Social eating tips

GoRun2

I need tips for eating out at either a restaurant or at a friend's house. I don't do well here, especially at eating at a friends house or a potluck. All tips greatly appreciated.

TavistockToad

What don't you do well at?

zingeber

I'll clarify the part on eating at a friend's house or potluck (correct me if I'm taking it in a different direction than you meant @GoRun2 ). What are gracious ways to handle unhealthy foods when someone has been generous enough to invite you into their home and cook for you?

orangegato

How about just enjoying it and getting back on track the next day or the next meal?
Or planning ahead and saving up calories during the day for the big splurge?

kommodevaran

What are unhealthy foods? Why would anyone offer their friends unhealthy food?

gutsnglory6

I hear you! I'm having one of those weekends where we were invited to a friends for a big potluck last night (of rich delicious foods), and am going to an event with charcuterie tonight (delicious snacking on meats and cheeses).
Here's what I'm trying to do to make it work for me:

• Eat lighter foods day off, so I have lots of calories left over.
• Be careful about taking moderate serving sizes.
• Filling up/filling up my plate on healthier foods.
• Being upfront about the fact that I'm trying to lose weight, in case anyone asks.
• Avoid alcohol (and its calories/ability to affect self-control).
• Giving myself a meal (not day) a week, where I am not super worried about tracking (this was last night). I still input my best guess for the food, but am not too fussed about getting every calorie/ingredient. I know people on here will tell you this can slow your progress, but being too rigid can also lead to giving up. I'm also careful not to let things get too out of control, so I'm not eating back my entire deficit.

Also, following for other people's tips.

betty_veronica4

Does the restaurant provide a menu on-line where you can check it out before and plan? if the portion is huge, can you visually divide the portion so you eat less?

StevefromMichigan

Lunch is the worst one for me. I usually try to eat a small lunch, but often have to go out to lunch with clients and coworkers. My strategy for restaurants is something like this:

Try to go with something healthy like salmon, chicken kabobs...something with lean meat and without sauces, mayo, etc. Then, I usually have them hold something from the order. If the salmon comes with potatoes and rice, I will tell them not to bring one of the two. For soups, I try to pick something not cream based, like chicken noodle, minestrone, etc. Then, I only eat half the soup by eating it slowly so that I am not finished before the main course arrives.

Then, when recording it to MFP, I tend to overestimate the calories, since I have no idea if it was cooked in butter, oils, etc.

StevefromMichigan

Applebees and a few other restaurants list calories on the menus, which can be helpful in deciding what to get.

seltzermint555

I pretty much avoid the chips & bread, pick 1-2 things I'm crazy about and indulge in those (usually cheese or sweets), try to fill up on any veggies/lettuce/fruit that is available, and just avoid items that don't appeal to me much rather than eating them to be polite.

If dining out, I do basically the same thing. I also order "weird" sometimes when I'm with my girlfriends - like get an appetizer and 2 desserts to share with everyone, but no entree. I wouldn't have done that in the past but now I don't really care because I see dining out as an opportunity to have food that I don't cook at home.

I usually don't drink alcohol unless it's craft beer (my weakness) and then limit to one or two.

amtyrell

Look over all the options at the party before start snacking. Focus on the best stuff skip the meh
Stand away from food and facing away. Less tempting further away and not in eyesight
Either eat or drink no juggling plate and glass.
Alternate alcohol with water
Focus less on food and more on people you are with.

GoRun2

Thanks all

zcb94

If it’s a potluck/picnic, bring enough of a “safe” dish to share and enjoy mostly that. Bonus points for a homemade dish that other guests love and request the recipe.

laur357

Potlucks & picnics - take something filling that you can comfortably eat and share. Make the majority of your plate veggies and fruit, grilled meat if available. Enjoy small tastes of rich dishes like macaroni and cheese, creamy dips, desserts, etc. Take a discrete picture of your plate if you want to try to log it later. Survey all the food available before making a plate so you can focus on what you really want to try. Don't park yourself at a table with dips/crackers/snacks and eat mindlessly while socializing.

Restaurants - check out menus in advance, drink non-caloric drinks between alcoholic drinks, have a lower-calorie "go-to" drink (vodka and soda, lower alcohol beers, whiskey and diet) and save heavier drinks for special occasions, order an appetizer and low-calorie side instead of an entree, share a meal with a friend or evaluate your hunger levels after eating half of an entree, log chain restaurant meals that are comparable to your order if you're in a private establishment.

You can enjoy yourself and be social while being mindful of your food choices! You can also eat lighter earlier in the day or plan some exercise to help offset a higher-calorie meal.

cwolfman13

If I know I'm going to a party or whatever, I just work around that...smaller breakfast...salad or something for lunch, etc...usually the same for eating out.