it just drink lots of water which will help flush your system.

bry_all01

Same as I do every single other day. Keep going. I've gone well over before and I laughed it off and started fresh the next day. Feeling guilty isn't really going to do any good.

traceybarbour

just except it as a bad day, just pick up tomorrow and no that its part of life. we are all gonna have slip ups but what makes the diffrence is just getting your self back on track and don't go all crazy and say well i messed up now so **** it..it is gonna be a part of this journey..good luck!

Jill_newimprovedversion

You log it and you learn from it.
Are you looking for a lifestyle change that allows you the freedom to one day NOT obsess over food?

You can add a piece of pie to your life, eating SEVERAL pieces is another story.

If you know you're going into a situation where you'd like some dessert, you shift your other choices in the day around
so that you've got "room" for it that day- or you exercise to make the room ahead of time- or later on THAT SAME DAY.

One day, when you reach your goal, you'll have more "wiggle room" but until then, you take less and learn to be satisfied w/ it.

I was a binge eater before I started this- and I can say it is POSSIBLE to reach that place.
I no longer will sit and pig out all day long- I've learned to be content on less- and still can enjoy treats several times a week,
I just have to keep my eye on my goals-
My REASONS why I'm on this journey-
and for me, I HAVE to find a place where I can maintain this AFTER I reach my final goal...
and that will include going out, eating birthday cake @ grandkids' parties, having fun, and not obsessing over food AGAIN.

You log it, you learn from it, you look back over how you could have skipped some other things that day- and use the info for the NEXT time it comes up ( and not doubt IT WILL)

The beauty of each day is it's a FRESH START. CLEAN SLATE. GRACE.

MrsCon40

I log everything and when I hit "complete" I draw a line under that day and the next day starts anew.

If I were to get into the mindset of working out more the next day it would feel like punishment. There are days that I will do wildly over, but that's life. It's occasionally and not habitually.