Should I eat this?

cronnym

So I've eaten clean and within my calories all week. My ultimate aim is no sugar which other than natural sugars in fruit I have achieved that goal for this week. Should I resist temptation tonight for going out with friends for wings and beer or should I stay on track? Helppppppp

Sp1tfire

You don't need to eat 'clean' to lose weight. Just be in a deficit. If you can fit in wings and a beer go for it. Maybe get the wing sauce on the side and dip it and get a light beer?

TeethOfTheHydra

I wouldn't presume to tell you what to do, but I'll gladly share my perspective. I've found alcohol really just isn't useful for staying healthy in any respect, so I've adjusted to not worrying about social drinking. I've also found going off the rails for a meal really isn't satisfying. The food tastes just like it always used to, so it's not a thrill, and ultimately, I enjoy being healthy much more than I do revisiting, say, a pizza. I.e. the payoff of eating poorly isn't as great as the payoff for feeling, functioning, and looking great. On the other hand, if I could plan my eating habits so that a bunch of wings at some point are a-ok, or decide through experience that once a week or twice a month or whatever, I can eat however I like without sliding down a slippery slope, then I'd go for it. At this point, I don't care enough to invest the time in pursuing that. Maybe down the road, it will matter more. But my priorities are clear for now.

All that said, don't overlook the option of going out with your friends and have a good time without tanking your diet. You can draw strength from your own success and it feeds itself the longer you can focus on your priority of being healthy.

thiosulfate

Eat how you plan to eat for the rest of your life. If you want to go out and eat with friends and/or family, learn how to work it in. If you don't want to, then don't do it. It's your life.

kommodevaran

I would take a step back and asked myself if the all-or-nothing line of thinking was helping me or making things more difficult, and then lay a plan.

sardelsa

If it were me I would fit it in no problem and have no issues. But I am not you. You can choose to not go, go but moderate your intake or go and go all out. Choice is yours.

marisap2010

You have to figure out how you are going to eat long term. I personally don't want to give up going out with my friends, so I pre-plan when I can to fit in a beer or whatever the item may be. I then stick to whatever amount I pre-planned.

Slimpossible007

count the calories and work the rest of your day around it ... there's always space for for wings and beer .. or even cake if you budget your calories properly

xvolution

If you really want to cut out processed sugar, it's a lot easier to achieve if you do a gradual decrease than an all out cutting out (cold turkey style). So feel free to splurge a bit (as long as it fits your calories/macros) but don't overdo it.

Grnhouse

katadx wrote: »

You don't need to eat 'clean' to lose weight. Just be in a deficit. If you can fit in wings and a beer go for it. Maybe get the wing sauce on the side and dip it and get a light beer?

So true. Eat what you want but don't stuff yourself. You will find you enjoy food better.

sofchak

So much good info in this thread - the goal is to create a sustainable lifestyle.

Another suggestion to add to the mix: go, but make it about spending your time with friends, not food/drinks. I am gluten free and will often times go to a social event where all the food either is coated in breading or deep fried in the same oil as food that has gluten. Therefore, I've learned to go for the company, not the food. That said, if you really want to stick to your goal of refined sugar free, then adjust your plan accordingly for how you will eat/drink to sustain it when out with friends - you can still have a social life; you just have to put in some effort to plan for your lifestyle goals.

Otherwise if there's no real driver behind the refined sugar free goal, go and have fun, but track and plan your calories while eating whatever works within your caloric goal for the day.