What do to when someone cooks a meal for you

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Replies

  • zeal26
    zeal26 Posts: 602 Member
    I'm going to dinner for mother's day too. I am simply going to make the best guesses I can, indulge a little and enjoy myself. The same as I've done with every event (there have been several) that has come up since I started MFP in January, and every time someone has brought baked goods to work (often) and I've still lost steadily.

    To me, taking a scales to a social event is going too far. No way would I want this to take over my life like that. This is a lifestyle change, social eating is a big part of life and there's no need to deprive yourself of that or feel guilty.

    Enjoy your day with your mum. :)
  • jillian_fan2425
    jillian_fan2425 Posts: 167 Member
    I would still log it, but enjoy the meal, just maybe with smaller portions. If you've been restricting calories for a while, you might be "used" to smaller portions anyway and can honestly say you're full when you finish your plate. I wouldn't bother with the food scale; just give your best estimate. MFP is only so accurate anyway, from what I've seen around these boards. If it makes you feel better and you know what you are going to have for dinner, log your food beforehand so you can "plan" for exercise and extra calories.

    As everyone else has been saying, one day is not going to kill your progress. Total deprivation of yummy home-cooked food is not the way to go!
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
    My husband took me out to a very nice dinner for my birthday. I tried to be light the rest of the day and thoroughly enjoyed dinner. Then I got back on track the next day. Just because I was not going to log dinner, I didn't gorge myself or binge.

    If we are just going out for dinner with friends or something (somwthing NOT very special), I'll try to look up the menu ahead and actually log it earlier in the day). Don't forget the roll, wine, or appetizer.
  • zoemcquaid
    zoemcquaid Posts: 34 Member
    I will definitely be eating light before hand. I will probably not log anything because I am rubbish at guessing/eyeballing so i would just rather not and start fresh the next day.
  • jr235
    jr235 Posts: 201 Member
    First of all say thank you. ;)

    If its any consolation I nearly always lose weight when I'm at my inlaws for any extended period of time. It's quite a bit heavier than my usual fare, so I am VERY careful with my portions, eating very slowly until I am full.

    I vote get your work out in before, not after you're full of food and sleepy.
  • Sunbrooke
    Sunbrooke Posts: 632 Member
    First of all say thank you. ;)

    If its any consolation I nearly always lose weight when I'm at my inlaws for any extended period of time. It's quite a bit heavier than my usual fare, so I am VERY careful with my portions, eating very slowly until I am full.

    I vote get your work out in before, not after you're full of food and sleepy.

    Oh yes, definitely get a good workout in earlier, if you can. This always makes me feel better!
  • Jpartlow9212
    Jpartlow9212 Posts: 1
    Hey hey! I have been in those situations plenty of times. Until you feel more comfortable eye-balling food, I would suggest bringing your scale. Yes, people may find it strange but this is a perfect way for you to show how serious you are about your health and goals. Plus, the best way to get good at eye-balling is practice using a scale and remembering portion sizes! Do what makes you comfortable. Hope this helps and good luck :)
  • Kargicq
    Kargicq Posts: 72 Member
    Do what makes you comfortable.

    I'd add... do what everyone is comfortable with! When I eat at the house of some friends who have been calorie-counting for a while, they're very happy to weigh my portions.. but it's on a case-by-case basis! :smile:
  • DrJenO
    DrJenO Posts: 404 Member
    The only thing that could make me drag myself out of bed @ 5:30 to exercise was knowing I'm going to have wine with my anniversary dinner on Saturday :)
  • Pirate_chick
    Pirate_chick Posts: 1,216 Member
    guess the best you can, log it and move on.
  • md523083
    md523083 Posts: 37 Member
    What do to when someone cooks a meal for you

    I throw it on the ground. I won't be part of their system.

    threw-it-to-the-ground-cup-o.gif

    The system. LOVE IT. ;) hahaha
  • thatpixichick
    thatpixichick Posts: 77 Member
    Enjoy it! You know what a massive portion is, think 15 roast potatoes with 5 huge cuts of beef and a pint of gravy and 4 Yorkshire puds on the side. So just don't do that! Have a bit of everything and if you're still peckish, have a little bit more.
  • Chezzie84
    Chezzie84 Posts: 873 Member
    Go to your mom's and enjoy your dinner. It is only 1 day. Just don't go mad.

    Remember that one day, you won't get to celebrate mothers day with your mother so grab the chances while you can.
  • FindingAmy77
    FindingAmy77 Posts: 1,268 Member
    A roast and vegies are good for you. Just calm down and go on websites that show you how to judge portions and measurenents using the palm of your hand/deck of vards as a portion of meat, your tip of thumb to the bend is an ouce, a three finger pinch is .25 ounce, your fist is a cup. I would post the site but im on an iod. Plan to drink water, eat light in the day before you go. Dont eat dessert, skip bread, load up on vegies, get in a workout before or afterwards. Then at the end of the day log as much as you can and write it in the food notes for the day that you estimated but enjoyed your day, complete the day and start over in the morning.

    Dont just go on a full **** it binge, just do your best to eat filling foods like meat and vegies. Stay away from added butter, gravy etc
  • LiseLeroux
    LiseLeroux Posts: 6
    Like a lot of people have mentioned ... there are going to be special occasions all the time. Mother's Day. Birthdays. Work events. Holidays. And we have to learn to navigate those successfully. Just estimate, use some moderation, and enjoy - without totally blowing it. Then make up for it (or before like some said). Treat it like a bank account. If you borrow a lot, you've got to either take out a loan or pay it back. It will all even out.

    I went out on a "first date" the other night. I really didn't want to be on a diet for that. Nobody wants to hear about diets and it's not really very social. But the alternative was to continue hiding out at home and not socializing at all (which I was doing when I gained so much weight). So I just bit the bullet and drank my water instead of wine, ate reasonably, and didn't have dessert. And had a great time so it can be done :-)

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