Jeeeeeese give yourselves a break!

That said, if you are going to a special event and have decided you don't want to splurge, I advise you to keep your mouth shut about your decision, don't wear a long face and act all deprived!

I'm all up for healthy alternatives but think about the Host on the other side, and life's to short!

Fat host offers me crap food, sure I'll put some on my plate. Always have, always will. Doesn't mean I'll eat it, because life's too short to eat crap food when I don't want to.

Since I count my calories, I know (with decent accuracy) how much I can afford to eat. There's pretty much no food that I will avoid, especially if it's a once-a-month or once-a-week deal. I can eat a 12oz ribeye steak no problem, as long as I understand that it uses up half of my daily caloric limit and that I need to eat light for the rest of the day. If it's a very special occasion I can even (gasp!) exceed the limit and make it a cheat day.

My wife doesn't count her calories, so she has to be rather picky with what she eats. But, she's not a killjoy who would rain on a BBQ by refusing to eat then whine about it. She would eat because she knows she can always burn it off the next day.

Well done to everyone losing weight and trying so hard etc.

but you are all going to hate me for saying this............

I'm sick of seeing people whinging about family occasions, BBQs, parties etc and oooooooh what can they avoid eating during that time and what else shall they bring/maybe even turn down the invite?
Tip- go to the gym before and then the day after! Live a little for gods sake!

I had a BBQ last Friday, loads of yummy food i prepp'd that I cooked and paid for and 2 of the 4 people that were there......didn't eat anything because they were fussing over putting weight on ( they are the perfect weight and im heavier than them) its so rude, i wish they hadn't bothered coming!
I spend six days of the week being careful and working out so i deserve a treat!

I've been away from mfp for a week due to being ill and being generally too busy, and i actually feel better and less guilty for it!

Hardly anyone that's on here can seem to ever enjoy themselves properly!

I'm all up for healthy alternatives but think about the Host on the other side, and life's to short!

I understand that you took the time and effort and money to pay for the food at your BBQ but I'm assuming you knew the two people (friends?) that were coming and that they might have an issue with what you were serving? You say they should not have been rude and I agree with that but at the same time maybe you could have added a few inexpensive items/healthy alternatives to your menu so that they could enjoy the bbq as much as you did:)
Again, I truly understand what you are saying and I will go to a bbq and just eat smaller portions of what is being served and as a guest I would not complain but if these are people you knew already didn't you have an idea they would act this way? Just wondering. Besides, not everybody has willpower or control over how much they eat and it seems nowadays that more and more restaurants and parties offer a choice or if grilling I would grill chicken and burgers? Just a suggestion. Or next time you can let them know what you are serving and instead of changing your menu give them the option to bring a dish or two so they won't be fickle over what you are serving

While I agree completely that people should eat what they want and do the work to make them happy with their bodies, I believe your logic is flawed. Everyone has different eating habits, whether they are on a diet or not. My mother-in-law is allergic to gluten. If I have invited her to a function I make sure there is something available for her because that is the host's job. If you they are your friends and you were aware of their diet, why would you try to make them eat food they are not currently eating? By the sound of your comment that "they don't need to diet" it sounds like perhaps you were being a little judgy and perhaps unhappy with yourself for eating that food?

Also, since when is there not halfway diet friendly food at a BBQ? You can quite easily create a wonderful BBQ with leaner foods, veggies, grill chicken, even burgers aren't that bad if you skip the high fat condiments.

Not to put too fine a point on it, but I didn't see where the OP said what she served. For all you know, that IS what she served and her guests still complained. Some people are just obnoxious. A couple of bites wouldn't have killed them. They could have offset it by drinking a bit less beer.

People need to do what works for them. I don't let my diet go on special occasions. I can't have gluten, so eating whatever I want isn't an option anyway. The important thing for me is that special occasions are for celebrating with friends and family, not just for eating.

I completely agree. I think a lot of people on this site just genuinely don't understand how calorie counting works. They're so used to fad diets that force restriction, that they think one day going over their goal will ruin alllll their hard work.

I stop counting calories periodically for this very reason. I think it's great to lose weight and get healthy, but I don't think living a "healthy lifestyle" should EVER get in the way of actually enjoying your life. If it starts getting that way for me, I stop calorie counting for a couple weeks and enjoy myself. And guess what? I've never put on any weight by doing this...

I do what I want when I want...

I've read this and posts that followed. If you host a BBQ and know your friends are on a diet like you, then healthy alternatives might have been a way to go. They could have pig out if they knew everything was on the healthy side. What this boils down to is money, you probably would have saved money if they didn't bother showing up by only buying for the people who showed up. If they are your friends and you enjoy them there, what does it matter if they didn't eat. I'm pretty sure you have someone whose not on a diet that the food could be given too so it's not wasted.

How do you expect them to enjoy themselves if they're forced into eating something just to fit in? I agree that people shouldn't beat themselves up for having a cheat meal or day, but they don't NEED to. If I felt like I was going to be judged for eating/not eating a certain way, I wouldn't go to the social gathering. If you knew your friends were on a diet, couldn't you have anticipated this a bit?

If I was stressed about people critiquing the way I was eating, I'd drink too.

Just sayin'.