What do I do?!?!?
JTulachka143
Posts: 10 Member
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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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!0 -
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!0
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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.0
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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.0
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You could eat half the portion. So you still get what you want but, don.t overload on calories.0
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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.0
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I would say either eat half of what you really want and save the rest for tomorrow or get the lower cal one.0
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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 do0
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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.FoCoAlphaNerd wrote: »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.
Thanks
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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 consequences0
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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.0
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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.0
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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!0
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joeinbrooklyn wrote: »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.0 -
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.0 -
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!
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joeinbrooklyn wrote: »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!0 -
Krisstastic wrote: »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!
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
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I would probably choose the low cal option but only because I'm still at the beginning of my last weight loss journey. But I absolutely agree you should just have it if you want and enjoy every single bite guilt free if you do
. You might skip the fries and ask for veggies/salad instead, or try to work in the extra calories over the next few days. Maybe, if you're stomach has shrunk like mine, you're going to get full before you make your way through half of it anyway ❤ Have fun! 0 -
Eat whatever you want as long as you log it honestly and enjoy every bite. You are an adult and you can decide whether to stick with your weight loss goals for the day or take a break. In a few weeks, if you're not losing, you can look back at your diary and at least you'll understand why. That's a huge benefit at that beginning of your journey.
During your meal, really think about whether or not you're full. If you are, stop eating. You may find you don't need all of it to feel satisfied. Last week I went out to a "special" dinner at a restaurant I've been wanting to try for years. The food was delicious (and expensive) and I left half of it on my plate anyway. I was full, and eating more wouldn't have benefitted me in any way.
It's better to lose more slowly and stick with it than to give up because you feel deprived. Once you start making better choices on a regular basis (and seeing results!) you won't mind so much giving up the occasional treats. Or you'll find you don't have to, or maybe you'll find something else to give up instead. Or maybe you'll find that you prefer to eat like you always have, but exercise more to "earn" more calories. It's a process.
Have fun with your friend.0 -
This thread has been interesting because it shows how many different approaches there are for weight loss. For a meal like that I eat super healthy during the day, skip snacks, and eat a reasonable portion of the splurge meal. I might go over the day by a couple hundred calories but nothing that a decent workout won't handle. I am not deprived and if I'm lucky, I will have leftover meal to bring home (although sometimes it is just easier to not have leftovers in the house).0
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If you are anything like me, you will have been logging and choosing meals very carefully and choose exactly what you think you want for a tasty meal out with a friend. I went with a cheeseburger, fries, and diet coke 2 weeks ago and felt VERY awful for the rest of the day and most of the night (my poor tummy don't get me started).
I'd learn from me and get the lighter fit meal. Something that won't hurt your belly or ruin the calorie bank. You will still enjoy an evening out with a friend, you won't have to cook, you'll stay on goal, and you might find a dish that you like more than your Tangler burger.
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If it were me, I'd see about subbing mashed or roasted potatoes for the fries and just enjoy it. Then again, I took some friends or to lunch today at a place I'd never been before and ordered the mountain of meat (which was every bit as wonderful as it sounds) and ate myself to the edge of sick. I had to use some major WAGs to log it, but I'd been eating under goal all week so it worked out just fine (and I'm still full 12 hours later so I didn't have to log dinner today).0
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I agree to focus on the catch up, and not the meal. Either order your usual without coke (go water!) and eat only half, or order the light meal. Either way, don't think about the food, or what you are missing out on. Think about your friend.
What I usually do on days where I know I'll be having one high calorie meal, is eat light during the day, get a workout in and then just enjoy my meal. Maybe you can do this for next time.
Good luck! 0 -
I know this is late in posting but what about eating 1/2 the burger and instead of ordering fries, ask to swap it out for a side salad or fruit.
That way you can feel good about having eaten healthier than you would've in the past!0 -
herrspoons wrote: »It's going to put you over by 900 calories. 900 freakin' calories.
No. It isn't worth it. You either want to do this and accept some sacrifices or you will stay fat. Pick one.
I tend to agree with this.
Isn't Perkin's kind of like a Denny's or Sheri's? Not worth the splurge.0 -
Thanks everyone for your feedback. It is definitely interesting to hear everyone's feedback. So here is the update. I splurged and I splurged BIG (like I said no self control yet when faced with such delicious temptation). I order the tangler burger with fries and a side of honey mustard. I also split an amazingly delicious chocolate peanut butter muffin. While I was visiting with my friend and eating my meal I was enjoying ever aspect of the conversation and the food. After I left the restaurant though I felt bloated, gross, and sad. But I did not let that feeling over take me. Instead of doing my usual and becoming depressed I decided to go home and walk 3 powerwalk miles. I ended up closing out the day 873 calories over. Nothing to brag about but considering what I had just eaten I wasnt to upset. I continued to make up for it the next day by only eating 1100 calories. Yesterday sucked. I was starving- only having 1100 calories made me realize that over indulging IS SO NOT WORTH IT. I worked about again last night and made up my deficient. So I am back on track. I am also proud to say that today is my weigh in day and I am down another 2.3 pounds from last week. Guess the dinner didn't do to much damage that way. Long story short- I learned my lesson and a bit more about self control. Next month healthy choice all the way- its not worth the pain of not eating the right amount to make up for it.
Thanks again for all of your help!!!0 -
Congrats! Our weight-loss journeys are made up of these kinds of learning experiences.0
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