How do you handle what I call, "EATING EVENTS"

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PennyM140
PennyM140 Posts: 423 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Just curious how all of you wonderful people handle what I call "Eating Events"? You know the kind of thing that basically the food brings you out to. There are several of them coming up that I usually attend and I'm wondering what I should do.

a)just not go
b) go and TRY to control myself
c) other- cause there's always an other

Examples of these kinds of events that are coming up in the next two months are a chili cook off, the county fair, and a charity gala. The Gala is more of a drinking issue for me than overindulging in food. But the fair, OMG, fried oreos, caramel apples, funnel cakes.....

Guess I'm not really looking for advice. I know what I NEED to do. I just wonder how other people deal with these sort of things.
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Replies

  • angelbaby75
    angelbaby75 Posts: 15 Member
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    Sometimes I induldge and sometimes I pass. It just depends. Last year at the fair I just had a bite of the fried bacon cinnamon roll. Not the whole thing. If I'm not really that into going to an eating event, I just skip it all together. If I want to go and hang out sometimes I eat and sometimes I use self control. It just depends. Not very helpful, but I don't have a rule for these situations.
  • Rei1988
    Rei1988 Posts: 412 Member
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    Allow myself ONE thing or just not eat any of it. Also eating before you go or bringing a meal/snacks of your own.
  • Elliesque
    Elliesque Posts: 156 Member
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    I "save up" calories so I can eat a little bit of everything I want. Depending on what is being served I've even brought my small measuring cup to the table so I could be accurate at figuring out calories. No one has asked me why or commented. It's my health and my weight loss, so whatever keeps me on track is what I havta do!
  • lejla2002
    lejla2002 Posts: 118 Member
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    self control is the key :)
  • courtneysalsbury
    courtneysalsbury Posts: 2
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    For the drinking event, you could sign up to be the Designated Driver for your friends, that way it's less a health issue and more a safety issue for you to control your alcohol intake.

    As for regular food events like fairs, I eat beforehand and decide what I am going to eat afterward for dinner, so that I am not even considering "well, this deep-fried thing would just be my dinner..."

    Another thing is to bring a beverage to carry around with you to keep your stomach full. I take Diet Coke with me everywhere. I know many people find soda and artificial sweeteners to be taboo but... I don't. :)

    And of course, log all your food into your food diary! If you see that you only have 500 calories remaining for the day, you probably aren't going to waste it on 3 bites of some fattening food! ;)

    Good luck!
  • Mokey41
    Mokey41 Posts: 5,769 Member
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    The world is full of temptations, greasy food, sugar rushes and pitfalls. Either you lock yourself in the house and be miserable or you learn to go out into the world without gorging yourself on food. You know these events are coming up so plan ahead. Save a few calories, do some extra exercise, have a small portion of whatever it is you want. It's going to be a long miserable life if you don't learn how to implement willpower!
  • IbiH
    IbiH Posts: 250 Member
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    I've just come back from a weeks cruise and put on 4lbs! But I also made sure I ran 5K each morning plus any further steps I took up and down the stairs (no lifts for me). Ate approx 2500/2700 cals a day poss more.

    Now it's back to the usual routine.

    Once in a while will not hurt you, on the odd occasion you will go overboard but that's life. Enjoy it.
  • lisabinco
    lisabinco Posts: 1,016 Member
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    First, and hardest, is to focus on the people and the action at the event, and get more socially interested in the people rather than focus on the food, which sounds easy but I have to work at it. I usually have a better time when I focus on people rather than food.
    Second, when I've been feeding my body well nutritionally, I can handle these events better. And third, I plan ahead. I don't cut my food intake back so that I can eat more at these events. I eat well beforehand, so I'm not hungry when I get there, and I make sure I'm well hydrated before the event as well. Even if it's just water and a piece of fruit or large salad, it's enough to feel full and keep me from storming the buffet table. Fourth, I get at the back of the buffet line so all the greasy, fatty stuff is picked through already. Fifth, I spread the more nutritious food to cover my plate so it looks visually full, with as many healthy items as I can, and pass on the low nutrient stuff. I rarely eat the dessert or even go look at what's on the table. As I have proven to myself many times over, if I eat sugary things, I'm like an alcoholic after his first drink. Sixth, I rarely drink more than one drink all evening. Any more than that and my resolve dissolves into an alcoholic sugar spike; next thing I know, I'm reaching for my 3rd cookie or pastry -- anything sugary. These strategies work for me 90% of the time and the rare time I overdo it, I try to learn from it and move on. Every day is a new opportunity to eat right.
  • TheSlorax
    TheSlorax Posts: 2,401 Member
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    c) forget about it for one day and EAT. it's one day.....
  • lisal11
    lisal11 Posts: 59 Member
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    I fill up on good food before I go to stuff like that. I might allow myself something small while I'm there but at least I won't binge on all the tasty treats.
  • PennyM140
    PennyM140 Posts: 423 Member
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    I guess what I am asking myself is will I have any fun at these things that are usually all about food if I am sensible and controlled in what I eat?
    I mean what's the point of going to a chili cook off if I'm not going to try 50 kinds of chili? And some nice cold beer to wash it down.
    Yes that is only one day and i know in the grand scheme of things it will not make an impact either way.
    It is just coming up on the time of year when all of these type of events take place in a cluster followed by the holidays.
    Maybe I need to plan on new traditions that don't center around overeating unhealthy food.
  • mikeykhan2003
    mikeykhan2003 Posts: 177
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    c) forget about it for one day and EAT. it's one day.....

    Quoted in case you missed the wisdom.

    Eat a little less the day before and the day after :)
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    c) just go and eat, drink and be merry

    I guess I'm lucky in that things like funnel cakes and fried oreos sound pretty disgusting. Kettle corn and caramel apples I might go for, but fair food is pretty much crappy IMO.

    But unless the events all happen in one week, I generally just go and enjoy myself and get rid of it later. I've never expected to stay exactly the same weight every day or week. Or have the same loss every day or week. All aspects of life have ups and downs. My food intake and weight are no different.
  • tiger4nikki
    tiger4nikki Posts: 112 Member
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    I use that as a cheat day and enjoy it!
  • padams2359
    padams2359 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    You are very lucky. You know well in advance. Bank some calories over a few days. Right before you leave home, eat a couple of stalks of celery, and drink a bottle of water. Go there, and enjoy all the food. Just split everything with someone so you just eat half. It is the last minute surprise things that are really hard to correct. JMO
  • TheSlorax
    TheSlorax Posts: 2,401 Member
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    I guess what I am asking myself is will I have any fun at these things that are usually all about food if I am sensible and controlled in what I eat?
    I mean what's the point of going to a chili cook off if I'm not going to try 50 kinds of chili? And some nice cold beer to wash it down.
    Yes that is only one day and i know in the grand scheme of things it will not make an impact either way.
    It is just coming up on the time of year when all of these type of events take place in a cluster followed by the holidays.
    Maybe I need to plan on new traditions that don't center around overeating unhealthy food.

    what is bolded is the only thing you need to worry about. if you know this, why are you still asking? please don't stress yourself out or exclude yourself from your fun activities, it is ONE DAY and you should go and enjoy yourself. work out more that week if it really bugs you that much.
  • tiger4nikki
    tiger4nikki Posts: 112 Member
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    I guess what I am asking myself is will I have any fun at these things that are usually all about food if I am sensible and controlled in what I eat?
    I mean what's the point of going to a chili cook off if I'm not going to try 50 kinds of chili? And some nice cold beer to wash it down.
    Yes that is only one day and i know in the grand scheme of things it will not make an impact either way.
    It is just coming up on the time of year when all of these type of events take place in a cluster followed by the holidays.
    Maybe I need to plan on new traditions that don't center around overeating unhealthy food.

    Yes, there will be more days like that coming up in the next few months, so don't keep the "candies", etc.. in your house, eat right ANY day that there is not an event, then ENJOY those days that there is. Work out a little harder too. I bet you won't gain!
  • dsjohndrow
    dsjohndrow Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Life is full of food. Here is what I do.

    - Save up calories from earlier. I usually skip my snacks and cut 100 calories off my breakfast and lunch.
    - Drink a couple of tall glasses of water before.
    - Start with the salads of veggies.
    - Skip the desert.
    - Leave early.

    This is a lifestyle, but it doesn't mean that you have to stop living life. Go, talk to people, and enjoy life.
  • zazasmom
    zazasmom Posts: 3
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    Hi this is zaza's mom
    :happy: what I do is pack a lunch before I go, in case there is nothing there I can have. I pack a good salad and some fruits and veggies and an avocado for smash up for my salad with some fresh salsa so I don't have to have a dressing, its really good, and you will feel so good to not get sucked into the planned food binges of unhealthy choices and you will be surprised how it may start some of the others to thinking about it. You are the one that chooses what goes in your body so it gives you a good sense of control
    hope this helps!
  • seltzermint555
    seltzermint555 Posts: 10,742 Member
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    Allow myself ONE thing or just not eat any of it. Also eating before you go or bringing a meal/snacks of your own.

    This.

    I don't really go for chili cook-offs or fair food. But yeah. If I am going to a nice Christmas party for example, I'll have a couple of smaller savory hors d'oeurves as my "meal" and then indulge in candy/fudge or whatever dessert is served, and/or one cocktail.

    In the end, the calorie count is probably similar to a normal dinner or only slightly above. That can easily be worked into my 1,420 calories and I'm confident that it could even be worked into 1,200 diets. If not, exercise more before and after.

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