How do you stay on plan...

KimberlyVerb

when you visit your mom for holidays? It's virtually impossible for me to eat remotely healthy. If I don't eat what she cooks I offend her. I know the easy answer would be to explain to her why I'm not eating it but i'd still hurt her feelings. I was on a good weight loss kick up until this weekend. The choices were hotdogs, sausage dogs, corn on the cob and pasta salad. Sodium, sodium, carbs and more carbs. I guess I should just suck it up and let this weekend be my cheat weekend but I try to see her at least once a month. I can't have this many hiccups every month..

Help!?

marlyu

I think it's about balance. If you go over sodium or carbs on a day, or two, the next day you may go over on fats, or protein, or sugars. They balance out over the course of the week. Even if you have a hot dog, it's ok, just supplement with a light salad so that you're full, in case it didn't quite cut it. Corn is fine, you don't have to add butter and salt to it. Just remember moderation over a period of time rather than necessarily worrying about each day.

Madelinec117

Maybe offer to help with the food and prepare veggies, that way you can eat more veggies and take less of the high carbs/sodium foods?

yo_andi

First, I recognize that it is merely a small window of time in a much longer process and I get over it. Then, I have what she makes, in moderation. I don't vilify any food or macronutrient and I get back to my good habits when I can. I'll also go for a walk, or play with the dog or run around with my niece. Mostly I enjoy the time with my family because these visits are precious.

fullersun35

I just eat small portions of whatever is offered and fit it into my calorie goal for the day. One hotdog, an ear of corn and a scoop of pasta salad can't be that high in calories.

I'd also eat smaller breakfast and lunches to help compensate and make sure to get in some exercise that day.

juggernaut1974

Feel free to eat any/all of those foods...

Unless your mom is filling your plate herself (in which case, I'd say there's other issues that need to be addressed) just take smaller portions.

Ultimately, just plan that for those couple of days you may exceed your normal calorie goals. Either go for an extra walk/jog to help alleviate it, account for it the first couple days you get back, or just know that you've made your mom happy and get back "on the wagon" as soon as you get home. One or two days shouldn't be enough to eliminate a long-term lifestyle change.

monolith66

Just say "Mom, I'm not eating the food that made me fat growing up.. Thanks anyways."

jemhh

Take food with me and/or offer to help make meals. I will eat something that I don't normally eat sometimes when I am visiting family but I'm not going to do it all day or all weekend. And I just don't let any attempted guilting sink in. I'm pretty good at being a robot and ignoring people when they act in an illogical manner (i.e., getting upset when I don't eat things that I don't like or want.)

karenj_m

Use small portions....but better yet, bring a dish of something you made for everyone, and eat that

GiveMeCoffee

Learn how to give yourself smaller portions. There is nothing wrong with having a hot dog, pasta salad, corn with butter of course.

Start working on learning moderation and portion control. You can eat carbs and whatever else and lose weight. I'm also curious as your referred to it as a weight loss kick.... start thinking more long range and the changes you make now make sure they are things you can live with forever. If they aren't try to figure out why you think the change is a good idea.

dawnmcneil10

When I travel I tend to bring healthy snacks with me and will have those before I go places and I also carry a huge container of water. Typical cookouts in my family are pasta salad, potato salad, mac and cheese, beans, burgers, hot dogs, meatballs, baked pasta and sweets.
I usually make a salad dish that I know I can eat that will fill me and satisfy the taste buds. Taco salad is a good one, make a nice big taco salad and make it big enough to share with everyone. Make a pasta dish using veggie pasta instead of plain white pasta, still has the carbs but you're getting more protein from it and if you make it no one else knows it's veggie pasta they just think it's tri-colored pasta.

Someone else said this so I'll back them up.............OFFER TO HELP COOK or tell your mom you really want to cook for her for a change. Don't go all crazy healthy on her just adjust some things, get chicken sausages (instead of super high fat one)s for the grill and toss peppers and onions in with them. Go with a leaner ground beef for the burgers or say I'm craving turkey burgers and go get some. I often make myself a salad and top it with everything you'd put on a burger and yes that means mustard and ketchup as the salad dressing.

The biggest thing is you can't expect everyone else to make the changes you have made. Some will see you making adjustments and ask why you aren't eating something and you can say well I've been craving this or I'm holding out for blah blah blah.
Sometimes we have to face it, moms want to provide you with all your favorites when you come home. So maybe just share with her some of your new favorites.

willrun4bagels

If I were going to visit overnight, I would pack my own foods for breakfast and lunch and snacks, and then have a small serving of the stuff your mom makes for dinner. I was just on a 9 day long vacation... I brought my own food + food scale for breakfast and all of my snacks, ate sensibly at lunch, and ate what I wanted at dinner, but smaller portions and nothing too salty because I retain water like crazy... came back lighter than I was when I left to go away. You can definitely have the foods that she makes.

That being said, my mom knows that I won't eat most of the stuff she makes when I go over to visit for dinner, so she'll tell me to bring a salad or whatever side dish I want to bring for everyone else to pick at. I think I scared her out of trying to get me to eat a whole plate of mac and cheese for dinner when I started asking what the ingredients were so I could try to figure out the macros. :laugh:

stuffinmuffin

Speak to her!! Tell her that you want to become healthier and you're limiting the amount of fatty foods at the moment and trying to restrict your calories. It might even give her something to do....my Mum was (I wouldn't say offended) but weirded out at first when I stopped eating loads of rubbish when I was at her house and now she loves stocking up on the healthy things for when I go and see her. I think Mum's just like to feel that their efforts are being appreciated so you need to point her in the right direction.

Francl27

Talk to her? If you tell her you're trying to lose weight, and she only puts high calorie foods on the table, it's her own fault if you're not eating. Maybe give her suggestions like 'hey how about a nice salad or some chicken and veggies', or 'remember that (insert healthy dish) you used to make, could you make it again?), this way she know she'll please you by making what you want.

But yeah... you have to talk to her. Tell her you love her cooking but you're trying to watch your carbs, and you'd appreciate a green salad instead of the pasta salad or something (the hotdog you can eat without bun at least).