Social events-how to deal with them

jenniferinfl

Tatarataa wrote: »

How do you deal with social events/eating out/eating at another person's place? How do you keep track of your calories? Do you have any strategies to make the "impact" of these events lower like e.g. bring a low calories meal to a party?
I am especially curious how you overcome family getherings with family members that do NOT want you to maintain or lose weight.....(sabotage!!!!)

Here is what I do. I don't recommend it.

Social Events: First question, do I NEED to be there? Is it just some work thing I can blow off? Great, skip it! Is it for a family member or close friend where I NEED to be there or else be ostracized forever? Fine, I'll go, but I've studied the menu ahead and know what I'm ordering walking in there. They picked the place last minute? Fine, I'll pull off in a parking lot and look at the menu/nutritional information and fake that I got lost for 5-10 minutes when I get there. Either way, I'll pick the item with the least ingredients because it's easier to guess the calorie count.
I guess the calories when I get home. Generally I've had a couple days notice so that I can do damage control, like cutting calories back a bit knowing there's no way I won't go at least a bit over.

Family gatherings stocked with saboteurs? Of course, the bring your own food is an option, but only if you're bringing it to share and it's that kind of affair, but if they're like my family, you have to try everything or risk hurting feelings and starting a fight you didn't want to have. If it's not a special event and just a regular dinner, I'll occasionally fake food poisoning. The added benefit is that when you leave early and sick, they all get to fight over who's food made you sick. Win win. Haven't had to use that in a long time as the whole extended family is on a weight loss kick.
When it's a special event, I'll just eat a bit of everything and worry about it tomorrow. There's only so many special events and you don't always get a do over. It's not worth ruining what could be someone's last holiday dinner over something like weight loss that you weren't doing anything about a few months ago. Ya know?

Sorry, big chunks of this post are sarcastic, I'm also a hopeless social outcast largely because of this sort of behavior.

PeachyPlum

jenniferinfl wrote: »

Tatarataa wrote: »

How do you deal with social events/eating out/eating at another person's place? How do you keep track of your calories? Do you have any strategies to make the "impact" of these events lower like e.g. bring a low calories meal to a party?
I am especially curious how you overcome family getherings with family members that do NOT want you to maintain or lose weight.....(sabotage!!!!)

Here is what I do. I don't recommend it.

Social Events: First question, do I NEED to be there? Is it just some work thing I can blow off? Great, skip it! Is it for a family member or close friend where I NEED to be there or else be ostracized forever? Fine, I'll go, but I've studied the menu ahead and know what I'm ordering walking in there. They picked the place last minute? Fine, I'll pull off in a parking lot and look at the menu/nutritional information and fake that I got lost for 5-10 minutes when I get there. Either way, I'll pick the item with the least ingredients because it's easier to guess the calorie count.
I guess the calories when I get home. Generally I've had a couple days notice so that I can do damage control, like cutting calories back a bit knowing there's no way I won't go at least a bit over.

Family gatherings stocked with saboteurs? Of course, the bring your own food is an option, but if they're like my family, you have to try everything or risk hurting feelings and starting a fight you didn't want to have. If it's not a special event and just a regular dinner, I'll occasionally fake food poisoning. The added benefit is that when you leave early and sick, they all get to fight over who's food made you sick. Win win. Haven't had to use that in a long time as the whole extended family is on a weight loss kick.
When it's a special event, I'll just eat a bit of everything and worry about it tomorrow. There's only so many special events and you don't always get a do over. It's not worth ruining what could be someone's last holiday dinner over something like weight loss that you weren't doing anything about a few months ago. Ya know?

Sorry, big chunks of this post are sarcastic, I'm also a hopeless social outcast largely because of this sort of behavior.

I think I love you.

Diana_GettingFit

jenniferinfl wrote: »

Tatarataa wrote: »

How do you deal with social events/eating out/eating at another person's place? How do you keep track of your calories? Do you have any strategies to make the "impact" of these events lower like e.g. bring a low calories meal to a party?
I am especially curious how you overcome family getherings with family members that do NOT want you to maintain or lose weight.....(sabotage!!!!)

Here is what I do. I don't recommend it.

Social Events: First question, do I NEED to be there? Is it just some work thing I can blow off? Great, skip it! Is it for a family member or close friend where I NEED to be there or else be ostracized forever? Fine, I'll go, but I've studied the menu ahead and know what I'm ordering walking in there. They picked the place last minute? Fine, I'll pull off in a parking lot and look at the menu/nutritional information and fake that I got lost for 5-10 minutes when I get there. Either way, I'll pick the item with the least ingredients because it's easier to guess the calorie count.
I guess the calories when I get home. Generally I've had a couple days notice so that I can do damage control, like cutting calories back a bit knowing there's no way I won't go at least a bit over.

Family gatherings stocked with saboteurs? Of course, the bring your own food is an option, but only if you're bringing it to share and it's that kind of affair, but if they're like my family, you have to try everything or risk hurting feelings and starting a fight you didn't want to have. If it's not a special event and just a regular dinner, I'll occasionally fake food poisoning. The added benefit is that when you leave early and sick, they all get to fight over who's food made you sick. Win win. Haven't had to use that in a long time as the whole extended family is on a weight loss kick.
When it's a special event, I'll just eat a bit of everything and worry about it tomorrow. There's only so many special events and you don't always get a do over. It's not worth ruining what could be someone's last holiday dinner over something like weight loss that you weren't doing anything about a few months ago. Ya know?

Sorry, big chunks of this post are sarcastic, I'm also a hopeless social outcast largely because of this sort of behavior.

"The added benefit is that when you leave early and sick, they all get to fight over who's food made you sick. Win win." Hahaha! Brilliant!

jenniferinfl

PeachyPlum wrote: »

jenniferinfl wrote: »

Tatarataa wrote: »

How do you deal with social events/eating out/eating at another person's place? How do you keep track of your calories? Do you have any strategies to make the "impact" of these events lower like e.g. bring a low calories meal to a party?
I am especially curious how you overcome family getherings with family members that do NOT want you to maintain or lose weight.....(sabotage!!!!)

Here is what I do. I don't recommend it.

Social Events: First question, do I NEED to be there? Is it just some work thing I can blow off? Great, skip it! Is it for a family member or close friend where I NEED to be there or else be ostracized forever? Fine, I'll go, but I've studied the menu ahead and know what I'm ordering walking in there. They picked the place last minute? Fine, I'll pull off in a parking lot and look at the menu/nutritional information and fake that I got lost for 5-10 minutes when I get there. Either way, I'll pick the item with the least ingredients because it's easier to guess the calorie count.
I guess the calories when I get home. Generally I've had a couple days notice so that I can do damage control, like cutting calories back a bit knowing there's no way I won't go at least a bit over.

Family gatherings stocked with saboteurs? Of course, the bring your own food is an option, but if they're like my family, you have to try everything or risk hurting feelings and starting a fight you didn't want to have. If it's not a special event and just a regular dinner, I'll occasionally fake food poisoning. The added benefit is that when you leave early and sick, they all get to fight over who's food made you sick. Win win. Haven't had to use that in a long time as the whole extended family is on a weight loss kick.
When it's a special event, I'll just eat a bit of everything and worry about it tomorrow. There's only so many special events and you don't always get a do over. It's not worth ruining what could be someone's last holiday dinner over something like weight loss that you weren't doing anything about a few months ago. Ya know?

Sorry, big chunks of this post are sarcastic, I'm also a hopeless social outcast largely because of this sort of behavior.

I think I love you.

That's all well and good, just don't invite me to any social events.. lol

annette_15

I eat what I want, if I dont want it, I say no... u dont like it? Sucks for u. I couldnt care less if I get judged if I decide not to eat something

Tatarataa

Many thanks for all your great advice and for sharing your own problems and strategies around this!! I am at a lower weight end close to maintenance but it is more my family who always finds something to criticize and to try to influence me. They would attack me with words and they would try to cook something really rich and give me a big portion on my plate and then criticize again if I do not eat everything...but you are all right it is all still up to me it is just that I am not in the mood to be criticized for my body shape and eating (note they are doing it also when I am or was heavier-they are just like this)...apart from this at least they can cook quite well and there is always plenty and very tasty food, too ....apart from the rich main plates they will force on me...

Smallc10

I usually offer to bring something and I know exactly how many calories are in it, and then I eat that mostly along with little bits of whatever else is offered. It tends to work pretty well.