how do you have a social life and lose weight?
morenita71
Posts: 137 Member
I signed up over a week ago and have been away (to France) and out and about and not keeping my diary. This was a particularly bad week but generally I really enjoy socialising and eating out. I know the obvious thing is to cut back but life's short! I've tried to make lower cal choices - no fries, leaving stuff on my plate and drinking G&Ts (slim-line) or wine instead of lager. But would love some tips from others who are also partial to a bit of socialising at the same time as trying to lose weight,,,, Are there people who do both or do a I really have to join a nunnery for a few months,,,? Thanks for any comments.
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Replies
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when u go out 2 eat order the sampler appetizer 4 ur meal. they have a little bit of everythin & it's plenty of food for 1-2ppl.
drink lots of water when u're eatin.
also if u do order an entree ask 4 a to-go box also. & split it and put at LEAST half if not more & put part of it in the box b4 u even start 2 eat.0 -
I'd love to see the replies to this one. I'm dating and it's been so hard to lose weight. Going out to eat on dates makes it very difficult or visiting friends.0
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I have been able to juggle both...the losing weight thing and having a social life...I just am very dilligent about counting my calories no matter what I am doing. Have been able to go to several BBQs, to a festival and baseball game and out on the town for my birthday and managed to keep it all in perspective. It takes discipline I will admit and every one is different! Tell your friends (and if they are good friends they will support you) that you are trying to watch what you eat when you go out with them, encourage them to join you in your exercises or do some fun exercising together like a Zumba class or hiking one weekend. I wish you lots of luck in your weight loss journey!!!0
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go for things like baked, broiled, grilled.
stay away from fried, battered
get dressings on the side, you can also ask to cook without butter/oil.
get wheat bread when possible. every place you go will have something.0 -
What I've been trying lately (and works wonderfully) is to eat lower-calorie foods before going out. Like vegetables. Then when I'm out, I can still enjoy what I'm eating, but eat much less.0
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I've been doing this a little over a month. My husband and I love to go out and socialize which includes lots of eating and some drinking : ). What I do is try to plan a lighter day for breakfast and lunch, and get a really good workout in if I know I am going out. This helps me have more calories for dinner or whenever we usually go out. Also, when I am out and about I use the Android App for MFP. This app REALLY helps me because I can enter the food/wine/beer as we are out and not have to worry about it later. Other things I tell myself are that if I load up on the bread basket, no appetizer. If I do eat an appetizer and dinner, no dessert. If I just have dinner (no bread or appetizer) then, I can have dessert : ). It's all about trying to balance things out so that you don't feel deprive and you can still go out and have fun!0
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I've been doing this a little over a month. My husband and I love to go out and socialize which includes lots of eating and some drinking : ). What I do is try to plan a lighter day for breakfast and lunch, and get a really good workout in if I know I am going out. This helps me have more calories for dinner or whenever we usually go out. Also, when I am out and about I use the Android App for MFP. This app REALLY helps me because I can enter the food/wine/beer as we are out and not have to worry about it later. Other things I tell myself are that if I load up on the bread basket, no appetizer. If I do eat an appetizer and dinner, no dessert. If I just have dinner (no bread or appetizer) then, I can have dessert : ). It's all about trying to balance things out so that you don't feel deprive and you can still go out and have fun!0
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That is the million dollar question! I find myself turning down invites because I know there will be temptations...I'm hoping to find a happy medium soon. I have been known to pack healthy snacks and take them with me.
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Ignore the bread basket. Split dessert 3 ways. Have a salad instead of a fried appetizer. Also, I try to only eat out with friends 1x/week. Often we will cook in together which is fun. My social life has not suffered. Have a little bit of everything, just eat less. 0
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What I found when going to the bar is to order things that are more calorie friendly than not...
1. My doctor said clear liquors are best, especially vodka. If you get a vodka and diet soda or club soda, then you're not really ingesting too many caloies.
2. I always eat a healthy food before going so I don't have too much of an urge to order the greasy food there.
3. Every once in a while you're going to cheat, but I see it as my reward. If my friends and I go to a pizza place on the boardwalk, I'll get a slice of pizza... but not eat 3 slices like I used to. And I'll order water with my order instead of soda.
4. Drink plenty of water before and after drinking... you might break the seal early, but it definitely helps, and prevents a hangover!
5. Stay away from beer and darker liquors like rum, they seem to be pretty loaded with cals.0 -
Exercise, exercise, exercise!! For me that is the only way to keep a healthy weight because I too like to eat, drink and be merry. If I exercise regularly I stay fairly slim. If I stop exercising, I gain weight.
I should note that I'm not looking for a supermodel figure and will never get one with my current diet/exercise routine. But if I can keep my body healthy and my clothes size in the single digits and still party with my friends and family, then I'm a happy camper. 0 -
I have been making a life-change, rather than a diet. I've lost 9 pounds so far, and I still eat french fries and drink beer. When I go out to eat, I'll split an order of fries, if I can. People are usually eager to help you out with them.
Or I simply wrap up half of my meal and eat it the next day at lunch. For beer, I work it into my calorie goals for the day. I may eat a light lunch on Friday to give me room for 2 Stella or something similar. Or on a special occassion Sam's Summer Ale (which is 200+ cals or so, depending on the serving/draft size). 0 -
I totally know what you are saying! It seems nearly impossible to get a meal out for less than 1000 calories... roughly my entire daily allotment! I've been trying to get together with friends later in the evening after we have all eaten and just either going for a walk or for sno cones... which are still not great but a lot better on the wasteline the eating the whole meal our... Ask a bunch of ladies if they want to go walking with you instead of eating out... I'm not doing that every morning for an hour... but doesnt seem as much like working out when you talking with the girls a couple friends and I walk 3+ miles every morning... ran 8 blocks of it this morning and burned 450 calories and still got just as much socializing in as if we had went out to eat somewhere... I'm sure they will like what it does to their wasteline too 0
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Maybe you can eat b4 you go out- then just choose low cal foods like shrimp or veggies and drink low carb alcohol w/ diet soda? While ordering out just ask thing to be prepared the way you need them to be, most restaurants will oblige. Eating out is definitely not as fun as it used to be. :ohwell: But smaller jeans and normal blood pressure definitely make up for it! :happy:0
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That is the million dollar question! I find myself turning down invites because I know there will be temptations...I'm hoping to find a happy medium soon. I have been known to pack healthy snacks and take them with me.
No, don't turn down invites! Life is too short! The advice of using the app to track while you're out is very helpful and also splitting things you order with other friends at the table.0 -
Your doing the right thing, make healthy choices, that is always a step in the right direction. When we go out I plan ahead. If I am unable to, I opt for the healthier choices and use portion control (I never eat the thing, usually half or less). If you are drinking have a glass of wine and then a glass a water, alternating. Water helps flush out your system and keep you hydrated.
Also, you say you are visiting France, so are you walking around visiting places? Walking is a great form of exercise and it will help burn those calories sampling the food and wine!
You can fit in exercises anywhere, like squats while brushing your teeth or crunches while watching TV, I legged squats while on a train...etc. The little things do ad up! 0 -
Minimize calories early in days you go out, add exercise to balance it out and try not to drink every time you go out.....alcohol is a big blocker for weight loss, as an empty calorie food itself and the more you drink the less you remember to make wise food choices.
Life IS short but it is shorter if you are unhealthy 0 -
You don't have to give up your social life at all! When you order your food, order small portions,salads, un-fried stuff.... like another user said..take half home... drink lots of water... don't make drinking alcohol/pop a habit it will only cause you to gain, put a strict limit on it... You don;t have to just eat to socialize either...get your friends to join a yoga or other exercise class, go hiking, camping...Go out dancing, burn some calories on the dance floor! Karaoke is a good socializer too, leave out the bad food fill yourself with a good meal before going out.... Goodluck 0
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Try dieting while on a beer league when all the team goes to the bar after to drink. I always take a water bottle with me and tell everyone I feel dehydrated and keep filling up the water bottle to keep me from starting on beer.
For cook-outs and eating out with friends, I drink water and eat something filling before I go out with them, then am sure to drink water and eat light (naked chicken and salad). Most people do not pay attention or really could care less, the only person to convince you don't need the fattening foods is yourself. The pre-fill concept really works. In fact, they have fill bars you can buy specifically to do that...fill you up so you don't eat much.
If you have friends or your date that is worth seeing again, they will support you with meeting your goals.0 -
I've hosted the odd dinner party with friends. As a young 20-something (okay.. late 20s) having people over and cooking them something yummy seems to be a bit if a novelty! I can whip out new recipes I've been dying to try - serve myself the exact portion I know I can have - and my friends seem to enjoy the healthy food full of real flavours and lots of vegies. It doesn't cost a fortune either which is a nice change from some fancy restaurant where your dinner doesn't even fill the plate....0
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If you know where you are going before you go, check out that company's website if it has nutritional information. A lot of the chain restaurants do. If you have the chance to suggest where to go (in case your friend didn't just call you out of the blue and tell you to come down and hang out) then suggest someplace where you know that you can get something that will fit into your day. A good example from my own experience is one of my friends here at work suggested we go out for lunch one day. I wanted to go but he wanted to go to Subway. That's not the world's best place for a vegetarian. So I suggested we go a little further away to an area where there is a pasta place and a burrito place right across from one another. He had a huge burrito and a soda. I got a huge glass of water, a bowl of pasta loaded with veggies and a tomato-cucumber salad. We ate outside because it was a beautiful day. And I came back with half of my pasta still in the bowl to eat another time. Best of both worlds!
When it comes to drinking, I'm not a big fan of alcohol so this bit is a little easier for me. But, I do like to have a drink once in awhile, and when you're in a social situation like that, it's tough to say "no" all the time. So, generally, what I do is sit down and order a glass of water while I look over the drink menu. I pick out something that's unique to the place (I know one place that does a pineapple drink that rocks!) or something that just sounds really good. I order that...with my dinner. Not alone. I drink my drink, eat my food, drink some more water...and I try to observe the one hour between drinks rule. If you're out to dinner with friends, you can easily spend 2 hours eating, drinking and chatting. But if you get your drink in the middle of all that and you're leaving not too long after you eat, it's tough to order another.0 -
Depends on what kind of going out I'm doing.
If it's to dinner (I'm dating too):
1. As odd as it sounds - I get the steak! Too many hidden calories and complicated ordering in salads. I just get the smallest steak with steamed veggies and plain baked potato.
2. I stick to red wine (what goes better with steak??) and drink at least 1 glass of water in between each glass of wine.
3. No desert - luckily guys never want desert anyway. If I'm out with my girlfriends, it's a bit harder - still get steak (I have steak loving girlfriends too) and claim fullness and tell them I'll share a dessert with them -- I take a single bite - they don't really notice.
4. I do eat lighter during the day to "make up" for the higher cals later.
If it's out to a bar
You've pretty much got this one. Don't drink enough you want to eat. Eat before you leave. G&T's with diet T or diet and rum. Wine. You could do light beers -but if you are like me, light beers just aren't worth it. Water in between drinks - with a wedge of lime. No one knows you aren't drinking and you still have something in your hand so you don't feel awkward.0 -
Oh and an easy one - cut out the bread when you are out. I never eat bread when I'm out anymore. No sandwiches, no bread with my cheese plate, no appetizer bread. Just a hard and fast rule of no bread when out. I can't control myself around it. Home is one thing - but when it's just sitting there - nope.0
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It's hard when so much of "socializing" is wrapped around food! First date? Dinner. Friends are in town? Drinks and appetizers. Family reuinion? Barbecue. Etc.
So many good suggestions have already been made here - I really have none to add. I practiced a few this weekend, though. I drank lots of water (without my Crystal Light - UCK! ), divided my dinners in half and took leftovers home, and while I did go over my calories (and didn't really exercise), it wasn't unreasonable and I LOST a pound. On vacation! I don't think that's ever happened before. :happy: 0 -
I usually try to order something baked, usually fish (not tilapia or catfish but I loooove salmon). I also substitute vegetabls for any fried foods or super starches (baked potatoe).
Then when the food comes I make sure to only eat half -NO MATTER HOW GOOD IT IS- and get a box for the rest. I skip appetizers completely.
If we're going to the movies I usually sneak a bag of little rice cakes or some other healthier snack to munch on instead of popcorn.
I don't drink so that's never really been an issue for me.
I don't know how helpful this is it's just what I do. :P0 -
Why even lose weight if you cannot have a social life? After all, isn't that the reason why we all want to look better is to show off to all our friends? Seriously, Social support is very important. I find that if everyone in your circle knows you are on a mission to get healthier, they will make sure you are not eating, or drinking, anything you are not supposed to. Just let them in on how good you have been and your need to stay focused, and they will ensure you do not order that pasta drizzling in butter with lard laden fried bacon off the side of a yak that was mated with a buffalo, from Kansas. And they will be even happier to have you order all the drinks you want, then tell you that it is not healthy for you to be drinking said beverage you paid for, so they will assist you by enjoying it in your honor. So the short answer is YES, social life is easy if you put in a little effort and have a great team around you.
Be Healthy, Always.
E.0 -
I find that my safest bet is to talk as much as possible...it keeps me from eating or drinking too much in social situations...and stand instead of sitting...it's a whole lot easier to plow down food while sitting at a table then when you have to balance it on your lap...0
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I seem to be eating out more since being on MFP than before and sometimes it's been tricky to stay within my calories.
The main thing that I do is exercise on a day I know I'm going to be going out, even if it's doing some extra walking to a shop or something. I feel I should earn the calories I will be indulging in.
The iPhone/Android app is a godsend, without it I probably wouldn't still be on MFP and when I'm out I log everything I consume (unless too drunk to do so, then I'll do it the next day! ; ).
I try and make healthier choices. I'm learning roughly how many calories are in the things and can guestimate a calories in a meal when out (sometimes). I also generally over-count restaurant meal calories as I feel I would be cheating myself by putting less calories. I normally have a starter and a main (I'm not very sweet-toothed) and soup is great for filling you up for less calories (unless it's packed with cream).
Some restaurants have nutritional info online and also do low cal versions of things. Worth checking before you go out. I'm a huge fan of going to Pizza Express and knowing I'm eating 500 cals for my main!
My drinks go in my normal calorie allotment. I'm only really a social drinker and can't do consecutive night's out getting boozy, so I'll have one day a week where I'll indulge and then lay off it a bit but have a couple ot be sociable. I love whiskey at the moment so I've been ordering diet cokes with a whiskey on the side at 69cals. + 2 for the coke!
When eating at friend's I'll offer to bring some of the food so I can take salad's fish etc.
About once a week I'll go over my cals but so long as it all evens out over a week (weekly progress on the app) I'm not too bothered and it hasn't affected me. I'm set to lose 0.8 pounds a week and have lost 9lbs in less than 8 weeks.
Anyway, I'm probably going on a bit now, but feel free to friend me and you can see my diary. I don't believe I should stop socialising because I'm trying to eat better than I have previously.0
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