help family party

carrrneeee

Awesome that you know ahead of time how many calories you're "budgeting," and it's a benefit that you know your family's party cuisine and can anticipate what will be served.

I would ONLY advocate strict avoidance of a food IF you have worked very hard to stay off of it and are extremely committed to avoiding it. For example, let's say you just came off of a grueling 14 days sugar detoxification in which you went cold turkey off of every substance that ends in -ose. It wouldn't make sense to undue that work with a fleeting dessert, especially since by then the cravings would have passed.

If you have NOT entered into a regimen this restrictive, I recommend you plan to enjoy your favorite foods within the day's calorie count. Another example, I started a diet right before my wedding. I KNEW I was not going to pass up the exquisite wedding cake or lovely food I'd ordered--to do so would have made me feel monumentally deprived. I decided ahead of time what I would put on my plate and in what proportions (I even pre-logged it on mfp), and even built in calories the next two days for leftover cake.
:-) I realize this approach might appall some, but I went on to lose 38 lbs in the next several months because I didn't backslide into self-recrimination and bingeing (this ain't my first rodeo).

In additional to all other strategies you employ :-) you might consider bringing along a Get-Out-of-Jail-Free dish to supplant the festive spread. We all have foods that we know we can relax a bit on portions with no problems--maybe it's an assortment of beautifully arranged multi-colored vegetables with yogurt dip. This can be important if you know there won't be much food of this type.

Whatever you decide, you've already won by thinking it through consciously beforehand.

Best,
Lisa

I will sometimes drink a protein shake before going somewhere like this, that way I am not starving and out of control when I get there!