What do you do when you have overeaten?

I ate something really high calorie for lunch and then freaked out when I logged it. What do you do in this situation? How do I salvage my day? I have 82 calories left for the day. I know this was a rookie move and I should have realized what I was doing before it was too late, so please don't criticize. I just need some good advice on how to handle this situation. By the way my food diary is closed,and I have no "friends" on here, because when I did it really messed with my head.

Replies

  • kimnsc
    kimnsc Posts: 560 Member
    I hit the gym and try to earn back some calories or if that isn't an option I just log it and move on. ONE day of being over isn't going to amount to anything in the grand scheme of things.
  • AZKristi
    AZKristi Posts: 1,801 Member
    Just continue as normal. If you are hungry later, eat something healthful. Just make a better choice the next time you put something in your mouth.
  • ravenribbs
    ravenribbs Posts: 289 Member
    Stop beating yourself up and do better tomorrow. We all crash and burn, especially when getting started. Just don't let one poopy day let you justify a downward slide. We're here to give you that loving slap upside the head to bring you back to sensibility!!
  • I try not to be disheartened. Losing weight has its ups and downs. We cannot do great every day. Stress,work, school etc. play a part. I just add more cardio the next day and make sure I write the binge down in my diary because honesty is key to success.
  • mermaidart
    mermaidart Posts: 9 Member
    I try to do some exercise and if by the end of the day I'm still over, I just continue on the next day. Going 100-200 calories over once isn't going to knock you off track, just learn from your mistake and see tomorrow as a new day. Plus, its nice to indulge once in a while :)
  • ravenmiss
    ravenmiss Posts: 384 Member
    I balance my calorie intake over the week, not each day. Just earn back some calories by exercising or cutting back elsewhere if you're able to.
  • Chief_Rocka
    Chief_Rocka Posts: 4,710 Member
    stop eating
  • ghosthackexe
    ghosthackexe Posts: 181 Member
    So either A) stop eating and wait till tomorrow B) earn yourself some more calories prob most effective way to do this is via cardio (at least thats how i do it) best of luck and dont fret one day wont kill you just dont make it a habbit
  • ssmkgp
    ssmkgp Posts: 1,425
    ....just relax :D
  • dbra58
    dbra58 Posts: 15 Member
    I did the same thing at lunch today. I'm not a rookie, I've been doing this for months now. It's a special weekend and we have
    company from out of town. What am I going to do? I'm not going to beat myself up over it, I was 275 calories short yesterday, and I logged 16,000 steps. I figure if I eat a light dinner and go for a walk, it will balance out....like someone said, it is only one day.
    I have come way to far to go back now!

    Hang in there and let it go!
  • PrizePopple
    PrizePopple Posts: 3,133 Member
    Yep, either don't freak out over it or go out for a nice long walk in the evening to help offset some of "damage".
  • wallweber
    wallweber Posts: 5 Member
    Well, now you've learned to look and log before you eat, and that's important. Now, you just chalk it up to a learning experience, which is a good thing... relax and don't beat yourself up. ;)
  • PrairieSlims
    PrairieSlims Posts: 42 Member
    I try not to.

    Drink lots of water. By taking fiber(we don't get enough in our daily diet) to flush through my system along with lots of water.

    Get back to normal eating quickly.

    Don't punish yourself. You are the master of your own ship!!!
  • cheripugh1
    cheripugh1 Posts: 357 Member
    try to have something light for dinner, accept that today you made a mistake and you might go over a bit, it shouldn't hurt you just be careful tomorrow and maybe add a workout in tonight to help burn it if that will make you feel better about the whole thing. It has happened to me and I'm real sure to many if not all on here... this is part of life!
  • davert123
    davert123 Posts: 1,568 Member
    Remember this is a marathon and not a sprint. In your situation I would try and do some exercise but that isn't critical. I would just go on as normal , trying to cut back a little but not killing myself and then not stress over it at all. I think we are all here because we want a better future, in a years time (or how long in the future you are working towards) you wont be caring about what you did today and what you did today will make no impact on it at all :-) I've gone over by at least 500 today, most probably more but it really is irreverent as long as I don't do it repeatedly :-)
  • asia1967
    asia1967 Posts: 707 Member
    I hit the gym and try to earn back some calories or if that isn't an option I just log it and move on. ONE day of being over isn't going to amount to anything in the grand scheme of things.


    ^This+1

    I actually did this very thing last night, and I ended up feeling like crap all day today as well.
  • Owlie45
    Owlie45 Posts: 806 Member
    I burn some calories and then have a light dinner and I skip dessert.

    Don't beat yourself up about it. Did this exact thing last week.
  • Tea_Mistress
    Tea_Mistress Posts: 105 Member
    It happens, don't worry about it :) have a healthy dinner that you know will satisfy you and don't worry about going over a couple hundred today
  • If you're the type who is motivated more by punishment, then don't eat for the rest of the day, or eat something very light if you get hungry. I'm not a fan of that sort of mentality, though, and I only started getting serious about watching what I ate when I became kinder to myself and gave myself permission to make mistakes. They happen. They're normal, and there's no point beating yourself up over them. So you went over your calorie intake one day? Big deal. If you've been eating reasonably all week, going over by a couple hundred calories or so once isn't going to make a difference. Just as long as you don't make it a habit or see it as an excuse to scrap all the other good choices you make in your diet, it's okay.

    tl;dr: you're going to mess up sometimes. Everyone does. Consider it a splurge day. Work in another or longer bout of exercise if it makes you feel better. But don't fall apart. You just tripped on a pebble; that's no reason to take yourself out of the marathon. :)
  • I balance my calorie intake over the week, not each day. Just earn back some calories by exercising or cutting back elsewhere if you're able to.
    I second taking the weekly approach!
  • 999tigger
    999tigger Posts: 5,235 Member
    Seriously life is too short to get wound up about it. What the people who said about look at it as though spread over the week and then you cna do an extra bit of cardio each day to make it up including a bit more walking. Its 7500 calories for 1lb weight loss, so even a few 1lbs on that basis would require you eating 15000 calories which would be a lot of food.

    As always dont beat yourself up, dont get guilty it happened just deal with it.
  • If I have time, I go to the gym - an hour on an aerobic elliptical program will atone for a multitude of sins. Otherwise, it's as other people have said: one day won't hurt. If you've gone way, way past your daily limit, I would consider eating slightly less the next day, but only for a very extreme overshoot.
  • LadyHomestar
    LadyHomestar Posts: 16 Member
    cry, then work out. then maybe cry some more :P
  • FitOldMomma
    FitOldMomma Posts: 790 Member
    Don't sweat it. It's one meal.
    Eat a healthy dinner regardless if you go over your daily limit.
    Tomorrow is a new day.
  • summer_of_69
    summer_of_69 Posts: 28 Member
    Welcome!

    First, you did the right thing: you tracked it.

    Second, reconsider how you are using myfitnesspal. Consider using it initially, for the first month, JUST to track, not to lose. My goal has not been to eat x calories, but to track so I can learn how to eat what I like in reasonable ways. I remember one time eating one of those big grab bags of Doritoes and then upon tracking them realized it was 520 calories (since they have like 2.5 servings int them). I will still eat Doritoes, but now more mindfully and make sure I only eat one serving. (This is similar to what financial planners tell you: track your spending for a month just to see where the money - in this case the calories - are going. Then you make the changes.)

    Third, did you enjoy the food? In that case, celebrate! Screw it! You already ate it! There is absolutely no point in beating yourself up. It was good, and you now know how many calories it was.

    Fourth, if it will make you feel better (it does me), take a nice walk to just get some more calories in. Don't force yourself to burn off as many as you ate, but even a 100 calories will be burned with a 30-minute leisurely walk.

    Fifth, make sure you do eat a good meal for dinner. Maybe something lighter, but don't starve yourself just to stay under the calorie count.

    Sixth, remember that this is a journey and you will often overeat. I often overeat. I am getting better at doing it less often, but it will always happen because I am human and I like food. :) (Not to mention beer!)

    Seventh: treat yourself like you would treat someone else. If your friend had told you she's blown her calories in one meal, you would probably be compassionate to her and cheer her on and tell her it's ok. Do the same to yourself-- you deserve compassion and grace as well.

    Hope this helps.
  • Cerakoala
    Cerakoala Posts: 2,547 Member
    I just try to salvage the day as best I can. I go for a walk, run or go to the gym to get some extra calories and try to have a dinner with mostly protein and veggies. My go to when I am short on calories is a 4oz FF turkey burger and some steamed zuchinni or squash and a salad with some very light dressing. That is about 200-300 calories. It holds me over to the next day usually and I can start fresh. If I go over by a bit I don't sweat it to much. 1 day over by a few calories isn't going to damage your progress very much and more than likely you are still at a deficit. :)
  • f0r54ken
    f0r54ken Posts: 21 Member
    Working out just might make you even more hungry too. If I over eat on accident. Sometimes later in the night when I'm hungry again I'll just eat a couple carrots or banana's or something. Veggies and fruits are lower for calorie intake so it's a good compromise when you don't have much left.

    Pickles do a really good job at satisfying savory hunger for the low cost of 5 calories per pickle slice. :)