On days where you know you're going to go over calories

TKRV
TKRV Posts: 165 Member
in Goal: Maintaining Weight
One of the things that works well for me in keeping my weight down is eating often. Aside from the three main meals of the day, I usually have a small snack in the morning and the afternoon (current in the form of a kashi granola bar, but sometimes it's nuts or fruit).

But, let's say you're going out with friends in the evening. Do you typically skip those small meals so you don't go quite so over, or do you still eat them.

And when I say go over, I don't mean buying the most unhealthy thing on the menu... but a healthier meal at a restaurant is almost always going to be a little high in calories.

Replies

  • seabee78
    seabee78 Posts: 126 Member
    If I know in advance that I'm going out for supper (especially if it's a place that doesn't have many low calorie options), I'll make it a point to have a lighter lunch and also skip my mid-afternoon snack. That way if I do go over my calories, it's not a crazy huge amount.
  • feelin_gr_8
    feelin_gr_8 Posts: 308 Member
    I'm not in maintaining...still losing here....but if I know I'm going to go over, yes, I try to eat smaller during the day. But more than that, so I'm not starving, I make sure to exercise more.
  • ValerieMartini2Olives
    ValerieMartini2Olives Posts: 3,024 Member
    I exercise more of prelog so I know what I have to work with
  • sokkache
    sokkache Posts: 220 Member
    Yeah I definitely skip snacks. I go to eat buffet for lunch one day and I don't eat for the rest of the day. I would still eat lunch, just keep it short on the calories and I would just skip afternoon snack unless I get too hungry. Then, I might eat an apple or some other fruit.
  • Red_Sparrow
    Red_Sparrow Posts: 56
    I did a cyclic ketogenic diet briefly a while back, which included a weekly "refeed" that generally went about 500-800 calories over my daily calorie limit for that one day only. It actually worked really well for me, and I incorporated that into a balanced diet when I dropped the keto. Instead of a 300 daily calorie deficit, I'll do a 400 calorie deficit and on Saturday I'll go out with friends and eat about 600 over without worrying about how clean it is, or how many carbs, or how much protein, or whatever.

    My approach to weight loss(or maintenance) has been "whatever works for me and is reasonably healthy". This may not be the textbook ideal approach to weight loss, but I've discovered that it's overall beneficial for me to have that mental break for one meal a week. It helps me stay on track the rest of the week - if I really want that chocolate-coated sugar bomb or whatever on Tuesday, I'll just tell myself that I can have it Saturday night, and if I still really want it then, I can get one. It pretty much stops the craving in its tracks.

    So yeah, not only do I know that those bad restaurant meals are going to occasionally happen, I actively plan for them when setting caloric limits, and it helps me be good the rest of the time.
  • DancingMoosie
    DancingMoosie Posts: 8,619 Member
    I either plan ahead, by eating light and healthy before hand, and maybe add a bit more cardio. Or, I do an extra workout the next day and eat under, to make up the difference. If it is a big splurge, I do both or maybe even eat a little under for 2 days after.
  • 32sami
    32sami Posts: 380 Member
    Go out, have fun, forgive yourself, and move on. Diet and exercise are great but you can't neglect the rest of your life because of it. When you're old I think it would be better to look back and think I had some good times as opposed to I should've done more. Btw, have a drink for me, I'm at work. :(
  • dawn_h_d
    dawn_h_d Posts: 184 Member
    Go out, have fun, forgive yourself, and move on. Diet and exercise are great but you can't neglect the rest of your life because of it. When you're old I think it would be better to look back and think I had some good times as opposed to I should've done more. Btw, have a drink for me, I'm at work. :(

    ^^^ This...IMO

    I try to think of my weight loss in one week periods - not 24 hour periods. I weigh myself once a week, so within that week I have a lot more opportunities to make a wrong, right again.
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  • pinkstp
    pinkstp Posts: 220 Member
    If I know I'm going out, I do one of two things:

    1 - fill up on protein w/ lower cals
    or
    2 - enjoy my entree and get back to the grind the following day :) you only live once, one meal isn't going to make or break it in the long run, but if it's already a particularly high calorie day I at least try to order things that I know aren't going to make the day a total loss ;)
  • lithezebra
    lithezebra Posts: 3,670 Member
    I can't eat small meals for breakfast and lunch and expect to function. I've never gone over by more than about 200 calories, and that isn't hard to make up in the following day or two. I go ahead and go over, and I log, so I don't forget and do it again.
  • kenna44cat
    kenna44cat Posts: 105 Member
    I agree with most of what's been said here. I do save calories for later in the day if I know I'm going out for a restaurant meal, but that's against general advice that you should eat an apple or a snack before going out to cut your appetite. That doesn't work for me, though. I'd say it's good to look on the week as a whole and just incorporate a bad day into the rest of the week and have some good days to balance it. You can't feel as though you're depriving yourself constantly.
  • doctorsookie
    doctorsookie Posts: 1,084 Member
    I did this yesterday. I skipped snacks and ate an apple for lunch. I was so hungry by dinner I ended up eating too much and had a migraine for 18 hours after from putting all the food I don't eat on a regular basis in my body. I have decided to splurge in moderation from now on. No more skipping meals to eat "bad" food. This way I will eat less of the "bad" food eliminating (at least I hope) the onset of a migraine. Just my story but you have to decide for yourself what works for you. I'm still figuring it out for myself.
  • MrsFowler1069
    MrsFowler1069 Posts: 657 Member
    I tend to use the majority of my calories in the afternoon/evening, anyway. Partly because that's just when I eat the most and partly because I like to have the cushion.

    So it isn't a real stretch for me to do this, but if I know I'm going out, I'll budget back a little more for it. However, I will definitely also have a snack right before I go so that some of the calories I do consume beforehand keep me from being overly hungry.
  • MrsFowler1069
    MrsFowler1069 Posts: 657 Member
    Oh, and I agree with the method of exercising a little more to buy some calories back in, as well. Not that I exercise much yet....lol
  • KarlaH9801
    KarlaH9801 Posts: 362 Member
    I didn't read all of the replies :blushing: , but I do rely on my weekly caloric intake. Before hand or after, I just do a few " tweeks" to make up for it. Diet or exercize.
  • swinler
    swinler Posts: 15
    I try and budget for the calories during the course of the day if possible. I also agree with what everyone is saying about exercise - it helps put a few extra calories in the bank! Maybe you could walk to or from the restaurant (or even just walk part way).
  • EdTheGinge
    EdTheGinge Posts: 1,616 Member
    As long as I don't deprive myself anything during the day I might be a bit more careful but as someone has said life is for living enjoy yourself, it's one day and then get back on it the following day. We all need a day off from time to time
  • Surreal2You
    Surreal2You Posts: 16 Member
    Personally I would skip snacks if I know for sure going out to eat. Otherwise If possible go to the gym or wherever and go for a run or even a walk for atleast 30 minutes. In doing so will allow you to hit over your maintenance and allow you to enjoy more food.
  • Seesawboomerang
    Seesawboomerang Posts: 296 Member
    Eat enough in the day - don't starve yourself.

    Avoid unnecessary snacks (but stick with the healthy ones)

    Exercise a bit more.

    Don't worry about it.
  • annakow
    annakow Posts: 385 Member
    Logistic and planing ! :)
  • lornathommo
    lornathommo Posts: 16
    Go out, have fun, forgive yourself, and move on. Diet and exercise are great but you can't neglect the rest of your life because of it. When you're old I think it would be better to look back and think I had some good times as opposed to I should've done more. Btw, have a drink for me, I'm at work. :(

    Totally agree with this! I allow myself one day when although I track I don't care if I'm 100 or 1000 calories over. A night out with the girls or a meal out with hubby. I enjoy myself. Then the rest of the week I stick to my intake and exercise. Maybe just exercise that little harder if I've swayed more towards the 1000cal excess, lol! I've only been maintaining 3 months but I'm 2lbs lighter than goal weight doing this.
  • natalie412
    natalie412 Posts: 1,039 Member
    Definitely. I used to do this before I gained weight too - if I knew I was going out to eat, I would eat a lot lighter for breakfast and lunch and skip any snacks.
  • pkw58
    pkw58 Posts: 2,038 Member
    If I have a planned celebration meal, I try my best to eat a very high protein breakfast and lunch, no snacks. I eat a high protein lean 100 calorie snack about an hour before the celebration meal. It seems to work to reduce any splurges.
  • BeanyFrog13
    BeanyFrog13 Posts: 161 Member
    If I know in advance that I'm going out for a meal then I try and incorporate a longer workout that day so as to make sure I have the cals spare :D Failing that I just don't worry about that one time and make sure I'm on it for the rest of the time! :)
  • pandorakick
    pandorakick Posts: 901 Member
    I track my intake on weekly instead of daily totals. During weekdays I aim to stay about 100 kcal below my set goal, giving me approx. 500 kcal extra in the weekend to spent. This usually is enough to cover regular weekend celebrations. For parties and such I may also eat less during the day and/or exercise a bit longer. The big celebrations like my own birthday, Christmas etc I just don't track :happy:

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