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MyFitnessPal Community

I allowed myself a "cheat day" and holy cow...

fitanastasia1

It's like the "walk of shame" putting that all into my log today. It was fun while it lasted, but...sigh. My question is this: should I try and make up for some of those calories today, or just move on? I'm talking over 1000 cal over. Chick Fil A for lunch and Sonic for dinner.

I WAS out all day between my kids just needing to get out of the house and later my own school project group and running errands. So my other question is when you all know you're going to be busy and out all day, do you bring your own food? Do you just plan out what you're going to eat out? Is anyone like me thinking they'll have to skip the fast food joints all together for a while because the bad stuff is just too tempting?

Replies

deannalfisher

if i know i'm going to be out all day - i try to plan - i look for restaurants that have relatively healthy options (chipotle is a go-to for me; subway etc - essentially stay away from anything fried)

i keep snacks in my bag for on the go - so that i eat smaller amounts when i do have a meal because easier to log and track

cwolfman13

I tend to look at the big picture and play the long game...thus, I'd personally just move on. In the grand scheme of things it's pretty irrelevant...and being 1000 calories over probably just put you somewhere around maintenance or a bit over maintenance which again is pretty irrelevant in the big picture.

JessRene0103

I'm a person that loves to research. So if I find out that I'll be eating somewhere whose menu I'm not familiar with, I'll do a quick Google search or MyFitnessPal search to see what I'm getting into. An easy rule of thumb if you can't find anything is to just eat half the meal, but you'll want to pack some healthy snacks to keep on hand to supplement! Hope this helps.

katlyngronwoldt85

I definitely bring snacks with me and a huge bottle of water. Baby carrots, celery, cucumbers, peppers all sliced and ready to eat in a zip loc, nuts and usually an apple. If I do stop for fast food it's subway or chipotle. Its hard sometimes, but having food in the car really helps especially when you are pooped from shopping and wrangling lil ones all day! When we go to a sit down restaurant we usually try to pick one that has healthy options/lower calorie options. Most places these days have a nice selection of fit meals! When we go to the movie theatre I smuggle in my own air popped popcorn in my HUGE purse lol! My husband laughs at me! Good luck, you got this

bemyyfriend0918

I'd just move on. Don't beat yourself up over it!

JessMarie0389

One of the best words of advice i received was to plan for a cheat MEAL not an entire day lol
I think you can find something relatively healthy almost anywhere now. Well compared to other things they have. Chick Fil A has good salads, with grilled chicken, or the Grilled Chicken on whole wheat sandwiches.
Sonic has some lighter options as well. I think for me the kids don't like to think eat healthy but its a lifestyle change not only for you but the kids as well, so I have tried to frequent those places less often and take the time to go to subway or plan accordingly. Good luck

starsstella33

I knew we were going to be eating out last Friday, so in order to not feel like crap about it, I just tried to double my working out. And I felt a lot better about it! Even just a few more minutes than normal.

cmriverside

I just log it and move on, otherwise I can get into that unhealthy see-saw cycle of, "I ate too much, I'll eat a lot less today." Because then tomorrow - I'll be famished and over-eat again.

That 1000 extra is not a big deal. Eat your regular amount today.

pinuplove

Agree with log it and move on, and cheat meal vs cheat day if you must. Also, realize that life will continue to happen around your weight loss and adjust accordingly. Being out and about isn't really a reason to need to go over your calorie allowance. I eat a lot of grilled chicken sandwiches and salads with carefully selected toppings (fast food salads can be a calorie bomb if you're not careful!)

mreichert59

I would just move on. One day is not going to hurt you. Go back to your normal menus and you will be just fine.

kimny72

Just move on.

Having said that, fast food restaurants have their nutrition info online and there are many smart choices you can make once there. You could make one of those meals calorie appropriate and then splurge with the second meal. If that sort of a day happens regularly, you can have several options from the places you hit often saved on your phone and order from that list rather than choosing from that bright yummy looking big menu.

Having a day every once and awhile where you are 1000 cals over isn't a big deal. Having a day once a week where you are 1000 cals over can become a big deal. And watch out for falling into the trap of "I'm busy" being an acceptable excuse to eat whatever and however much. Let's face it, we're all busy all the time and the key is getting to a place where you can make smart and tasty choices in those real life situations.

Jeepfreak81

One thing I try to do if I know I'm going to be eating over my calorie budget is get in an extra workout, even if I don't burn all of the calories back at least it's something.

NoxeemaJackson

One day won't hurt you.
You probably have your goals set to a 500 calorie a day deficit, whihc means you ate 500 calories OVER maintenance for that one day.
And that's not thta much/
It's a bad day, this is a long game, you'll be fine.
I just ate fast food!
My go-tos are Wendys and Taco bell!!
Wendys chilli is great, so are their jr. burgers.
And taco bell has chicken soft tacos fresco style at 140 claories each and bean burritos.
I also sometimes get a side of black beans and guac.
Not amazing, but do-able.

fitanastasia1

kimny72 wrote: »

Just move on.

If that sort of a day happens regularly, you can have several options from the places you hit often saved on your phone and order from that list rather than choosing from that bright yummy looking big menu.

This is a great idea for me. That's exactly what gets me: I get to the menu with good intentions and start looking at those things I love that are just not good for me and I'm a total weakling. This would help me out tremendously, not even having to look at those options. Thanks!

Happysoul0317

That is a bugger. I travel for work a few times a week and It is so hard to eat and not trash your whole days worth of calories.. I am trying to plan my trips ahead of time. Now I have found it easier to find a Whole Foods, or a farm to table sort of place along the way, or not too far out of my way, and I'll usually get a garden salad with a scoop of tuna or some chicken or a veggie burger (minus bread). I went over on my calories yesterday because I went on a dinner date with my hubby. It was very good, it was a "cheat day" but I felt like crap after I ate, my tummy hurt, and I had to guiltily log all of that food, which I totally did, and I totally did not need to eat even half of what I ate. It's just easier not to have cheat days I think.

anubis609

fitanastasia1 wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

Just move on.

If that sort of a day happens regularly, you can have several options from the places you hit often saved on your phone and order from that list rather than choosing from that bright yummy looking big menu.

This is a great idea for me. That's exactly what gets me: I get to the menu with good intentions and start looking at those things I love that are just not good for me and I'm a total weakling. This would help me out tremendously, not even having to look at those options. Thanks!

I just want to point out how powerful that bolded statement is in terms of how successful people may or may not be in the long-term. Defeatist statements from a psychological perspective tend to track negatively with poor outcomes. Alternatively, empowering statements tend to track positively with better outcomes.

People are stronger than their desires. Just because you have the urge to do something, it doesn't mean you absolutely have to. Example, I'd like to travel the world right now, but I don't because 1) I haven't planned for it, 2) I don't have the luxury to drop my job at a moment's notice, 3) I have responsibilities that require my presence.

The same can be said when you have a free day. You see a triple fudge chocolate lava cake and decide you can either give in to your desires, enjoy it and move one (your own free will choice), choose a less calorie dense alternative (your own free will choice), or abstain altogether (your own free will choice). In no way did you have to feel like a "weakling" in any of those choices, since making a choice and owning it is a much more positive result.

That said, consistency will always trump intensity. If you have more good days than bad days, then overall, everything was good. So, you enjoyed a day of guiltless eating. Just move on and have more "on plan" days than "off plan" days.

AliceDark

fitanastasia1 wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

Just move on.

If that sort of a day happens regularly, you can have several options from the places you hit often saved on your phone and order from that list rather than choosing from that bright yummy looking big menu.

This is a great idea for me. That's exactly what gets me: I get to the menu with good intentions and start looking at those things I love that are just not good for me and I'm a total weakling. This would help me out tremendously, not even having to look at those options. Thanks!

I also want to point out that looking at a fast-food menu with an eye toward making things fit in with the rest of your day is a skill you probably haven't practiced a lot yet. You'll get better at it, and it'll get much easier. You just need some practice

DeanaCal

I actually factor in one cheat day a week, and I'm still losing steadily. And I don't call it a "cheat day" I call it a "treat day" and don't feel guilty at all. I'm trying to change my lifestyle permanently, not just until I get to my goal weight, and it's unrealistic to think I'll never go over my planned calories as long as I live.

JeromeBarry1

1000 Excess calories are easy to burn off in exercise. Well, it's easy if you spend 2 or 3 hours at it. Got time?

tcunbeliever

I usually can fit eating out into my plan, I do have a few tricks that seem to help me.

Zero calorie drinks - eating out is usually more calories than home made food, so I go for coffee, water, diet soda, or unsweet tea and skip the extra liquid calories, I'd rather eat them than drink them.

No meal deals - honestly at most place a burger or chicken sandwich isn't going to put me over, but a sandwich, plus fries or hashbrowns, plus pie or cinnamon rolls, or whatever sides they offer is way too much...the extras are often as many calories as just the main item, and I can actually be satisfied with just the main item and a drink.

Go for the smaller sandwich if possible - a bacon cheeseburger instead of a bacon double cheeseburger...a 1/4 lb burger instead of a 1/3 lb or 1/2 lb burger, etc. Even the small sandwiches at most places are enough to make you not hungry, and you don't need to be stuffed if you are busy running errands and such, right?

Child meal - if you really want all the sides, go with a child size portion, you still get to taste everything and portions of each are smaller helping to curb calorie intake. If it's a place that offers a "child" and "kid" size, stick with the smaller option.

Delay temptation - sometimes I can tell myself I'll just get a sandwich now, and get that pie if I'm still hungry after I eat...and I'm never still hungry...I might still want pie, but it's not because I'm hungry, it's because I like pie, but it's easier to say NO to myself when I'm not hungry. So, I always start with just one thing and a drink...you can always get more if you are hungry, but it's not convenient, particularly if you are pressed for time, so that makes it less tempting. Also, if you figure out how to fit eating out into your plan better, you can eat out more, and you can delay things for the NEXT visit. Like, today I'm really hungry, so I'll get a bacon cheeseburger, but next visit, I'm going to plan to have just coffee and that new pie instead of a sandwich. Hope that makes sense it's kind of rambling on a bit.

angmarie28

If I have to eat out, I try to pick something on the healthier side. Monday we had all day meetings, part at work, and part at a local church (only because it fits everyone better) so we went out for lunch between meetings, so I stopped at subway, got a veggie delight loaded with veggies, no chips and an iced tea. Sometimes I will take my kids to McDonalds, and have a southwest salad minus the meat, and a diet soda.

stanmann571

fitanastasia1 wrote: »

kimny72 wrote: »

Just move on.

If that sort of a day happens regularly, you can have several options from the places you hit often saved on your phone and order from that list rather than choosing from that bright yummy looking big menu.

This is a great idea for me. That's exactly what gets me: I get to the menu with good intentions and start looking at those things I love that are just not good for me and I'm a total weakling. This would help me out tremendously, not even having to look at those options. Thanks!

Indeed. The CFA Grilled nuggets and Large fruit cup are a great low calorie option.

rheddmobile

One cheat day is nothing, 1000 calories over means you will lose about a third of a pound less if you stay within your calories for the rest of the week. You may see a temporary scale gain due to water retention, but it takes 3,500 calories to make a pound of fat.

The larger issue is that you need a plan for days when life throws you a curve ball. Life is made up of different crises, you have to plan ahead!

I do carry snacks. I'm a diabetic - I always have a bag of low-cal granola and usually an orange with me, in case my blood glucose gets low and I need to eat something. Usually I can tide myself over until I can get home to a proper meal. When I can't, I look up the menu first and pick what I want to eat. Most restaurants will have something that works. If the place has no appropriate meals at all, which does sometimes happen - looking at you, Perkins! - I will ask for substitutions, such as a lettuce wrapped burger or fruit instead of a muffin - and as a last resort, eat half a meal.

Actually I guess half a meal is not just a last resort - many restaurants around here serve huge portions which my husband is happy to split with me. For example, half of a small BBQ rib platter at Corky's, splitting the sides and avoiding bread, is still something like 60g carbs and a ton of calories. I used to be able to eat a whole rack plus extra onion rings plus both sides and ask for extra bread. But funny thing, if you eat normal sized human portions (very few humans should be eating 4K at one meal) for a while, that starts to feel excessive - at least it did for me. Now I'm kind of amazed that I used to eat that much.

rcreynol3090

When my wife and I are out running errands ,and know we'll be out at lunch and/or supper, we'll take a protein shake as a cushion against hunger, or plan ahead of time where to eat out and what to get before we walk in the door. For me it isn't just about the calories, but sodium as well, even more so. Many supposedly "healthy, low cal" menu items have an unacceptably high sodium content, and I have to plan for that in my daily total. We are slowly building up an internal database of what we can eat, from where, in whatever part of town we are in on a given day. Planning is everything.

wizzybeth

I went over yesterday by almost 1,000. I am going to be a little bit more conservative today but I'm not going to stress too much about it.

When I closed out my diary it said if everyday was like today... I gained about 2 lbs in 5 weeks. So that's not so terrible bad. And every day isn't going to be like that day LOL. I might eat a couple hundred calories less today than I normally would probably because I'm still kind of full from eating so much yesterday. But I'm moving on.

The best part is logging it so that you're accountable. I can see how eating like that everyday... Which I did... Before I was tracking. In fact I ate even worse. so it's helpful to have these days every so often just to understand how easy it is to go over and getting in the habit is a bad thing. But once in awhile? just let it go.

drabbits2

I totally agree with log it and move on. I pack snacks when I am going to be running around a bunch. It's also cheaper and I am on a pretty strict budget. That said, even starbucks has some decent meal choices. I will have one of their oatmeals for lunch, who cares?? They have all their food and drinks labeled with calories too which is super helpful. Or, like others have said, have the treat and relish it. One day won't derail your overall progress.

dsboohead

Consider it all a learning experience. Planning can be a big security blanket with a plan in place. There is always a way to figure out good choices and adapt! Your goals should always be in front with everything else spinning around it!