How do you bounce back after a bad day?

Asher_Ethan

How do you bounce back after you have a terrible day of eating nothing but horrible food?
I had a pop tart for breakfest then a Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Latte for lunch... And now I feel terrible because I've been nothing but healthy all week.

geekyjock76

A pop tart and latte will not kill your entire week. And that's the point - think more along the lines of weekly goals rather than daily goals and you'll lose the anxiety. Even within the daily perspective, 100% of your intake does not have to come from "perfect" food sources. If 80% comes from whole foods with lots of nutrition, and you're in range of meeting the daily requirements of protein, fats, and carbs, then leave the remaining 20% calories to whatever you want to eat provided these items net you close to your goal.

onehurt

I have a few of those days every now and then. I just pretend that they never happened and go on like I should. Started all of this when there were lots of graduation parties! next month I have 3 weddings to go to so I am sure I will have at least one day I fall off the wagon too.

Mark

IronTitaness

I don't think that is too bad. But yesterday for instance I had a bad day and today I was back with good nutrition and loads of exercice.

Misslisat

I just jump right back in the same way I jumped all over that crummy eating day. It's okay to kick yourself, but don't hurt yourself while doing it by staying down.

mamagooskie

make healthy choices asap. If you only had a bad breakfast and lunch, make a nice healthy dinner and get right back on track. Look at your eating for long term, the odd bad choice won't hurt you, even a daily latte or daily poptart isn't bad, if you can fit it into your daily intake then so be it, if not get back on track sooner than later and all will be well.

letjog

I've recently realised the best way to bounce back is by trying NOT to compensate for the extra calories you've eaten (btw, i don't think a pop tart and a latte is much at all!)

Don't try and cut more calories as that could lead to such hunger and an eventual binge which will make it worse and start a restrict-binge cycle. Just go back to yur normal plan.

Another thing I do if I've had a heavy day, e.g. if I've eaten 500 calories over, is to have 100 calories less for the next 5 days. It seems more manageable that way and i still feel in control.

Asher_Ethan

Thank you everyone for your support!

Alicia7519

I just start all over again the next day. I might exercise a little more, but I won't go under my calorie limit. Don't beat yourself up.

swanie12

Hi...I'm a newbie here but from you wrote you didn't eat too bad. If you ate healthy all week and just had those things you are doing really great.

Nina2503

I just start all over again the next day. I might exercise a little more, but I won't go under my calorie limit. Don't beat yourself up.

^^^^ this!

Dahllywood

Hate to be blunt but just log it and move on. It's done, now time to return to eating right and exercising.

ladygrly

Hi there Sally,
I know how you feel... it's hard to bounce back successfully because there's a little voice inside of you who says you "messed up again". I have been there. I am not going to lie, I still struggle with this. But when I lost the most weight of my life and got down to 117 pounds (I am 5'4") there were good days and bad days...but MOSTLY good days. I was on a mission to be the skinniest I had ever been for my wedding and NOTHING was going to get in my way. What you have to do is is accept it, and quickly move on. Don't let it pester you and don't feel guilty. We're all human. Realize you made a mistake and keep going, keep fighting the urges. You'll lose the weight if you have more good days than bad days.
I hope I helped,
psygrly
PS - feel free to add me, or anyone else reading this can add me.

sarahg148

Oh yes...must get one of those pumpkin spice lattes soon...skim milk of course. As for your snafoo...what everybody else wrote. Just focus on the week. I know it's easier said than done...but in the grand scheme of things it won't hurt you as long as you're doing well most of the week.

Destro52

Don't feel terrible. You're human and everybody has those days. As a matter of fact I have quite a few of them. Thing is not to obsess about it. Just keep moving. The weird thing I've done quite often is eat a calorie intake that approximate my TDEE, so I essential remain the same weight for a day or two then return to losing weight. Just keep it moving!

sdumma

make healthy choices asap. If you only had a bad breakfast and lunch, make a nice healthy dinner and get right back on track. Look at your eating for long term, the odd bad choice won't hurt you, even a daily latte or daily poptart isn't bad, if you can fit it into your daily intake then so be it, if not get back on track sooner than later and all will be well.

I very much agree with this statement and would also add drink tons of water to flush it all out. Water and a sensible dinner + going to bed early is my go to for feeling guilty

susjan

I used to have a very hard time with this concept. I would have a terrible meal, and it would turn into a terrible day and then a terrible week and then I would get mad at myself because I "messed up". I look at this journey very differently now after doing this yo yo for far too long. At this point, one meal or even one day is not the end of the world. You start anew at the next meal or next day.

But realize that you will have meals/days like this and don't beat yourself up... just stick it out.

jess2126

i had one of these days yesterday it was horrible and i had been doing so well. i fell off the wagon yesterday and i work in law enforcemnt so i was busy busy last night at work and couldnt even get in my exercise Then i am honest in my tracking log of food so it makes me feel so bad when i see you will be at this wieght in five weeks if i ate like i did yesterday lol and it wasnt a nice number:( okay i feel better i vented so now ....on to today and ive done good today i dont want to get discouraged. so i guess i posted this to let you know we all have those days ......

mom2handh1975

Just remember how yucky those foods made you feel. I had the same experience early on. A treat every now and then is essential to success. Just start over the next time you put something in your mouth. Easy as pie!

allyjoy83

This: http://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/2012/08/16/get-over-it/

1sophiesophie

I had a bad day yesterday and compensated today by exercising for over 2 hours and burning over 1200 calories (I usually exercise around 45 mins). Now I just feel a bit silly, obsessive and as though I blew it out of all proportion (which I did) and I doubt exercising for longer actually achieved much except put excessive strain on my knees. One day doesn't spoil everything. Do as I say not as I do - "Keep Calm and Carry On" in a sensible and moderate fashion tomorrow!

We're all with you! Good Luck!

StillChangingAmie

One thing that helps me get back on track is to change the way I think completely. :]

Instead of "I have to work out today" think "I get to work out today!" And things like that. Don't think of it as a screw up, think of it as "Pumpkin latte's are the bomb, but that poptart was awful. Thank goodness tonight's dinner is healthy, 'cause I feel sick."
Good luck!

1sophiesophie

"Pumpkin latte's are the bomb, but that poptart was awful. Thank goodness tonight's dinner is healthy, 'cause I feel sick."

Very well put.

Graelwyn75

I would hardly call a pop tart and a latte a disaster? Many on here manage quite successfully to incorporate a treat into their daily goal, and lose weight just as well. This is meant to be a lifestyle change, not a tie yourself to a strict regime for life and forego all treats for life sort of change. Many people even have a treat meal once a week, and in fact, people not watching their weight and with no cause to naturally accept there will be days they eat more, and days they eat less. It is part of being 'normal'. Just enjoy those moments and those treats when they arise, and do what you feel comfortable with for the rest of the day and onwards.

lisam191

Had a really bad day today! Done no excercise, ate chips AND loads of chocolate today. UGH i feel so guilty and fat

fayefern

i had a bad weekend!! we were out of town and ate out a lot...i started out ok but it got worse as the time went by. i feel really lousy but whats done is done and theres nothing to do but start again tomorrow.(im glad im home!) im trying not to be too hard on myself; i dont think anyone should as long as there are more good days than bad

AVinmill

If I have something bad I just try and fit it in my day. If you're over, well, tomorrow's another day. Everyone is going to go over once in a while, just try to make sure it doesn't happen too often. Forget it, move on, and kick @$s the rest of the week.