Advice please!!! Family is coming to visit...

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JenniCali1000
JenniCali1000 Posts: 646 Member
in Motivation and Support
...and staying for 7 days. I am finally doing really good with diet and exercise, but I'm really worried about how I'll fare once they are here. They like to eat big meals late at night, eating out a lot, lots of snacks, big bowls of popcorn, skipping lunch usually, etc. I do none of these! The one plus is that they do make pretty healthy food choices overall, when eating at home anyway. As for exercise, they occasionally walk but that's about it. I am much more active than that!

I guess what I'm trying to say is how the hell do I stay on track with my diet and exercise plan while they're visiting? Every time I stay with them I end up eating too much and hardly exercising at all, and I inevitably end up gaining a few pounds. Ugh.

Please help!!!

Replies

  • luckyjuls
    luckyjuls Posts: 505 Member
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    The only advice I can really give is: try!

    I don't think perfection will/should be the goal for you this week. Just try your best. If you're doing your best, 80-90% of this visit, you won't fall off too hard. If they don't want to do anything active when you're all together, try and get your workout in alone. If they are eating larger meals that are mostly healthy, eat it with them but keep on track with your portions.

    If you're eating out, look at the menu nutritional ahead of time if it's possible. If you have the sodium/calories for the meal out, eat something yummy. If you're eating out every day, a few of those days, stick with grilled chicken/salad/soup.

    If you're having popcorn, measure it out and stick with that one portion.

    You can do this. If you plan on sticking with this "diet" forever, you're going to have things like this happen and it's best to just be realistic and try your hardest while still living your life and enjoying your time together.
  • jen81uk
    jen81uk Posts: 177 Member
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    Be organised... plan the meals, if they don;t have lunch then they don't, but you do. Make dinner but just have your normal portion. Have snack available for them but use will power.

    They eat healthy so just make enough for them to have a big portion or seconds. x
  • GemT67
    GemT67 Posts: 8 Member
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    Remember that they are visiting you!

    Try to keep as much as you can to your normal routines and diet, if you can plan ion your activity and give them the choice to do with you, but you do it anyway!

    Of course with visitors treats are almost certainly going to be a bigger part of the picture than usual, but that is what 'normal' day to life is like :wink:

    Just watch the portion sizes, enjoy what you do eat ... and the return to normality once they have gone :laugh:
  • JenniCali1000
    JenniCali1000 Posts: 646 Member
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    Remember that they are visiting you!

    Try to keep as much as you can to your normal routines and diet, if you can plan ion your activity and give them the choice to do with you, but you do it anyway!

    Of course with visitors treats are almost certainly going to be a bigger part of the picture than usual, but that is what 'normal' day to life is like :wink:

    Just watch the portion sizes, enjoy what you do eat ... and the return to normality once they have gone :laugh:

    Good advice :) Thank you! I always have to remind myself that THEY are visiting ME ;)
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
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    or be flexible.

    stay within your calorie range, and maybe skip the lunch so you can enjoy more later, you may enjoy yourself more and stress less if you have the extra calories for later in the day.

    hope it is a nice visit!
  • TavistockToad
    TavistockToad Posts: 35,719 Member
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    ...and staying for 7 days. I am finally doing really good with diet and exercise, but I'm really worried about how I'll fare once they are here. They like to eat big meals late at night, eating out a lot, lots of snacks, big bowls of popcorn, skipping lunch usually, etc. I do none of these! The one plus is that they do make pretty healthy food choices overall, when eating at home anyway. As for exercise, they occasionally walk but that's about it. I am much more active than that!

    I guess what I'm trying to say is how the hell do I stay on track with my diet and exercise plan while they're visiting? Every time I stay with them I end up eating too much and hardly exercising at all, and I inevitably end up gaining a few pounds. Ugh.

    Please help!!!

    They are staying at your house? So you can cook what you normally would eat. If they don't like it they can go get themselves something else.

    Again with lunch, it's your house, so eat your lunch. If they don't want it, they don't have to eat it!

    Say you will eat out once or twice while they are staying, and make good choices....

    It's not so hard, don't make it into a drama when it isn't.
  • Crankstr
    Crankstr Posts: 3,958 Member
    Options
    or be flexible.

    stay within your calorie range, and maybe skip the lunch so you can enjoy more later, you may enjoy yourself more and stress less if you have the extra calories for later in the day.

    hope it is a nice visit!

    PS... nothing wrong with some popcorn, it is delicious.
  • BeachIron
    BeachIron Posts: 6,490 Member
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    Find balance for that week between your normal routine and theirs. You don't need to convert them, and they don't need to bring you back, just find a way to walk the middle path. Once they leave your house and your diet is completely yours again.

    Edit: I always find interesting places to put commas . . .
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
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    Plan your day and meals out... If they want a big dinner, make sure you are eating what you need to to get through the day and then add the meal in. No one says you cant have a decent meal with the family =)
  • bunnymum150
    bunnymum150 Posts: 311
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    is there a way that you can add them to your activity??? Perhaps touring a garden/park in addition to your workout? Deep down they will be proud of you for maintaining your new healthy living approach but may not be able to verbalize this in a positive way. I liked the comments about flexibility too:smile:

    try to enjoy your visit - we never know when we may see others again.......................... try to focus the individuals and really enjoying each individuals company:heart:
  • Francl27
    Francl27 Posts: 26,371 Member
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    Yep, just keep on doing what you would normally do. Talk to them, buy healthy food. Eating out can be good if you can pick a restaurant that has healthy options.

    The exercise part is tough though. My mom is coming to visit for a week next month and I'm planning on doing my home workouts at least, but they don't mind reading or going on Internet for a while and they go to bed early so I can do it after (even if it means taking things downstairs, as I usually use the guest room for working out).

    Or try and find some fun activities that require some walking to do, even if it's just an outlet mall or something.
  • JulesAlloggio
    JulesAlloggio Posts: 480 Member
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    Just a little food for thought... a nutritionist friend of mine told me that the CHEESECAKE FACTORY has awesome healthy food choices. She said that she would choose that place over anything!

    Just have a small bite of cheesecake to congratulate yourself on how well you will be doing with having family around =)
  • HollisGrant
    HollisGrant Posts: 2,022 Member
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    ...and staying for 7 days. I am finally doing really good with diet and exercise, but I'm really worried about how I'll fare once they are here. They like to eat big meals late at night, eating out a lot, lots of snacks, big bowls of popcorn, skipping lunch usually, etc. I do none of these! The one plus is that they do make pretty healthy food choices overall, when eating at home anyway. As for exercise, they occasionally walk but that's about it. I am much more active than that!

    I guess what I'm trying to say is how the hell do I stay on track with my diet and exercise plan while they're visiting? Every time I stay with them I end up eating too much and hardly exercising at all, and I inevitably end up gaining a few pounds. Ugh.

    Please help!!!

    I feel for you! I haven't read all the comments, so somebody may have suggested these things.

    I would be upfront with them, tell them you are _____________ (on a diet/getting your health under control, etc.), that you are having success with it, that they are welcome to eat whatever they want, but you want to stick to your diet. If you say this in a nice, friendly manner, it should take some pressure off you and they should understand.

    Have healthy food on hand for yourself, Make sure you are full and never get hungry.

    Drink water. I bought a 32 oz,. sport bottle that I fill with filtered water and lemon slices. Water takes the edge off hunger. That bottle can also give you something to hold in social settings and is a visible symbol to other people that something is changing for you.

    Best of luck!

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