Help! Family in town!

Hi everyone!! My family is coming into town for a couple weeks and it's SO HARD to eat healthy and meet my goals when we are always going out to eat and gathering for meals! My family is BIG into food (so am I) and desert! Help! It's always so hard and I end up losing the fight! Any tips??

Replies

  • rhaiin
    rhaiin Posts: 35 Member
    My family is also very food-centric. It definately makes things difficult.

    For family get togethers, I usually bring something healthy as a side dish or even a veggie platter for an appetizer. I still eat everything, but I try to get smaller portions of heavier dishes. Choose one dessert and enjoy that. You don't need to cut yourself off completely. Just limit your intake.

    It might also help to eat a healthy meal before going to a get together so that you just need some light snacks instead of a full meal.
  • GoRun2
    GoRun2 Posts: 448 Member
    That''s a tough one. If you are going out to eat, look at the menu before you go to pick out a healthy choice or pack up some of it to take home. You can also split something with someone and get a salad on the side.
  • rainingribbons
    rainingribbons Posts: 1,051 Member
    edited July 2022
    Are you able to host some meals at your home instead of going out to meet your family at restaurants? Is it possible to pick a few of your favorite healthier meals that you think you family might also enjoy and hype the recipes up to your family before they come for a visit? "So I've been doing more cooking recently and discovered I love X, Y, and Z dishes!! How about everyone come over a few times so I can share them with you all?"
  • ReenieHJ
    ReenieHJ Posts: 9,724 Member
    I recently spent a week out west with my 2 dds and a boyfriend of a dd. I didn't count calories, pretty must resigned myself to vacation eating because we did go out to eat most of the time. I gained maybe 3-4 pounds but to me, it was worth it. I tried new foods, was with family, saw new sights, did lots of walking. I realize not everyone feels this way but we all have vacations and celebrations throughout life and need to learn to enjoy them. You certainly don't want to be bingeing from sun-up to sun-down but try to relax a little and enjoy your family time. It doesn't happen every day. Two weeks will fly by and you can get back to it to lose those few pounds you gain.

    Someone who used to be on MFP said(not a direct quote but the gist of it was) 'It doesn't matter so much what you do for one day or a week, what matters most is what you do the rest of the time'.
  • mlrtri
    mlrtri Posts: 425 Member
    When you go out to eat just make the best food choices you can. Determine before you start eating how much you plan to leave on the plate (or take home). Avoid eating the “free” chips/salsa and breadsticks if provided. If you can’t get exercise in ask family if they would care to take a walk with you. Enjoy your family time.