How to go out while trying to lose weight?! I need help!

ericasires

I'm a 20 year old in college and I weigh 135 right now. I'm trying to lose weight and do strength training so I'm eating really clean. I've started to "eat clean" in February. About once a week I will eat bad throughout the day (even though most people wouldn't call it junk food). I feel especially in college its so hard to maintain a social life while working out and "dieting" (aka, eating healthy, which most of my friends think is a diet). Recently I have just felt like there is no way I can go out to parties or even to dinner with my friends because it's too hard to not eat junk. After a night of drinking beer, jungle juice, and all types of liquor most of my friends will go get food (pizza or fast food) and I just always feel like the one left out for not eating or drinking. But if I do drink then I just feel bad about myself the next day. I don't have the luxury of making my own drinks to limit the calorie so how do other people handle situations like this? I feel like I'm missing out on so much. Help/advice is needed please! Thanks for reading :-)

tatd_820

I eat out at least once or twice a week and when I do, I order off of the healthy side of the menu. Most places now include the calorie count on their low calorie options. As for drinks...I'm not a big drinker so I have nothing to offer. Maybe diet sprite/vodka or Diet punch with coconut rum?

amanda3588

When out at restaurants or bars and you want to order cocktails, always opt for vodka since its fairly low in calories. My drink of choice is a vodka/water and then I add my own crystal light mixers for flavor

1ConcreteGirl

Go out, eat and drink and be merry, log everything, and eat back only half your exercise calories for the next week. I have done this before, and it worked just fine.

Clear liquors have fewer calories than dark liquors, and around the time your friends are getting smashed, you can switch to water and nobody will notice.

Jentaylor0295

I think you can have a cheat meal but not necessarily a cheat day. If you want to have a night out and have "not the best for you food, go for it, BUT make sure your other meals are healthy and lo cal. Alcohol wise, I drink wine usually but do opt for vodka with diet tonic or diet 7UP to keep the cal count low. I truly believe that to be successful you have to have it all in moderation. I eat things that I know aren't the best options but i make sure that I'm eating clean 80-90 % of the time.

laserturkey

If your friends go to Jimmy John's, get an unwich and hold the mayo. If they go to Chipotle, get a salad and skip the vinaigrette. That's all I have to offer. :-/

koko12

if your friends dont support your clean diet efforts then they arent really friends. if they do support you, they wont care you drink water all night while out on the town

ChaosMoosie

Put MFP on your smart phone and "test drive" what you want to eat before you eat it, then modify as needed. It works if you do it.

I'm a 20 year old in college and I weigh 135 right now. I'm trying to lose weight and do strength training so I'm eating really clean. I've started to "eat clean" in February. About once a week I will eat bad throughout the day (even though most people wouldn't call it junk food). I feel especially in college its so hard to maintain a social life while working out and "dieting" (aka, eating healthy, which most of my friends think is a diet). Recently I have just felt like there is no way I can go out to parties or even to dinner with my friends because it's too hard to not eat junk. After a night of drinking beer, jungle juice, and all types of liquor most of my friends will go get food (pizza or fast food) and I just always feel like the one left out for not eating or drinking. But if I do drink then I just feel bad about myself the next day. I don't have the luxury of making my own drinks to limit the calorie so how do other people handle situations like this? I feel like I'm missing out on so much. Help/advice is needed please! Thanks for reading :-)

TinaBean007

I remember those years fondly and you're right. It's so hard. Especially on Sunday night when you take an inventory of the weekends shenanigans.

For the drinking part... I always stuck to beer because you never get just one serving of alcohol in a mixed drink from a bartender (whether at a party or the bar). If you're making you're own then it's easier to know exactly what is in it. Also, try to make sure you eat before you go out. That was always my downfall. We would have dinner at 7 but not go out until 11 and by 2:30/3am I was "starving" from the nights activities which involved a lot of walking and dancing. Try to to eat right before you leave. (Obviously something healthy- make sure it has complex carbs and protein) Then when the night progresses and you end up challenged with junk food, you'll have very little or none at all.

Also, above all, hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

Good luck!

MommaChocoLatte

I usually go out a couple times a month. When I drink, I usually get rum & diet-- its generally a low cal drink. As far as eating, if I know where we are going, I look up the nutritional info ahead of time and pre-plan my meal, no know has to know. And then I usually box up half my meal right away because chances are I wont be able to finish it anyway. That way even if it isnt the most low cal on the menu, if I only eat half it usually fits right into my day or it isnt as hard on the calories.

Even if you do have one off day, it wont hurt you. Just pick yourself up the next day. Get in some extra exercise and start all over again, you'll be ok.

TinaBean007

And one more thing, if you tend to hit up the same fast food places, keep a mental log of the "healthier" options on the menu. It's not great, but it's def better than the alternative which is piggy out and regretting it the next day.

Querian

There are some good suggestions here.

I would add: if you do drink try to limit the number of drinks to maybe 2, then you can enjoy a little without going overboard. My drink of choice is wine but that is personal preference. And it's okay if you don't want to drink at all. I know the peer pressure is hard but just keep saying, "Thanks, not right now, maybe later I'll have something."

As far as the late night eats go - I'm sure you can strive to make a reasonably healthy choice no matter where you go. I know it's tough watching friends eat burritos as big as your head while you have a salad or some refried beans but that's what you are going to have to do. And if you've been out partying all night just make just you've done a ton of walking or have gone dancing before the late night food so you can justify your late night snack!

And order what is going to be delicious to you as well as healthy. This is something I have had to work at. I eat mostly clean myself and like tonight we went out for dinner my husband had a half a chicken, fries and a beer while I ordered a salad, a half sandwich (roasted veggie) and a glass of wine. My dinner was awesome, especially my salad, and it wasn't overboard on the calories. It was also nutrient dense with all the veggies. Even the bread was whole grain. I could have made a lot worse a choice but I doubt I would have enjoyed anything else more. If your friends say "Why didn't go get a burger?" you don't have to say it was because you wanted a healthier choice, you can instead say "I was really in the mood for this cup of soup and it really hit the spot!"

craigmandu

If your friends are the party type (and most in college are) you are going to have some awkward times. Hell, I have awkward moments now with family, and I quit drinking alcohol in 2011....people "want" you to get smashed with them most of the time.

I would suggest to have a good meal before you go out. You'll be relatively full, so after a drink or two you will be really full. But if you're dancing alot, remember that's good exercise too, that's a buttload of cardio.

You can also alternate while out, 1 drink, 1 large water, etc....

jessgetshealthy

I have found looking at the menu of where I want to go + looking at nutritional info
for what I want is a big plus. It helps me stick to eating better and I don't have to
sit and fumble with a menu full of amazing, delicious, not so good for you stuff. I
already know what I want ahead of time.

matt2442

Go out and have fun. Log everything, and have no shame!

We are young...you know, like the song?

Mock_Turtle

Just pound Rye & Water

HollisGrant

I'm a 20 year old in college and I weigh 135 right now. I'm trying to lose weight and do strength training so I'm eating really clean. I've started to "eat clean" in February. About once a week I will eat bad throughout the day (even though most people wouldn't call it junk food). I feel especially in college its so hard to maintain a social life while working out and "dieting" (aka, eating healthy, which most of my friends think is a diet). Recently I have just felt like there is no way I can go out to parties or even to dinner with my friends because it's too hard to not eat junk. After a night of drinking beer, jungle juice, and all types of liquor most of my friends will go get food (pizza or fast food) and I just always feel like the one left out for not eating or drinking. But if I do drink then I just feel bad about myself the next day. I don't have the luxury of making my own drinks to limit the calorie so how do other people handle situations like this? I feel like I'm missing out on so much. Help/advice is needed please! Thanks for reading :-)

You're right. Eating for a healthy lifestyle doesn't mix with fast food and alcohol, especially when it happens frequently. People here made some good suggestions. I would also add good for you for being a strong person. Keep your eyes on your goals. Maybe you can make some new friends who are into a healthier lifestyle. Look for hiking clubs, running events, volunteer opportunities, etc. and branch out. Good luck.

DoubleClick88

I personally set my limits. I'm usually a one-drink person, and then I try to keep my orders fairly healthy (or I split the meal so I can take half home to eat the next day). I've also found people that aren't going to have a fit if I choose not to drink or I pick something healthier (some former friends of mine always tended to when I'd order something light, so I quit going out to eat with them, and since then, I've grown distant from them). True friends aren't going to complain.

For example, tonight a friend and I went out to eat (it's something we usually do on Tuesdays, but with the stress of finishing projects, "date night" got put on hold). The whole base was that we wanted to get margaritas to celebrate the end of semester, her graduation and a good interview with a good company and my success in obtaining a summer internship, so we both got lighter meals. We also workout a little extra as well (I walked to her house instead of getting a ride, which added another 1.75 miles + carrying a pack) and she did some pilates. It's something we only do once a week for one meal, so I don't see it throwing either one of us completely off.

sunnyhlw77

I agree with some of the posts about limiting your drinks. An interesting note from a study I recently read, if you mix your hard alcohol with a diet soda/pop you'll get more of a buzz. I can't remember the reasoning, I think it has something to do with sugars/carbs but I guess what I'm saying is you'll get more of a buzz for less drinks and calories.

vaquera19

A good tip I heard, in case it wasn't already posted: When you order your food, ask for a to-go box with it. When it comes, put half your food in the to-go box. It's a win-win: you don't over-eat, and you have left-overs tomorrow!