When you "mess up," do you...

lovelylovebug
lovelylovebug Posts: 27 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just out of curiosity, if you have a bad weekend or a day where you ate more than you intended to, how do you compensate for it (if at all)? Do you cut back slightly the next following days or do you brush it off and start fresh the next day?

Replies

  • brandiuntz
    brandiuntz Posts: 2,717 Member
    I just get back to my normal eating habits. A bad day or week, or even month, means nothing in the long term. If this is a lifestyle change, then it's what you do over many months and years that matters.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Brush it off. I'll drink more water since I probably spiked up my sodium.
  • conniemaxwell5
    conniemaxwell5 Posts: 943 Member
    I brush it off and try not to 'mess up' very often. I have just come off of a week of eating at or above maintenance for most of it. I was extremely busy (jury duty plus catching up on work every night, then traveling over the weekend) and didn't log well so my diary doesn't even reflect what I was doing. I know it was hormonal and stress related and I gave in to it but this week don't have the cravings so I'm just back on track. The scale shows me up a couple of pounds but I'm sure it's just water weight and will come off in a day or two.
  • wendybird5
    wendybird5 Posts: 577 Member
    I just get back to my normal eating habits. A bad day or week, or even month, means nothing in the long term. If this is a lifestyle change, then it's what you do over many months and years that matters.

    Ditto. No sense in getting all worked up over a slip. No one is perfect and beating yourself up over it isn't going to change what you've done. I feel like I only fail if I give up completely.
  • peachcats
    peachcats Posts: 99
    Continue as normal.
    If I could lose weight after years of "messing it up", a few days won't set me back that much.
  • jenilla1
    jenilla1 Posts: 11,118 Member
    Just don't do it very often and it won't matter in the long run.
  • candylilacs
    candylilacs Posts: 614 Member
    Go back to what you were doing. I just had two weeks of that when my mom died. Trying to go back to normal, but I did gain about 7 pounds. I'm not worried because I know that will come off, but just trying to be in control of your life in a stressful time is rough.

    Don't beat yourself up over it and just battle on.
  • MonaRaeHill
    MonaRaeHill Posts: 145 Member
    I try and be disciplined about it. I keep a running log (in my daily personal diary) for everything I overate, and try to work it back in, for my breakfasts, over a series of days (since I am NOT a breakfast eater, and likely, never will be). My metabolism KNOWS, somehow, when I've messed up, (It's pretty sensitive), .and I usually gain back a couple pounds, immediately. All I can say is it's just too bad the weight doesn't come off as easily as it went on.........sigh.
  • eileen0515
    eileen0515 Posts: 408 Member
    Well my mind set is a little different. Developed over a year of weight loss, to a total of 65 pounds. I have never considered any time I've eaten a surplus of calories as "messing up". I ate them intentionally and on purpose. It's not a diet it is a lifestyle and well life sometimes happens. There are holidays, special occasions, and celebrations, and travel. You know, Life!

    In answer to your question. I just go back to what has worked for me. Eat at a deficit, moderate exercise, weigh myself (not too often). But never, ever beat myself up. Life is meant to be enjoyed, and sometimes that includes a surplus of calories.
  • JeffGDDG
    JeffGDDG Posts: 252 Member
    I consider the week as a whole instead of just one day.
  • Kevalicious99
    Kevalicious99 Posts: 1,131 Member
    I never worry about screwing up .. cause I never screw up enough that it will actually cause any weight gain.

    Fear is the biggest reason people fail .. like one slip up will not destroy everything.
  • mmm_drop
    mmm_drop Posts: 1,126 Member
    I just get back to my normal eating habits. A bad day or week, or even month, means nothing in the long term. If this is a lifestyle change, then it's what you do over many months and years that matters.

    ^Yup. Me too.
  • chelseascounter
    chelseascounter Posts: 1,283 Member
    Brush it all of and start fresh the next day. I also won't weight myself for several days :indifferent:
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
    Back to it the next day. But the time I was over by 1100, I wasn't even that hungry the next day and ended up 100 calories under my goal (which really doesn't happen much).
  • littleburgy
    littleburgy Posts: 570 Member
    Sometimes I'll cut back on subsequent days, sometimes I'll just carry on and brush it off.

    The most important thing is to not panic or give up.

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