I feel like healthy living ruins my social life..

If you are a health freak during the week, you can afford to let loose during the weekend. If i know I am going to have mexican food for dinner...I eat very very light during the day..so that way I know the damage cannot be that bad.I used to eat whatever I wanted without thinking about a nutrition label...but now that I eat healthy about 90% of the time (this will change to 80% when i am not trying to lose) when i do have a cheat day...it makes you adore it and savor it even more. Some people pick 1 day a week to eat like the typical American...just eye portion control, but not really care about the macros.

My goals are more important to me than how difficult it makes my life. If I go to a party or dinner, I bring a cooler/lunch bag with me. I get **** for it....but then again the same people that make fun of me are the ones asking for help/ telling me they are jealous. Pack and hide snacks for the theater, ask to go to a restaurant. find a healthy choice. There is always a way. Working out...well, I could have the most hectic day, but I will wake up earlier just to fit in my workout. I love what I am doing so much right now, I love it but I hate it. Flag nor Fail.

^^^^just became my favorite person.

You may have to "migrate" towards new friends. Now I have friends that I run with, ride bikes with, play golf with, go to the gym with, etc., instead of sitting around drinking and gettin' stupid. It's redefining "social life".

This. So well said. You can apply this to every aspect of your life. I have had to do this repeatedly throughout every milestone of my life, college, marriage, kids, etc. If the friends you have now, don't mesh well with your life and your goals, you need to add new ones. Keep the real true supportive friends, and replace the 'party', negative, distracting associates.

My goals are more important to me than how difficult it makes my life. If I go to a party or dinner, I bring a cooler/lunch bag with me. I get **** for it....but then again the same people that make fun of me are the ones asking for help/ telling me they are jealous. Pack and hide snacks for the theater, ask to go to a restaurant. find a healthy choice. There is always a way. Working out...well, I could have the most hectic day, but I will wake up earlier just to fit in my workout. I love what I am doing so much right now, I love it but I hate it. Flag nor Fail.

This is the best! When I go out I usually eat before I go so that I am not hungry when I get to the place a grilled chicken salad and water does the trick as I am not hungry anyways but still in the social picture. Same at work when the donuts come or there is meetings with food I ask that they have fruit available or even nuts. Some people do understand and yes most people that are my friends are jealous of my workouts and fitness and "persistancy"

Do you run? Find a local running club and you'll meet a lot of really nice people who you have something in common with.

Since I was home schooled and acquired my GED at a young age, I never went out much, which led to me losing most of my friends because I was always too busy with school. Now I don't go out much either, mostly because I don't like the kind of foods my friends like eating (going to pizza parlors, or fast food joints, the movie theater...not healthy) But you can definitely go out with friends and do plenty of things that don't involve eating! If they're not encouraging about your food choices, then yes, find a different, more supportive group of friends!

Partying is over rated. Even when I was 18 I could never find enjoyment in going out every weekend and drinking ("partying"). You're not missing much (except a hangover), so I wouldn't consider living a healthier lifestyle to be "ruining".

Agreed. I'm 24 and my idea of a party is hanging with my friends with video games and netflix (Doctor Who anyone?).

Though I do agree with the OP somewhat. I do so well with eating healthy and then when I hang with y friends, I binge on chips, ice cream, burgers, candy. ANd then I feel awful so I put in extra gym time the next day

i will have a few drinks for ya.

I take things to the extreme and working for a good body is what i have been focusing on for awhile.... I have depression, but i feel like my goals are just making it all worse.... I am a young, and i used to be spontaneous and fun.... but now i feel like the opposite. And food seems to be a huge cause! I feel soooooooo bad if i eat something that is not extremely healthy... And i stay home a lot, while most people my age are out partying... I really need some advice of how to balance my social life and my health out!!!

A. Most restaurants have some sort of healthy food choice. If there is a steak option I go for that and exchange my chips for extra salad or vegetables.

B. If you're worried you are isolating yourself then you need to try and break the pattern. When I had this problem I set myself the small goal of leaving the house twice a day, every day. Even if it was just a walk to the shops or coffee with a friend/work colleague.

I also agree that this may be beyond the scope of what advice you can get on MFP and it may be better to talk to a health professional or trusted family member/friend who knows you and your patterns of behaviour.

It sounds to me that you need to start looking at your relationship with food and start to take your power back around food rather than giving it power. Stop labeling foods as good or bad and start thinking about them as healthier and less healthy. Also plan when you are going to make unhealthier choices, just like you are probably planning all of your healthier choices. This way you can participate with food in a way that is balanced and doesn't make you feel awful. Also if you want to have dessert or appies, see if your friends want to split the high calorie options. Also ask for half portions to be served if you are not splitting and pack the rest before it come to the table.

When you are going out with friends and socializing, help choose the place that you feel comfortable going to. Look at menus before you go and make choices from home rather than out so you are not tempted by other food choices. If you want to have a drink or two, always cut with club soda or diet option and have a water in between any drinks to keep calories low.

J

Partying is over rated. Even when I was 18 I could never find enjoyment in going out every weekend and drinking ("partying"). You're not missing much (except a hangover), so I wouldn't consider living a healthier lifestyle to be "ruining".

Ahh okay ha. And I already did go through a party phase and I pretty much did quit because it got boring... But i'm shy and alcohol makes me fun... So i feel like this is the only way to socialize. Plus i feel weird saying i dont want to drink... People make a big deal out of it

I sometimes secretly don't drink, if you've got a lime and soda, everyone will just presume there's vodka in it! Also, if I'm going to someones house for dinner, they're a good friend. So I tell them I'm eating healthily, and ask them if they can accommodate that. If not, I ask what we're having, and work my butt off so I can have it with them. We do sometimes go out with my partners friends, so I can't plan in advance, so I put in a big workout before, and then another the next day if I need to balance things out any more.

Hope that helps a bit!

when you become an adult, you get to make your own decisions, and in theory, you ought to have enough sense not to be peer-pressured into anything. You do not have to "secretly" not drink.

Honestly, I always find this topic bizarre. I have never in my life noticed people reacting oddly toward me when I decline a drink, fries, pizza, or whatever. I have all kinds of friends -- fit, fat, partiers and straight-and-narrow folks. I don't recall ever being criticized or belittled for working out, or choosing a salad instead of a burger.

Even in college, I would attend parties and not drink (they always had beer--I hate beer), and I don't remember anyone saying anything, much less teasing me about it.

You should look into joining the "don't give a *kitten* club". Membership is free.

I havent noticed this either, either I have great friends or I dont give a f!!! either way, we get along just fine...

I have absolutely no idea what you're talking about.

I know how you feel I am always afraid to go out with people cuz they always want to include alcohol or junk food or go out to restaurants alll the time!! It is annoying because they will spontaneously ask me to go out to eat but I can't just blow like 1200 cals on one meal cuz they insist on going out to eat instead of going to the park or something and then when I do try to get something better to eat as an alternative they whine and complain that I'm being a party pooper -_- So i budge and get something to make them feel comfortable and then I am way over for the day and end up punishing myself trying to do damage control. So I just stopped going with people all together. For certain occasions I will plan out a cheat day/meal but other than that I can't balance things out either.

I dunno, if they're gonna talk down to you for ordering something healthy, i wouldnt let that get to you Just imagine all the fat they're consuming and how lean you're body will stay:-)