Event in a week - how do you plan?

natajane
natajane Posts: 295 Member
edited November 19 in Health and Weight Loss
Hiya!

I'm going to one of my closest friends baby showers in a week. We're having an afternoon tea which is basically tiny sandwiches and then cake galore (and for us non pregnant, cocktails!). Then I reckon we'll be in the city all day and it will turn into dinner out. So I'm going to eat and drink about 2000 calories I reckon. I'm going to try save on drink calories by having diet drinks and spirits but I can't avoid that cake (and don't want to!)

So how do you guys handle these days? I want to enjoy it but I don't want to be thrown off.

Do you cut back on calories the day of the event and the day after, or a little bit each day the week before? Or do you exercise it off? I don't need to find it all but I'd hope to still lose 1lb that week.

Share your tips!

Replies

  • RuNaRoUnDaFiEld
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld Posts: 5,864 Member
    I save 100 or so calories for the five days before and eat very light the rest of that day.
    Other than that I don't think about it and enjoy myself. Move on the day after back to my normal routine.
  • YaGigi
    YaGigi Posts: 817 Member
    I eat less on the day of the event. Very light breakfast and very light dinner.

    And I never would refuse the afternoon tea and cakes, lol, love it too much.
  • InkAndApples
    InkAndApples Posts: 201 Member
    I'd do some extra gym classes in the week running up to the event and eat at a slightly bigger deficit so I had a nice, healthy bank of calories waiting for the weekend.

    Then I'd eat all the teeny tiny sandwiches and fancy cakes I could manage. I bloody love afternoon tea! I always log though, helps me keep an accurate overview.
  • tinkerbellang83
    tinkerbellang83 Posts: 9,130 Member
    If it's a long day like your event, I normally do a workout in the morning, skip breakfast and have a lighter brunch around 11am, then I will eat at Maintenance, log as best I can and go back to normal day after. If it's a special occasion like this, I wouldn't too much about going slightly above maintenance.
  • LivingtheLeanDream
    LivingtheLeanDream Posts: 13,342 Member
    I adore Afternoon Tea :smiley:
    As always (even at maintenance) I eat at deficit during the week by up to 300 cals during week days so I can splurge at the weekends.
    Enjoy :smiley:
  • StaciMarie1974
    StaciMarie1974 Posts: 4,138 Member
    edited June 2017
    Be realistic. If you are going to eat a total of 2000 calories in a day, is that so bad? I assume you mean 2000 total and not 2000 over your goal. More than likely 2000 total calories is close to your current maintenance weight, meaning you would not gain/lose at it. If you mean 2000 calories over your goal, then how many days worth of deficit is that? If you're aiming to lose 2 pounds per week, your normal deficit is 1000/day so eating 2000 over would be like not having a deficit for 2 days of one week. Not the end of the world.

    Losing weight does not mean you cannot ever break from your routine. The important thing is that days like this don't happen everyday.
  • natajane
    natajane Posts: 295 Member
    Thanks so much everyone for your ideas and posts.

    X
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    RuNaRoUnDaFiEld wrote: »
    I save 100 or so calories for the five days before and eat very light the rest of that day.
    Other than that I don't think about it and enjoy myself. Move on the day after back to my normal routine.

    Pretty much this
  • edlanglais5
    edlanglais5 Posts: 172 Member
    If it were me, I would cut back 100 cal a day the few days preceding the event. And if I'm still over, cut back 100 cal a day a few days after. Probably throw some extra time and effort into my workouts those days as well. Enjoy it!
  • bbell1985
    bbell1985 Posts: 4,571 Member
    edited June 2017
    My weekly allowance on Sunday-Friday always allows me to eat 2030 calories on Saturday while being in the deficit that is appropriate for my goals.

    ETA 2000 calories is very easy for me to get to though, so the day of an event I will fast as long as I can and go easy on the carbs in a meal, if I know I want to have them for dessert.
  • SafioraLinnea
    SafioraLinnea Posts: 628 Member
    Others have posted what I do.

    1. I increase my calorie deficit by 100 for a few days leading up to the event - via intake or physical activity or a bit of both.
    2. On the actual day, I go really light on (or altogether skip) any meals not related to the event. Extra physical activity that day wouldn't hurt either.
    3. Log everything to the best of my ability so it isn't as detrimental to my goals and I can get an idea of the effect of the actual consumed foods.
    4. If I'm still excessively high for my weekly goals, I may continue the extra 100 calorie deficit for a few days following the event.

    This was what I did for Mother's Day, in which I consumed almost 1800 calories over my goal in a picnic lunch and dinner with dessert at a restaurant, but I still achieved my calorie deficit (and corresponding weight loss) that week.

    It sounds like a lot of work but it truly wasn't a big deal. I went hiking up a bunch of hills pushing my daughter in the stroller and had slightly lighter lunches for a week.
  • sosteach
    sosteach Posts: 260 Member
    I have chosen to skip the alcohol at events. Two reasons for this: alcohol has a lot of calories and when I drink I don't manage how much food I eat. I save calories the day of and eat a snack before I go.
  • vivelajackie
    vivelajackie Posts: 321 Member
    I think we all do similar things. The week prior I bank calories. My current goal has me at just over 1800 calories. Usually you can easily just increase your deficit by 100/night. I'll average 150-250 depending if I was hungrier that evening or fine as is.

    The day of I'll usually avoid eating until the event. I kick off my morning with coffee which is pretty good at appetite suppression. That, and I drink a lot of water. If I'm not feeling it I'll snack on some veggies. Staying hydrated though is great.

    And then? I enjoy myself. I just make sure that my old habits of stuffing my face is under a tighter grip. Then, I don't kick myself for enjoying​ myself and I'm back to normal the next day. Have a lovely time at the tea! That sounds like fun.
  • goldthistime
    goldthistime Posts: 3,213 Member
    You guys are a disciplined bunch! I find it much easier to splurge and THEN work in an extra deficit in the following days. If I increase my deficit in the days preceding, I risk showing up ravenous to an event where my trigger foods are being served. To be specific, the very next day after a splurge day I don't try to increase my deficit but do so on the 2nd 3rd and sometimes 4th day afterwards. It's probably a good idea to put that buffer day in so that I don't get into that binge/restrict mode, but it isn't logic that makes me do this, it's what my body/appetite wants to do. Anyway OP, if you struggle to increase your deficit ahead of time to bank calories, keep in mind that there's really nothing wrong with dealing with those extra calories after the event (which again, I find much easier). Have fun.
  • saf913
    saf913 Posts: 5 Member
    edited June 2017
    When I have an event to go to where I have zero control over the menu, I change my goal for that day to "maintain current weight" ... It gives you more calories to play with, but you still have to pay attention. (ex. Still can't eat a whole pie.)
  • saf913
    saf913 Posts: 5 Member
    edited June 2017
    When I have an event to go to where I have zero control over the menu, I change my goal for that day to "maintain current weight" ... It gives you more calories to play with, but you still have to pay attention (ex. Still can't eat a whole pie.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,865 Member
    A singular event? Not really doing anything... it's a one off and not really material in the big picture.
  • Sheisinlove109
    Sheisinlove109 Posts: 516 Member
    Do a little more work at the gym the day before and after...but really just go an enjoy yourself. I don't go over calories too much but if I do I allow myself to go over by about a 1,000 and just go back to plan.

    Enjoy life. Try not to have your panties in a wad all day about calories and lose what you're there for. I'm 90lbs down, if I go to a birthday I eat cake. If I go out with friends I eat appetizers and some drinks.

    I have learned if you make life about calorie counting all day everyday at some point you might fail.

    Others might disagree but enjoy the special moments you're in. Don't look back at the party and say, "my food directed my day".
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