how do you manage social situation when you are counting?

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salsacatblue
salsacatblue Posts: 15
in Health and Weight Loss
What do you do if you want to hung out with your friend and everyone is having a drink?
I figure if you work out that day extra to gain some calorie you can have a drink as much as you burn, but does only the work out that you do that particular day goes toward extra burn? not day after or two day after ?

I was thinking that if I do, say zumba class for two days in the low that would get you about 1000 cal, so you can go out and have fun that weekend? is that REALLY goin to work??
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  • gmallan
    gmallan Posts: 2,099 Member
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    Some people like to look at their calorie deficit from a weekly rather than daily perspective. They may save an extra 100-200 calories here or there during the week to indulge on the weekend.
  • mandasalem
    mandasalem Posts: 346 Member
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    I think it depends on your amount of self-control and how the rest of your week works. My loss tends to be slower and much less linear, but that's partly because I told my husband that I wasn't going to let it make social situations awkward or a cause of guilt or anything.
  • Cheechos
    Cheechos Posts: 293
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    I usually don't count if I'm going to be with friends unless the food we're getting is available in the database (like a McDonald's burger or a Taco Bell taco or something). I only see my friends maybe once a month, so I'm not worried about my social life affecting my intake much.
  • Karabobarra
    Karabobarra Posts: 782 Member
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    I'm allergic to Dairy, Soy and Gluten intollerant... it's easy to dismiss something I shoulldn't be eating because "I'm not sure what's in it and don't want to take a chance" or my usual line "I'm trying to cut down on my sugar... but they look delicious!"

    Alcohol is a different story... but I don't get asked out to social situations much so I haven't had to decline...lol

    if I want to enjoy the food or alcohol at a social situation then I exercise before and make sure I am calorie deficient before going.
  • salsacatblue
    salsacatblue Posts: 15
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    I almost have a get together with friend or boy friend every week, it is a worst if I am going out with a GF. Because I LOVE to drink and get together.... and it is hard not to when other people are having a drink, I think it is my biggest problem! but I don't want to give up socializing for the sake of dieting.
    I know I need to be on watch about how much I am drinking...
  • roxmarlise
    roxmarlise Posts: 1 Member
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    This has come up with me. My boss and coworkers go out to eat and happy hour a lot. I have been declining and they reply with "you're SO boring"...even though I gained the 20 pounds I now have to lose by eating out and happy houring with them...lol! :) You can never win with this so just politely decline the invite when you know you're not going to work it off.... If they're your friend they'll get over it :)
  • MelissaPhippsFeagins
    MelissaPhippsFeagins Posts: 8,063 Member
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    It depends on the social situation. If I am spending the day with a close friend, then I log it as I eat it. If I am going out with coworkers then I stalk the website of the restaurant and quick add the calories before I go. It wont be perfect but it will abbey close enough. I rarely save calories fornit. I do t intend tonlive the rest of my life never having a cheat day so I have one every 4 to 6 weeks now.

    If I am eating wroth my own family, I log as I go. If I eat with hubby 's family I log it later. My MIL is the worst for discouraging me from anything that is good for me so I don't log around her. My brothers pick on me about it, but they pick on me about everything and it's not unkind. They call me a food nerd...I have been called worse.
  • ton40orbust
    ton40orbust Posts: 155
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    Normally I just throw an extra work out or two into my week. Or I will volunteer to DD so my friends can get wasted and I can still have fun and just stay sober without making them feel awkward.
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    I don't drink, never have. I order a diet coke and have just as good a time as my drunk friends. Best part is I feel fine the next day and remember what I did!
  • salsacatblue
    salsacatblue Posts: 15
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    "Or I will volunteer to DD so my friends can get wasted and I can still have fun and just stay sober without making them feel awkward."

    I can use this technique : ) clever!
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,136 Member
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    I either work it in or skip it.
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    I was thinking that if I do, say zumba class for two days in the low that would get you about 1000 cal, so you can go out and have fun that weekend? is that REALLY goin to work??

    No. That is almost certainly a large over-estimate on what you are burning.

    If I don't want a drink, I just have a club soda or diet soda. It's a perfectly normal, natural choice.
  • salsacatblue
    salsacatblue Posts: 15
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    I was thinking that if I do, say zumba class for two days in the low that would get you about 1000 cal, so you can go out and have fun that weekend? is that REALLY goin to work??

    No. That is almost certainly a large over-estimate on what you are burning.

    If I don't want a drink, I just have a club soda or diet soda. It's a perfectly normal, natural choice.

    maybe time to get hrm to find out how much I am burning actually. thanks for bringing that to my attention!
  • Mr_Knight
    Mr_Knight Posts: 9,532 Member
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    HRM will also over-estimate burn for exercise programs like Zumba, 30DS, etc.
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
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    A lot of times I don't drink or just limit the intake to 1-2 drinks. Usually I only drink about once a week.
  • srogers89
    srogers89 Posts: 190 Member
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    My girlfriends and I get together every week, sometimes twice a week for dinner/socialising and it almost ALWAYS involves a hearty wine and cheese board. Everyone is taking their journey differently, but I know some people save their extra calories burned for a cheat meal or indulgences, that way you can use those calories throughout the week, rather than on the day you burned the extra calories.

    I am personally working on IIFYM so I aim for mine to fit in for the day, if I go over though I am not going to beat myself up, it is all part of the journey and it is a lifestyle change not a quick fix. Realistically after I have lost the weight I will still be socialising with friends so I need to learn to curb my 3 LARGE glasses of wine to 1 or 2 regular ones. Just have a think about your lifestyle if this is a weekely occurance try and fit it in you weekly calorie intake, that way if you don't socialise it is additional calories for you to do as you please and if you do socialise it is already accounted for.
  • nicoleisback
    nicoleisback Posts: 184
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    If you are going out to a pub/club, just bring enough money to buy what you can fit in to your calories. You won't be tempted by extras if you don't have the cash for them
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,266 Member
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    definitely doing exercise daily helps to increase your calorie allowance but your best tool is go online and figure out how many calories a shot is. For example: I love Kahlua. One shot/one ounce is 90 calories. I forgo the cream and have it with coffee and lots of ice instead now. or a if you like beer go for the lighter options like bud select, etc. You can have diet pop with a shot of whatever you drink, you can opt for lots of limes with ice water or soda water. You can skip the creamy drinks/shots or the high sugar juice drinks and be smart and bring a packet of crystal light... just order a shot of whatever you like then ask for it to be in water/then add your packet. There are lots of ways to stay on track while still being social and living life. I use to go out all the time the last time I was losing weight and still lost consistently until my goal of - 60lbs. The key is to know before you go. THis also works when going out to eat, most foods and restaurants have nutritional info available- take advantage of that. When we go in blindly, its when we tend to say oh well and over do it. No matter what, just focus on having fun and keep track of what you drink. Try to fit in some dancing if you can, it burns calories while having a good time. :-)
  • salsacatblue
    salsacatblue Posts: 15
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    I am personally working on IIFYM so I aim for mine to fit in for the day, if I go over though I am not going to beat myself up, it is all part of the journey and it is a lifestyle change not a quick fix. Realistically after I have lost the weight I will still be socializing with friends so I need to learn to curb my 3 LARGE glasses of wine to 1 or 2 regular ones. Just have a think about your lifestyle if this is a weekly occurrence try and fit it in you weekly calorie intake, that way if you don't socialise it is additional calories for you to do as you please and if you do socialise it is already accounted for.

    I like your way of thinking. I agree that the whole thing has to fit into your life style to be successful in long run, so I must find a way to enjoy my life as is and still trying to balance intakes of alcohol. I can't think about not having get together for the sake of your diet.
  • pavrg
    pavrg Posts: 277 Member
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    I manage it by eating lighter earlier in the day/week if I know I'm going to be going out one day.

    Two glasses of wine (which is enough to get most women loopy) is ~180-200 calories. If you drink a rum and diet coke or something like that it's even lower. That's not a whole lot and you can eat light earlier in the day if you're going out for a drink. Just avoid beer and sugary coctails.

    The tough part is avoiding eating the food in restaurants.

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