How to factor in times when you'll be over your daily limit

AnitaKundu
AnitaKundu Posts: 73 Member
in Getting Started
Hi, relatively new here. If there is the odd time where you know you will be over your daily limit, such as a special occasion like Christmas, a celebration dinner out, overseas holiday where meals are different etc, how can you cope with this realistically so you don't stray too far off track?

Some thoughts that have come to mind is to try and do a bit more exercise that day (or that week) to accrue calories, or cut back on calories on other days that week. Obviously you can minimise damage by making the most sensible food choices if you're eating out (or in!). Is there anything I'm overlooking or does anyone have anything to add to that? I'm not saying that people shouldn't splurge occasionally, it's just that I have worked so hard to start my weight loss journey once again and I don't want to undo the hard work I have put in! If I fall off the wagon this time I'm not sure I will have the strength to start this journey again.
Thanks, Anita
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Replies

  • livingleanlivingclean
    livingleanlivingclean Posts: 11,752 Member
    Looking at your weekly calorie goal is a great idea - it's ok to eat a little less on some days and/or save exercise cals to use on a higher calorie day.
  • AnitaKundu
    AnitaKundu Posts: 73 Member
    Great idea, thanks. Where can I see what I am allowed across the week? I use the diary to track each day but is there a weekly view somewhere? Thanks
  • andreascjonsson
    andreascjonsson Posts: 433 Member
    This may not be viable for everyone but when im planning to go out i actually never eat more than 300 calories beforehand and often i eat nothing and then i simply eat all my calories in one sitting at the party/restuarant. Otherwise i usually know beforehand when i will be over and split the excess calories out over the rest of the week. Eating as little as 200 calories less the other 6 days gives you a wopping 1200 extra to eat on your excess day.
  • neugebauer52
    neugebauer52 Posts: 1,120 Member
    Unfortunately I know myself too well - a weekly calorie goal would not - has not - worked for me. I prefer to stick to my daily allotment. Once in a while, very rarely, I have something to eat late at night after I have closed my daily calorie recording. In this case I add it to my next day's breakfast and make sure that it fits into my daily calorie count and / or increase my daily exercise.
  • weezemardell
    weezemardell Posts: 7 Member
    To see your weekly calories- open your food diary, scroll down to the bottom and click nutrition. At the top it may default to daily view change it to weekly view and it will give you your weekly calorie goal
  • kommodevaran
    kommodevaran Posts: 17,890 Member
    I think it's important to factor in the frequency and impact of those occasions. If it's eating out, is it several times per week, or once per month? If it's friends' birthdays, how many friends do you have? When you eat birthday cake, do you eat one or four slices? If it's holiday eating, how often and how long are those holidays? Everybody is afraid of Christmas and Thanksgiving, but that's two days; do you celebrate Donut day, Waffle Day, National Ice Cream Month, National Pizza Month, National Vodka Day, etc - in that case, it adds up fast.
  • Deviette
    Deviette Posts: 979 Member
    On those occasions I try and practice mindful eating. I think about what I want to eat, and how much I want. I won't eat things I don't like. I eat slowly, talking to others around the table. If I'm full I put the fork down. I used to eat by eating the thing I was most excited about last, meaning I had to finish everything to eat it. Now I try and eat everything as I go along, so that if I feel full, I don't feel like I've missed out on my favourite things.

    I'll also plan ahead. If I know I'm likely to go over one day, for the few days before I'll be extra strict with my kcal target.
  • TonyB0588
    TonyB0588 Posts: 9,520 Member
    weezemardell wrote: »
    To see your weekly calories- open your food diary, scroll down to the bottom and click nutrition. At the top it may default to daily view change it to weekly view and it will give you your weekly calorie goal

    Interesting tip, but I don't see anything like that on my diary page. Can you explain, or post a screenshot to point it out?
  • shaf238
    shaf238 Posts: 4,021 Member
    For me personally, I'll counter the calories I'll be consuming (whether that's too much or too little) in the days leading up to if the event is planned for in advance, or in the subsequent days following the event. Our bodies work on a much grander scale than day to day so if you've gone over/under your calories on one day, you won't go off track with your goals if it takes a few days for you to make up for it.
  • deannalfisher
    deannalfisher Posts: 5,600 Member
    christmas, thanksgiving and my birthday are my #macropass days - basically anything goes for those - one day in the scheme of things isn't going to derail me - i know that my water weight will be up slightly because of all that glorious salty food - mmmm ham!
  • malibu927
    malibu927 Posts: 17,565 Member
    If I’m going out to eat I follow my weekly calories. Thanksgiving I log but if I’m over I don’t care (and I’m usually under because I work that day. Christmas and my birthday I take diet breaks around and don’t bother tracking those two days.
  • amusedmonkey
    amusedmonkey Posts: 10,330 Member
    edited July 2018
    I personally plan a controlled mini regain for the holiday season, nothing a month of dieting can't fix, but I realize this is not for everyone.

    For nights out and single event occasions, I either take a maintenance day, skip a meal or two, bank calories, or all of the above.
  • cwolfman13
    cwolfman13 Posts: 41,876 Member
    I'm a big picture guy...I don't get too wrapped up in the minutia of occasions or a vacation, etc. These things are all small blips on a much larger radar and are pretty meaningless in the grand scheme of things.

    That said, I've also never been one to go berserk with food and have never had an issue going back to eating normally after an indulgence.

    Vacations are something that I really don't worry about at all...I'm supposed to be having fun and I'm way more active on a vacation with no deliberate exercise than at home where I sit at a desk most of the day but still exercise...I burn more calories on vacation than I do sitting around at home.
  • lynn_glenmont
    lynn_glenmont Posts: 9,959 Member
    Understand what your maintenance level is and recognize that there are likely several hundred calories or perhaps more (depending on your weight loss goals) between your daily calorie goal and your maintenance goal, so that going over your daily calorie goal while you're still at or under your maintenance goal isn't going to "undo the hard work [you] have put in," it will just slow your ongoing rate of loss.
  • AnitaKundu
    AnitaKundu Posts: 73 Member
    Thank you so much for the tips, guys. So insightful! I don't anticipate those occasions being often but just wanted to prepare for them in advance. I am an ex WW member (I made it to lifetime) but unfortunately couldn't maintain. The hardest thing was for me to get back on this journey to health after many set backs and weight fluctuations. It took all my strength to get back on the wagon this time but I'm not so sure I'll be able to do so next time, as it was sooo difficult getting started again. Now that I have it has become easier I must say. I must say I'm loving the old school way of counting calories rather than points. It gives me more flexibility in terms of what I eat, though I'm still mindful of portions. I love how it's a more accurate picture of what I eat rather than consuming lots of free foods which infact do contain calories, protein, carbs, fats etc and are infact having an effect on my weight. Now that I have T2 diabetes, I'm afraid fruit most definitely is not free, as it contains sugar and carbs!

    I'm sorry but I'm still struggling to see the weekly view (and would love to see how much exercise I've done for the week too). When I go to my food diary, at the bottom there is no button called nutrition. It just has the totals of calories, carbs, protein, fats, sugars. Any suggestions on how I can see this? There wasn't anything in settings last time I looked. Thanks.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    AnitaKundu wrote: »
    Thank you so much for the tips, guys. So insightful! I don't anticipate those occasions being often but just wanted to prepare for them in advance. I am an ex WW member (I made it to lifetime) but unfortunately couldn't maintain. The hardest thing was for me to get back on this journey to health after many set backs and weight fluctuations. It took all my strength to get back on the wagon this time but I'm not so sure I'll be able to do so next time, as it was sooo difficult getting started again. Now that I have it has become easier I must say. I must say I'm loving the old school way of counting calories rather than points. It gives me more flexibility in terms of what I eat, though I'm still mindful of portions. I love how it's a more accurate picture of what I eat rather than consuming lots of free foods which infact do contain calories, protein, carbs, fats etc and are infact having an effect on my weight. Now that I have T2 diabetes, I'm afraid fruit most definitely is not free, as it contains sugar and carbs!

    I'm sorry but I'm still struggling to see the weekly view (and would love to see how much exercise I've done for the week too). When I go to my food diary, at the bottom there is no button called nutrition. It just has the totals of calories, carbs, protein, fats, sugars. Any suggestions on how I can see this? There wasn't anything in settings last time I looked. Thanks.

    Are you looking on the app?
  • AnitaKundu
    AnitaKundu Posts: 73 Member
    No, I use my laptop. I prefer it, but will try looking on the app.
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
    AnitaKundu wrote: »
    No, I use my laptop. I prefer it, but will try looking on the app.

    It's on the app, that's why you don't see it currently.
  • AnitaKundu
    AnitaKundu Posts: 73 Member
    I see it now, on the app. Thank you!

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