So I thought I was doing well not binging and eating healthy and I was in a really good mindset, but then I had an awful morning at work and went out to lunch with my friends. I ate waay too much fried fatty food and now I feel miserable. I'm supposed to go out to dinner with a friend tonight but I absolutely don't want to because I think it will just make me give up completely and binge on everything in sight. How can I fix this day??? This is why I never lose weight.

i always have this problem, one moment of weakness and it feels like your entire day of work is gone, and it is really discouraging. go for a grilled chicken salad with no cheese and fat free dressing if you are going to dinner, i would say, and always try to make it an early dinner! if you eat late your body just stores those calories because you arent burning calories while you sleep. if i slip during the day i just stop eating a couple hours earlier and go for a nice long walk. i also got a free online fitness calculator that tracks the calories i burn vs the calories i eat. that way i dont get discouraged because i see that even if i slip a little bit i have still burned more calories then i ate.

I stopped binging once I ate the right amount for my body, and for me, the only way I could be successful was by planning.

I plan my breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner, snack ahead of time and often cook/prepare/pack it all ahead of time so I can grab it and go, but also so that I'm never stuck wondering what I'm going to eat.

To salvage today, I would probably still go out to eat with a friend but plan exactly what I'm ordering ahead of time. That's something I'd do anyway. Can you take a look at the menu before? Are there any healthy options?

[QUOTE=samcakes;4296666]...if you eat late your body just stores those calories because you arent burning calories while you sleep...[QUOTE]

I just have to point out that this is one of those silly myths women buy into; your body DOES burn calories while you sleep... 24 hours a day! It doesn't matter if you eat 300 calories at 5pm or at 10pm, what matters is the OVERALL caloric balance. It takes up to 72 hours to fully digest and process all the calories you ate during a meal, so the timing is irrelevant.

[QUOTE=JossFit;4297447]Thanks for putting words to what I was thinking. If you eat X and burn Y calories over a 24-hour period, the net balance is the same no matter when you eat.

F.

I saw a post on one of the Boards that said that an off-plan meal doesn't have to turn into an off-plan day. Decide on what you will have before you go to dinner. Also, drinking a good deal of water or tea may help you curb the temptation. When I drink lots of water before a big meal, I found that I feel to "full" to really stuff down all of the other stuff. I struggled with rare binges as well and I know the slippery slope. You can do this!!!

Don't be too hard on yourself, so you had a bit too much to eat at one meal, this does not compromise your entire weight loss program. When I tend to fall off the wagon, it actually motivates me to exercise harder the next day to lose all the extra calories I had.

I agree with what everyone is saying, you need to plan your meals in advance, or at least have an idea on what you're allowed to eat everyday. For instance, one day you plan to eat vegetables and fish. This way, if you go out with friends, you'll know exactly what to order and you won't get tempted by everything else on the menu.

I went out to eat for lunch with one of my colleagues today. Yes, I made much healthier choices, but I also just discovered that a pina colada was just as many calories as my actual meal (oops...) Needless to say, I went for a walk this evening...

I think that after you overindulge it's really important to exercise. No, you're not going to fix an imperfect day with it, but I do think you'll feel a little better and a little more energized. My two cents, anyway...