how do you have a social life and lose weight?

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morenita71
morenita71 Posts: 137 Member
in Introduce Yourself
I signed up over a week ago and have been away (to France) and out and about and not keeping my diary. This was a particularly bad week but generally I really enjoy socialising and eating out. I know the obvious thing is to cut back but life's short! I've tried to make lower cal choices - no fries, leaving stuff on my plate and drinking G&Ts (slim-line) or wine instead of lager. But would love some tips from others who are also partial to a bit of socialising at the same time as trying to lose weight,,,, Are there people who do both or do a I really have to join a nunnery for a few months,,,? Thanks for any comments.
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  • GooBeGone
    GooBeGone Posts: 439 Member
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    when u go out 2 eat order the sampler appetizer 4 ur meal. they have a little bit of everythin & it's plenty of food for 1-2ppl.

    drink lots of water when u're eatin.

    also if u do order an entree ask 4 a to-go box also. & split it and put at LEAST half if not more & put part of it in the box b4 u even start 2 eat.
  • bflicker11
    bflicker11 Posts: 296
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    I'd love to see the replies to this one. I'm dating and it's been so hard to lose weight. Going out to eat on dates makes it very difficult or visiting friends.
  • RNewton4269
    RNewton4269 Posts: 663 Member
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    I have been able to juggle both...the losing weight thing and having a social life...I just am very dilligent about counting my calories no matter what I am doing. Have been able to go to several BBQs, to a festival and baseball game and out on the town for my birthday and managed to keep it all in perspective. It takes discipline I will admit and every one is different! Tell your friends (and if they are good friends they will support you) that you are trying to watch what you eat when you go out with them, encourage them to join you in your exercises or do some fun exercising together like a Zumba class or hiking one weekend. I wish you lots of luck in your weight loss journey!!!
  • meemo88
    meemo88 Posts: 436 Member
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    go for things like baked, broiled, grilled.
    stay away from fried, battered

    get dressings on the side, you can also ask to cook without butter/oil.
    get wheat bread when possible. every place you go will have something.
  • Choltor
    Choltor Posts: 65 Member
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    What I've been trying lately (and works wonderfully) is to eat lower-calorie foods before going out. Like vegetables. Then when I'm out, I can still enjoy what I'm eating, but eat much less.
  • princilam99
    princilam99 Posts: 56 Member
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    I've been doing this a little over a month. My husband and I love to go out and socialize which includes lots of eating and some drinking : ). What I do is try to plan a lighter day for breakfast and lunch, and get a really good workout in if I know I am going out. This helps me have more calories for dinner or whenever we usually go out. Also, when I am out and about I use the Android App for MFP. This app REALLY helps me because I can enter the food/wine/beer as we are out and not have to worry about it later. Other things I tell myself are that if I load up on the bread basket, no appetizer. If I do eat an appetizer and dinner, no dessert. If I just have dinner (no bread or appetizer) then, I can have dessert : ). It's all about trying to balance things out so that you don't feel deprive and you can still go out and have fun!
  • princilam99
    princilam99 Posts: 56 Member
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    I've been doing this a little over a month. My husband and I love to go out and socialize which includes lots of eating and some drinking : ). What I do is try to plan a lighter day for breakfast and lunch, and get a really good workout in if I know I am going out. This helps me have more calories for dinner or whenever we usually go out. Also, when I am out and about I use the Android App for MFP. This app REALLY helps me because I can enter the food/wine/beer as we are out and not have to worry about it later. Other things I tell myself are that if I load up on the bread basket, no appetizer. If I do eat an appetizer and dinner, no dessert. If I just have dinner (no bread or appetizer) then, I can have dessert : ). It's all about trying to balance things out so that you don't feel deprive and you can still go out and have fun!
  • MayMaydoesntrun
    MayMaydoesntrun Posts: 805 Member
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    That is the million dollar question! I find myself turning down invites because I know there will be temptations...I'm hoping to find a happy medium soon. I have been known to pack healthy snacks and take them with me. :)
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    Ignore the bread basket. Split dessert 3 ways. Have a salad instead of a fried appetizer. Also, I try to only eat out with friends 1x/week. Often we will cook in together which is fun. My social life has not suffered. Have a little bit of everything, just eat less.

    :)
  • SilentRenegade
    SilentRenegade Posts: 245 Member
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    What I found when going to the bar is to order things that are more calorie friendly than not...
    1. My doctor said clear liquors are best, especially vodka. If you get a vodka and diet soda or club soda, then you're not really ingesting too many caloies.
    2. I always eat a healthy food before going so I don't have too much of an urge to order the greasy food there.
    3. Every once in a while you're going to cheat, but I see it as my reward. If my friends and I go to a pizza place on the boardwalk, I'll get a slice of pizza... but not eat 3 slices like I used to. And I'll order water with my order instead of soda.
    4. Drink plenty of water before and after drinking... you might break the seal early, but it definitely helps, and prevents a hangover!
    5. Stay away from beer and darker liquors like rum, they seem to be pretty loaded with cals.
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
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    Exercise, exercise, exercise!! For me that is the only way to keep a healthy weight because I too like to eat, drink and be merry. If I exercise regularly I stay fairly slim. If I stop exercising, I gain weight.

    I should note that I'm not looking for a supermodel figure and will never get one with my current diet/exercise routine. But if I can keep my body healthy and my clothes size in the single digits and still party with my friends and family, then I'm a happy camper. :smile:
  • LeekLegs
    LeekLegs Posts: 10 Member
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    I have been making a life-change, rather than a diet. I've lost 9 pounds so far, and I still eat french fries and drink beer. When I go out to eat, I'll split an order of fries, if I can. People are usually eager to help you out with them. ;) Or I simply wrap up half of my meal and eat it the next day at lunch. For beer, I work it into my calorie goals for the day. I may eat a light lunch on Friday to give me room for 2 Stella or something similar. Or on a special occassion Sam's Summer Ale (which is 200+ cals or so, depending on the serving/draft size).
  • jr1985
    jr1985 Posts: 1,033 Member
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    I totally know what you are saying! It seems nearly impossible to get a meal out for less than 1000 calories... roughly my entire daily allotment! I've been trying to get together with friends later in the evening after we have all eaten and just either going for a walk or for sno cones... which are still not great but a lot better on the wasteline the eating the whole meal our... Ask a bunch of ladies if they want to go walking with you instead of eating out... I'm not doing that every morning for an hour... but doesnt seem as much like working out when you talking with the girls a couple friends and I walk 3+ miles every morning... ran 8 blocks of it this morning and burned 450 calories and still got just as much socializing in as if we had went out to eat somewhere... I'm sure they will like what it does to their wasteline too :)
  • MelanieP_TX
    MelanieP_TX Posts: 159 Member
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    Maybe you can eat b4 you go out- then just choose low cal foods like shrimp or veggies and drink low carb alcohol w/ diet soda? While ordering out just ask thing to be prepared the way you need them to be, most restaurants will oblige. Eating out is definitely not as fun as it used to be. :ohwell: But smaller jeans and normal blood pressure definitely make up for it! :happy:
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    That is the million dollar question! I find myself turning down invites because I know there will be temptations...I'm hoping to find a happy medium soon. I have been known to pack healthy snacks and take them with me. :)

    No, don't turn down invites! Life is too short! The advice of using the app to track while you're out is very helpful and also splitting things you order with other friends at the table.
  • Angela_MA
    Angela_MA Posts: 260
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    Your doing the right thing, make healthy choices, that is always a step in the right direction. When we go out I plan ahead. If I am unable to, I opt for the healthier choices and use portion control (I never eat the thing, usually half or less). If you are drinking have a glass of wine and then a glass a water, alternating. Water helps flush out your system and keep you hydrated.
    Also, you say you are visiting France, so are you walking around visiting places? Walking is a great form of exercise and it will help burn those calories sampling the food and wine!
    You can fit in exercises anywhere, like squats while brushing your teeth or crunches while watching TV, I legged squats while on a train...etc. The little things do ad up! :)
  • realme56
    realme56 Posts: 1,093 Member
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    Minimize calories early in days you go out, add exercise to balance it out and try not to drink every time you go out.....alcohol is a big blocker for weight loss, as an empty calorie food itself and the more you drink the less you remember to make wise food choices.
    Life IS short but it is shorter if you are unhealthy ;)
  • demure_poetic
    demure_poetic Posts: 73
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    You don't have to give up your social life at all! When you order your food, order small portions,salads, un-fried stuff.... like another user said..take half home... drink lots of water... don't make drinking alcohol/pop a habit it will only cause you to gain, put a strict limit on it... You don;t have to just eat to socialize either...get your friends to join a yoga or other exercise class, go hiking, camping...Go out dancing, burn some calories on the dance floor! Karaoke is a good socializer too, leave out the bad food fill yourself with a good meal before going out.... Goodluck :)
  • gooteek
    gooteek Posts: 64
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    Try dieting while on a beer league when all the team goes to the bar after to drink. I always take a water bottle with me and tell everyone I feel dehydrated and keep filling up the water bottle to keep me from starting on beer.

    For cook-outs and eating out with friends, I drink water and eat something filling before I go out with them, then am sure to drink water and eat light (naked chicken and salad). Most people do not pay attention or really could care less, the only person to convince you don't need the fattening foods is yourself. The pre-fill concept really works. In fact, they have fill bars you can buy specifically to do that...fill you up so you don't eat much.

    If you have friends or your date that is worth seeing again, they will support you with meeting your goals.
  • kr3851
    kr3851 Posts: 994 Member
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    I've hosted the odd dinner party with friends. As a young 20-something (okay.. late 20s) having people over and cooking them something yummy seems to be a bit if a novelty! I can whip out new recipes I've been dying to try - serve myself the exact portion I know I can have - and my friends seem to enjoy the healthy food full of real flavours and lots of vegies. It doesn't cost a fortune either which is a nice change from some fancy restaurant where your dinner doesn't even fill the plate....

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