What do I do?!?!?

Going out to dinner tonight with a friend I only see once a month. We eat at Perkins. My normal meal is the Tangler Burger with French Fries and a side of honey mustard with a diet coke. This is what I really want but it will put me over my daily calories by 874 or I can order one of there fit meals and stay around 1500 calories for the day; ending my day below my allot calorie intake. AHH what do I do. I don't want to not enjoy ever again, but at the same time I feel like eating what I want is a terrible, horrible no good decision. HELP?!?!?!
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Replies

  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    edited February 2015
    Can you eat half your normal meal? That's generally what I do. Food I love, just less of it.

    If you don't think you can do half, I'd go with the lighter option and just plan next month's dinner out ahead of time so I can have what I want.

    It's entirely up to you though - you could eat at a bigger deficit for the rest of the week to make up those 874 calories, too. Or exercise them off. Of just say screw it and enjoy yourself.

    Have fun!
  • CariJean64
    CariJean64 Posts: 297 Member
    Perkins has chicken noodle soup that is really low in calories! Maybe have some of that, then some other side order to fill you up. Check their website!
  • NerdieMcChub
    NerdieMcChub Posts: 153 Member
    I agree with Virgoddess. You can eat at a bigger deficit to make up for it for a few days, work out harder to burn more, or just say to hell with it and eat what you want to lol. Once in a while it won't hurt.
  • petunia773
    petunia773 Posts: 473 Member
    Enjoy the time with your friend instead of focusing so much on the meal. Personally, I'd eat the healthier option because it really shouldn't be about the food, but about the company you'll be enjoying.
  • ForeverSunshine09
    ForeverSunshine09 Posts: 966 Member
    You could eat half the portion. So you still get what you want but, don.t overload on calories.
  • Khukhullatus
    Khukhullatus Posts: 361 Member
    You're too late for this month, but if you know it's coming, it wouldn't be super painful to reduce your daily calories by 50 and have an extra 1500 to play around with on that day. It wouldn't show up as right in your diary, but it's all about averages anyway.
  • vixtris
    vixtris Posts: 688 Member
    I would say either eat half of what you really want and save the rest for tomorrow or get the lower cal one.
  • ljones27uk
    ljones27uk Posts: 177 Member
    Not an issue if you go over in any one day, but could you 'pay' the calories back over the next three days say? And therefore be under for the week? Easy for me to say, and I know it's move to stay under each day, but days like this happen eh.. Enjoy whatever you do
  • JTulachka143
    JTulachka143 Posts: 10 Member
    edited February 2015
    You're too late for this month, but if you know it's coming, it wouldn't be super painful to reduce your daily calories by 50 and have an extra 1500 to play around with on that day. It wouldn't show up as right in your diary, but it's all about averages anyway.
    I like this plan. If I choose to go with the burger and I stick with the 1400 calories for the next 3 days I will have averaged out plus some.

    Thanks

  • DrWhoIsYerDad
    DrWhoIsYerDad Posts: 263 Member
    edited February 2015
    Figure out what you can eat to stay within your daily max and eat that, that's all I can say this weight loss thing doesn't work if you don't stay in deficit OR eat what you want and accept the consequences
  • crimsondawn8794
    crimsondawn8794 Posts: 2 Member
    If I were you, I would just order what you love to get and just realize that you will do better tomorrow. I mean, if this is a special occasion with a friend you only get to see once a month, you should enjoy yourself. Also assuming you have followed your regime the rest of the time, it will not hurt you to take a cheat day every once in a while.
  • I don't want to be rude and I certainly don't eat the healthiest 24/7. But the Tangler Burger with fries and a side of mustard is a horrible choice. Other than protein in the burger you're getting almost zero nutrition. Fries and chips. Kick those to the side of the road except for very special occasions. Diet Coke. I had a nasty diet soda habit. Nasty. 6-8 cans a day. Once I kicked that habit (I'm down to 1-2 a day), the weight just dropped off me. I am 100% convinced diet soda holds back wellness and weight loss. And doesn't the Tangler Burger have onion rings on top of it? Unless you're Michael Phelps swimming 10 miles a day, you're not going to achieve your goals eating the Tangler Burger. Again, just my opinion. You might be difference. If you are, then I am your biggest fan and extremely envious. I know I couldn't eat that dinner and reach my goals. The good news is that Perkins has plenty of healthy options and they will usually customize a meal for you. Plenty of folks suggest you eat half the meal. Good luck with eating half a delicious burger and fries that's just sitting there. I know I can't do that.
  • mariabee
    mariabee Posts: 212 Member
    Or, you can just not worry so much about it, have an awesome workout, and enjoy your one splurge meal this week. The stress over this one meal will cause weight gain, just enjoy it!
  • TheVirgoddess
    TheVirgoddess Posts: 4,535 Member
    edited February 2015
    I don't want to be rude and I certainly don't eat the healthiest 24/7. But the Tangler Burger with fries and a side of mustard is a horrible choice. Other than protein in the burger you're getting almost zero nutrition. Fries and chips. Kick those to the side of the road except for very special occasions. Diet Coke. I had a nasty diet soda habit. Nasty. 6-8 cans a day. Once I kicked that habit (I'm down to 1-2 a day), the weight just dropped off me. I am 100% convinced diet soda holds back wellness and weight loss. And doesn't the Tangler Burger have onion rings on top of it? Unless you're Michael Phelps swimming 10 miles a day, you're not going to achieve your goals eating the Tangler Burger. Again, just my opinion. You might be difference. If you are, then I am your biggest fan and extremely envious. I know I couldn't eat that dinner and reach my goals. The good news is that Perkins has plenty of healthy options and they will usually customize a meal for you. Plenty of folks suggest you eat half the meal. Good luck with eating half a delicious burger and fries that's just sitting there. I know I can't do that.

    It's one meal. It's not going to undo all the other days she's under or at her goal.

    I eat fries, onion rings and other things regularly. I've lost 70 pounds so far.

    Eating isn't purely about nutrition. There are pleasure and mental health aspects to it, too.
  • blankiefinder
    blankiefinder Posts: 3,599 Member
    edited February 2015
    Personally, I would either eat half, or skip the fries. I would aim to stay at or close to maintenance, and accept that you might see an increase on the scales from sodium water weight but you will know that's all it is because you know you weren't way over on calories. But that's just me.

    You've got to live, and learn a way of eating that will be sustainable forever, which means you don't deny yourself what you don't want to give up permanently, you find a way to make it work.
  • mariabee
    mariabee Posts: 212 Member
    Just to add... if you do have this meal, and don't really like how you feel afterwards, remember that! I try to remember how I feel about half an hour later, or a few hours later when you get home and you're bloated and full from all the salt and empty (but delicious) calories. Maybe that will help you stress less the next time this type of decision comes up. Just my two cents! :smiley:
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    edited February 2015
    I don't want to be rude and I certainly don't eat the healthiest 24/7. But the Tangler Burger with fries and a side of mustard is a horrible choice. Other than protein in the burger you're getting almost zero nutrition. Fries and chips. Kick those to the side of the road except for very special occasions. Diet Coke. I had a nasty diet soda habit. Nasty. 6-8 cans a day. Once I kicked that habit (I'm down to 1-2 a day), the weight just dropped off me. I am 100% convinced diet soda holds back wellness and weight loss. And doesn't the Tangler Burger have onion rings on top of it? Unless you're Michael Phelps swimming 10 miles a day, you're not going to achieve your goals eating the Tangler Burger. Again, just my opinion. You might be difference. If you are, then I am your biggest fan and extremely envious. I know I couldn't eat that dinner and reach my goals. The good news is that Perkins has plenty of healthy options and they will usually customize a meal for you. Plenty of folks suggest you eat half the meal. Good luck with eating half a delicious burger and fries that's just sitting there. I know I can't do that.

    All food has nutrition, some just has more than others. Shaming someone for what they choose to eat is rude. The worst it will do is set her back a week. Also, how would consuming a beverage with minimal calories affect your weight loss the way you claim it did?

    OP, it's your decision. I haven't been to Perkins in at least 12 years, though, so I can't be much help as to what to eat!
  • penneysfit
    penneysfit Posts: 97 Member
    This is just silly. She can eat there once and still achieve her goals. One meal is not going to destroy her success. Just because you lack the ability to restrain yourself from eating the other half of a meal if she decides to go that route doesn't mean she can't.

    She logged it and 800 calories over her daily isn't going to make her gain all her weight back, it may not make her gain ANY weight back. She will most likely hold onto some water weight for a couple days due to salt and then continue on the SUCCESS shes been having.

    Like! B)

    For a meal like that, I would plan about a week ahead to bank the cals ... but if it's something you do once in a while, it does not hurt to enjoy yourself :) You may decide to go with the lighter meal once you're there, but the important thing is that you enjoy yourself :)