Rebounding from restaurants

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mommacara82
mommacara82 Posts: 15 Member
in Food and Nutrition
How does everyone else plan around a night out? I am going to a really good restaurant and I am not skimping just this one meal, which could be bad later on, but how do you get through after?
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  • musicfan68
    musicfan68 Posts: 1,125 Member
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    Just resume your calorie deficit the next day. I also don't usually eat that day if I know I will be eating out or at a family dinner or something that I can't track. Like today, we're having our family Thanksgiving dinner at 3 so I won't eat anything, and will just eat one plate of food. Should be about my maintenance calories, or maybe even a little less.
  • Cbean08
    Cbean08 Posts: 1,092 Member
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    I put the calories to good use and hit the gym for an extra heavy lifting day. I've hit some nice PRs after an extra calorific dinner. I'm also usually a lot less hungry the next day and I eat accordingly.
  • Elphaba1313
    Elphaba1313 Posts: 191 Member
    edited November 2018
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    I did this last night. Really nice restaurant with the family. I saved some calories over the week, did an extra bit of exercise, and hoped for the best. I had to guesstimate the calories I ate (and yes, they possibly went over maintenance even!) but it was lovely occasion.. We shared 2 desserts with 3 of us, the food was amazing and the company great.

    One night of indulgence won't make me gain back all I've lost so far. Will it mean no loss this week? Maybe, maybe not, but I regret nothing because I am creating a lifestyle I can keep forever, and if I had to never ever taste Creme Brûlée again and a really nice bottle of Cabernet Sauvignon, well, then I'm out!

    I did notice though that my way of eating had changed. Yes, we had 2 desserts, but I had about 3 spoonfuls of each, and I was satisfied. They tasted great but I didn't feel the need to inhale as much as I could of them. Likewise I left a little bit of my meal on my plate.

    Today I'll walk an extra couple kms, and get back to eating in a deficit.

    Enjoy your night out!
  • kami3006
    kami3006 Posts: 4,978 Member
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    The quotes on this page are all outta whack.
  • Elphaba1313
    Elphaba1313 Posts: 191 Member
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    kami3006 wrote: »
    The quotes on this page are all outta whack.


    They are! I think @Phoebe5164 edited something. Anyway, I was agreeing with you, @kami3006 that yes, many of us bank calories and track weekly for flexibility. I wasn't disagreeing with you. Quotes are nuts today!
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,426 Member
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    I only eat out once a week... sometimes only once a month...and usually stick to my calorie goal even when I eat out at a restaurant. Some places are a bit trickier to do that.
    I went out for lunch today with my family. I knew it was going to be higher calorie today based on past experience with this restaurant so I ate a smaller than normal breakfast, ordered what I really wanted for lunch and plan to have a lighter dinner as well. I am also having a maintenance calorie day. I am doing my normal exercise for the day. I do not plan to reduce calories any other days or exercise more than normal to make up for it. I could do that but I did not exceed my maintenance calorie level and I don't feel like it.
  • salleewins
    salleewins Posts: 2,308 Member
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    Lounmoun wrote: »
    I only eat out once a week... sometimes only once a month...and usually stick to my calorie goal even when I eat out at a restaurant. Some places are a bit trickier to do that.
    I went out for lunch today with my family. I knew it was going to be higher calorie today based on past experience with this restaurant so I ate a smaller than normal breakfast, ordered what I really wanted for lunch and plan to have a lighter dinner as well. I am also having a maintenance calorie day. I am doing my normal exercise for the day. I do not plan to reduce calories any other days or exercise more than normal to make up for it. I could do that but I did not exceed my maintenance calorie level and I don't feel like it.

    This is what I do. Yes the sodium (probably) will increase the number on the scale and influence weight loss a bit, but this is real life. I find this helps me to feel nothing is restricted. In the end I lose weight because the next day I am back on track. It is a win.
  • paperpudding
    paperpudding Posts: 8,995 Member
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    I agree that looking at weekly calories helps with things like this OP - so if you are going out for a special meal, aim to eat at, say, 100 calories less other days that week and that builds up a surplus of around 600 calories for the special meal.

    I would also eat lightly on the day itself and that builds up a few hundred more for tea than your usual - I wouldnt do the eat nothing else on the day thing myslef - going out for tea, I still need food during the day but just go lightly in the preceding meals.

    So, with only making smallish tweaks, is not hard to have a splurge meal and still be on target (or close to it) for the week.
  • smantha32
    smantha32 Posts: 6,990 Member
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    caras1982 wrote: »
    How does everyone else plan around a night out? I am going to a really good restaurant and I am not skimping just this one meal, which could be bad later on, but how do you get through after?

    If they have menus online you can choose something ahead of time that will keep you close to your goals.
  • Elphaba1313
    Elphaba1313 Posts: 191 Member
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    I wasn’t having a dig at you. I’m forever quoting and doing something that edits the content and stuffs it all up. It happens!
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,967 Member
    edited November 2018
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    This thread is a mess. So many woo’s, and messed up quote strings. Anyway, my solution is to just not worry about it if it’s just an every once in a while thing. Maybe eat light that day leading up to it. Or like others have said, save 100 calories or so every other day that week to give yourself some extra. I had like 1600 calories tonight at dinner. Oh well.

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