Motivation to keep going after the day has already gone wron

newarkco05

So today I realized after lunch that I only had 100 calories left. I already had my dinner planned and it was a pretty big calorie one... I think my dinner was somewhere around 650 calories. So now that I am so many calories over, I am thinking... whats the point today, I've already ruined the day. So my question is... How do you keep yourself going on a day like today? I'd prefer to have answers from those who know what I am talking about and have had similar days.

RissaDean

Log it and try again tomorrow. Don't give up!

Look at it this way: if you're set at a goal of losing 1# per week, you've got a 500 cal deficit EVERY DAY. So as long as you're not consistently going over your goal by 500 cals, you're going to still lose weight. You won't lose as fast as if you stick to your MFP goal, but don't let one meal scare you off.

Not sure what your evening plans are, but you could also take a short walk or something to burn off some of the cals.

mjf0461

You just move on.. Know that one day going over will not kill all your work, if you do this daily YES you are in ruins to all the work you've put out already. It's one mean over, not the end of the world. Just push on, do abit more exercise to help burn some of those calories and drink your water and finish the evening knowing YOUR WORTH IT...

MochaMixAZ

We all have those days.

Someone once told me the best way to think about it:

If you ran a red light on your way to work, would you continue to run red lights all day just because you'd done it once? NO! :noway:

So this is the same thing. "Starting over" should start immediately, not the next morning, the next week, or next month. You can do it now. Eat a reasonable, balanced dinner and set yourself up for success tomorrow.

jacksonpt

Definitely know the feeling... just finished one of thise weekends.

For me, evening often sets the tone for tomorrow. If I can finish well, especially with a good workout, then my chances for a good tomorrow are MUCH better.

This whole being healthy thing is a slippery slope for me. A good meal or workout leads to another good meal/workout. A bad one just leads to more bad meals and lazy days.

shesblossoming

I definitely know the feeling. You can't think that the day is ruined. You have a few options. The first is to exercise in order to get a few extra calories. That lowers the guilt. The second is to realize that MFP already creates a deficit for you, so you're on maintenance today. Lastly, you can realize that you're human, make mistakes, and that you will do as best as you can for the rest of today and not let it get you down.

Your day is not ruined. This is an opportunity for you to budget your calories better in the future. It's a lesson, not a failure!

JoDeeD

Knowing that I was so close I would tell myself that I need to do a work out to earn some more calories to eat. Move around more at work and say "OK today was not the best day, but I am doing well overall and tomorrow is another day. I will do better." You are doing great. And tomorrow is a new day.

Jennloella

well the day isn't over, if you haven't actually had the dinner yet, I'd either plan a salad for dinner, or go for a quick walk to earn some more cals back..... if you see the fail coming and you throw your hands up and do nothing you're not helping yourself.

kfriedm1

This happens to me too. You're not alone! My best advice is to reflect on what's happened: What could you have changed about today? Could you have planned your breakfast and lunch differently? Did you have something come up at work or a special event that caused you to have more calories than you were anticipating? Did you find yourself eating more due to a habit? (i.e. eating in front of the computer, tv, or your desk, eating because of stress, etc.) Write down what happened today and keep it in a place where you can find it--maybe even your daily notes on MFP, so that you can refer to them later. Whatever the case--you live, you learn. Tomorrow is a new day. Try again tomorrow and take it one day at a time. One day won't screw up your progress--promise. The worst you can do is beat yourself up for it. That won't make you feel any better and it won't change what you've already done. Hang in there.

annika27

On days where I knew I was going over, even by just a little bit, I would just pig out and do horrible, and not exercise. I figured, heck, the day is already ruined.
But lately I have realized, going over your calories isn't a big deal, if you don't make it a big deal. I remind myself that even though I'm over, as long as I try to keep my calories low it can still be helpful in my weight loss. So go ahead and have your dinner, but don't eat a bunch after with the attitude that you already ruined your day. It may not be a perfect day, but it may be better than how you were eating before.
I used to have this happen to me a lot, so I have started trying to plan my whole day the night before, so there are no surprises when it gets to dinner time.
Good luck!

jkestens63

Because then you'll think, well I've already started the week off wrong so I'll start again next Sunday. There's nothing magical about the next day, the next week, the next month. Have to make the committment to make better choices at all times, even following a bad choice.

Don't ask me why, but I woke up yesterday morning and for breakfast I had a glass of milk, a banana, and 2 of the kids' devil dogs. In the afternoon, shortly before lunch I had to run to the store - which is right next to McDonald's. Almost went running in to grab lunch figuring I already screwed up with the devil dogs but then figured why compound a 400 calorie mistake with a 1200 calorie mistake. Its a lot easier to recover from 400 vs. 1600. When I went into the store I had to talk myself out of grabbing a couple of the fresh baked bagels & cream cheese - basically used the same reasoning.

So yes you may go over today by 550 calories but that is so much better than going over by 1500 or 2000. Stick with what you planned and just do a little better pre-planning tomorrow so you can spread out those calories better.

Good luck!

fuzzball01

I agree w/everyone else. Don't let one day dictate the outcome. Can u make lower cal dinners or eat less during the day? I have someone helping me and there are two things she tells me everday:

1) Be the change you want the world to see

2) Not all who wonder are lost

I live by these. Tomorrow is a new day and start fresh. Forget today

silkysly

You take a walk after dinner, burn a few calories & start over tomorrow. You got this girl..., don't let it get you!

KristinC4

The best advice I have ever gotten is this: Don't throw the day away because you have already messed up. Don't think "Oh well, I'll just start tomorrow" because (honestly) tomorrow never comes.

The way I see it you have two options: 1) work out to burn off some of those extra calories you will be eating for dinner or 2) control your portion size at dinner.

Think about it, why are you wanting to lose weight? Your answer should be motivation enough to continue with your weight loss journey.

Good luck!

newarkco05

Thank you everyone!! I feel better about it... My day started off on the wrong foot... I had one of those grab breakfast on the go type mornings and I grabbed a danish!! Bad idea!! Tomorrow will be much better and I'll be back on track.

surfrgrl1

Stay true to yourself, and go ahead and log your food. We don't always have great food days. It happens to all of us.
When I first started, I would only have 300 calories left after my breakfast and lunch, and I was over my calories every day for the first month of so. But as I got more used to it, I am now ending up most days with about 1/3 of my calories left for dinner. It involves some planning, making educated decisions based on the foods you like and the plans you have, and it helps to try new things.... it all comes with time. Please don't give up.

I try to get a walk in, or some type of exercise if I am worried about going over, but then again, that becomes part of the planning as well.

Good luck to you!

Ajaay

Sometimes I say 'screw it' and eat what I have planned. Sometimes I do something liveable to cut some calories--usually for me its ditch the potato, rice or w/e carbohydrate. Sometimes I exercise more. Sometimes I make steamed broccoli with "I can't believe its not butter" and drink a mug of chicken broth to help fill me up. For me its about learning that I say no to high calorie foods and that its fine to eat low calorie dinners if I go overboard or make slight changes to make things work. I don't do that all the time though and as long as its occasional, I can let that go.

twowheelhooligan

MY motivation is food. That's why I love my swim days so much. 1) I get better at a skill that needs work. 2) it's a good workout that burns cals 3) I can eat more. IN the end, option #3 is what motivates me to workout is so I can eat more tasty food, albeit trying very hard to stay in my calorie count.

Truth be told, it isn't an exact science on here anyway, but it's a reasonably close log to keep our lives in checks and balances. Do we count every last ounce of ketchup, mustard, mayo, salsa, etc.? I'd venture most of us don't. ON the same token, do we count all those trips of walking to bathroom, other building/office/floor? Do we count walking to our car after work, lifting boxes, playing with kids and dogs? nope! But that burns cals.

Keep your chin up, focus on the now, but one can't starve themselves either. Being under the cal count but being so weak you can't stay focused or have fuel for working out isn't the intent.

YOU CAN DO IT!