Social events can be a challenge when you are trying to maintain a healthy diet and control your weight. Family gatherings, work functions and parties often include tempting foods and unique social cues for eating and drinking.
Try these guidelines to help you stay on track when you feel food-related pressures that can occur in social settings.
Choose an alternative. Plan fun activities that do not include eating and drinking.
Quality over quantity. When you decide to eat a special high-fat or high-calorie food, choose something especially good, but just take a bite or two.
Be honest with your host. Be clear and direct with your host, letting them know what you will and will not eat.
Avoid alcohol. If you choose to drink alcohol, be mindful of the calories involved. Alcohol can also increase your appetite and reduce your power of self-control. Blood alcohol levels increase faster with smaller amounts of alcohol after bariatric surgery and the blood alcohol level is maintained longer after bariatric surgery. In some patients, alcohol use can increase and lead to a dependence.
Be mindful. Feeling stressed, fatigued or tense can make you want to eat. Try to catch these situations early and prepare yourself in advance with ways to cope that do not include food.
Set realistic expectations. During holidays and special occasions, it may be unrealistic to expect weight loss. Weight gain can be prevented if you maintain healthy eating habits and stick with your exercise regimen.
Make exercise a part of your regular activities. Park your car further away and walk. Explore seasonal activities and create annual traditions for yourself that involve physical activity.
Eat something before you arrive at an event so you won't feel hungry when you get there. Budget your caloric intake in advance and eat special foods in small portions. Bring a delicious low-calorie dish to share with others.
Avoid lingering near the food table. Make your choices, put the items on a small plate and go eat them somewhere else. Occupy your hands with a low-calorie drink (water, tea or coffee) and avoid alcohol. If you are the host, clear the uneaten food from the table as soon as you can.
Let your family, friends, guests or hosts know about your goals before the event. Ask others to support your efforts and be as helpful as you can in helping them meet your needs.
Learn to use a polite but firm "No, thank you." Suggest an alternative with which your host can provide you, such as, "No thanks, but I'd love a glass of ice water."
Provide healthy foods for your guests and bring a healthy contribution to the parties you attend. Explore new low-calorie recipes and use low-fat ingredients in recipes you already enjoy. Ask for help from those you are with by suggesting you split a desert or go for a walk together. Plan activities that include exercise and healthy alternatives to eating and drinking.