Bad Weekend

So this weekend im out Saturday for a BBQ and Sunday for a Indian Buffet im really nervous as my will power is good when im at home and and work but as soon as i go out it all goes wrong.

Can any one tell what i should eat and avoid??

xx

Replies

  • coaoalo
    coaoalo Posts: 104 Member
    It really depends what's on offer- the BBQ is easy enough- don't eat too much bread and try to stick to meats which haven't been marinating in something terrible for you for hours. There should be salad things around- just don't go crazy with the dressing and you're fine.

    As with indian food I'm not really sure. When I get indian (takeaway) I tend to just take the hit and plan for it a few days in advance. Just try to have a small portion of rice and no naan (or very little) and pick a tomato based one instead of one full of cream. That's the best I think you can do, really. There's some starter/ side dishes that aren't too bad calorie wise but that just depends on what's on offer and if it's been fried.
  • AtmaKing
    AtmaKing Posts: 145 Member
    Maybe try going on a fast.

    That way you won't be tempted to overeat, or pressured into it either.

    When asked to eat simply state: "No thank you, I'm currently on a fast to help with my overall health and new me."

    It will allow a break in a pattern of years of overeating at such events. It will also give you confidence in that you control your food and not that your food controls you. Yes if you've never done a fast before it will be extremly difficult. But always remember you control you. To me fasting is more of an emotional clarity thing than anything else.

    I'm not sure if you will be able to do this or even want to. However you asked for options and if put into your position this is one I personally would consider. Good luck.
  • situations that we have to face on a regular basis. Keep a glass of water at hand and try to take more vegetables than grain and meat, avoid sauce if possible, go for simple grilled lean meat.

    If you track you food when you get home try to log as much as you can and see from there how you can undo the dammage if there is any.
  • _KitKat_
    _KitKat_ Posts: 1,066 Member
    When I have a party to go to, I normally drink water so I don't drink my calories. As for food, I have very very small portions of everything I want. Doing this I get to have everything and do not feel like I did without, it also fills me up. The other thing is people don't look at you as funny. Condiments can be the worse but mustard is usually 0-5 calories and my preference so I'm lucky there. The main thing is just enjoy yourself, small portions can stop you from going over too far....also it may help if you have your maintenance number in your head, then just make your goal under that.
  • ASKyle
    ASKyle Posts: 1,475 Member
    You're going to deal with events like this for the rest of your life.

    You have to learn to eat at a balance and maintain it forever. No fasting, no filling up on water... just have a lighter calorie day before, and do some extra exercise to help balance it out. Then, go ENJOY yourself, log it and move forward.
  • lisiloulah
    lisiloulah Posts: 125 Member
    There was actually a Hello Healthy blog post about BBQ's the other day: https://blog.myfitnesspal.com/2014/06/best-choices-at-backyard-bbq/

    It's times like this that we have to remember: this is not a diet, but a lifestyle change and these sorts of events will happen (and they will usually happen together!)

    It's been said before - but drink water or other low/no cal drinks (like diet soda for those who have it) partly because you don't want to drink your calories and partly because it will help you feel fuller. And pull out the old tricks: pick up a smaller plate if more than one size is available; put the salad/veggies on first; get the leanest bits of meat available and avoid high calorie dressings.

    For the Indian - pick dry meats like tikka kebabs if you can or tomato based sauces. A vegetarian dish with a tomato based sauce should be relatively low calorie for example, and go easy on rice and breads. Don't pile the plate high and eat slowly.

    The main thing is to eat in moderation (but shouldn't be doing that anyway?) and have fun! Do a bit more exercise if you can or if you're worried about it, but in my opinion as long as I'm not doing it every week I just relax and have an evening off (well, half off!)

    Lisa x
  • WonderWhitney11
    WonderWhitney11 Posts: 78 Member
    Go up for one healthy trip to the buffet, enjoy it, then pop some minty gum in your mouth or brush your teeth. The minty freshness may help you avoid eating more... not only will food taste funny, but you'll have a shiny, clean smile to flash around while socializing after dinner! :)
  • josparkle
    josparkle Posts: 141 Member
    For the barbecue I think you know what to do - chicken, seafood, lean meat and salad. Limit dressings, bread, crisps (chips) and puddings - or avoid if you cannot just have a taste of something without wanting to devour the whole thing ( like me with a bag of good potato chips or cheesecake!!).

    For the indian food, same rules apply really - the rice and lots of the dishes will have been made with oil but also dressed with ghee ( clarified butter) so can be problematic. But you can often manage to see that oil and not put it on your plate as it tends to collect around the edges of the dishes. However Indian buffets tend to have tandoor cooked chicken and sometimes other meats without sauces so you could major on that with perhaps a spoonful of one or two of the prepared dishes for their delicous flavours.

    Or you could reason that its just a weekend - two meals - so perhaps look up your maintenance calories and put that figure in your head, so you don't feel like you're failing. Eat lighter for the other meals, incorporate a good long walk or other exercise on both days and subsequently. And perhaps the scales will not budge as much next week as you would like, but hopefully you'll have had a great weekend with some delicious food and great company.

    Its not a sprint, and you want to enjoy life's pleasures when they come along (in moderation) so I truly hope you enjoy your weekend.
  • ChrisUK70
    ChrisUK70 Posts: 54 Member
    Alcohol is the one to avoid as it normally leads to bad food decisions. :wink:
  • ransaka
    ransaka Posts: 135 Member
    Alcohol is the one to avoid as it normally leads to bad food decisions. :wink:

    Very much this :laugh:

    BBQ is easy as others have said, I BBQ with friends nearly every weekend at the moment and eat nice lean meats, maybe a small treat if it fits into my macros.
    Can't really advise on Indian food as I don't eat it but in general just remember; you're not depriving yourself, you're making a choice of what to eat to fit your lifestyle. You're not on a diet, you just choose to eat well. :)