So I went out for pho (Vietnamese soup) with the bf tonight for dinner. Pho itself is reletively low cal, but we split an appetizer of 6 eggrolls. I knew I was feeling ful, but ate my three anyways. I looked up the calories after the fact, and those three little egg rolls cost me 500 calories.
So, I'm ending the day at about 2000 cals, so I basically "broke even." I know it's not that big of a deal, and it's only one day, but I'm in a bad mood with myself because of it. I know all the reasonable things to do: learn from it, budget before the fact next time, etc., but I'm still feeling terrible.
How do you all talk yourself out of one bad day, and how do you help yourself feel better? I'm going to plan my menu for tomorrow tonight, at the usual budget of 1350 cals, so that I can look forward to a day on plan. How else do you all like to give yourself some perspective when you had a bad day?
i'm feeling the same way too right now. i'm 87 calories over my target. i'm trying to make myself feel better by remembering that weight loss i like a relationship, you have your good days and you have your bad days and it about hanging around and building something for the long haul.
i'm going to work out a bit to make myself feel better and maybe the endorphins will help too :P
jayohwhy - thanks so much for the response! You are right, it is a journey, and I will have some days that are not as good as others. But I can't let it allow me to lose my self-confidence. I CAN do this....
I did not lose this week. I actually gained .8 this week. I did go over my daily calories one day this week. But for the week, I still averaged under. I exercised and I've been drinking water.
I told myself when I started that I was going to do this for a year. A year. I have to do it, so it really doesn't matter if I didn't lose this week. I will keep tracking my calories and exercising. I will lose next week.
By the time next September rolls around, I will be able to say I did it for a year, why not keep doing it for another year.
That kind of learning experience is a big part of the process. Now you know what the egg rolls cost in calories, and next time you can make a more educated choice about whether to eat them. You might even decide that it's not worth eating anything before you check its calorie content.
One day isn't going to make or break you in the grand scheme of things - this process isn't about what you do in a day, it's about what you do over many months. So don't fret about it too much.
If it helps, compare what you ate yesterday in calories and nutrient content to what you might have eaten on a typical day when you were busy gaining weight. I bet you'll find you used to have a lot of days where you ate plenty more than 2000 calories. Maybe that will help make yesterday feel like a victory instead of a defeat.
Thanks, you guys, so very much. I'm in a better mindset this morning, and today will be a day on plan. And carter - I like the motto under your name - it's almost exactly like mine, and speaks well toward this situation. Nicely put.
Thanks, you guys, so very much. I'm in a better mindset this morning, and today will be a day on plan. And carter - I like the motto under your name - it's almost exactly like mine, and speaks well toward this situation. Nicely put.
Hah, look at that, two great minds with but a single thought. Actually I just changed to that today, after I found I was explaining that mindset a lot recently.
It has been both a touchstone for me and the entire key to my success this time around. I find thinking in terms of "lifestyle change" both hokey and overwhelming. Instead, thinking about one choice at a time allows me to focus - and, after two years, it turns out now I have made a lifestyle change without ever setting out to make one.
So. It has worked for me, hope it works for you as well!
Think back to before you started this journey. Would you have "broken even" or would you have eaten more than that? I think breaking even on a bad day is good. It means you won't gain and you may be surprised and still lose. Although, stay off the scale a few days. Pho makes me retain a lot of water.
When DH and I go out for Pho, we split an order of fresh rolls. They aren't fried, they come two to an order and they are so tasty. The calorie count is much lower than egg rolls. Maybe go for those next time?
You are doing great. Don't beat yourself up over one day. Just keep going. You won't fail unless you give up completely. Since you aren't quitting, you've already won a major battle. Keep it up. You can do this!
I personally think it's good to "break even" now and again. Breaking even in it's self is hard to do!
I can relate to your post though and your feelings. I make a quick decision at quiznos yesterday and got a small turkey sub. (Pre-diet I would of gotten a large roast beef). I knew it was a BETTER choice but I had NO idea of the calories until I got home and googled it. It was 450 cals, which wasn't bad, but I learned 160 calories of that was just from the mayo! I could of saved myself that many calories if I had done research beforehand.
Everyday is a chance to learn something new!
I really like the responses on here! It's all very supportive!!
I am still getting used to not beating myself up when I go over budget, or I don't eat quite healthy, but so many times it's pointed out that this is a lifelong journey and a lifestyle change. I'm not going to abstain from certain foods for the rest of my life, so I'm learning to be wise about it. Have a smaller serving, or make room for it, or just eat it, enjoy it and start again with the next meal. Then afterward or during, I try not to feel guilty about it, I'm not sinning! I'm just enjoying a treat!
If we start to stress out about going over calorie (obviously we don't make a habit of it, but some days our body just needs more..), then we may border on obsessing about it. As long as we eat right the majority of the time and indulge here and there, we still lose weight. It might slow the process down a bit, but that's not always a bad thing.
Kinda makes me think about Finding Nemo.. "Just keep swimming, swimming..just keep..."
I try to go online before i go out and check out the menu and decide what i am going to eat when i get there. I try to live one day at a time. I use meditation with affirmations.
And, most of all, i try to look at the positive. Like you broke even. That is great.
Keep on plugging away and life will be great.
Last edited by PearlNorth; 10-27-2011 at 02:07 PM.
I WILL NEVER BE PERFECT...That's what I tell myself....There will be off plan days. I usually budget the next day to "even" myself out. For example, I may remove the cheese from my sandwich the next day or eat a lighter lunch. The VICTORY is that you're still on plan.....Cheering you on to goal.
Today I am higher on calories than I wanted to be...I thought I had saved enough cals for the dinner my husband made tonight, but I did not. To make up for it, while I wait to pick up my son up in an hour I am going to jump on the elliptical to burn off the extra cals.
I know better, but I still ate the meal first with out figuring the calories out. I would not have had as big of a portion had I figured them out ahead of time.
Thank you, thank you, everyone! What works for me is to plan out my goof for the day in the morning, and look at restaurant food ahead of time, to stay on track. I am doing this as much as possible now. When not possible, I'm getting better at guestimating, being realistic, and eating a small portion if I'm stuck in a situation. One day at a time, and honestly, I'm determined to enjoy the ride. I can do it!
"broke even" today, but feels like failing
Actually I just changed to that today, after I found I was explaining that mindset a lot recently. 
