how do you manage social situation when you are counting?

I think it depends on your amount of self-control and how the rest of your week works. My loss tends to be slower and much less linear, but that's partly because I told my husband that I wasn't going to let it make social situations awkward or a cause of guilt or anything.

I'm allergic to Dairy, Soy and Gluten intollerant... it's easy to dismiss something I shoulldn't be eating because "I'm not sure what's in it and don't want to take a chance" or my usual line "I'm trying to cut down on my sugar... but they look delicious!"

Alcohol is a different story... but I don't get asked out to social situations much so I haven't had to decline...lol

if I want to enjoy the food or alcohol at a social situation then I exercise before and make sure I am calorie deficient before going.

This has come up with me. My boss and coworkers go out to eat and happy hour a lot. I have been declining and they reply with "you're SO boring"...even though I gained the 20 pounds I now have to lose by eating out and happy houring with them...lol! You can never win with this so just politely decline the invite when you know you're not going to work it off.... If they're your friend they'll get over it

Normally I just throw an extra work out or two into my week. Or I will volunteer to DD so my friends can get wasted and I can still have fun and just stay sober without making them feel awkward.

I was thinking that if I do, say zumba class for two days in the low that would get you about 1000 cal, so you can go out and have fun that weekend? is that REALLY goin to work??

No. That is almost certainly a large over-estimate on what you are burning.

If I don't want a drink, I just have a club soda or diet soda. It's a perfectly normal, natural choice.

HRM will also over-estimate burn for exercise programs like Zumba, 30DS, etc.

My girlfriends and I get together every week, sometimes twice a week for dinner/socialising and it almost ALWAYS involves a hearty wine and cheese board. Everyone is taking their journey differently, but I know some people save their extra calories burned for a cheat meal or indulgences, that way you can use those calories throughout the week, rather than on the day you burned the extra calories.

I am personally working on IIFYM so I aim for mine to fit in for the day, if I go over though I am not going to beat myself up, it is all part of the journey and it is a lifestyle change not a quick fix. Realistically after I have lost the weight I will still be socialising with friends so I need to learn to curb my 3 LARGE glasses of wine to 1 or 2 regular ones. Just have a think about your lifestyle if this is a weekely occurance try and fit it in you weekly calorie intake, that way if you don't socialise it is additional calories for you to do as you please and if you do socialise it is already accounted for.

definitely doing exercise daily helps to increase your calorie allowance but your best tool is go online and figure out how many calories a shot is. For example: I love Kahlua. One shot/one ounce is 90 calories. I forgo the cream and have it with coffee and lots of ice instead now. or a if you like beer go for the lighter options like bud select, etc. You can have diet pop with a shot of whatever you drink, you can opt for lots of limes with ice water or soda water. You can skip the creamy drinks/shots or the high sugar juice drinks and be smart and bring a packet of crystal light... just order a shot of whatever you like then ask for it to be in water/then add your packet. There are lots of ways to stay on track while still being social and living life. I use to go out all the time the last time I was losing weight and still lost consistently until my goal of - 60lbs. The key is to know before you go. THis also works when going out to eat, most foods and restaurants have nutritional info available- take advantage of that. When we go in blindly, its when we tend to say oh well and over do it. No matter what, just focus on having fun and keep track of what you drink. Try to fit in some dancing if you can, it burns calories while having a good time. :-)

I manage it by eating lighter earlier in the day/week if I know I'm going to be going out one day.

Two glasses of wine (which is enough to get most women loopy) is ~180-200 calories. If you drink a rum and diet coke or something like that it's even lower. That's not a whole lot and you can eat light earlier in the day if you're going out for a drink. Just avoid beer and sugary coctails.

The tough part is avoiding eating the food in restaurants.

I was always of the belief that I'd rather enjoy my life than be thin and miserable.

With that said, if I know that I am going out, I will hit the elliptical for more than the normal time or do an extra long video at home. I have a HRM so as I work out, I look down and think to myself "Oh yah baby! Just earned myself another rum and coke".

It's all about making it work!

I tend to be more of a big picture guy...going out and having some beers with my buddies on occasion isn't going to derail or otherwise impact anything at all. I've lost 40 Lbs while managing to enjoy myself...going out for drinks...indulging on holidays and special occasions, etc. You have to remember that these events are "occasions"...they aren't your every day. It's all about what you are doing 80% - 90% of the time...what you do 10% of the time is largely irrelevant to the whole.

I politely decline, and if asked say that it's part of a temporary dietary restriction, but I look forward to joining in the future.