what are your ways of fighting off unhealthy food cravings at someones house?

shesacloud
shesacloud Posts: 5 Member
edited November 2024 in Health and Weight Loss
I find it very hard to eat healthy at my boyfriends house; his family eats very unhealthy things (pizza, pasta, burgers, they do a lot of baking..) as much as i love his moms cooking, how do i stay motivated at his house? I'm at his house quite a lot.

Replies

  • strong_curves
    strong_curves Posts: 2,229 Member
    You can eat a burger, pizza, etc as long as you're eating under your calorie goal. Or you can just not eat at his house.
  • bpetrosky
    bpetrosky Posts: 3,911 Member

    Strategy 1: Bring your own food. If they say anything, just politely say you are trying to keep within your calorie limits and it is easiest if you eat your own meals.
    Strategy 2: Don't fight it, just have a portion that fits within your calorie goals. A normal sized slice of pizza and unsweetened iced tea can be very easy to fit in your calorie budget.

    Remember, a lot of "unhealthy" foods are perfectly ok if it is in moderation. Unless you have particular sensitivities, allergies, or medical conditions, there is no reason to cut out whole categories.
  • gothchiq
    gothchiq Posts: 4,590 Member
    Apples, salads, string cheese, low cal soups, chew gum, drink sugar free energy drinks. You may have to provide some of these things for yourself as an alternative to the junk they eat, or as a first course so that you have just one slice of pizza, just one cookie, etc after eating your healthy foods. I know it's hard. My inlaws live on fatty fried crap and even the veggies there are soaked in grease. I always feel sick after eating there even if I only take a little. X( Eat something healthy before you go over there. I hope they're not the type to deliberately work against your efforts to lose weight. My mom finds out I'm eating healthy, and next thing you know she's trying to give me ice cream!
  • MomTo3Lovez
    MomTo3Lovez Posts: 800 Member
    shesacloud wrote: »
    I find it very hard to eat healthy at my boyfriends house; his family eats very unhealthy things (pizza, pasta, burgers, they do a lot of baking..) as much as i love his moms cooking, how do i stay motivated at his house? I'm at his house quite a lot.

    Pizza, pasta and burgers aren't that bad as long as you can fit them into your deficit, if you like them and want them that is, if you don't care for that stuff then maybe offer to bring a dish or a salad when you go there. And it's the same with the baking, you can have baked goods again if you want, and for that option you can always bring over a fruit salad.
  • zyxst
    zyxst Posts: 9,149 Member
    Have some in a reasonable amount that will fit in your calorie goal. Or don't eat the food.
  • shesacloud
    shesacloud Posts: 5 Member
    Thanks for the feedback! I don't feel like 'not eating' is a very good option tho. because i stay at his house for long periods of time. Like a lot of you have mentioned, what i have been trying to do is eat very small portions of what they make. I also try and drink more water than usual to fill me up
  • kickassbarbie
    kickassbarbie Posts: 286 Member
    Bring a awesome salad premade0 to his house for everyone to eat with the pizza and burgers or whatever.

    You've an have extra salad to fill you up with a small serving of whatever they are eating, plus you get brownie points with his family for bringing food.
  • KrissyRawrz
    KrissyRawrz Posts: 342 Member
    I have a healthy snack before I go to someones house
  • Lounmoun
    Lounmoun Posts: 8,423 Member
    By long periods of time do you mean spending 5 hours there, a whole day or a week at a time?
    If you know you will be there at a meal time try to have enough calories left for the kind of food they eat. Take some food to share. Eat the portion sizes that fits your plan. Decline unplanned baked goods politely or ask to take one home for tomorrow if it won't fit your day. Drink water. Chew gum. Ask what they are having in advance so you can plan ahead. Offer to cook. Be too busy to eat the whole time. Get some extra exercise. Accept that you will lose weight slower if you go over your calorie limit by too much too often.
  • DirrtyH
    DirrtyH Posts: 664 Member
    As I've seen many people say here, willpower is a muscle. You have to exercise it for it to get stronger.

    Everyone above has given good advice, I just mean to add that it gets easier. I had this problem - I would go to my sister's house every Sunday and she always made dinner and had all kinds of treats available and I found it very difficult to stay on track on Sundays. I would just eat everything.

    But now that I've been doing this for awhile, I'm more able to just eat one treat, or have a smaller portion of the dinner rather than just stuff my face mindlessly the entire time.
  • LDXOXO
    LDXOXO Posts: 1 Member
    shesacloud wrote: »
    I find it very hard to eat healthy at my boyfriends house; his family eats very unhealthy things (pizza, pasta, burgers, they do a lot of baking..) as much as i love his moms cooking, how do i stay motivated at his house? I'm at his house quite a lot.

    Eat before you go (something healthy, high in protein and fiber) and explain your health and fitness goals. They should understand. I did that with my boyfriend's parents and his mother even got on board with what I was doing and made healthier options for us separately. When I diet I have to cut down on carbs and then eliminate them completely and after about a month the cravings will go away but it is HARD. REALLY HARD but it's SO worth it! And after you get to your goal weight you can reintroduce certain foods (as long as your body doesn't react poorly). After eating clean for a month you won't want the bad foods anymore because you will have learned how they make you feel..bad!
  • athenasurrenders
    athenasurrenders Posts: 278 Member
    kickassbarbie wrote: »
    Bring a awesome salad premade0 to his house for everyone to eat with the pizza and burgers or whatever.

    You've an have extra salad to fill you up with a small serving of whatever they are eating, plus you get brownie points with his family for bringing food.

    Yes, do this. If you're spending a lot of meal times there you are presumably contributing to the food anyway, so bring a lighter side dish, make them your own lower cal version of their usual meals to share (not in a preachy way, just that your home-made pizza will happen to be lower in calories) or chip in cash when they order takeout and ask them to get you a grilled chicken burger instead of a greasy fried one.

    And also, what the others said about having some in moderation. If you know you're gonna be there for pizza night, work it into your plan.
  • SLLRunner
    SLLRunner Posts: 12,942 Member
    edited May 2015
    strong_curves wrote: »
    You can eat a burger, pizza, etc as long as you're eating under your calorie goal. Or you can just not eat at his house.

    Yep.

    Or, eat only half a burger and smaller portions of everything else, or choose only a few items of the meal you want, or simply choose to say no.

    No food is unhealthy in and of itself, it's all just food. Moderation is the key. However, if you feel that it's unhealthy for you, that's another thing.

    You have the power over food, food has no power of you. :)

    ETA:

    I disagree with explaining why you are eating a certain way. Just don't say anything, because otherwise it could lead to uncomfortable conversations.

    I also disagree with bringing your own food, unless you want to bring something that everyone else can enjoy as well. :)
  • d1664256
    d1664256 Posts: 18 Member
    Be honest about your diet and ask for help (no teasing or tempting; maybe fetching something different just for your plate). Willpower doesn't work; it's like asking how to avoid having an affair when you're already naked and in bed. Friends and family need to support each other.
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