I have broke my diet.. I am so discouraged.

Hello everyone. I have been doing so good lately.. I have walked 12 miles in 12 days.. and that is a BIG accomplishment for me. But today... i caved in. I had ice cream & chips, and ate at Wendy's. I feel so bad about it, and i could use some helpful advice on how to get over it. :)

Replies

  • trytbfit
    trytbfit Posts: 14 Member
    Exercise it back off, and get back on track. The next few days watch your calories, get some more walking in and burn those calories.
  • hendinerik
    hendinerik Posts: 287 Member
    Great on your walking progress! Just move forward - if it was your last meal - make sure you get rest - and start anew tomorrow - be vigilant about tomorrow, it's just one meal - hope you at least enjoyed the meal you had!
    Even if this happened once a week if most of your meals and lifestyle are healthy then you'll stay on track.
    Good luck, don't beat yourself up too much about this! Just re-focus on your plans to get healthy now.
  • JayStu
    JayStu Posts: 332 Member
    Think of it like this. Every journey has its rough spots and the journey you are on to a healthier you is no different. The best thing you can do is to put it in the past and start again tomorrow.
  • Jen800
    Jen800 Posts: 548 Member
    No, you didn't break your diet.


    You know why? This shouldn't be a diet. It should be your life. granted, you need to learn self control, but just get back up and keep on going. Quitting isn't an option.

    Tomorrow is a new day, and you can still make good choices today!
  • dbkrantz
    dbkrantz Posts: 138
    Hi !

    Congrats on walking 12 miles in 12 days, that is very impressive ! Good for you, you should be very proud.

    Now, about the slip-up. Please, don't worry too much about it and don't let it bring you down. We are all humans here and temptation is everywhere, if we give in from time to time, that's time. It's actually healthy to have a few slip ups here in there as long as you keep going with myfitnesspal and exercise.

    Don't worry about it too much, it happens and will happen again (hopefully, not too often!). What we have to do now is look at the bigger picture and keep doing what we are !
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    Move on..if you crashed your car you wouldn't be thinking " I've dented it, I may as well carry on? " would you?

    Get back on track..one day won't hurt.
  • spamantha57
    spamantha57 Posts: 674 Member
    One of the best ways to look at eating isn't by having a "diet" - but a way of how you always eat.
    If you are like me, you're human & like to have things like ice cream from time to time.
    I probably eat the best/ most healthy out of anyone I know, & I absolutely would eat some ice cream right now if it was in front of me.
    It's OK to have those things - just look at the bigger picture: What do you want to eat like most of the time? Can you do that? If yes, then go for it! And then you won't feel so bad when things like this happen.
  • appelsiinipuu
    appelsiinipuu Posts: 97 Member
    Log it all and make up for it during the next few days (eating slightly less calories or work out a bit extra).
  • Hello everyone. I have been doing so good lately.. I have walked 12 miles in 12 days.. and that is a BIG accomplishment for me. But today... i caved in. I had ice cream & chips, and ate at Wendy's. I feel so bad about it, and i could use some helpful advice on how to get over it. :)

    First, congrats on the walking :) Second... Slip ups happen, ok? I'm only a week in, and I've had like one or two pretty big ones :P Realize that everyone makes mistakes, and all this does is make you human like the rest of us. What you do is: a) think about what made you eat, what you were feeling, b) how to stop that from happening again and how you can do better next time, and c) forgive yourself and move on. We're all pulling for you :)
  • darrensurrey
    darrensurrey Posts: 3,942 Member
    You can't undo it so do more exercise for the next week. But here's a question to consider: when you gave in, did you then think "I've done that so I might as well go crazy and eat everything else"? If so, consider it a bit like dropping your iphone. Do you then think "I might as well smash it up with a hammer" because it has a little scratch on it?

    In other words, if you fall over, you get back up and keep going.
  • ChristineS_51
    ChristineS_51 Posts: 872 Member
    No, you didn't break your diet.

    You know why? This shouldn't be a diet. It should be your life. granted, you need to learn self control, but just get back up and keep on going. Quitting isn't an option.

    Tomorrow is a new day, and you can still make good choices today!

    This. Just think, you used to eat like that all the time, but now you don't; you are exercslng, and you know that some things are better choices than others - so you have already begun this new life. :flowerforyou: Don't let one day de-rail you. We all fall off sometimes, just get back up again, think about what caused you to go overboard, and plan to not do it next time. I am a firm believer in still eating things you love sometimes - just within your allowance and not all the time.

    Up and at 'em! :smile:
  • ALittleBitLess1
    ALittleBitLess1 Posts: 119 Member
    Really don't beat yourself up. Take a deep breath, have a glass of water, walk to the shop and buy some fruit or something else you can do to make you feel positive and in control again.
    Its the little decisions that make the difference. and soo well done on the walking so far!
  • deladypilot
    deladypilot Posts: 618 Member
    Shake it off and move on to the next day. We are all human and we all hit the pot holes in the road once in a while. Its ok. It is life. I agree with everyone else.....I do not call this a diet, I call it a journey on the way to a better me.

    Do not deprive yourself of the things you love or you will find yourself having more of these days. Find ways to satisfy those cravings without going overboard. If you love ice cream (as I do), try some of the Skinny Cow stuff. It is really good and low in calorie. Then have some a couple days a week so you do not feel deprived.

    You can do this. You are so worth the effort
  • Flixie00
    Flixie00 Posts: 1,195 Member
    Log it all and make up for it during the next few days (eating slightly less calories or work out a bit extra).

    Sorry, but my experience says you should do the opposite.

    Don't log it, treat it as a cheat day. If you are going to be losing weight for a long time you will have days like this, and many people actually plan for them (birthdays, Christmas etc.). Get up the next day and just carry on as if nothing happened, don't exercise more and don't eat any less. Also, keep away from the scales for at least 3 days, as you will be carrying water weight for a few days.

    Remember, if you have a lot of weight to lose then this journey will be a marathon not a sprint, and most people will slip up once in a while (I did and still do). Trying to play catch up does not work, so don't beat yourself up about it and just carry on.

    Good luck :flowerforyou:
  • mockchoc
    mockchoc Posts: 6,573 Member
    You need to have days like this on the rare occassion, they are good for you because otherwise it's going to get a bit boring being perfect every day for the rest of your life isn't it? So don't think of it as the day you broke your diet, you took a little break and get back to it tomorrow! You're doing great, keep up the good work!
  • wwmorrow
    wwmorrow Posts: 118 Member
    We've all been there...well, I know I have! Get up, dust yourself off, and do things right today. You can do it!
  • First of all - how many calories did you take in overall for the day? I can eat that crap on the daily if I plan my calories out right. So it's not the end of the world. Don't freak out and beat yourself up mentally - that will just create a bad cycle and you'll really fall off the wagon. Tomorrow is a new day. Heh, you might even find you LOSE weight by throwing a little cheat day in there!
  • Showmm
    Showmm Posts: 406 Member
    Best metaphor I've read here on MFP about slip-ups was this: "Just because you break one dish, doesn't mean your throw out the whole china set!"
  • stuntpilot51
    stuntpilot51 Posts: 53 Member
    Think of it as a reward for all your hard work in the past week. A cheat day is OK once in awhile.

    If anything you should be encouraged with what you've done.
  • appelsiinipuu
    appelsiinipuu Posts: 97 Member
    Log it all and make up for it during the next few days (eating slightly less calories or work out a bit extra).

    Sorry, but my experience says you should do the opposite.

    Don't log it, treat it as a cheat day. If you are going to be losing weight for a long time you will have days like this, and many people actually plan for them (birthdays, Christmas etc.). Get up the next day and just carry on as if nothing happened, don't exercise more and don't eat any less. Also, keep away from the scales for at least 3 days, as you will be carrying water weight for a few days.

    For me, cheat days are definitely planned, and I don't log what I eat on those days. But on normal days, I log everything. If I end up eating too much, I make up for it throughout the rest of the week. But of course, what works for one, might not work for someone else.
  • No, you didn't break your diet.


    You know why? This shouldn't be a diet. It should be your life. granted, you need to learn self control, but just get back up and keep on going. Quitting isn't an option.

    Tomorrow is a new day, and you can still make good choices today!

    Diet? What diet? Exactly as this poster says. I refuse to use the word diet, which instantly has me craving a gallon of Haagen Daas with fudge. Nope, no diet. Just choices to eat different foods than I used to and to keep track of them. For me, it's a life choice. I eat better (mostly, but I'm not perfect--who is?), I exercise more. You've made quite an accomplishment doing the 12 miles in 12 days. So you had ONE high-calorie day. Big whoop. Move on, get back on track. Next time the cravings start, give in to them--just don't go wild.

    Went out with my son yesterday to Tijuana Flats (did you know that ONE of those cookie dough flautas is 720 calories? O_O I found out a bit too late...). I gained back a pound. ONE pound. No big. Am I still down by over 14 pounds from my start? Yup! So, I go on with my life. There is no need to punish yourself, just get back on track. Are you getting your 13th mile in 13 days today?

    And as the_dizzle says, you will actually increase your weight loss by having high calorie days once in a while. Look it up--I did. If you constantly have low calorie days, your metabolism will re-set itself to that calorie goal, making it harder to lose weight without "starving" yourself, at which point, your body goes into starvation mode and holds onto fat like a miser holds pennies. Keep to your calorie goal for the next few days, do your walking, and you watch--it'll show in a positive way on the scale. Do not throw out the baby with the bath water, please!

    Oh, and look at all the "ONEs" in my post. Remember the song? "ONE is the loneliest number"? You used to eat like that every day, probably without exercising--am I right? Now you ate ONE day and you exercised. You'll be fine. Honest. You can do this. You didn't gain all that weight overnight; you won't lose it overnight. But a year from now, won't you be glad you slowly changed your life for the better?
  • ellenaj52
    ellenaj52 Posts: 18 Member
    No one can live forever without eating a favorite food. Take one day and allow yourself a treat and go over you allotment slightly. If you allow yourself this treat you will not binge..like the other person said...this is not a diet this is how you must eat for the rest of your life....can you go your whole life without ever eating a dish of ice cream or a treat of somekind? Don't beat yourself up....
  • Someone once told me that dieting is like a car. Your in your car driving along and you get a flat. you deal with the one fat tire and dont slash all four tires. Basically it means that we have slip up because were human and its better to deal with one flat tire then 4 slashed tire. Believe me it souns better then its written. Yesterday on the message boards people were talking about how a "slip up" has made them loose weight because it tricks the body. Who knows.

    Take one day at a time and be just be happy. Lots of Luck!:flowerforyou:
  • Think of it like a 'one step back, two steps forward' kind of thing, and you'll be alright.
  • nj303
    nj303 Posts: 11 Member
    If you are counting calories, as most do on MFP, there is no such thing as a "slip up" or "going off your diet". I go out to eat all the time but I plan ahead. I'm going to Cracker Barrel for breakfast with a friend @ 8 a.m. Some of their breakfast offerings come in at 1300 according to the MFP Database. I scrolled through till I put together what I am going to order BEFORE I LEAVE THE HOUSE!! I've decided I will have 2 whole grain pancakes (220cal), Vermont sugar free syrup (20cal) and 2 slices of bacon(86cal). Total for my breakfast will be 326 calories. That's acceptable to me. In fact, I might "live dangerously" and get another slice of bacon for 43 calories!! My daily calorie count is 1,500 so I've got 1,160 to go before bedtime. I'll make it. When I look at food at home or in a restaurant I mentally count calories. I also carry a small note pad in which I have planned meals for the restaurants I frequent the most and know how many calories I am eating instead of worrying about "slipping up". FYI, I have lost 1.5 pounds a week since I started in October. It isn't a diet....it's counting calories. If you pig out early in the day, you don't get dinner. simple!!
  • WIChelle
    WIChelle Posts: 471 Member
    Don't be sad. I guarantee slipping 1 day won't wreck your whole week. I follow a plan that lets me spike my cals up 1000+ over normal day calories range s and eat all the foods I miss one day a week. I'm still losing just fine since starting 21 days ago. I have finally realized with diet is is not all or nothing. You'll be fine :)
  • neandermagnon
    neandermagnon Posts: 7,436 Member
    you are fantastic for doing all that walking. Lots of people have cheat meals, whether they log them or not. Like a few have said, this is a marathon not a sprint, and you need to think in terms of long term, sustainable changes. You aren't going to never have ice cream or Wendy's again in your life, so thinking in terms of cheat meals or planned cheats is better. If you eat those things every day then it's going to be hard to meet your calorie targets and lose weight. However that doesn't mean you can never have them. Just keep it in moderation. Either have planned cheat meals every now and then, or have small portions that you fit into your calorie goals. An all or nothing mentality is not sustainable. However being "good" most of the time then indulging once in a while will help most people to stay on track in the long term. Personally, I follow the 90% rule, which means if 90% of what I eat is healthy, then the other 10% won't hurt me. I try to keep that 10% within my calorie goals.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    Imagine you're on vacation. You're driving from your house to the beach, and it's a 200 mile drive. About 20 miles in, you miss an exit on the turnpike.

    Your options:

    A) Consult your map or GPS and get back on the road, realizing that at most your detour will have cost you 15 minutes, but you'll still get to your destination.

    B) Say, "Well, I screwed up. Might as well go home."

    Which do you choose?

    You're going to be on this "road" a long time, so make sure it's a comfortable ride. Make sure you have room in your itinerary for some Wendy's or ice cream. There's going to be roadblocks, speed bumps, dead ends and detours. It's that way for everyone.