Has logging affected your social life?

callsitlikeiseeit

no.

plan ahead. use similar (higher calorie) options in the database. deconstruct the food. order lighter options, or a plain salad.

DarianJP wrote: »

WhereIsPJSoles wrote: »

I don’t turn down anything because of food. I’ll sit at a birthday dinner and sip my Diet Coke makin everyone feel weird with the best of em. But more often than not I’ll order something modest and guess the calories.

It’s affected my social life in that I write the weight of my fruit on the peel with sharpie because I weigh them all at once and just pick them up to take to work throughout the week...and the look I got from my coworkers when I explained what that writing was...if they would’ve had a straight jacket...

Lol I’m the same way, I actually measure my banana with a measuring tape and write how many inches it is on the peel with a sharpie. Everyone thinks I’m insane.

thats not how its done. id think you were crazy too, to be honest. lol but if it works for you.... ok.

cwolfman13

It's all about finding balance. Are you going to forgo social gatherings for the rest of your life?

murp4069

I absolutely have avoided social events, particularly when I was starting out and didn't have a good grasp on guesstimating calories when eating out. But, once I had a better grasp it was easier to go out to social things and try to make a good estimate of the calories I consumed.

One real benefit to this was actually learning to say "no" to certain things that I probably didn't want to do or didn't have time to do in the first place. Now, I only go to events I really want to go to and I enjoy the time that I am there. If I know where I am going, I try to find a menu online before I go to decide what I'll order, and I do my best to stick to it once there. I try to avoid mindless drinking and eating while out. If I know it will be a huge calorie bomb, I'll eat very lightly or fast during the day. And I spend less money eating out.

In the long term, I don't believe your social life will suffer unless you don't let yourself go anywhere or do anything. Let yourself go out, but be responsible. You'll still have plenty of fun with friends and family. Avoiding social events is no way to live, and eventually your friends will stop inviting you which you certainly do not want.

ETA: One thing I am happy to avoid now that I almost never avoided before were happy hours. I used to go to happy hour with people several times per week. Now I go a few times a month. I still love happy hour and hanging out with my friends, but those happy hours were no good for my health and wallet.

DarianJP

Orphia wrote: »

DarianJP wrote: »

WhereIsPJSoles wrote: »

I don’t turn down anything because of food. I’ll sit at a birthday dinner and sip my Diet Coke makin everyone feel weird with the best of em. But more often than not I’ll order something modest and guess the calories.

It’s affected my social life in that I write the weight of my fruit on the peel with sharpie because I weigh them all at once and just pick them up to take to work throughout the week...and the look I got from my coworkers when I explained what that writing was...if they would’ve had a straight jacket...

Lol I’m the same way, I actually measure my banana with a measuring tape and write how many inches it is on the peel with a sharpie. Everyone thinks I’m insane.

@DarianJP I don't want to put you off being diligent, but you should be weighing food in grams on a digital scale, not measuring with tape.

No worries! I weigh all of my food but bananas are the exception, since I’m not eating the peel I feel like weighing it may not be as accurate as measuring it. That’s just my opinion though.

kristen8000

It hasn't impacted me. Honestly, I needed to figure out how to live life while doing this, because I knew I'd have to forever to keep the weight off. Cancelling and not going out isn't living life.

toxikon

Impromptu social meals do stress me out a bit. I like to pre-plan my day.

If it's a planned meal out, I just skip breakfast and have a very light lunch and save the majority of my calories for that meal. So it works out well.

alondrakayy

It can be hard at times when you really want to indulge with friends. Idk, for me personally I enjoy my time out with friends/family. I don't turn down events. If I can track then I do. If I can't track I try to eat 'healthy' meals or small portions of 'unhealthy' foods. If I just want to enjoy myself for that day then I do that. Sure, progress might be a tad bit slower but I'm not willing to let my goals affect my social life.

GOT_Obsessed

What I have been struggling with is people asking to get together with me Sat and Sun mornings. (My bootcamp, YOGA, and body pump times)

I used to frequently go for breakfast and coffee with them then. When I say that I am going to the gym for my class I get told you need to live a little too, go later, blah blah blah.

I even said "come with me to yoga and we can go after that." I got laughed at.

alegria6

Don't become a hermit! Get out there and enjoy everything ... Just plan ahead! Most restaurants post calorie for meals and have websites with full menus along with clean options just ask for sauces and dressings on the side. If portions are too big for one sitting just let Food sit in front of you while you chat and tell server it was too much and need to pack the rest to take home.
Tomorrow's lunch looked after!!

toxikon

One other tip to add:

When you DO go out for dinner with your friends, don't talk about calories or dieting. Or how so many foods on the menu are super high-calorie. You don't want your friends to feel guilty about picking their favourite meals around you.

I find that when I start focusing on weight loss, it's too easy to talktalktalk about it. But it can be annoying for your friends who don't care about calories and just want to enjoy some dang food, lol.

RoxieDawn

I can understand being new and only two weeks in and trying to stick to your guns on your dieting. Overtime you will learn to work all of this out and fit in social events, holidays, birthdays, etc. Pre-planning goes a long way not only with logging food, but mentally as well.

But for myself the more time in advance I have the better and if I don't have time in advance (this very rare) nothing wrong with accepting a day at maintenance, I can always choose to go lighter on cals the next day or not.

Fitnessmom82

I turned down events at first for fear of what was to eat. I quickly learned that it was not a fun or sustainable way for me to live!! I attend everything now. I budget my calories, bring healthy snacks, make healthier choices. You'll find a way to work in socializing! It just takes a little trial and error on the food end. Now, my wine buddy isn't thrilled with me as I've cut out a lot of excess wine drinking hehe! I only indulge when I really want it, rather than just having wine because I'm at her house!

georgiamarsh17

I don't go out loads but I'm going out tomorrow and I've just googled the menu so I know what's on it and I already know what I'm going to chose. Obviously you can't do that going to friends houses but it's only one meal! I wouldn't worry too much about one meal.

DebLaBounty

I’m not eating to lose weight just so I can become a lonely, isolated person. I go to my friends’ houses almost every time I’m invited. Often it’s some potluck thing so I make a big Greek salad or some other tasty thing that everyone will like, and I eat a ton of that. I also invite them to my place and cook up a pot of Chicken Enchilada Soup or some other filling and yummy low calorie meal. I offer bread but don’t eat it myself. Nobody notices I’m eating differently because I kind of blend in with what’s going on.

Poisonedpawn78

Learning to handle social events effectively and properly will last you a life time. Avoiding them is a great way to lose all your friends.

Dont be scared of them, Use them as a learning experience to figure out what to order, how much of it to eat.( you CAN order the really expensive calorie dish, just dont eat it all and take some home for lunch the next day ect)