Overeating in social situations?

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erinxo13
erinxo13 Posts: 892 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi all,
So I've always kind of been an overeater...if you stick a plate of cookies or pizza or even fruit or veggies anything in front of me at a party...I will be tempted and just eat it...for years I didn't care but since I decided that I really want to lose some weight and be healthier, while I'm at home I am a lot better at avoiding things or just not eating them but when I go out to parties and for dinner... I'm finding that its harder. I went to 2 girly get togethers in the last few days, with another coming up on Saturday night. I track my food (even if I am overeating) and I see the calories...and I feel horrible about it and I see the difference on the scales...but I don't know how to control it in social situations. It isn't like someone is stuffing food in my face and making me eat it, I am in control of the situation...but for some reason when I'm not at home and I see food when I'm in a social situation like that... I tell myself I won't care but its old habits going like whatever! It's so difficult when I'm with all my friends and they are all tiny and they don't care what they eat and then I just get tempted... Does anyone have any advice on how to avoid this (without avoiding social situations) and how I can begin eating in moderation in social situations? I'm sorry this is so vague.

Replies

  • SherryTeach
    SherryTeach Posts: 2,836 Member
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    I could be blunt and say that maybe you just don't want to change your lifestyle enough to make the hard choices.

    But yes, it is harder in social situations. I have a couple of strategies: at restaurants I order my meal and ask for a to go box to arrive with my meal. I immediately put half of the meal in the box and put it away. Then I can eat the rest without worrying about when to stop. I can chat with my friends and not make any more decisions. If I go to a person's house, and there is a table of food. I assess the choices. Often there are a couple of things that fit my food plan. . . veggie sticks, pretzels, things like that. I will take a plate of nearly all good choices, maybe very small portions of other things and then leave the room where the food is and not go back. This is what I did at my book club meeting this week and I felt really good about passing up the chocolate eclairs, one of my favorite things. There are some things I want for myself more than a chocolate eclair.
  • babycakes1970
    babycakes1970 Posts: 111 Member
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    I do not get to socialize much so when I do I give myself permission to have a planned "cheat day". I have changed A LOT of things about myself over the last two years and having an occasional lapse is not going to ruin everything that I have worked hard for. I have a profoundly disabled (autistic ) teenager who makes going out difficult so on the rare occasion that I do socialize I will treat myself. I figure that I have lost 64 pounds so I must still be doing something right.
  • ThaRealNicki
    ThaRealNicki Posts: 328 Member
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    But yes, it is harder in social situations. I have a couple of strategies: at restaurants I order my meal and ask for a to go box to arrive with my meal. I immediately put half of the meal in the box and put it away. Then I can eat the rest without worrying about when to stop. I can chat with my friends and not make any more decisions. If I go to a person's house, and there is a table of food. I assess the choices. Often there are a couple of things that fit my food plan. . . veggie sticks, pretzels, things like that. I will take a plate of nearly all good choices, maybe very small portions of other things and then leave the room where the food is and not go back. This is what I did at my book club meeting this week and I felt really good about passing up the chocolate eclairs, one of my favorite things. There are some things I want for myself more than a chocolate eclair.

    very good advice!!
  • Thena81
    Thena81 Posts: 1,265 Member
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    nah babes, yur fine! ppl watching me eat makes me eat less, their staring faces scare me lol
  • Bobby_Clerici
    Bobby_Clerici Posts: 1,828 Member
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    I just can never attend any social event without rooting like a hog over the food.
    I usually schedule such affairs on my weekly "free day" and call it christmas.

    The alternative is to not go, and I have pulled out of that whole crowd. I was attending some kind of function every day - some days 2 social events. back to back.....ABSURD!
    I just cut this out.
    How do people attend a food function and maintain control?
    All I can say is BULLY FOR YOU!:drinker:

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