i need advice urgently!!!

You've done really well. One day won't hurt you so much in the long run. Let your hair down and forget about calories for one night, it's not going to reverse all the hard work you've done.

I agree! Let your hair down or what's the point, if you can't have fun sometimes!

You could have a small glass of red wine or a vodka and diet coke for about 80 calories. Don't worry too much about it. You need to live your life. You're going to have to start going out again sooner or later. Just don't go overboard on the indulgences. Be aware of what you're eating.

I agree that one night out will not kill your efforts. I've been on this program for less than a month and I've lost 6 lbs. I have had one night out already! But I can understand the mindset of wanting to stick to your plan even when you go out. That's the beauty of counting calories. There are so many options when eating out that you can actually enjoy your foods. I'm not sure where you're going, but here are a couple of tips. Stay away from fried foods. Those have extra cals that will not provide the nutrients you need. Try to stick to grilled meat. You can even have a steak! If you like seafood, that's a perfect time because most people don't fix that at home. Ask that they don't cook your food/veggies in butter. That can really reduce your cals. But eat something you like. You deserve a treat! There are just a few ways that you can maybe eat healthier even though you're going over a bit. Remember, this is a lifestyle. How fun would it be to lose weight and look and feel good and not be able to go out in fear that you're going to gain it all back. Also, once you're finished, if you could go walking or even dancing after, you will burn off part of what you just had.

HAVE FUN!

Be honest with people. I only started a week ago, but I am determined to make this last. So I started off by telling my very thin husband what I am doing. When he says or does things that are not helpful, I tell him and why.

I am going out to dinner tonight with friends, but I already checked the menu (most restaurants have them online now), and I know what I am going to order, and I am going to build my day around it. I will have a glass of wine and enjoy the company.

Go out, have fun, indulge (a little), then tomorrow, put in a little extra effort at the gym or on that treadmill. Until we learn to live this way, we will never be thin.

Spend some time at the gym that day if you know you are going out. I usually do not eat back the calories I burn at the gym, but when I do have a night out or a baby shower where I eat a little more high calorie foods I do tend to tap into those calories burned and then I do not feel so bad. Like everyone else has said, one day is not going to hurt you.... it is when you let one day, turn into the whole weekend, then a week, then a month... that we get back to where we were.

Good luck and most importantly HAVE FUN!

You should go. You can't hide out in the house forever and avoid those situations. It will only make the temptation greater. You have to learn how to handle situations like that. Moderation is the key. Have a little of this and a little of that. Keep reminding yourself not to go overboard. Going out and having "bad" foods and drinking isn't a bad thing. You just can't do it every day. Since my journey a year ago, I learned that if I gave up the things I loved, it was so easy to get bored and go back to my unhealthy lifestyle. I drink and when I go out, I sometimes eat not so great foods. However, I don't go overboard. I listen to my body when it has had enough.

Go out and have fun.

thanxs evrybody for your advice, i think i will go for a long run early in the morning and go about my usual life, i was thinking to drink a vodka tonic and then 2 glasses of water for every drink, maybe sparkling water so i dont feel left out think if i can manage that i will no have a bad hangover next day and be able to exercise. I will look up the restaurant online and see if they have menu although i dounbt it because here in ireland they dont do that, but ill check!!

A word about the mixer with the vodka. First of all, everyone's taste is different, but vodka with diet coke is such an unpleasant combination, it could make me swear off vodka!!!:noway::laugh: You mentioned using tonic. Only problem is, bars don't have "diet tonic" and the regular tonic has calories --110 of them in 10 oz, according to the MFP database.

So what to do? vodka and water? Yuck--tastes TOOO hard core. So here is my answer. Make it vodka and soda, and ask for a wedge of lemon or lime--whatever your preference. Squeeze the wedge over your drink to flavor it, and toss in the wedge for color. Alternate this with water in between drinks.

An ounce of 80 proof vodka has 60-70 calories, depending upon which entry you choose in MFP database. Soda water has no calories. You could have 3 drinks thru the evening and "spend" less than 300 calories.

As for food, if you can't get calorie info on the menu ahead of time, follow the advice previously offered. Avoid deep fried anything. Ask if they have a reduced calorie dressing, order salad with dressing on the side, no croutons, and if it comes with cheese, ask for that on the side too. Then you can control how much is on your salad. If you get a steak, or grilled fish, ask them to NOT use salt as a seasoning, same with veggies, and ask them to hold the butter in prep. Ignore the bread basket or bread sticks. You can still have a great dinner, a fun time, enjoy your friends, AND know that YOU were in control.

You don't have to make a big deal out of what you are ordering. Concentrate on the company. I have learned not to bring up what I am doing unless someone asks. People who don't have to watch their weight, and people who should but don't usually aren't as interested in what we are doing as we are.

Have a fabulous time.:drinker: :drinker: When your friends see how good you look :drinker: :drinker: (since you said it was beginning to show) they will be impressed with your resolve, and probably a little jealous

And if you can't handle the vodka soda & citrus because you gotta have something sweeter, I suggest rum and diet coke, with a wedge of lime. It is called a "Cuba Libra" and is a bit sweeter because of the coke, but rum flavor with coke, (to me, anyway) is much more palatable than vodka..

WELL, THAT'S A PART OF LIFE YOU'RE MAKING YOURSELF MISS OUT ON WHEN YOU DON'T HAVE TO. ON THE NIGHT YOU GO OUT, EAT A LITE BREAKFAST. GET A REALLY GOOD WORKOUT IN. LIGHT LUNCH AND SAVE MOST OF YOUR CALORIES FOR THE EVENING. GO AHEAD AND ORDER THE "GOOD STUFF" JUST EAT HALF THAT NIGHT AND SAVE THE REST. THAT WAY YOU'RE NOT OVER BY MUCH. AND THE DRINKS, WELL, EVERY NOW AND AGAIN WON'T HURT. THE POINT IS TO BE AWARE AND ACCOUNTABLE. HAVE FUN.:flowerforyou:

Congrats! You figured it out. thats what this is all about!