Anyone else stress over going over?

Try to balance it out a bit by getting your exercise on before you go out to dinner! : )

I just don't worry about it, as long as it's not an everyday occurrence. An occasional meal that puts you in the red isn't the end of the world. Losing weight isn't a race, you have to keep eating the same way once you reach your goal weight. Relax and enjoy the scenery on your way there. Special meals and occasions are part of life, you can't expect to be "perfect" for every meal for the rest of your life!

dont stress. At the end of the week you will realize it didn't really count as much. Just work harder on the next few days following the big eat days.

Just don't eat as much at the buffets/ or pizza places.

Unlike some others, I recommend recording everything... be honest with yourself, even if you allow yourself to go over sometimes.

You allow yourself to be under some days too, don't you?

It's about balance and habits you can keep up life-long. If you view this as short-term, it will be. Short-term "dieting" mentality and the feeling of deprivation lead to binges and yo-yo dieting.

So, as you've already done, figure out ways to make it "fit". The salad first is a good idea, but be careful about the dressing and high-calorie ingredients. Some of them can be worse than the pizza. Check out which toppings are better for your plan. In general you can load pizza up with vegetables -- peppers, broccoli, even olives (which have fat, but it's a healthier fat). Along with your salad, drink... water is probably best, but diet soda or unsweetened (or lightly sweetened by you, not the restaurant) tea.

Focus on the company. Isn't that why you're going out with them? Talk and listen, eat slowly.

If you can, eat lower calorie choices in the earlier part of the day, or maybe lower fat (?) depending on your goals, try to leave room. planning for the special meal. One way to do that, especially when you know what you'll be likely to eat, is to pre-log it. That helps you know where to leave the room as you eat your other meals. You may not estimate it quite right, and you can adjust or fix it afterwards... that's part of what you're learning here, right?

Too much stress raises hormones that are bad for you and for weight loss. So keep in mind that one meal will not undo your whole week (unless you're talking about a multi-hour binge).

Enjoy your meal and the variation in what you're eating and the company. Have a good day!

If you have ever watched biggest loser even bob harper will say they let their contestants have atleast 1 cheat day a week because sometimes your body gets so use to eating the healthy stuff that you body just needs the extra calories.

The way I see it. If I am trying to make a lifestyle change its going to take me a lifetime to make these changes for the rest of my life.

Just look at the big picture. How many times did you use to eat out a week, compared to how many times you are now?

I think you need cheat days more for mental approval then anything.

Try not to stress over it. The more you're stressed, the harder it is to lose weight! Something I have started doing is if I know I'm going out- looking up the place online and finding out what thier foods have in it- calories, fat, carbs etc. So im still planning what I am going to eat before I get there. Most buffet places also have a salad section and fruit section. I might suggest eating a salad first and some fruit- then go for a slice of pizza. That way your eating "the good stuff" first and the not so good stuff last Next time you guys have a date- try incorporating something fun thats also physical with it- like the walks someone suggested or take her dancing! Anything that gets you moving would be great and would help you feel better. Honestly, as long as your not doing this several times a week- I don't think you have too much worry involved.

I relax because a calorie deficit is built into our daily allotment on MFP. Also, I do enough exercise during the week that usually I have atleast 3500 calories remaining on top of that deficit. To me, having one day where I go over isn't bad, because I've controlled for it in other places. That doesn't mean I go hog wild, but it means I relax about eating over my cal budget. Or, I exercise a lot the day I'm going out, if I know before hand, and save most of my cals for the big meal by eating lighter more protein/ nutrient dense meals prior to it - so I have extra cals, I'm not ravenous approaching the meal, but I can relax and enjoy myself.

I "stress" when I go over on a ordinary day (like today!) and compensate by exercising. But for a special event, relax and enjoy - this is a marathon, and not a sprint, so one day off isn't going to hurt.

One meal is nothing. There are 28 meals in a week.

Words to live by!

OP- just pace yourself. Eat slowly, savor all the different flavors, and drink plenty of water. If you're going to eat something you don't normally get, you have to enjoy it, just use moderation! Don't stress and feel guilty, everything is ok in moderation & negativity doesn't help weight loss anymore than extra calories do.

No not to much....if it was a lot over continually then I think I would. I think we need to allow it, and at the same time, not get back into old habits