So, my bday is Saturday and....
 

I'd like to know what you guys do.

Do you cheat or stay on your plan?
Or eat a good dinner and just cheat with dessert?

My family really wants to take me to The Cheesecake Factory, oh hell. http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...s/FacePalm.gif http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2...ticons/lol.gif


So let me hear your input!

Thanks so much!!!


~kim

On special occasions, I try to cheat just a bit. I compensate for it slowly, like 100 fewer calories a day for a few days leading up to it, and a few days after, and some extra exercise. I also always plan exactly how I'm going to be bad, so I know how much to rearrange the rest of the week!

That's the plan, anyway. Sometimes it works like a charm; sometimes I get carried away :o.

Hi,
I think it's ok to cheat on such a special day. But definitely have a plan. If you know where you are going, check if they have the nutrional information online and plan ahead what your meal will be like. Then, as mentioned before, you can make calorie adjustments on the previous and after days so you can balance out the celebration meal.
Enjoy it and congratulations!

I say take the day and really enjoy yourself.

I agree. There's no need to go "whole hog", of course, but indulge yourself, log it and forget it. That's what I do. I think it's good to intentionally take a "day off" once a month or so. It helps me to not slip into having to be "perfect" and getting all depressed if I'm not.

Regards,
Michael

PS Happy BD! :D

oh man the cheesecake factory lol you have no choice but to take it easy, man those cheesecakes are yummy!

Thanks alot guys, this really helps. I am going to check on their website for the food info. :)

The Cheesecake Factory has a lot of salads, if you order one without the dressing you can save yourself like 500-600 calories. Beware the cheesecake, some of the slices have like 1,500-1,800 calories EACH!!!! They do offer a low-carb cheesecake, which is still like 550 calories/slice, but at least you can eat it and not have consumed all of tomorrows calories in less than 10 bites.

Just do the best you can. I agree that it's a lot easier to handle those situations if you shave some calories off your daily meals a few days in advance and a few days after.

This is my 2 cent:
*Cheat* (like everyone else suggested to), but don't eat until dinner to save some calories, then eat an apple before going. Limit yourself with desserts, they kill you!
Then do 1-2 very strict diet days on Sun-Mon.

Your body won't even realize you cheated, at least that's what I'm going to do tomorrow (I have to go to a business dinner).

Good luck and keep us posted! And happy birthday ;-)

Toss out the word cheat and that whole damn concept! You can't cheat, you have a lifestyle change going, a change to be better, healthier and happier with yourself. Life happens, happen with it. Then start right back up on your healthy life style. There is no cheat.

I have had a couple of well meaning friends say something like "you can't have this desert on your diet, would you like something else?". I always reply "I don't know who told you I am on a diet but they are a damn lier because I am not on I diet and never will be. I would love a small piece of that, and please never use that curse word diet in my presence again."

No diets, no cheating, easy empowering idea! Try it.

Skiboy1 ~ You're absolutely right! Those are words to live by.

Thank you!

Yeah in an ideal world. And if it was so easy we wouldn't be overweight to begin with ;-)

I agree 100%. I never "cheat", but I do take a "day off" from following my normal eating guidelines. I had 4,000 calories one day last week at camp. It was not "cheating". I logged it and got right back to normal. Now, you can't do this all the time and expect to lose weight but varying your calorie intake once in a while is fine.

I, too, don't use the word "diet" as it connotes something that will, at some point, end. A lifestyle doesn't end--it may get adjusted or changed but it doesn't end.

Now, there are some things that I avoid, by choice, even on a day off such as pastries, desserts, baked goods and so forth. Simply because I choose to knowing that I have a particular weakness for this sort of thing--with due regards to Clint Eastwood, a man's gotta know his limitations.

Regards,
Michael

http://i12.photobucket.com/albums/a2.../thumbup-1.jpg

I hope you had a

Very Happy Birthday!!!!

Now back to your "real" lifestyle! ;)

Do you want to go to Cheesecake Factory? It is your birthday, you should choose, not your family.

The last time I was there, they had a page of "small plates", which considering their serving sizes were actually good normal size things. Maybe you could get something on that page so you can also enjoy cheesecase.

Hey guys,

Well we went to Dukes Restaurant, (in downtown Huntington Beach). Had a great birthday. Thank you for the wishes!


What I had during the morning and afternoon while I was at work:
(I was planning on being better at dinner than I did, otherwise I wouldn't have eaten well during the day.) lol

Strawberries
2 oranges
1 green apple
2 string cheese light
carrots

DUKES:
2 Tropical Itches :eek: Soooo good, memories of Hawaii!
nachos (shared with family)
macadamia nut crusted halibut, ate 1/2 - 3/4 of the filet
garlic mashed potatoes 1/2 c
roasted asparagus 4 or 5
3/4 bread roll w/ butter

Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory (near the restaurant):

1 white choc dipped oreo
1 Large peanut butter cup


Tummy was a little upset.

The 'real' food didn't taste as good as I thought it would! Kinda weird.
The chocolate was good though!

This morning I wasn't going to weigh myself, but I did and I lost .5#!! Couldn't believe it. Yay! I was going to be happy just staying the same.

Back on today. It was fun being a little bad.

Thanks everyone for the support!!! :)

Yeah! Well done!
 

Hi Zoe,
You made some perfectly appropriate choices given the importance of the day.
:D
It is interesting how our tastes change when we start being careful about what we put in our body. As a rule I love pasta and pretty much any kind of sauce you might put on it. But these days pasta dishes from regular sit down restaurants just doesn't taste as good as when I make it myself, or when I get treated to a fancy restaurant where everything is freshly prepared. Too fatty, or too much highly processed stuff, or something else I just can't identify.