Do you have no problem staying on your food program during the week and then along comes the weekend and blows it out of the water? I've put together some tips for keeping your diet ship afloat even when life throws you a riptide of fun times with your friends and family. Don't let the weekend sink your week!
5 TIPS FOR NAVIGATING THE WEEKEND
If you read my last post, Weekly Weigh In, you know this is a big problem for me. Beginning with Friday's lunch all the way through Sunday at bedtime. We've all heard the suggestions for staying on plan eating out, but seriously, how many of us actually have the fortitude to follow through?
In this post I'm going to give you strategies that tell you how I deal with several social situations. Hopefully they will be helpful to you too.
1. Lunch Out
My daily plan is to have about 2 handfuls of salad with 2 to 2 1/2 oz. baked or grilled chicken breast with 1 1/2 tbsp light salad dressing (not the cream kind). When I'm eating out I analyze the ingredients of the salads on the menu. A lot of the time they contain things that are not included on my food plan. Also, the huge sizes will make me use too much dressing. So the side salad with a grilled chicken breast is a good choice. You could ask for croutons and count them as a bread serving.
2. Dinner Out
At a Mexican Restaurant: Ah, the chips and salsa! Go ahead and have 6 chips, break them into bite size pieces. They can count as a bread serving. I then order a grilled chicken item without the queso (I'm not having dairy right now). No rice and beans, choose grilled vegetables instead.
At a Steakhouse: Unfortunately for me I'm not having beef until I reach my goal weight. At least that's my plan. Chicken and fish help you to lose weight faster. So I would order grilled chicken, fish or other seafood and grilled green vegetables. No potatoes. And avoid the bread basket.
No matter where you eat, order water. I like mine with limes. Extra please!
3. Bunco or Game Night
These don't always fall on the weekend but they are still difficult, especially if they serve you dinner. I don't usually know ahead of time what's on the menu. Usually it's something yummy and full of carbs. So, I try and eat my dinner before I go. And to avoid the candy dishes I chew sugar free gum and drink lots of water.
If it's not possible to eat before you get there, try and find out what your host/hostess is fixing beforehand and adjust your daily meals to allow for it. Maybe bring your own dinner and eat with them. They usually won't mind if you explain you're on a special diet. Remember that the focus is not on the food but the game and socializing with friends.
4. Family Get Togethers
We celebrate special occasions usually at my mom's house. It always includes a meal and dessert. I would say it's all about visiting, spending time with relatives and not about the food but let's get real. The food is a BIG part of it. There are certain dishes that different family members are known for and that are expected to be included. Those dishes are not usually grilled chicken and a plain salad. I would suggest talking to whoever is hosting and see if they will work with you on the menu. See if they can include items you can have on your program.
5. Going to the Movies
I love popcorn with extra butter! However, I can't make myself stop at even a bread serving portion size. So, my strategy is to eat dinner before I go and then chew sugar free gum during the movie. You could also bring fruit slices with you and eat those.
Eating out is about going with the flow and seeing how creative you can be with the menu. We are programmed to pick from pre-grouped meals but we need to put together our own healthy meals and portions.
How do you cope with special weekend situations?
In this post I'm going to give you strategies that tell you how I deal with several social situations. Hopefully they will be helpful to you too.
1. Lunch Out
My daily plan is to have about 2 handfuls of salad with 2 to 2 1/2 oz. baked or grilled chicken breast with 1 1/2 tbsp light salad dressing (not the cream kind). When I'm eating out I analyze the ingredients of the salads on the menu. A lot of the time they contain things that are not included on my food plan. Also, the huge sizes will make me use too much dressing. So the side salad with a grilled chicken breast is a good choice. You could ask for croutons and count them as a bread serving.
2. Dinner Out
At a Mexican Restaurant: Ah, the chips and salsa! Go ahead and have 6 chips, break them into bite size pieces. They can count as a bread serving. I then order a grilled chicken item without the queso (I'm not having dairy right now). No rice and beans, choose grilled vegetables instead.
At a Steakhouse: Unfortunately for me I'm not having beef until I reach my goal weight. At least that's my plan. Chicken and fish help you to lose weight faster. So I would order grilled chicken, fish or other seafood and grilled green vegetables. No potatoes. And avoid the bread basket.
No matter where you eat, order water. I like mine with limes. Extra please!
3. Bunco or Game Night
These don't always fall on the weekend but they are still difficult, especially if they serve you dinner. I don't usually know ahead of time what's on the menu. Usually it's something yummy and full of carbs. So, I try and eat my dinner before I go. And to avoid the candy dishes I chew sugar free gum and drink lots of water.
If it's not possible to eat before you get there, try and find out what your host/hostess is fixing beforehand and adjust your daily meals to allow for it. Maybe bring your own dinner and eat with them. They usually won't mind if you explain you're on a special diet. Remember that the focus is not on the food but the game and socializing with friends.
4. Family Get Togethers
We celebrate special occasions usually at my mom's house. It always includes a meal and dessert. I would say it's all about visiting, spending time with relatives and not about the food but let's get real. The food is a BIG part of it. There are certain dishes that different family members are known for and that are expected to be included. Those dishes are not usually grilled chicken and a plain salad. I would suggest talking to whoever is hosting and see if they will work with you on the menu. See if they can include items you can have on your program.
5. Going to the Movies
I love popcorn with extra butter! However, I can't make myself stop at even a bread serving portion size. So, my strategy is to eat dinner before I go and then chew sugar free gum during the movie. You could also bring fruit slices with you and eat those.
Eating out is about going with the flow and seeing how creative you can be with the menu. We are programmed to pick from pre-grouped meals but we need to put together our own healthy meals and portions.
How do you cope with special weekend situations?
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