How strict are you?

ariesmom07
ariesmom07 Posts: 57 Member
in Motivation and Support
So my husband I have gone from eating out fast food and whatnot several times a week to absolutely nothing. I haven't eaten out in over 3 weeks! Do you allow yourself to eat out occasionally? My husbands birthday is coming up and we always get together with friends eat and have cake and he is afraid to eat ONE high calorie meal. I think its okay...as long as its not derailing the suggested calorie intake or even so ONE time is okay as long as it isn't an every day thing. Thoughts?? (also I'm beginning to really crave my favorite burrito from a local mexican restaurant lol)

Replies

  • ThickMcRunFast
    ThickMcRunFast Posts: 22,511 Member
    Its fine, especially on a birthday or holiday! Those who restrict to the point of never having anything are more likely to break and binge at some points. For me, knowing I can have a cookie whenever makes me less likely to take one offered. If I really, really want some potato chips, and I have some, i am much less likely to have that craving stick around for a week. I just fit any treats into my daily calories. Of course, this is all within reason. I have 'everyday' foods, 'sometimes' foods, and 'rarely' foods, but if I say "I'm NEVER going to allow myself to eat pizza", bam, all I want is pizza.
  • ariesmom07
    ariesmom07 Posts: 57 Member
    Its fine, especially on a birthday or holiday! Those who restrict to the point of never having anything are more likely to break and binge at some points. For me, knowing I can have a cookie whenever makes me less likely to take one offered. If I really, really want some potato chips, and I have some, i am much less likely to have that craving stick around for a week. I just fit any treats into my daily calories. Of course, this is all within reason. I have 'everyday' foods, 'sometimes' foods, and 'rarely' foods, but if I say "I'm NEVER going to allow myself to eat pizza", bam, all I want is pizza.
    Thanks!
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    You don't have to overeat just because the food is from a restaurant.
  • Cyngen
    Cyngen Posts: 557 Member
    We go out to eat at least once a week. We do avoid any fast food places totally. We go to smaller mom and pop restaurants that serve everything from burgers to breakfast anytime, home made soups and salads.

    If we go out for a friday fish fry (a Wisconsin tradition) we tend to go for baked or broiled fish instead of deep fried. We treat ourselves to pizza and other fun foods now and again, nothing wrong with that in my book.
  • magerum
    magerum Posts: 12,589 Member
    Just pay attention to what you're ordering, don't over eat and estimate high. Win.
  • californiagirl2012
    californiagirl2012 Posts: 2,625 Member
    So my husband I have gone from eating out fast food and whatnot several times a week to absolutely nothing. I haven't eaten out in over 3 weeks! Do you allow yourself to eat out occasionally? My husbands birthday is coming up and we always get together with friends eat and have cake and he is afraid to eat ONE high calorie meal. I think its okay...as long as its not derailing the suggested calorie intake or even so ONE time is okay as long as it isn't an every day thing. Thoughts?? (also I'm beginning to really crave my favorite burrito from a local mexican restaurant lol)

    You should allow yourself the foods you love. Just keep it within your calorie budget. Being too restrictive is what causes people to need to do crazy things like "cheat meals" or "cheat days". "Cheating" is never necessary. Our bodies are designed to enjoy food. Eat what you like, mostly healthy, withing a calorie budget. The calorie budget can be for weight loss (a calorie deficit) or maintenance. A calorie budget is sustainable, and it can be weekly if you want. Every day does not have to be the same. You can have some low calorie days and some high calorie days in a weekly budget and you will not die of starvation mode, I can even do it at 11% body fat (under 12% is when you need to worry about "starvation mode" if you are female).
  • krickeyuu
    krickeyuu Posts: 344 Member
    First off--congrats on kicking the FF habit--to much sodium, too few nutrients. BUT...who would not have cake on their own birthday? This is a lifetime thing, a long haul thing. You have to be able to LIVE your life. I go out to a restaurant every Friday. I strive to make good choices and I try to balance my other meals that day--or work out harder/longer or both. If I did not go out for my birthday and have cheesecake I would be very unhappy.
  • simini77
    simini77 Posts: 67 Member
    I've found that I have stopped craving rubbish food - I have recently bought a HRM, so am becoming more aware of how much exercise you need to do to burn the calories of the crap food you shove in your mouth, and it has really made me think alot before I eat things.

    I am pretty strict on myself in terms of logging everything that passes my lips, but I agree with all the guys above, this is a life plan, so not allowing yourself nice things is not realistic, so I have a little of what I fancy, and it works!
  • oddyogi
    oddyogi Posts: 1,816 Member
    Special occasion meals are definitely okay!
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,820 Member
    We eat out once or twice a week, but not at fast food joints. If you are careful, you can find meals at places like Olive Garden for 400 calories. If you order at the chains for take out, you can get a kids meal and save money as well as calories! It's not so much eating out, but what you choose and the portion size. Some places, it is sad to say, have nothing I would eat such as Uno's and Papa Gino's; both of them don't have a low-cal meal.
  • RainxPain
    RainxPain Posts: 152
    I have a cheat day once a week, ranging from 2000-4000 calories that day. Plus I eat out sometimes during the week, but I control myself and my boyfriend helps me too.
  • skygoddess86
    skygoddess86 Posts: 487 Member
    Occasional splurge days are fine. Get the burrito, maybe eat half at a time.
  • Freidon
    Freidon Posts: 169 Member
    As long as I stay within my calorie count, and I'm not eating butter, I don't restrict myself from eating out at all. I have to carefully plan my meals around it, though. It's never a spur of the moment thing.
  • brennsie
    brennsie Posts: 41
    See I still still allow myself to go out to eat whenever I want; however, this doesn't mean I'll hit up McDonalds and get 2 Big Macs and a large fries. If I know the place I'm going to ahead of time, I'll look at the menu/nutrition facts online and pick out something low calorie/healthy. Just because your eating out doesn't mean you have to eat crap :)
  • gimpygramma
    gimpygramma Posts: 383 Member
    We go out to eat at least once a week. We do avoid any fast food places totally.

    My big dining out experience tends to be when entertaing my grandsons (10 and 6). I actually prefer some of the fast food places because they post nutritional information on line.
  • pholbert
    pholbert Posts: 575 Member
    Yes , Celebrate Life. You can work it in. You won't be able to avoid celebrations your whole life, and who would want to. You just control how much you eat. If 1/2 the plate of food is enough, Eat that much and take the other half home. And yes have that piece of birthday cake. It's not everyday and life is to be ceebrated!
  • ariesmom07
    ariesmom07 Posts: 57 Member
    So my husband I have gone from eating out fast food and whatnot several times a week to absolutely nothing. I haven't eaten out in over 3 weeks! Do you allow yourself to eat out occasionally? My husbands birthday is coming up and we always get together with friends eat and have cake and he is afraid to eat ONE high calorie meal. I think its okay...as long as its not derailing the suggested calorie intake or even so ONE time is okay as long as it isn't an every day thing. Thoughts?? (also I'm beginning to really crave my favorite burrito from a local mexican restaurant lol)

    You should allow yourself the foods you love. Just keep it within your calorie budget. Being too restrictive is what causes people to need to do crazy things like "cheat meals" or "cheat days". "Cheating" is never necessary. Our bodies are designed to enjoy food. Eat what you like, mostly healthy, withing a calorie budget. The calorie budget can be for weight loss (a calorie deficit) or maintenance. A calorie budget is sustainable, and it can be weekly if you want. Every day does not have to be the same. You can have some low calorie days and some high calorie days in a weekly budget and you will not die of starvation mode, I can even do it at 11% body fat (under 12% is when you need to worry about "starvation mode" if you are female).
    Thanks I was wondering about that the other day....looking at it from a weekly deficit rather than daily. I've stayed under my calorie goal every day since I started. I think I just need to convince hubs its okay to live a little. I too worry about overeating since I've struggled with that for so long. Thanks for the advice!
  • vmekash
    vmekash Posts: 422 Member
    Oh heck, you could eat out every day and still lose weight. As long as you're tracking and staying w/in your cal. goal, you'll be fine as far as weight loss. Now, this is not to say that there would not be other issues (too much salt, or some other "bad" thing), but that's another topic.
  • zaph0d
    zaph0d Posts: 1,172 Member
    I'm fairly strict with calories and hitting my protein and fat macros. I eat out a fair bit, but I try to minimize it. I prefer to have full control over what goes into my meals, and it's easier to log when it's homemade.
  • rsparks38
    rsparks38 Posts: 51
    What can you eat at OG for 400 calories?!?
  • P05T5CRIPT
    P05T5CRIPT Posts: 285 Member
    I'm pretty strict, I've cut out crisps and chocolate altogether and don't miss them one bit. Though if I fancy chocolate (only happened once so far in 5 months), then I will get a small bar and share it with someone, rather than restrict myself and go and buy a crap ton of the stuff! I now make all my own meals and work on hitting my macros, trying to fill my diary with healthy, non-processed food. I'm an all or nothing person, so this challenge to get healthy and change my life is something I'm really dedicated to, but at the same time, I realise that having treats and eating out once in a while, isn't going to derail me. It's about getting that balance right.

    I have a chinese takeaway once a month (on average), that's one thing I can't give up, and it hasn't affected my weightloss in any way. If you're eating healthily throughout the week and working out, then there's no reason you can't have a treat!
  • Moosycakes
    Moosycakes Posts: 258 Member
    I'm pretty strict, but I do go out. I just make sure to choose healthy choices and exercise portion control if I go to a café for lunch, or if I have dinner at a restaurant :)
  • brevislux
    brevislux Posts: 1,093 Member
    I eat out about once every two weeks, though usually when I do it's something I know I'd eat home too, like sushi.

    For me it's more of of an issue with money rather than calories. If I had money I'd probably eat out more, it doesn't have to be unhealthy.

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