How do you plan your meals when theres an unexpected treat?

LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
in Food and Nutrition
Hi guys, I'm just starting to plan my meals in advance from breakfast to dinner. Usually when everything runs smoothly, it gets the job done easier however how do you go when unexpectedly a co-worker suddenly gives a birthday treat or you've been informed of a family dinner a few hours prior to that one? That is my problem because whenever there is a treat, I am informed on the very same day usually just a few hours before the treat. I need to make a serious overhaul on my diet & I noticed that I've slacking it more if I just track my eating so I decided to plan out everything in advance. Help!

Sorry for my English as I'm not a native speaker so I hope you understand.

Replies

  • AntWrig
    AntWrig Posts: 2,273 Member
    Hi guys, I'm just starting to plan my meals in advance from breakfast to dinner. Usually when everything runs smoothly, it gets the job done easier however how do you go when unexpectedly a co-worker suddenly gives a birthday treat or you've been informed of a family dinner a few hours prior to that one? That is my problem because whenever there is a treat, I am informed on the very same day usually just a few hours before the treat. I need to make a serious overhaul on my diet & I noticed that I've slacking it more if I just track my eating so I decided to plan out everything in advance. Help!

    Sorry for my English as I'm not a native speaker so I hope you understand.
    You can always say no. However, eat in moderation.
  • thinnnnnnner
    thinnnnnnner Posts: 89
    Yep ^.

    It's okay to have a treat every once and a while, as long as you don't let it turn into a binge as I usually do. Since I know this about myself, for me it's best to just avoid the treat all together, but if you can have a treat and get right back to your plan, there's nothing wrong with that! Maybe workout a little longer to compensate?
  • lambing05
    lambing05 Posts: 34
    Just choose right food nalang, i mean yun healthy tapos in moderation. Pwede rin say no. :smile:
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    I can say no when it is just a small treat outside, however the problem is that the treat happens inside the office & all of us including the maintenance & the security personnel are being asked to eat so I have no choice but to go. Even those who are in the meeting & couldn't make it are being served with food right in the meeting room. Also I live with my parents right now & they drag me all the time to go so its really difficult to say no to them. Otherwise I can easily decline it.

    I try to keep my servings as little as possible since most of the treat foods are high in calories & carbs. I was thinking of swapping it with the ones in my plan however since I have no idea what we'll be eating especially if its a family dinner, later on when I log everything, I would be surprised to find out that I just blew up almost a 1,000 calorie meal even if I feel like I didn't eat that much at all.
  • LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo
    LaMujerMasBonitaDelMundo Posts: 3,634 Member
    Thanks everyone for your advice. Perhaps I will just going to have a big calorie burn off a few hours after that :)
  • Aperture_Science
    Aperture_Science Posts: 840 Member
    This is a tough one... I can see your problem.

    What i think i would do is build a nighttime snack of say 250 cals into my day... every day.

    If I got hit with a "treat" I'd eat it and drop my suppertime snack. If I had a clean day I'd eat the suppertime snack.

    This would also help (in part) with the unexpected family meals.

    Best wishes.
  • sassybellex
    sassybellex Posts: 48
    would you be able go for a powerwalk or do some classes in the gym or just exercise at home? then you can have some unexpected treats now and then without feeling bad about it.
  • Josie_lifting_cats
    Josie_lifting_cats Posts: 949 Member
    I honestly look less at the day to day and more at the week as a whole. If I go over one day unexpectedly, I try to stay under a bit the next day to make up for it. My life is never predictable, and I've found this to work really well for me.
  • animatorswearbras
    animatorswearbras Posts: 1,001 Member
    I think since these treats happen so often maybe they are quite predictable, perhaps look over your diary and try to work out on average over the last few weeks how much extra you're getting in treats per week, and then depending on the results do something like knock 100 cals a day of your predicted meal plan and do 1000 extra cals of exercise a week and if the unpredicted treats don't come that week treat yourself or save the 1700 extra cals. Just remember to try and not go under 1200 cals in any one day :)
  • londoneye
    londoneye Posts: 192 Member
    Hi guys, I'm just starting to plan my meals in advance from breakfast to dinner. Usually when everything runs smoothly, it gets the job done easier however how do you go when unexpectedly a co-worker suddenly gives a birthday treat or you've been informed of a family dinner a few hours prior to that one? That is my problem because whenever there is a treat, I am informed on the very same day usually just a few hours before the treat. I need to make a serious overhaul on my diet & I noticed that I've slacking it more if I just track my eating so I decided to plan out everything in advance. Help!

    Sorry for my English as I'm not a native speaker so I hope you understand.

    First, your English is excellent!

    Second, if the treats are regular and you want to have them, I like the idea of assuming you're going to have one 4 times a week and building them in to your plan. Then, if you dont have them you have extra cals to spend how you like.

    BUT, if you don't want these treats and would prefer to spend your cals in a different way, you should. You should be able to attend work gatherings and NOT eat, even if food is provided. Just say you've eaten and are not hungry! I know there is a lot of pressure, and we want to feel like we are participating in the celebration, but ultimately you can't let other people control what and when you eat because YOU are the person who will live with the consequences of those decisions, not them!
  • basillowe66
    basillowe66 Posts: 432 Member
    Hi, I have found, finally, not to indulge in "treats". If there is cake and ice cream at a birthday, I don't have any. Sweets was always my downfall, but now I don't have a problem passing on them!

    Basil

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