Help! :(

I haven't been to the movies in a while. Today, some friends and I are going to see a movie for the midnight showing. They're all going to get chicken strips and movie popcorn (two things I LOVE) and I'm trying to tell myself I don't want it. I've been really good with my diet all week (have lost 5.5lbs already YAY) and am proud. However, I am dying to go out with the guys and get that popcorn and chicken strips. Help! I don't know what is right.

Well, since you don't always have it, I'm sure 1 day will not hurt. I crave chips, and chocolate alot, and I try to at least have that like once a day, so I won't go crazy and pig out everyday. Enjoy the movie and just try not to go crazy, if you feel that guilty!  :)

Bring a big toat bag and pop your own popcorn and bring it with you. Thats what I do!

Can you eat a big, healthy meal before you go so that you are not starving? Then let yourself have a small movie popcorn as a reward?

I was doing sort of one cheat day or one cheat meal a week and still losing consistently even if I went over my calories for one day per week -- Because I can't seem to limit myself to NO "bad" food, ever. And I still lost weight.

(My problem is that once I have one "bad" thing I crave ten million of them!!! Don't know if that's an issue for you though...)

That actually is my issue, lol. Even if I allow myself one strip, I'll crave stuff and I have very low resistance to cravings! My main concern is that I know a lot of the 5.5lbs I lost was water weight, and I'm SO scared that if I have those strips or popcorn, I'll gain that water weight back, thus causing me to become extremely depressed about it.

i often bring my own pretzels or nuts and soda and maybe a little candy bar, because its the same salty/sweet kick of popcorn and big papa candy bar but not so bad! plus much cheaper  <haha i love that thing.

anyway... another thing i would suggest is get a HUGE drink (water, diet soda, whatevs) even though you may have to pee during the movie, it'll fill you up. and something i do is when i do get a popcorn, i put it down during the previews. i dont know why but i always eat the whole thing, usually a small, during the previews. ive found though if i wait until the movie starts and i have a drink im way more distracted and won't eat the whole thing/as much.

hope that helps?

welllllll..... if it were me, I'd get the chicken strips and popcorn.

And here's my reasoning:  when I started this "diet" thing, I looked at it as a lifestyle change.  I can guarantee you that I will not go without movie theater popcorn forever so that's not part of my change.  So get the smallest corn you can and don't salt it and get the smallest order of strips they sell.  Eat 2 or so, and if there's more, you can always take them home and have them another day. 

I've been consistantly losing my 1-2 per week and haven't deprived myself of anything -- besides seconds of the crap I "shouldn't" have anyway   I mean, so far this week I've had hot chocolate 2 nights, a cookie a different night, half a brownie today, and a snack size thing of pringles the other day.  And I probably shouldn't admit to the soft pretzel and cheese that I couldn't resist the night I brought them home for the kids.  I try to leave room in my count for one "bad" per day -- just in case.  But it's like I told my son the other night when he looked shocked that I was also making a pretzel for me, "Look, I can eat something healthy and tell myself that I'm not supposed to have *this*, think about it all night and end up eating it anyway.... OR, I can just eat the silly thing now and save myself the trouble."  I ate it, was stuffed and satisfied, didn't go over my count, and was still on track the next morning.

And if you get what you want, I'll bet you you'll still be down in the morning!  :-)

Oh man, that movie theatre popcorn is killer but soooo good. I used to go with my bf and we would share the largest one with butter and sometimes get a refill! Once I found out how many calories were in that stuff I stopped doing that... I would get the smallest popcorn and get it without that extra butter and salt. Or like has been suggested, sneak your own in. There are several light popcorns available. White cheddar is my favorite. As for the chicken strips, maybe just have a couple, it won't hurt to much if you eat reasonably before the movie.

If i am having a really bad craving, i tell myself, "you can have that tomorrow".  usually by tomorrow, i dont want it anymore.

 but, that may not be helpful to you if you are at the movies and all that stuff is so easy to get.  i have trouble at the movies, too.  i love sour patch kids.  if i just stay away from the concession stand im fine, but if i go up there i usually cant resist.

so maybe just steering clear will help. 

when i first started mine, i had one day were i pigged out. My family goes out to eat one day a week and i do eat bad things with them. I still lost almost 100 lbs. If i can do it, u can do. Plus when was the last time you went and saw a movie with your friends?

Look up the Nutritional Info on a big bag of movie popcorn, that alone should make you not want it anywhere near you.

I would say get the popcorn without extra butter and pick up a seasoning packet or something to add to the popcorn without the fat and calories.....I like taco seasoning or ranch on mine...then drink LOTS of water for the rest of the day and tomorrow and don't weight yourself until the day after tomorrow so you don't stress about the possible water retention! I would probably pass up the chicken strips and the get a large diet pop...and bring in a few sugar free hard candies so that i can have those and they last a bit and keep your mouth occupied! But most important is to remember it's one day and enjoy your movie no matter what you decide to do!

Original Post by eringilbert: welllllll..... if it were me, I'd get the chicken strips and popcorn.

And here's my reasoning: when I started this "diet" thing, I looked at it as a lifestyle change. I can guarantee you that I will not go without movie theater popcorn forever so that's not part of my change. So get the smallest corn you can and don't salt it and get the smallest order of strips they sell. Eat 2 or so, and if there's more, you can always take them home and have them another day.

I like your reasoning and the moderation. That's what I ask myself in these situations too: Am I willing to make this a permanent lifestyle change? Many times the answer is yes. I don't buy junk food snacks or candy at all and it doesn't bother me a bit to think of never having it again. But movie popcorn? I'm with you. You're not going to deprive yourself but also wouldn't go crazy and eat all you might feel like either. Good advice.

Original Post by niktastic:

That actually is my issue, lol. Even if I allow myself one strip, I'll crave stuff and I have very low resistance to cravings! My main concern is that I know a lot of the 5.5lbs I lost was water weight, and I'm SO scared that if I have those strips or popcorn, I'll gain that water weight back, thus causing me to become extremely depressed about it.

Have you just started your diet? Why do you think the weightloss was water weight? Did you lose 5.5 lbs in one week????

If you just started your diet, I recommend you get small portions of whatever you want and log your calories. We all need treats every now and then and movie popcorn is certainly something I indulge in - but go for the smaller portion. And realize that it's probably will send you over your calorie limit -- which is totally ok and understandable once in a while as we all do have lives outside calorie counting!

If eating either will cause you to have extreme depression about it, I say skip them and bring some of your own healthy yet tasty treats in instead.

**Bring gum to chew at the movie.**

seriously, it really really helps. popcorn & gum don't mix. get a big diet coke so you have something.

or pick one- do you want a child's popcorn, or do you want chicken strips?

(but even if you have a day off and eat both, enjoy it, you WILL STILL LOSE WEIGHT! one day won't kill you.)

Don't worry about it.  I know this sounds dumb, but Sometimes we make ourselves feel HORRIBLE about one bad day, or meal.  It's a process.  You won't gain a pound from popcorn!

Just as long as that popcorn doesn't happen everyday, and it doesn't take your calorie count over maintenence, then I say GO FOR IT!

The worst that will happen is that the increase in sodium will cause you to retain water, and your scale may increase a bit, but it ISN'T FAT, so don't stress.  Just make room to allow yourself to have that thing that you want!

PS - I ALWAYS have to have popcorn at the movies!  It's part of the experience for me :)