Surviving a movie night with friends

sarahmarieb36

Just wondering how everyone manages times where you're doing good all week sticking with your calories and tracking everything, and then friends want to get together like on a Saturday night. If there is food involved (like snacks/cooking at their house) where you aren't in control of cooking it, what do you do to stay relatively within your calories without offending them by either not eating anything or seeming picky?

this is an area i've always had trouble in. i could be doing great all week and then have a "free" night when going to a friends house and then i just always get off track and it takes me a while to get going good again.

any and all advice welcome!!

melsy78

it is so hard!

if they are good friends I wouldn't be so worried about offending them, just say "I'll bring some ...(insert healthy snack option here) along!"
You could also eat a nice healthy snack beforehand so you aren't so hungry.

I do understand though as that is always my undoing.

GamerLady

Could eat before you go over and just bring your own healthy snacks.

lvtruu1

Maybe you could have planned ahead and saved up some calories for Saturday night.

Everyone needs to understand that over indulging 500 calories or 1000 calories on one given day means NOTHING in the longer term. Forget it. Enjoy the snacks. Don't go crazy. Get back to your "diet" the following day.

Lift_This_

I do it simply by not eating like a pig.

QFT

LozPenguin

It can be tricky. Easier when you have supportive friends who know what you're doing! I always just make sure I have small portions if I think something may be high calorie, talk heaps so you're eating slower and therefore finish eating around the same time as your friends (if it's a dinner, that way you can avoid having an empty plate while they're all still eating; which can lead to 'bored picking-at-extra-food' or friends insisting 'have some more! You barely ate anything!') take smaller bites too. Stop and have regular drinks of water, you'll feel fuller at the end of the meal. When It comes to alcohol or sweet drinks, I try to stick to water, but on a drinking-night I'll just make sure to drink slowly, and again talk more. I enter my drinks into mfp before I have them, easier to keep track and makes you realise just how many cals each drink is costing! Also you can try and pick something that's not as high; ie avoid having a second sugary cocktail and have a vodka and soda water instead. Alternate with water if you've gone out to a bar; helps you slow down!

In the end, best thing I can suggest is to have a good solid workout in the morning when you know you're going to have a big night, plan to have another big workout the day after or at least have healthy meals planned/ready to go so you can get straight back into it. If I'm feeling hungover the next day, instead of a heavy workout (which I couldn't handle) I at least go for a relaxed walk in the afternoon with plenty of water. Helps me to not just 'give up' on my new lifestyle just because of one naughty night.
Hope something there helps!

ms_leanne

Carrot, cucumber and dip. I also like snacking on cherry tomatoes.

dovetail22uk

Maybe you could have planned ahead and saved up some calories for Saturday night.

Everyone needs to understand that over indulging 500 calories or 1000 calories on one given day means NOTHING in the longer term. Forget it. Enjoy the snacks. Don't go crazy. Get back to your "diet" the following day.

Oh the voice of reason. How I've missed you in my own head of late.

Thank you! :flowerforyou:

neandermagnon

my advice, eat a filling, healthy meal before you go, so you won't be hungry. Then eat something that you will really enjoy in a small serving, so you can enjoy it in moderation and be sociable. Make sure you have room in your calorie allowance for what you will eat. If it's shared food (e.g. everyone sharing pizza) then if you have one slice and make it last a long time, you get more enjoyment of the food for fewer calories, the others will probably not even notice you only had one slice, so you can be sociable, enjoy eating a little of what's there, and stay within your calories.

it is a LOT easier to say no to food you don't really want to eat, and eat sensible portions of food you want to eat, when you're not hungry.

mammakisses

I'd bring a healthy snack and have just a small amount of whatever they have. moderation is the key!