Dreading my birthday
angelsja
Posts: 859 Member
So usually on my/my partner's birthday we make breakfast in bed (usually a full English) then have a takeaway on the evening but obviously can't do that this time round. Help!
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Replies
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I fully enjoyed my birthday! Ate over my calorie goal for one day, and got back to my deficit the next day. It might set you back a day or two, but if you don't figure this out, you'll never "enjoy" another celebration. You can also plan to eat lighter the day before or after (bank calories).7
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Why not? Only one day won't hurt your progress. Enjoy your birthday, then get back on track the next day.2
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I'm only on 1316 Cal's a day not much room for banking calories for another day
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Why can't you do it? Eat a bit lighter the days before, have a lighter lunch, and select a lower calorie option for takeaway. You can't just skip birthdays forever, so make some slight modifications and figure out how you will handle it for years to come.7
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Of course you can.
You can either have smaller portions of the things you usually have, you can find English breakfast and takeaway items that fit into your calorie goal, you can eat lower a few days preceding the event and "bank" the calories, or you can decide to take a day where you go over your calorie goal.
If one of those options doesn't work for you due to personal preference or circumstance, another one will.2 -
If you stop overeating confused custard powder, you can most likely have either full breakfast, or takeaway, or maybe even both, it's just one day.4
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I've already gone over my Cal's one day this week then there is pancake Day, valentine's Day then my birthday all in the same week it's a slippery slope for me to ease up for a few days it can cause a binge
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OP, are you more concerned with going over calories, or with the actual food itself? From looking it up, a "full English" breakfast is bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, coffee? You can have all of those foods, maybe keeping to about 500-600 calories, have a light snack at lunchtime, then have your takeout in the evening, just being careful not to way overdo it. Maybe split your portion in two and save some for the next day? To me, the experience can be the best part--breakfast in bed I wouldn't skip, just eat a little less of what you'd normally have.
Personally, I'd try to log ahead of time, allow myself to go a few hundred over maintenance calories, and totally enjoy it!2 -
Maybe you should just switch to maintenance for a week. You might gain water weight, but your calorie goal would allow the flexibility while not causing weight gain.2
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lightenup2016 wrote: »OP, are you more concerned with going over calories, or with the actual food itself? From looking it up, a "full English" breakfast is bacon, eggs, sausage, toast, coffee? You can have all of those foods, maybe keeping to about 500-600 calories, have a light snack at lunchtime, then have your takeout in the evening, just being careful not to way overdo it. Maybe split your portion in two and save some for the next day? To me, the experience can be the best part--breakfast in bed I wouldn't skip, just eat a little less of what you'd normally have.
Personally, I'd try to log ahead of time, allow myself to go a few hundred over maintenance calories, and totally enjoy it!
Toast, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, beans, sausage, hash brown, black pudding and mushrooms3 -
Two meals instead of three would allow you to have two "special meals".
Instead of a full English breakfast make it a full English brunch. Maybe cut down some of the calorie bomb items though. How many calories in bacon, scrambled egg, baked beans, tomato, mushrooms for instance?
Then have a sensible takeaway that isn't high calories - such as a lamb or chicken shish kebab with loads of salad for example.
Switching to maintenance for odd days shouldn't trigger binges, otherwise you are going to have a real problem when you get to goal weight. Address the binge issue now rather than later.
Get some exercise after brunch and then you will have a higher allowance to play with.7 -
I've already gone over my Cal's one day this week then there is pancake Day, valentine's Day then my birthday all in the same week it's a slippery slope for me to ease up for a few days it can cause a binge
Yeah, there's always going to be special occasions. It sounds like choosing smaller portions or lower calorie versions of the things you'd typically eat on this day sounds like the way you want to go.
Are you making your own English breakfast? If so, it should be fairly easy to make lower calorie options and load up on the lighter things like vegetables (I'm assuming you have some, when I make one I typically have mushrooms and tomatoes).
Many takeaway places have lighter options as well. Or you can make yourself a salad to go alongside smaller portions of your typical takeaway choice.
Either way, you can find a way to enjoy your birthday without necessarily going over your calorie goal for the day.1 -
Two meals instead of three would allow you to have two "special meals".
Instead of a full English breakfast make it a full English brunch. Maybe cut down some of the calorie bomb items though. How many calories in bacon, scrambled egg, baked beans, tomato, mushrooms for instance?
Then have a sensible takeaway that isn't high calories - such as a lamb or chicken shish kebab with loads of salad for example.
Switching to maintenance for odd days shouldn't trigger binges, otherwise you are going to have a real problem when you get to goal weight. Address the binge issue now rather than later.
Get some exercise after brunch and then you will have a higher allowance to play with.
How would switching it from breakfast (morning) to brunch late morning help if I was going to have a full English I wouldn't eat again till maybe 8pm that night and it's not the switching to maintenance that will "trigger" me it's the mindset of having too many calories and then thinking oh f*** it and eating everything since today is out the window5 -
Two meals instead of three would allow you to have two "special meals".
Instead of a full English breakfast make it a full English brunch. Maybe cut down some of the calorie bomb items though. How many calories in bacon, scrambled egg, baked beans, tomato, mushrooms for instance?
Then have a sensible takeaway that isn't high calories - such as a lamb or chicken shish kebab with loads of salad for example.
Switching to maintenance for odd days shouldn't trigger binges, otherwise you are going to have a real problem when you get to goal weight. Address the binge issue now rather than later.
Get some exercise after brunch and then you will have a higher allowance to play with.
How would switching it from breakfast (morning) to brunch late morning help if I was going to have a full English I wouldn't eat again till maybe 8pm that night and it's not the switching to maintenance that will "trigger" me it's the mindset of having too many calories and then thinking oh f*** it and eating everything since today is out the window
Honestly, it kind of seems like you're determined this isn't going to work no matter what anyone suggests.
What do you *want* to do? If you don't want to meet your calorie goal and you don't want to not meet your calorie goal, what options are left?14 -
Why can you "obviously" not do any of that?
1. It's one day. One day will not derail months of hard work and progress.
2. You don't have to do breakfast in bed with sausage, cheesey eggs and biscuits and gravy. You can choose a lighter breakfast in bed. Your favorite fruit instead, either whole or blended in a smoothie with Greek yogurt? Granola and fresh juice? And takeaway doesn't have to be super calorie dense either, if you make smarter choices.4 -
I totally understand not being able to eat less ahead of a food filled event when you feel like your calories are already as low as you can tolerate. IMO, it's way easier (and more logical) to have the bigger calorie day and THEN increase your deficit to compensate.
I know there is argument that one day isn't long enough for a refeed, that it needs to be at least two days to reset your hunger hormones, but I can't help but wonder whether the amount of calories consumed has more meaning than the length of time. I say this because dieting has seemed like much less of a struggle for me after an overeating day. In other words, I think it's entirely possible that this day of overeating could make life easier for you in the weeks ahead. To me the only risk of a big eating day used to be that feeling of "I've blown it now. It's over. I don't have what it takes to start all over again." As long as you can avoid that thought process you'll be fine.1 -
I'm with the others saying you can definitely make a "full English" breakfast fit your calories (I love breakfast food and have that all the time). Eating a few extra hundred calories for a day here and there also isn't going to wreck your progress (unless you let it, having it go on for more than that). However, if you feel as though you won't limit yourself to a one-off day of extra food and/or can't keep yourself to maintenance-ish calories for the day, maybe this is a good opportunity to seek out new traditions that don't involve food.0
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Pre-log and stick to it.0
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goldthistime wrote: »I totally understand not being able to eat less ahead of a food filled event when you feel like your calories are already as low as you can tolerate. IMO, it's way easier (and more logical) to have the bigger calorie day and THEN increase your deficit to compensate.
I know there is argument that one day isn't long enough for a refeed, that it needs to be at least two days to reset your hunger hormones, but I can't help but wonder whether the amount of calories consumed has more meaning than the length of time. I say this because dieting has seemed like much less of a struggle for me after an overeating day. In other words, I think it's entirely possible that this day of overeating could make life easier for you in the weeks ahead. To me the only risk of a big eating day used to be that feeling of "I've blown it now. It's over. I don't have what it takes to start all over again." As long as you can avoid that thought process you'll be fine.
THIS is what I'm worried about I got down to 11stone 4 then this happen and before I knew it I was back at 13 stone 6 I was originally 15stone but I seem to forget how far I've come and just see my slip ups2 -
You can make it work if you're willing to have smaller portions, and I'd also consider increasing your physical activity. If I know I'm going to indulge more at an upcoming event I'll wake up 15-20 minutes earlier to extend my workouts and burn more calories for the bank. 15 minutes less sleep a day doesn't really make much of a difference. If you aren't active at all currently even a brisk walk added to your schedule could help earn more calories.0
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So you have a smaller deficit for a couple of weeks or no deficit at all. Just log as best you can and aim for maintenance. If you're under, woohoo.
I ate all the food on my birthday a couple of weeks age. I eat out regularly. I have take away regularly. I have lost, maintained and continue to lose. 63lbs of loss and maintenance. You have to figure out life and spiralling into a panic and then binge isn't going to help you.1 -
So usually on my/my partner's birthday we make breakfast in bed (usually a full English) then have a takeaway on the evening but obviously can't do that this time round. Help!
Why not...in the big picture, it's pretty irrelevant...goldthistime wrote: »I totally understand not being able to eat less ahead of a food filled event when you feel like your calories are already as low as you can tolerate. IMO, it's way easier (and more logical) to have the bigger calorie day and THEN increase your deficit to compensate.
I know there is argument that one day isn't long enough for a refeed, that it needs to be at least two days to reset your hunger hormones, but I can't help but wonder whether the amount of calories consumed has more meaning than the length of time. I say this because dieting has seemed like much less of a struggle for me after an overeating day. In other words, I think it's entirely possible that this day of overeating could make life easier for you in the weeks ahead. To me the only risk of a big eating day used to be that feeling of "I've blown it now. It's over. I don't have what it takes to start all over again." As long as you can avoid that thought process you'll be fine.
THIS is what I'm worried about I got down to 11stone 4 then this happen and before I knew it I was back at 13 stone 6 I was originally 15stone but I seem to forget how far I've come and just see my slip ups
All or nothing mentality isn't good, nor is it remotely realistic...6 -
Follow up.
Full English? You don't have to have everything or full servings of everything. A couple spoons of beans (quite low calorie anyway), if at home I'm assuming the hash browns will be baked in the oven from frozen, so just have one, again not many calories. One sausage, get a lower fat variety. Two pieces of bacon, very few calories. One slice of black pudding. Very few calories. Half or one slice of toast with only a little butter, not very many calories. One egg, not very many calories.
Having lovely meals doesn't have to mean huge portions or everything at every one of those meals.
You're making a huge drama out of not very much.5 -
My partner would be cooking it I would have 0 control over what/how much he puts on my plate. He will make "enough" (more than enough) for 2 and just divide it between 2 plates6
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My partner would be cooking it I would have 0 control over what/how much he puts on my plate
Even if you can't control what he cooks (my partner allows me to make suggestions when he prepares a meal for us and he will consider them especially when the meal is a celebration of a special day) or what he puts on your plate, you control how much of it you eat. You don't have to eat something just because your partner puts it on your plate.
If you feel like you *must* eat everything your partner prepares and serves you regardless of your appetite, preferences, or weight loss goals, that's a whole different conversation.3 -
janejellyroll wrote: »My partner would be cooking it I would have 0 control over what/how much he puts on my plate
Even if you can't control what he cooks (my partner allows me to make suggestions when he prepares a meal for us and he will consider them especially when the meal is a celebration of a special day) or what he puts on your plate, you control how much of it you eat. You don't have to eat something just because your partner puts it on your plate.
If you feel like you *must* eat everything your partner prepares and serves you regardless of your appetite, preferences, or weight loss goals, that's a whole different conversation.
As a child I was brought up to clear my plate at 28 I still have that mentality unfortunately I will probably be asleep while he is cooking6 -
An important part of dieting is knowing that occasionally you can splurge, and that it's mentally and emotionally healthy to do so.5
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janejellyroll wrote: »My partner would be cooking it I would have 0 control over what/how much he puts on my plate
Even if you can't control what he cooks (my partner allows me to make suggestions when he prepares a meal for us and he will consider them especially when the meal is a celebration of a special day) or what he puts on your plate, you control how much of it you eat. You don't have to eat something just because your partner puts it on your plate.
If you feel like you *must* eat everything your partner prepares and serves you regardless of your appetite, preferences, or weight loss goals, that's a whole different conversation.
As a child I was brought up to clear my plate at 28 I still have that mentality unfortunately I will probably be asleep while he is cooking
As children we were brought up to do many things. As adults, we can decide for ourselves if we still want to do them. It's really up to you whether you clear your plate or not. I will say that being able to leave some food on the plate does often make it easier to hit calorie goals, whether you're eating out at a restaurant, going to a friend's house for a meal, or eating a meal that a partner has plated for you.12
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