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Vacation at all-inclusive resorts, business meals, holiday parties, gourmet meals, and celebratory dinners can easily take you a long way off your diet plan. This will ramp up the calories, salt and fat that you intake. When you are busy going to these events your exercise plan tends to suffer as well. You are not burning off the calories either.  Everyone of us will blow his or her calorie budget every now and then. When you have fallen off your diet plan like this, don’t worry, just get back to the routine as quickly as possible. If you panic and give up, your going to gain weight again. Now is the time to refocus and start again with your diet plan.

Should we worry about this temporary situation? Is this diversion from your plan temporary or is it a symptom of a longer term trend? What should you do next and how do you get back on track with your plan to lose weight or to maintain the weight you want to be at when you have fallen off your diet plan?

Here are a few answers that we have picked up from around the internet on various web sites from experts and none experts. Decide what works for you and get back to your plan!

Fallen Off Your Diet Plan – Relax (For a Moment)

Considering that you need to  eat 3,500 calories to gain one pound of body fat,  it’s unlikely that a single overindulgence will show up on the scale. This is the good news, one meal is not going to ruin you if you eat sensibly and exercise regularly the rest of the time and get back to your routine, experts say.

Also if this occurs once and awhile, and the rest of the time you adhere to your plans, you probably will be ok. If you are over indulging often, there is a great danger that you will start to gain weight unless you really turn up the exercise routine.

Even a week at an all-inclusive resort can be managed if you get right back to your regular plan when you return. It may take a week or two before you will be back to your regular weight, but then this is within your expectations. Again get back to your routine as quickly as you can.

With the size of most restaurant meals most people cannot help but overeat somewhere between 500 and 1,500 calories every single day and if they do not work this off through exercise, they are going to gain weight for sure.

Don’t Beat Yourself Up, Get Right Back to Your Plan

If you do fall off of your plan for whatever reason, don’t get discouraged. Every one does this from time to time. The important thing is to recognize that you only fell off the plan for a day or a week while you were away, and you are going to get right back on your plan. Watch the portion size on everything and try to reduce your portions to the point that you are eating fewer calories than you need.

Plan Your Diet Over the Course of Several Days

Most people eat more sensibly during the week and take in more calories on the weekend. During the week it is easier to be more disciplined and you do not have the distractions  you may have on weekends when we tend to go out with friends or visit with family.

If you eat more calories than you should at a party on a weeknight, consider that one of your “weekend” days and compensate for it accordingly on the weekend. Plan your calorie intake over a week so that your average meets your goal. There is more flexibility this way and it is much easier to cope with every day life if you can average things over a week.

Resume Sensible Eating as Soon as Possible

If you over eat one day cut back the next day over several meals. If you skip meals you may find that you are hungrier and more likely to fall off your diet again. Eat smaller portions until you have compensated for the over indulgence.

If you have been on a vacation, it may take a while week to get back after you have fallen off your diet plan after you return. Be patient and eat properly for the week following until you are back on target.

• Cut back throughout the day with a series of small meals packed with fiber-rich fruits and vegetables:
• Wait until you’re hungry. Then have a light breakfast such as a bowl of low-fat yogurt and berries.
• Mid-morning snack: A piece of fruit and an ounce of low-fat cheese
• Lunch: A big salad with lean protein such as fish or chicken, or a whole-wheat pita pocket with lettuce and tuna or turkey
• Afternoon snack: A cup of vegetable soup and an orange
• Dinner: A piece of fish and plenty of vegetables
• Skip the Scale

Most foods contain salt and some foods have salt artificially added to help preserve the food. This extra salt helps the body to retain fluid and can contribute to perceived weight gain.  It may take a few days for the body to rid itself of this excess salt and the corresponding fluid weight.

Pick a day once a week to weigh yourself. The worst day is probably Sunday evening after you have enjoyed the weekend festivities.  Friday morning may be a good day to do your once a week weigh in, when you are at your lowest weight for the week if you have been sticking to your plan.

Continue with Your Normal Exercise Routine

Over compensating for the extra calories by over-exercising will leave you burned out or worse, perhaps even dehydrated. This is the wrong approach when you have fallen off your diet plan.

You could strain a muscle, you could hurt a joint and muscle soreness may set in. Injuries will just slow you down or cause you to stop exercising contributing to your frustration and possibly more over eating. Stick with the plan and exercise more minutes rather than going faster, lifting more weights or stressing your body more than normal.

Track What You Eat for Every Meal and Snack

Setting a caloric goal for the day and recording what you eat keeps you conscious of what you’re eating, in terms of calories as well as salt intake, and other essential minerals and vitamins.

Track your calorie intake carefully. Every time your hand heads towards your mouth, more calories are adding up. Still you need to make sure that you are also eating sufficient calories for your body type and activity levels. Track your calories and stick to your plan when yo have fallen off your diet plan.

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