What to Do When You Blow Your Calorie Budget

So you splurged … now what? Should you just throw in the towel and continue on with your day of indulgence: tall stack of pancakes for breakfast, all-you-can-eat buffet for lunch, and dessert after dinner. Not so fast.

Before you beat yourself up for blowing it, or find yourself stuck in a day of gluttony, check out these steps to get back on track when you’ve blown your calorie budget.

Make Your Next Meal Healthy
One meal or day of overeating won’t have a big impact on progress, but a week or month of splurging can definitely set you back. Instead of tossing in the towel and starting over tomorrow, begin eating right at your next meal. The whole day or week isn’t a wash with a little indulgence—just get right back on track, and you will feel good that you did.

Stay Positive
If you slip up and fall off the wagon, regain focus on the reason you’ve set these goals in the first place. Are you training for an upcoming marathon? Is it to look stunning as you walk down the aisle at your wedding? Do you want to be fit and healthy to chase your grandkids around? Keep a positive outlook! Remember that this is a journey, after all, and it will be full of peaks and valleys.

Assess Barriers and Strategize
OK, so you blew it; it’s now time to find out why. Were those chocolate chip cookies in your pantry calling your name? Did you forget how to say no to the bottle of wine your friend wanted to split at dinner?
When you blow your calorie budget, assess if external pressures are to blame. If the cookies in your pantry are too tempting, don’t bring them inside the house. If you find yourself eating (or drinking) for social reasons, maybe it’s time to practice standing up for yourself and embracing the power of “no.”

Increase Your Budget
So you know you’re going to have cheesecake at dinner? Don’t skip that workout! Make sure to get in some extra steps and go harder during your workout if you know that you may need a bigger calorie budget that day. Plus, a little extra sweat sesh isn’t a bad thing either.

Don’t Amend the Budget
Even if you might have blown your calorie budget by lunch or ate too much all day long, don’t skip your next meal or severely restrict calories the following day to make up for the splurge. Restriction will likely backfire and can set you up for a cycle of blowing the budget. Skipping meals creates ravenous hunger and, at that point, everything in sight might look good!
Instead of amending the budget by cutting calories from another meal or day, just chalk it up as a small splurge and continue on with your healthy eating plan.

Get Support
Lifestyle changes are not easy, so make sure that you have enough support to create lasting change. Maybe you need to consult with a professional like a dietitian to address your nutrition habits or a counselor to discuss emotional eating and barriers to change. Confide in a friend that you trust and let her know your goals, so hopefully next time she won’t even ask to split a bottle of wine, or tempt you with dessert. Engage in the community in one of my Challenge/Accountability Groups to get virtual support from like-minded people who can motivate you to stay on track.

Splurges are a normal part of a healthy living routine; just keep them in moderation so that they don’t hinder your progress!

Via MyFinessPal and edited by Maria Doney

Should I Eat Back My Exercise Calories?

Congrats! You’ve worked out at home, gone to the gym, put in some time on the treadmill and now have a few hundred extra calories in the bank. But what do you do with those extra exercise calories? Should you run to the kitchen and gobble them up, save them for a special weekend treat or ignore them altogether?

When faced with this decision, it’s important to consider several factors, most notably your weight goal (whether you’re wanting to lose, gain or maintain), the frequency, intensity and duration of your exercise, and your overall level of hunger.

For the average exerciser trying to lose or maintain weight (i.e. someone who burns an additional 200-500 calories a few times per week), exercise calories don’t make up a significant portion of overall calorie burn, generally in the 1500-2200 per day range. Unless you’re exercising at a moderate to high intensity for an hour or more, several times a week, or are actively trying to gain weight, you most likely don’t need to be worried about eating all of those calories back.

The main reason is this: It’s easy, and fairly common to overestimate calorie burn (both from everyday activity and from exercise) and underestimate calorie consumption. By going out of your way to eat back every calorie you expend during exercise, you may unintentionally undermine your efforts to lose or maintain your weight. Additionally, you could be overriding your body’s hunger cues if you don’t feel particularly keen for those exercise calories but eat (or drink) them back them anyway. If your body isn’t telling you it needs fuel, it’s best to save your exercise calories for when you want them–say, for an unexpected hunger pang or a weekend treat meal with friends.

Now if you’re trying to lose weight, chances are you’ll be on the hungry side even without exercising since MyFitnessPal’s weight loss calorie goals are calculated independent of exercise. The upside to this is that those exercise calories become a “bonus”–so if your workout leaves you feeling a bit hungry afterwards, by all means you should enjoy the bump in calories and eat something. (Just read the 5 tips below beforehand to make the most of them!)

The vast majority of us who are trying to shed a few pounds or maintain our weight need not be concerned about eating back all of our exercise calories, but those trying to gain weight, and/or who are training heavily several times per week should be mindful about getting in enough calories–both to fuel physical activity and promote muscle growth, repair and recovery. For those of you who fall into this category, here are some great pre- and post-workout meals and snacks.
Whether you’re exercising to lose, gain or maintain your weight, improve your fitness level, or just reduce stress, one thing to remember when eating back exercise calories is that the quality of those calories is just as important as the quantity.

To help you get the most out of those hard earned calories, here are 5 tips to healthfully handle those post-workout hunger pangs:

1. Start with a hydration check. Thirst can be misinterpreted for hunger so, if you’re on the fence about whether you need to refuel or not, make sure you’re not just dehydrated. Here are some hacks from other MyFitnessPal users for staying well hydrated.

2. Hone in on your hunger cues. Rather than running for the kitchen cabinet the moment you get home from your workout, trust your tummy to tell you if you need a post-workout snack.

3. Don’t get stuck on the number. Remember, the calories you eat and exercise off are estimations, and we’re more likely to overestimate calories burned from exercise. If hunger hits between meals, start slow–particularly if you’re trying to lose or maintain your weight. Begin by eat back a percentage of your exercise calories (say, 50%) rather than all of them, and see how you feel in 20-30 minutes.

4. Focus on high-quality protein and wholesome carbohydrates. Doing so will optimize muscle repair and recovery.

5. Spread ‘em out. Our bodies aren’t able to store protein like carbohydrates and fat so, if you have a significant number of calories to eat back (lucky you!), be sure to include protein with each meal and snack over the course of the day for optimal muscle building and repair.

Nutrition Note: Large calorie deficits over time, whether through calorie restriction, exercise or a combination of the two, can lead to nutrient deficiencies and other health problems, so it’s always a good idea to consult with a doctor or dietitian if you are unsure about how many calories (exercise or otherwise) you should be consuming.

Via: My Fitness Pal, edited by Maria Doney