Counting that MASSIVE meal out (1,914 calorie dinner)
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Part of my goal with this entire operation is to develop some sense of control over dieting -- relinquish some of that obsessive "clean eating" mindset I get into for normalcy and, with all my progress (235lbs+ to 187lbs [height 6'1] in 6 months) avoid going out and then devolving into the old f**% it attitude that I know could get me back where I started in no time.
To make a long story short -- when things like this come up, do you try and track them using whatever method you can? Do you ignore it and just chalk it up to a "night off?" Do you over-compensate in the gym? Do you worry? I find I'm obsessing probably more than I should -- curious how other folks here manage it.
I track everything to the best of my ability. I like to look back at my logs and know how I've been eating the past few weeks. It's also helpful if weight loss starts to slow and I can't figure out why.
And no, I don't ignore it and chalk it up to a night off. If I overeat now, I cut back during the following week to make up for it. No different than if I had cut back the week prior to have more calories. I just work in reverse. I also might do more exercise than usual. For me, I know letting it go would just lead to me having a mentality of doing it all the time and letting it go. Been there, done that, got extremely fat.0 -
I think it is a bit rude to write "foolishly eat that much". Many of us enjoy a delicious dinner out once in awhile, WHILE losing weight, while staying fit too. Track it or not. Extra exercise or not.
Agreed. I should not have said "foolishly", or I should have made it clear that I meant for ME, it would be foolish.
I can eat a "delicious dinner out", but it won't ever be that many calories. A 1800 calorie day is pretty much as high as I have been in a long time, and for me and that day or the next couple will most likely mean extra exercise. And I always track it. OP was asking for our own ways to deal with higher calorie meals, right?0 -
On days i know i'm going to go out to eat for dinner i'll fast/
TBH i much rather eat whatever the hell I want at the restaurant and I know i can only do *so* much damage. Of course i don't just go crazy, but atleast by fasting during the day I know i've limited the amount i've gone over my calorie goal.
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kshama2001 wrote: »If you think that was a lot, you may wish to avoid the post-Thanksgiving threads. So far the most I've seen was 8,000 plus from that tall guy from Texas.
Rare special occasion big meals can be part of a healthy life. It's when they become habitual that there's a problem.
Not mine. Honestly, such meals would make me ill. My stomach simply can't deal with that much food at once. I am miserably uncomfortable if I overeat. Thank goodness - because I do love food!0 -
I did much the same yesterday.
Meal in Michelin star restaurant in London.
I've recorded everything - best guess basis. Totally over calories (1400) - but how many times do you have a 60th birthday ?
I did make some sensible choices.
I did walk a lot -(17000 steps) part of my gift was a tour of Kew Gardens - but then today I've been travelling home - so little walking.
All to say special days are part of life and MFP has to fit in with that. I'm absolutely back on track today. So one day hasn't become 2 or 3 as it would have pre-MFP.
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rainbowbow wrote: »On days i know i'm going to go out to eat for dinner i'll fast/
TBH i much rather eat whatever the hell I want at the restaurant and I know i can only do *so* much damage. Of course i don't just go crazy, but atleast by fasting during the day I know i've limited the amount i've gone over my calorie goal.
I know some might disagree -- but I'm a huge fan of this strategy. I dare say I enjoy the occasional fast (and honestly don't mind hunger that much). But if I know I'm going out for a full rack of ribs at night, I'll fast the day until that big meal.
This specific case -- the Indian restaurant was spur of the moment, so I didn't do that.1 -
puzzledstill wrote: »I did much the same yesterday.
Meal in Michelin star restaurant in London.
I've recorded everything - best guess basis. Totally over calories (1400) - but how many times do you have a 60th birthday ?
I did make some sensible choices.
I did walk a lot -(17000 steps) part of my gift was a tour of Kew Gardens - but then today I've been travelling home - so little walking.
All to say special days are part of life and MFP has to fit in with that. I'm absolutely back on track today. So one day hasn't become 2 or 3 as it would have pre-MFP.
Amen! Happy 60th birthday
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rainbowbow wrote: »On days i know i'm going to go out to eat for dinner i'll fast/
TBH i much rather eat whatever the hell I want at the restaurant and I know i can only do *so* much damage. Of course i don't just go crazy, but atleast by fasting during the day I know i've limited the amount i've gone over my calorie goal.
I know some might disagree -- but I'm a huge fan of this strategy. I dare say I enjoy the occasional fast (and honestly don't mind hunger that much). But if I know I'm going out for a full rack of ribs at night, I'll fast the day until that big meal.
This specific case -- the Indian restaurant was spur of the moment, so I didn't do that.
I wasn't even aware that doing things this way was a thing to take note of, let alone one people might disagree with - to me it's just common sense, if I'm having a big meal I "save room" for it, always have done. Weird how you don't realise how other people see things sometimes.2 -
rainbowbow wrote: »On days i know i'm going to go out to eat for dinner i'll fast/
TBH i much rather eat whatever the hell I want at the restaurant and I know i can only do *so* much damage. Of course i don't just go crazy, but atleast by fasting during the day I know i've limited the amount i've gone over my calorie goal.
I know some might disagree -- but I'm a huge fan of this strategy. I dare say I enjoy the occasional fast (and honestly don't mind hunger that much). But if I know I'm going out for a full rack of ribs at night, I'll fast the day until that big meal.
This specific case -- the Indian restaurant was spur of the moment, so I didn't do that.
Yeah, to be honest though I don't eat my first meal until around 12-1 every day anyway. I am totally fine holding out until later (~6) if i know i'm going to have an awesome meal. If it's going to be much later (like 8-9) i might have a small protein shake to keep me going.
This has been one of the key strategies i've used to maintain my weight for over 6 years now as before a "night out" would put me over my maintenance BIG time. But these days where spur of the moment stuff happens is totally normal too, i just try and make good choices or let it go.
I check my weight now every month or so to make sure i'm maintaining within the same 5-10 pounds, otherwise i know it's time to start cutting down on these frequent-out meals.
Best of luck!1 -
I'm still trying to build a lifelong habit of tracking, so I log everything every day even if I have to guess. And I do end up guessing a lot because I'm still learning how to best use this tool and the scale and nutrition info sites, etc. But I want to know what I'm eating, so I can learn where I need to make adjustments.
I have had special indulgence days, and I don't worry about it. I might try to compensate a LITTLE with some extra walking or trying to reach my 10,000 steps (which is not a daily occurrence for me), but I mostly focus on getting right back into the swing of things the next day.
In previous efforts, that's where I always went off the deep end -- one day off meant a week off -- so I'm trying really hard to just keep logging, keep trying every day.0 -
InkAndApples wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »On days i know i'm going to go out to eat for dinner i'll fast/
TBH i much rather eat whatever the hell I want at the restaurant and I know i can only do *so* much damage. Of course i don't just go crazy, but atleast by fasting during the day I know i've limited the amount i've gone over my calorie goal.
I know some might disagree -- but I'm a huge fan of this strategy. I dare say I enjoy the occasional fast (and honestly don't mind hunger that much). But if I know I'm going out for a full rack of ribs at night, I'll fast the day until that big meal.
This specific case -- the Indian restaurant was spur of the moment, so I didn't do that.
I wasn't even aware that doing things this way was a thing to take note of, let alone one people might disagree with - to me it's just common sense, if I'm having a big meal I "save room" for it, always have done. Weird how you don't realise how other people see things sometimes.
Someone once jumped down my throat when I said I did this once -- that I was putting my body in "starvation mode" and that multiple meals were needed to boost metabolism like "kindling on a fire" and eating a large meal all at once means "your body has no choice but to turn most of it into fat."
With more research I'm not sure any of that is true.
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I don't know that *I* would actually say "foolishly eat that much" out loud, but I'd certainly think it.
I would hardly consider one high calorie meal on a special occasion "foolish."
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fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »kshama2001 wrote: »If you think that was a lot, you may wish to avoid the post-Thanksgiving threads. So far the most I've seen was 8,000 plus from that tall guy from Texas.
Rare special occasion big meals can be part of a healthy life. It's when they become habitual that there's a problem.
Not mine. Honestly, such meals would make me ill. My stomach simply can't deal with that much food at once. I am miserably uncomfortable if I overeat. Thank goodness - because I do love food!
I am not loving the judgement some posters are assigning to his choice of meal. That's beside the point and doesn't answer his question.
Of course a "splurge" for you would be different than a splurge for the OP. No one is saying you have to eat this much food to consider this scenario. When YOU splurge - do you track it or not.
To answer the question for me - I would try to track it. Guesstimating portions is not my skill (hence why I'm now using MFP), but out of curiosity I try to log it. But in the end, I enjoy my meal, knowing I don't do this every day (or even every week), and move on.2 -
Chicken Pakora
... Just enjoy your meal, don't over do it and have fun with your friends 0 -
If it was as rare as hen's teeth -- like friends coming from out of town for one meal in several months, I'd just chalk that day up to an experience. If it's more a part of the normal swing of things, I do my best to account for it and, if I've gone over for the day, subtract those calories in succeeding days. The way I do this is by looking at the overage and then putting it as quick calories in the next day's breakfast. I keep doing the quick adds until I'm back to zero over. That way I keep to my average number of calories for the week's weight loss.1
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I track everything, even if I have to estimate. I just like numbers. I make up for it if I feel like it, and call it a day if I don't feel like it, accepting a setback if there is one. 1914 calories would not be massive to me. I may end up only slightly above maintenance if I'm active that day and had the rest of my meals under 500-600 calories. Sometimes I just have one meal up to maintenance on purpose. In reality, most people who feel that they've overdone it haven't really done as much damage as they think in one day. Sometimes I have days that are over 3000 calories, now those do mean actual gain, but I would only be setting myself back for one week, if that. No big deal. I'm generally very relaxed about occasional overeating. If it's occasional, it's negligible to me. I'm very careful not to fall into the habit of eating over calories more often than my deficit can handle, so I don't see a problem if you're in control.1
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puzzledstill wrote: »I did much the same yesterday.
Meal in Michelin star restaurant in London.
I've recorded everything - best guess basis. Totally over calories (1400) - but how many times do you have a 60th birthday ?
I did make some sensible choices.
I did walk a lot -(17000 steps) part of my gift was a tour of Kew Gardens - but then today I've been travelling home - so little walking.
All to say special days are part of life and MFP has to fit in with that. I'm absolutely back on track today. So one day hasn't become 2 or 3 as it would have pre-MFP.
OP, on the way to losing a third of my body weight, there were a few special occasions when I ate way over goal, and way over maintenance . . . 5000+ calories in a day, even, which is a lot for someone who's (in maintenance) a 120-something pound 61 year old woman. @puzzledstill, one of those was the day of my 60th birthday party, an estimated 2524 calories at the party, and 3354 for the day.
I still got to goal (60+ pounds lost) in less than a year.
One of my strong beliefs is that the weight loss process offers opportunities to learn how to eat in a healthy way forever. Therefore, I wouldn't do anything while losing - other than a moderate calorie deficit most days - that I couldn't see myself doing forever. I'm certainly not going to give up celebratory eating for the rest of my life, even though at my age that's maybe only 20 years.
If an over-goal day or event was known in advance, I might try to schedule in some fun extra physical activities in the days beforehand, eat a little lighter (100-200 calories max less) for a few days before, and eat lighter at other meals the day of the event. Unless I literally didn't feel hungry the day after, or had notable extra energy from the extra food, I did nothing the day(s) after, except return to my regular healthy routine.
To me, after-compensation smacks of the idea that overeating is sin, for which we must do penance - and that's nonsense. (I know it doesn't strike everyone that way. ) It can also leave one feeling hungry, and set up a later binge. (When eating reduced calories the days before, the special event replaces the risked binge.)
For unplanned over-goal days, there's no chance to bank calories ahead, but i still just returned to routine afterward.
And yes, log it (IMO), even if you have to estimate. There are several reasons: It will give you more accurate data cumulatively to estimate your personal NEAT/TDEE. It will let you estimate the delay it caused in reaching your ultimate goal. (When your routine daily deficit is netting you a pound of loss per week, 1000 calories over goal calories is 2 days' delay - usually not such a big deal if you so it once a month or less.) Finally, it will let you consider in the cold light of day whether the indulgence was worth it - sometimes it is, sometimes not, IME - and learn from that for the future.
Granny sez: Under no circumstances give in to guilt or drama: Entirely optional, no fun, and neither one burns any extra calories.9 -
If I have a special occasion or huge eating day with unfamiliar foods, I often just "quick add" 1000 or 2000 calories, a rough estimate of how much it was. The main function of logging for me is to have an accurate idea of my calorie needs so if I want to gain or lose weight I know what adjustment will probably give me the result I want. This week was my birthday and I had two big overage days. Looking at my weekly average calories, I know I'm at maintenance for the week and won't expect to see a loss on the scale. Seeing that reminds me that if I'm trying to lose, I better not have a 3k day very often.0
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collectingblues wrote: »fitmom4lifemfp wrote: »So best friends are in from out of town, we decide (it's restaurant week) that we're going to go to our favorite Indian Restaurant. Of course eating out on a weekday goes against rules I've set in 2017 -- but it's a special occasion so what the hell.
For the day so far, I've had a cucumber/chicken salad and 20 grams of protein (about 546 cals).
For the dinner? My god. As you can expect it's all the favorites:- Chicken Tikka Masala Entree
- Chicken Pakora appetizer
- Garlic naan
- 22oz beer
- Two samosas
The restaurant doesn't have nutrition information on the menu, so I go to this site this morning to find super rough equivalents and try to keep my logging for the week semi-accurate (I've been weighing food and tracking macros):
https://delishably.com/dining-out/How-Many-Calories-In-Indian-Food-Items-With-ChartList
Since I'm giving IIFYM a shot (a rather flexible / carb-cycling version of it) I plug those rough numbers into my sheet and:
My back-of-the-napkin calculations come to a 1,914 meal that runs straight over my target and barrels over my TDEE (Wow).
Then I remember most of these are rough averages anyway, including the TDEE and target.
Part of my goal with this entire operation is to develop some sense of control over dieting -- relinquish some of that obsessive "clean eating" mindset I get into for normalcy and, with all my progress (235lbs+ to 187lbs [height 6'1] in 6 months) avoid going out and then devolving into the old f**% it attitude that I know could get me back where I started in no time.
To make a long story short -- when things like this come up, do you try and track them using whatever method you can? Do you ignore it and just chalk it up to a "night off?" Do you over-compensate in the gym? Do you worry? I find I'm obsessing probably more than I should -- curious how other folks here manage it.
I don't do it. I don't eat that much in a DAY, much less one meal. If I were to foolishly eat too much, I would certainly track it. And yes I would try to get in more exercise that week, for sure.
I think it is a bit rude to write "foolishly eat that much". Many of us enjoy a delicious dinner out once in awhile, WHILE losing weight, while staying fit too. Track it or not. Extra exercise or not.
Perhaps rude to write it out loud, but I don't think it's any different from anyone else having an opinion on anything around here. And I can certainly understand the perspective.
For me, the meal the OP is planning, in combination with what they've had already that day, is only ~200 calories sort of my TDEE from Sunday, when I ran a half marathon: AKA, when I had a heck of a huge calorie burner. I can't even fathom being able to eat a meal that large and not having some serious regret over it.
I don't know that *I* would actually say "foolishly eat that much" out loud, but I'd certainly think it.
I still think it was rude.
And some people have bigger TDEEs than you. Imagine that.3 -
InkAndApples wrote: »rainbowbow wrote: »On days i know i'm going to go out to eat for dinner i'll fast/
TBH i much rather eat whatever the hell I want at the restaurant and I know i can only do *so* much damage. Of course i don't just go crazy, but atleast by fasting during the day I know i've limited the amount i've gone over my calorie goal.
I know some might disagree -- but I'm a huge fan of this strategy. I dare say I enjoy the occasional fast (and honestly don't mind hunger that much). But if I know I'm going out for a full rack of ribs at night, I'll fast the day until that big meal.
This specific case -- the Indian restaurant was spur of the moment, so I didn't do that.
I wasn't even aware that doing things this way was a thing to take note of, let alone one people might disagree with - to me it's just common sense, if I'm having a big meal I "save room" for it, always have done. Weird how you don't realise how other people see things sometimes.
Someone once jumped down my throat when I said I did this once -- that I was putting my body in "starvation mode" and that multiple meals were needed to boost metabolism like "kindling on a fire" and eating a large meal all at once means "your body has no choice but to turn most of it into fat."
With more research I'm not sure any of that is true.
It's not 3
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