How do you deal with get togethers?

knfigura

Two friend couples of ours and our kids get together every Thursday for "family" dinner. We usually hash out main dish/sides/dessert over the course of the week.

This tends to be a wine/beer, unhealthy dessert type thing that is REALLY hard to track.

How would you deal with this?

SharonNehring

Offer to bring the dessert and make it a healthier option. Skip dessert completely. Have dessert and find something similar in the database to log. You could decrease the rest of your meals that day to save back a few extra calories for dinner or put in an extra work out.There's really not a wrong or right way to go about it.

PennyVonDread

Eat something filling beforehand, drink a lot of water, then carefully choose small portions of the foods you want to try or eat if you are still hungry at all.

ew_david

I would eat it and log it as closely as I could. There is no such thing as unhealthy desserts, just don't eat too much of it.

kbmnurse

Don't go.

Unknown

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KarmaLaine

Here is how I deal with these types of things:

-Eat a snack before you go so you aren't super hungry.
-Decide in advance how much alcohol you will have.
-Bring your own "safe" dish.
-Bring healthy snacks.
-Don't eat anything you can't log.
-Remember to have fun. :-)

psych101

Log as closely as you can, eat smaller portions of the things you enjoy.

popsicklestar

Optimally on special occasion days, I try to get a workout in and eat fewer calories during the earlier part of the day. Try to save a reasonable amount of calories to have some food and a glass of wine or two. Sometimes I can only fit in one drink, and then I just have sparkling water, tea, or diet soda. You could always eat 50 or 100 calories less on the other days of the week to give you more calories to use on your get together day. The important thing is that your weekly goal is still on point. Always log everything.

katef66

Kristen, I treat Thursday night dinners as my cheat meal when I go. I have one each week. I keep the portions in mind and eat mostly veggies and I don't feel guilty about it.

MyOwnSunshine

Eat sparingly at breakfast and lunch so you can budget enough calories for a drink and small portion of dessert. Encourage the others to bring/prepare a protein-heavy entree, and make sure to bring a veggie dish.

Zoe_lifts

Offer to bring the dessert and make it a healthier option.

This.
Try making these, they're AMAZING !
http://www.skinnytaste.com/2014/02/amazing-flour-less-brownies.html

MissBabyJane

Eat something before that. Like an apple?

acpgee

I would do a big cardio workout before hand that earns at least 500 kcal (65 minutes on the elliptical with a target heat rate of 140 does it for me) and just eat at maintenance for the day once a week. For me with the exercise cals, that is almost 2500 which leaves a lot of wiggle room. If you ditch motorized transport for the day, and get an hour of walking in, that is another 300 calories which should cover the most decadent of celebratory food days.

powerpigeon

Don't stress about it too much; if this a lifestyle change and not a diet, then you can't give up all the nice things like this get together.
Give yourself a little bolster of extra calories by getting a good, hard workout earlier in the day if you can. Don't meal skip, but go a little light at breakfast and lunch. Maybe snack less throughout the day.
Don't go starving; have a few almonds or something like that before you go, so you aren't ravenous and want to eat everything in sight.
When you get there, eat what you enjoy, but load up on veggies/salad and have a smaller portion of the things that aren't so friendly to your waistline. Whatever dish you're providing, pick something healthy! Have the desert, but have a small portion. If you want to drink, maybe have one glass and then switch, or at least alternate between alcohol and water. If you're not bothered, skip the alcohol altogether. You'll save a bunch of calories.
One night off won't stop you losing weight, and getting to relax and enjoy this will help you keep up the good behavior the rest of the week.
Is there any way you can get your friends in on the healthy eating? Make it a challenge. What dishes can you all bring that are healthy, but super delicious?

zchastain

Here are some things I do for events like these:
- Eat a little less the morning of, day before, and/or day after to allow more calories to enjoy
- Get in a good calorie-burning workout that day
- Track everything to the best of my ability (just to keep myself accountable for long-term deficit goals)
- Try not to eat above maintenance... unless there's something really good to eat
- Don't waste calories on something that's not particularly delicious or "worth it"

JoRocka

My BF is only here once a week- Wed/Thursday- on his weekend- meanwhile I have a regular 8-5 job and then gym time.
And it's fairly consistent that we cook one day- and go out to eat the other day- so I feel the pain of having to juggle regular outings of non-controlled food content.

I "bank" calories- so I have an extra buffer- not eating back all my workout calories- and or-not eating nearly as much through the day- it's worth it to me to be hungry during the day so I can go out and eat with him and not stress about going over- I do log- and I do the best I can- but I know if I get home and still have 1000 calories to eat- and didn't fill my calorie quota from the last two workouts- I'm probably still doing okay.

Also- offer up to help provide great options you can control
ask for recipes of things
eat smaller portions

There is only so much you can do- so just do the best you can and don't' sweat it.

thavoice

Two friend couples of ours and our kids get together every Thursday for "family" dinner. We usually hash out main dish/sides/dessert over the course of the week.

This tends to be a wine/beer, unhealthy dessert type thing that is REALLY hard to track.

How would you deal with this?

I alternate day fast, so a holiday, or party, or gathering doesnt faze one bit as you just plan that as an up day!

knfigura

Kristen, I treat Thursday night dinners as my cheat meal when I go. I have one each week. I keep the portions in mind and eat mostly veggies and I don't feel guilty about it.

Kate! (for some reason I totally spaced you were on MFP)

That's a really good idea. So, you have one cheat meal per week. Is that difficult? Or not so much with your schedule?

StaciMarie1974

I don't care for wine personally - but would bring a lower cal drink that I can enjoy/measure with accuracy. I'd skip the desert or have a small portion. As to the main dish, I'd volunteer to make it (others bring sides, etc.) so I could have control over it...

AllOutof_Bubblegum

I'm currently prepping for a competition, so generally I avoid them altogether. In the cases that my absence would be considered extremely rude, I make sure I STUFF myself with as much low-cal prep-approved food as I can hold, and then go and sip water the whole time I'm there.

_lyndseybrooke_

I'm actually in the middle of arranging a pool day/game night with a couple friend of ours. My guess is that there will be nothing healthy about the snacks or meals we eat that day. Luckily, I always eat more calories on weekends as long as my weekly average is under goal. I may still go over in calories, but it's all good. I'll just enjoy myself, try not to go too crazy, log it, and move on.

tectactoe

cheat day, back on track the next day.


one day will not kill your progress.

Holly_Roman_Empire

Pre-plan the best you can.

Eat less calories the rest of the week so you can splurge on the get together.

serindipte

Go, enjoy yourself, log as closely as you are able, don't weigh for two days, discover you've lost two pounds.

That's how it works for me, at least.

Not only did one day not make you fat, it can actually be a boost for you losing weight.

eganita

I've started going by my weekly totals instead of daily. You could always cut back a little on the day(s) before/after and enjoy all of the goodies in moderation.

I've found that I don't need to COMPLETELY splurge in order to feel full and satisfied anymore. For example, I went to happy hour last night with friends. I had two beers and some pork BBQ tacos (yum!). I scaled back my portions throughout the rest of the day and ate a little under my goal on Monday. I am still on track for the week. I have found that I am more likely to stick with my calorie goal in general, if I allow myself to enjoy some delicious food and/or drinks, especially at social events.

ETA: I know some people are more strict than I am, and they'll only eat foods that they can log completely accurately. In my happy hour scenario, or something like the get-together that you mention, I just log as accurately as I can. There is often a wide range of calories associated with a given item (e.g. a hamburger). I usually select something more towards the high end (though not the most extreme) and move on

Guns_N_Buns

I have get togethers with my friend once a week (or more), as well. Luckily, my gf and I are both fitness/health minded, so we usually graze on yummy stuff and/or JUST consume the healthy stuff. We always seem to have cake or some sort of dessert around and with that, we just eat a very small piece.

I think just being PRESENT and aware of how you're eating, how much you've eaten and WHY ARE YOU STILL EATING is important. Once you get 'content' and satisfied, move on to playing a game and not making it about the food anymore.

EllaIsNotEnchanted

Pre-plan the best you can.

Eat less calories the rest of the week so you can splurge on the get together.

pretty much. Plan around this day.

thavoice

I fast that day until the get together.

That way I can eat the good stuff and usually still not go over my allotment for the day.

Win-Win.

writergeek313

Make smart food choices earlier in the day and try your best to squeeze in a workout and then just enjoy yourself. Eat mindfully (not loading up on high-calorie foods and stopping when you're full), but don't deprive yourself. Even if you do go a little over your calories for the day, chances are you'll be able to make some minor adjustments and still stick to your weekly goal.

paulawatkins1974

I personally try to bank 100 cals or so per day for the days before. (I can do this because I'm still on a 1400 cal allowance). Not sure if it would work for you.