How do you say NO to the food at parties?

LJGmom

I know it's self control, but I want to know your inner dialogue. What do you say to yourself in your head? This will be my first Christmad season eating healthy. I am a Huge sweet tooth. I don't say no, and I can't stop when it's in front of me. I come from a very large family, and food is the center of every weekend, but it is huge at Christmas. There will literally be table after table of home made goodness. It won't matter if I'm hungry or not, I will still eat it. I am definitely losing slowly since thanksgiving. I already am snacking on some of the sweets.
I want to get it together!

kmbrooks15

My plan is when I know there is a party, I will eat really light the rest of the day. Then, at the party, I'll allow myself to eat but keep the amounts smaller than in the past. I have a major sweet tooth, too, so I understand your struggle!

Cathleenr

I know it's self control, but I want to know your inner dialogue. What do you say to yourself in your head? This will be my first Christmad season eating healthy. I am a Huge sweet tooth. I don't say no, and I can't stop when it's in front of me. I come from a very large family, and food is the center of every weekend, but it is huge at Christmas. There will literally be table after table of home made goodness. It won't matter if I'm hungry or not, I will still eat it. I am definitely losing slowly since thanksgiving. I already am snacking on some of the sweets.
I want to get it together!

you could always look at all of your available choices at the party: spinach/artichoke dip, chips, fudge, cheese balls, poppers, cookies, m&m's, thin mints...um....glazed nuts....and whatever else you don;t have on your Menu For Life...and say "One of these will fit into my macros for today...which one do I want?"

then its a question not of how much of all you eat, but which one. you would be surprised at how much time you can kill making a decision like that...not to mention the thought process you have to go through ranking them and actively thinking about what you are going to eat, instead of just vacuuming it all in and wondering later why you gained 11 pounds in a weekend.

plus...i tell myself all the time: i don't look this way cause i eat stuff like THAT.

lol, one of my facebook friends posted: "Made it all the way through Costco and didn't eat a single sample. Where is my award??"
I wrote back: "look in the mirror. its that part of your *kitten* that didn't get bigger".

babykanguruh

"Tomorrow will I be glad I had that plate of dessert or glad I said no?" That said, if it is just one evening, pick on or two of your favorites, have a tiny portion and congratulate yourself!!!!! :drinker:

Ely82010

My mantra: "for a moment in my lips for ever in my hips." Knowing how much the extra lbs love my hips, and how much I will have to exercise to stop that "relationship," keeps me away from temptations.

I don't have a sweet tooth at all, but I do prefer salty appetizers. :ohwell:

BobbyClerici

I either go on my free day and binge or send my regrets,

The notion of not eating while partying is nowhere on the radar. If I go, I eat, so guess what?
I seldom go to such parties.

Sometimes I feel like a recovering alcoholic; I just don't fit in. My old friends are very jealous of my progress, and I sort of detest them for continuing in their "grobesity".

I need new connections out there - people who believe in health and fitness without being a weirdo about it.

kristen11joy

Pick your favourite -- calculate the calories mentally (or look em up!) I used to do the same -- graze constantly -- now I activiely think: "is this worth 100 calories (or 500 or whatever)" and if it totally is, then eat it and really enjoy it. If not, hold out for the good stuff...

crzyone

Eat before you go......stay as far away from the tables as you can....find something to keep you busy somewhere away from the table..maybe you could carry a camera around and be snapping pictures..you can't eat and take pictures at the same time.....if your hands are busy you can refuse the food....or maybe set up in some corner with a craft project for the little ones........make something low cal and take it so you have something there you know you can eat..

I will battle it too...good luck!!

mem50

My inner voice says....hmmm...actually it doesn't talk much anymore. I've gotten to this weird point where I know in my head, heart and soul that I really don't need those extra calories. Not saying I'm perfect, definitely not! I am sure there will be something at our party at work that will catch my eye. If it does I usually do a mental balance scale.

missbuterfly

Well this is my first Christmas of being this small for over 15 years I have 2 amazing outfits (size 0) and I know at Thanksgiving I just kept telling myself that if I eat unhealthy and revisit bad habits I might not fit into an amazing Christmas out fit. So at Christmas my motivation and internal conversation is my New Years Eve out fit! I love the looks of surprise congrats and envy when I go into a social situation now instead of laughter because Im the big chick hovering over the food! I have a big family to and I know my husbands side and alot on mine is waiting for the big explosion when I gain it all back. But Im not gonna cuz I did this the right way WITH ALOT OF WORK!

(((((MISSBUTERFLY)))))

Saruman_w

My way of saying No is to bring my own food. Or if I can't do that I'll just decline anything that's junk and find some other time to eat.

angeleyez77

I think these are all good ideas eat before you go and also I say drink water before you go to parties to fill yourself up. And look at what your choices are and see what you can have and what the healhiest is to have if your gonna have anything at the party right?

Ruz456

Im going to be in the same boat as you this year so I am a bit nervous as well, my plan is to pack whatever healthy meals i can for the trip (I travel to Toronto every year for christmas, a 9 hour drive) so I wont pig out at a McDonalds when we stop, I also plan on drinking water constantly throughout the day so when dinnertime rolls around I wont be as hungry, I also I plan on "island eating" basically each food item on your plate stands alone, they dont touch each other just like islands dont touch eachother, this well cut down on the portions you take, also waiting 20 minutes after your first plate, it takes about 20 minutes for the brain to recieve signals from the stomach that its full

Hopefully some of these tips will help you this Christmas!

SassyCalyGirl

eat before you go! Everytime I think of eating something I know I shouldn't' I ask myself- "Is it worth it" and the answer is always NO! That alone stops me from doing it.

sc1572

If it's parties leading up to a big day, I just refuse and tell myself to wait until the big day, and have a small healthier treat when I get home. As far as holidays go, like TG or Christmas, I go off for the day and eat whatever I enjoy. Day after, back on track! My inner thoughts are: Is it worth it? What will I feel like after? Do I really need it? Is there a healthier option?

xtinalovexo

right now i have a pair of awesome red pants that are a size too small, but i desperately want to fit into. i think of the pants every time a craving or temptation comes around.

Mybabie

Eat in moderation thats what I will be doing.

sunkisses

by saying YES to the booze

Honestly, I just find ways to stay too busy to consume much. I help the host/hostess, snap pictures, talk a lot, etc.

Captain_Mal

re08scue

I've been making healthy sugar-free treats to take to my folks house at Christmas. Resisting mom's baking will be hard, but having some alterntives will help.

carrie_eggo

I can't say no. If I don't want to be tempted, I just don't go. :ohwell:

xtinalovexo

that looks delicious!

kr3851

We just had our family Xmas celebration yesterday - I ate a little of everything that I wanted to eat - indulged a little more in the things I knew were 'healthier' options. I went over on my calories for the day, and I didn't exercise (well... apart from the awesome post-nap sesh with the boy that I don't count) but it was one day. One day out of 365 that I didn't do so well. I'm averaging 3 or 4 'didn't do so well' days a month, and I figure I can't undo 12 months of hard work in one day. Just keep those days to a minimum and you WILL get there. It might take you a little longer, but you'll get there.

This battle we are waging isn't going to stop when we get to our goal weight. We are still going to have to think about what we eat EVERY SINGLE DAY for the rest of our lives. So enjoy yourself in the little precious time we spend with our families. Have a good day - think about what you're eating, but don't alienate yourself because of it.

Justjoshin

Just say "No Thank you"
Or eat in moderation, etc.

I made it through 2 parties in one day yesterday, AND had a terrible breakfast. Sodium was through the roof, but I still hit my macros.

Elisirmon

I eat before I go and make sure it is high in protien then I either bring a protien shake or bar with me to snack on and I find that it really works.

kenzietea

I don't say no, I just eat in moderation.

The average weight gained in the holidays is only 1 pound. Its not as bad as people think.

Oh and if you are hosting the party-- send ALL leftovers (besides the healthy stuff! if there is any ) with other people!

SassyCalyGirl

that looks delicious!

No It doesn't! Lol

xtinalovexo

that looks delicious!

No It doesn't! Lol

lol clearly i wouldn't be able to say no!

withervein

How about remembering that if you take a bite it's not going to kill you and remember that part of life is enjoying it, not just beating yourself up over every calorie.

Take a small portion (half a brownie, one cookie, two crackers and some dip) and go start a conversation. Fill the rest of the plate up with stuff from the veggie tray. You will be talking, take a small bite, lather, rinse repeat .. you will find that you give your tummy time to register that you have had enough and you can relax and enjoy the party.

You don't want to remember what you ate at a party, you want to remember the time you spent with people you love. This is why we have holidays.

LorinaLynn

How do I say no? I don't. Plain and simple. I know that parties don't happen every day, even every week, and know that it would be impossible for me to do any kind of irreparable damage to my health and progress.

To gain one pound, I'd have to eat 3500 calories over my maintenance calories, which is close to 2000 calories providing I'm moderately active that day. So that's 5500 calories I'd need to eat to gain a pound. In one evening. I'm not saying I couldn't do it, but that's about 11 slices of pecan pie, or 112 chocolate chip cookies, or 27 frozen daiquiris. That's a lot of eating. And that's just one pound, which I could easily take off again in two weeks by having a 250 calorie deficit.

So the likelihood of me gaining any actual weight more than one pound is pretty slim. The logical side of me knows that. The logical side just needs to remind me of that the next day when my weight is up 7 pounds from having entirely too much sodium and libations. The illogical side might flip out and think "we f'ed up!!!!" and decide that as long as we blew it, we might as well continue to blow it by eating every single thing in the pantry, fridge and freezer. The logical side has to tell the illogical side to STFU.

Brownies, cookies, chocolates, wine and eggnog? Yes please!

wildestian

My mantra: "for a moment in my lips for ever in my hips." Knowing how much the extra lbs love my hips, and how much I will have to exercise to stop that "relationship," keeps me away from temptations.

hahhaha loved your comment.

my answer, I workout harder the days before and after the party, and make sure to eat a little less the day before. At the party I control my portions.