So I had a bad day yesterday. I have been doing really well for the past month or so. I am finding it much easier to watch what I eat and have incorporated a bunch of great tips I learned here.

But yesterday I jumped into cookies and ice cream at work with both feet, and then I had hamburgers (yes plural) for dinner. I ended up over 3300 calories for the day. I have matured to where I know this is a great opportunity for me to use the negative energy I am feeling to propel myself forward, and not let myself slip further. I am doing great today and will work out this evening and hopefully get right back out there.

I know I will fail to follow my plan again, it is inevitable. So my question to everyone is how do you deal with bad days? Do you forget they ever happened? Do you do extra work to make sure they don't turn into a downward spiral? What kind of techniques do you use to make yourself feel positive and motivated again?

I used to let it get me down, too. I have at least a bad day a month. Then I realized that I couldn't drive forward while staring into the rear view mirror. Once the bad day is done, it's gone. Don't let it haunt you, celebrate your renewed enthusiasm!

First off- don't beat yourself up. Everybody's done it, and you'll do it again. The key is really self correcting quickly. Don't let this be a weekly slip up... if you made it a month on track and derailed once, just get back on track again and don't think anything of it.

But you may want to jot down the date of your splurge day... that way you know you have to make it a full month again before letting yourself have another splurge day. Remember too that you should allow yourself to do that from time to time. If you make it a planned splurge, it won't be off the charts bad and it will give you something to work towards during the week.

Good luck.

Dan ... some really good advise on here already.

I love this saying

Then I realized that I couldn't drive forward while staring into the rear view mirror

Although ... still think we have to learn from the mistakes of the past. Once we've taken the learning from them then we can put them to bed and move on.

I put it into perspective. A 3300 calorie day isn't the worst thing, in fact, besides the fact that it was not nutritious I like the idea of hitting the calories that I need for maintenance or above once every other week or so just to make sure I'm never in starvation mode. I think I would be more frustrated in a plateau that I couldn't figure out. I figure I've had lots days over 5000 or 6000 in the past before I knew what I was doing so 3300 is nothing to get past.

After a another week or two and your numbers are still going the way you want them to, this will be no big deal.

This is also where I like to review the pictures of myself, my weight graph, and look at the progress I have made.

I've lost about 40 pounds this past six or eight months. I've been to hell and back with my personal life, broken marriage, violent act at my school... car accident... oh , the list is endless.

And, at the end of a day that was "bad" when it comes to eating? Or not exercising??

I just thank God I'm still around. And, I remind myself, it's only one day out of our entire life. And, so what if we mess up? We're not perfect.

My mantra is... live a life without regrets. Eat that cookie... but remember you might have to put a few extra minutes at the gym. And if you can't? Well, start fresh. Each day we awake with a new morning. And, sometimes, I start fresh at 2:30 pm when I catch myself going downhill fast. I say to myself, "Nothing wrong with starting NOW and saving the rest of the day from ruin."

Listen.... You have enough crap to go through in your day to day life. Why do you have to be your own worst enemy?? That's what I say to myself.

And, I've loved myself a lot more by giving myself a break. Sometimes, it just happens. Dust off your knees, and get going again!!

"Nothing wrong with starting NOW and saving the rest of the day from ruin."

Thanks, ArmyChick. I need to remember that. I always find myself saying" Well, this day is blown, I might as well keep pigging out..."

Yeah don't dwell on it too much.
But i would definitely try to learn from it, like why did you suddenly feel the need to stuff yourself with more than you should, or the wrong types of foods? Look back and see what triggered it, and then work out a plan to change your reaction to that trigger.
Try to keep in mind while inhaling the cookies that they are only going to set you back further, even if its just a hair. But as you can tell, its not only the weight, then you get all mental about it, start stressing about how bad the day was, and lingering over your eating decisions.
Next bad day just beat the crap out of a heavy bag, or run as fast as you can in intervals, something that you have to really put 100% of your focus on. Good luck Dan!

yeh - kinda found that bad days lead to being extra careful the next few days
also have found that i don't have as many "bad days" if i eat 80% right and allow myself 20% for naughty things - i.e. chocolate, etc.

if it's just small and can be incorporated into the calorie and fat count then it's worth it (i.e. fun sized mars bar, etc) and helps ward off the cravings

I read the title of the thread and immediately thought... Oh... I remember the days when I had a bad day and then went to the gym for a cardio boxing class... and I felt better....

LOL! Not the same "bad"... Seriously, don't beat yourself up over it. Personally, I think it's fine to indulge once in a while. I think it's more important to make it worth it. Don't bother with crappy ice cream or crappy cookies.

And then just put in some extra effort later! Or BEFORE... you can even plan to have an extra yummy!

Of course... as long as this doesn't become a daily habit...

Get back on that horse and ride away!!! I've had 2 very bad weeks of exercise, but have been eating well. Haven't lost weight and have been lacking in motivation...one of my major points was not being on TRAINEO! Sign on here as much as you can and it will help. Somewhere to hold yourself accountable to your plans and habits, and somewhere to help you keep motivated.
Let's both get back on here and take that step in the direction we want.
Sounds like a crap motivational advertisement or something...but you know it's what you want to do!!
If you plan what you are going to eat more, and take food places as much as possible, we can do things more easily to stop the binging! I am a binger from way back - so know how you feel.
Tomorrow is a new day - you can do it.