Handling Celebrations

mlsmathias
mlsmathias Posts: 21
edited September 23 in Health and Weight Loss
My birthday was yesterday 37! WooooHoooo! I am happy and excited about life, and ready to take on my next year with the mission of getting fit and loosing the lbs.
However...My family and Friends all love to celebrate by taking you out to eat, or by just eating eating eating eating....They do not feel like it is a proper meal if you didn't visit the buffet at least twice before desert!
I love to eat....that is what got me in this mess....I hate to be rude and not eat, or eat "like a Rabbit". They all act as if they understand....but have you all ever gotten that feeling that some of your family or friends are on their own little mission of Sabotage?
How do you all handle celebrations that are wrapped in food?

Replies

  • kimballtracy
    kimballtracy Posts: 94
    i dont have any advice but i celebrate everything with a meal..friends come over ..i cook....kids birthday parties..i cook....inlaws come up we cook a big meal..every stinking holiday....im not sure if its a southern thing...the first thing that comes out of my mouth when people come over is "are you hungry/ you want something to drink?....i need to change!
  • skinnyme125
    skinnyme125 Posts: 396 Member
    nothing wrong with food and eating it for a celebration. A day here and there of more calories than usuall is good for you to help boost your matabolism. It is tends to be more frequently than you are comfortable with then just try to pick the healier choices on the buffet. Start with a large salad, then move on to a bunch of vegies of any kind. Do fruit for desert instead of icre cream or pie. IT is workable and eat slowly. This gives the body time to digest the food and also makes it look like you are eating mroe that way you don't feel rude.
    Trust me there are people out there that will try to ruin your sucess. Don't let them pressure you. And if you do then just get back on the wagon the next day. You should be fine. YOU WILL PREVAIL>
  • amylanphierd
    amylanphierd Posts: 20 Member
    Both my husbands and my families are the same way. I am learning to just take a sampling of all the fantastic food. One or two bites gives you the feeling you are enjoying the whole meal, but still can maintain your lower calorie goals. Also, I have found that by using a smaller plate makes it seem like you are filling up, but portions are much smaller.
  • MelanieP_TX
    MelanieP_TX Posts: 159 Member
    Since it is your Birthday why don't you choose the restaurant- I know that Applebees has a specific menu for staying under 550 calories- Or if you are looking for a healthier place maybe you already have one in mind- or suggest a Birthday Walk?? If you have access to a TCBY I know they have delicious Frozen low-fat yogurt cakes! Start with a light breakfast and light lunch this way you can stay within your calorie goal. That will be the best B-Day gift you can give yourself, knowing you stayed in control!! You can do this! xo Or just go out for dessert or a drink and have dinner at home.
  • hope_khm
    hope_khm Posts: 26
    First off, quit worrying about what others think. This is your body, and your fitness goal, I suspect like a lot of us out there in want to loose weight land - that's what got you to this point in the first place! That being said, there is NO reason you can't celebrate with food! Do you know the best menu choices at your favorite places??? BJ's Brewery has the best healthy/low cal fish taco plate which includes 2 fish taco's and a small pile of tortilla chips and salsa. Mind you their low cal choices are buried at the back of the menu almost last page.... Caution about Applebee's salad's - you would be shocked. Check online and do some research. If you have a choice you pick the place and decide ahead of time what you are going to have. Maybe even plan to share a dessert with someone - or if you can work in the calories (extra exercise calories??) go ahead and enjoy one yourself. My sister (TrainerRobin on MFP) puts her dinner points in early in the day to help plan what she is going to have for breakfast and lunch. SMART!! She's lost 50+ pounds so I know this works. If you don't have the opportunity to pick the place then check the menu ahead of time and decide what you will order. If in doubt, get a 6oz steak, salad with dressing on the side and LOTS of fresh vegetables of the day steamed (preferably). If the party is at a home, then you have a few choices - bring some celebration dishes with you (check out Hungry Girl Happy Hour Cookbook - for fabulous low cal appetizer and cocktail recipes) or choose carefully. If you imagine people want you to eat more - ah that's just silly. Sure, they might be envious of your new shape and resolve - they will get over it!! Good luck on your getting healthy journey!!!
  • NoAdditives
    NoAdditives Posts: 4,251 Member
    There's nothing wrong with food being part of a celebration. It's not the food itself that is the problem, it's the type of food and how much you eat. Even less healthy restaurant food and a dessert are fine once in a while. If it were me in your situation, I'd go out to dinner with everyone and I wouldn't worry about what I ate. One meal isn't going to hurt your long term goals. If you can't give yourself a break for a special occasion, when will you give yourself a break? I also believe that unless you plan on never eating at a restaurant or having a dessert ever again, you can got out to eat and have sweets occasionally while you're losing the weight. Doing that will help you to keep your eating habits under control once you've lost the weight.

    I've been off sugar for almost a month but I'll be having a dessert on Valentine's Day. I'm also making cupcakes for my math class. (I love baking!) When my son's birthday comes around I'll mostly stick to the fruit and vegetable trays but I'll have some chips, pigs in a blanket, and whatever other "bad" food we'll have. (It's a baseball themed birthday.) I'll also have cake. But, I'll make sure that our guests go home with most of the cake!
  • rockabyesarojane
    rockabyesarojane Posts: 471
    i'd like to know how to handle this situation as well.
  • mlsmathias
    mlsmathias Posts: 21
    I feel I gave off the wrong impression. I can handle the food and eating out...and would love to have a big group dinner with all the family and friends/party. However that was not a part of the picture this year, so each and everyone is wanting to set up a dinner or lunch date...this is also fine...not meaning to sound ungrateful in any way.
    I am from a large family of very over weight/obese people I love each and everyone of them, however I have always been the smallest in the family, automatically making me the "Goodie too Shoes" as they love to call me. They act as if they resent me for being smaller. I am 225 and work hard to be this small! Which is not small at all at 5'5. When they see me getting ready for a bike ride, or a hike, I get all sorts of condescending remarks for my efforts.
    Guess that is why I am throwing myself in to MFP my husband and the bike club are my only sources of moral support.
    Just wish there was a way to celebrate without food. I need to keep my mind out of the celebration by food thinking and celebrate by making fun memories of adventures etc.
    My family gathers around the table for everything...Just looking to retrain my self into a new way of thinking/living.
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