Hello and help!

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Kickinthehabit
Kickinthehabit Posts: 30
in Health and Weight Loss
hi,

I am new to this site. I have used a similar site to this one until I had an accident last year. I have been eating for comfort and not exercising since that day.

But, I am motivated and ready! a good friend led me to this site and offered to support me and I her. So.....

My dilemma. I seem to do fine during the week. Hubby travels. But when he gets home, it's kind of like a party from Friday to Sunday. I undo all I have done. He takes me out to lunch Friday and that starts it. My schedule is off kilter. There is no structure on the weekend and i find myself winging it with food. This Saturday is our anniversary. This is my first week! What should I do about eating out? What about feeling like it's party time? Weekend and anniversary? I want desperately to lose the 20 lbs I have gained. I don't want to back down now. Should I be extra vigilant from Friday and all day Saturday, until we go out, pre planning all meals and watching, then have a little dessert after dinner? Should I choose low calorie food at the restaurant and no dessert? I could go home and have some fruit? Or should I go over my 1200 cause it's a special day?

I can never think clearly about food for myself. My mind is a bad neighborhood when it comes to food. I would appreciate helpful suggestions. Thanks

Replies

  • miller1208
    miller1208 Posts: 25
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    Hi, and welcome! How about preparing and freezing meals for the weekend so there is no excuse for not cooking?
  • chefswife67
    chefswife67 Posts: 145
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    Welcome to MFP, Feel free to add me if you like ... Good luck!
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
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    Think positive!!

    People always say just order a salad & you will be fine but, I like to eat & I want to enjoy my dining out experiences.

    Pick the restaurant out ahead of time. Review their menu online. Determine what opptions interest you. From they decided how to approach your day.

    If there is a main course that you would like to have. Plan your day around that. Start with a walk together in the morning. Eating lots of fruit & veggies & drinking lots of water. That way you have saved most of your calories for dinner. And, because it's something you will enjoy you will fee satisfied.

    If there is a desert that you are more interested. Start your day off with the same approach but, instead pick a light dinner. Salad with some grilled chicken. Grilled chicken or poached seafood with steam veggies.

    More dinning out tips to keep in mind:
    Only eat half of your dinner & save the other half for the next day
    Order an app as a meal (smaller portion)
    Start with a soup or salad
    Ask NOT to have a bread basket on the table
    Add lemon or lime to your water for flavor
    If you are drinking alchol - alternate with water

    As long as it's in the right direction the smallest step is something to be proud of. You only live once enjoy your meal but, remember it's only fuel.
  • cheetahcub2010
    cheetahcub2010 Posts: 62 Member
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    Welcome! I know the feeling, every time I go see my family or they come see me it's hard to keep on track. Have you told your husband you're loosing weight? If not, try it, he might surprise you and not push you to go out or encourage you to make healthier choices!
  • Kickinthehabit
    Kickinthehabit Posts: 30
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    Ok, I could make Thursday night like a preplanning session for an upcoming natural disaster. (which weekends have been) I could think of my kitchen as a command post for emergency management services. I like it. The only way weight loss has ever worked for me is when I preplan my meals.
  • gsager
    gsager Posts: 977 Member
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    Everyone is right, plan your meals ahead of time. Maybe your husband thinks that you want to go out he may be happy so stay home and eat some of the meals on the weekend. I mean you are going to have to plan and use some control or you are destined to fail no matter how many of us are here to support you. Good Luck.
  • eh613c
    eh613c Posts: 14 Member
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    Hi,

    I know what you mean about the weekend. What I do is I plan all of our meals for the week. If we do go out for lunch or dinner during the weekend, I try to eat light at home and then have what I want at the restaurant. Or eat healthy at home and then have a salad and dessert at the restaurant. It's a matter of balancing your food intake.

    Since it's your anniversary, it's ok to go off your 'diet' for that meal (notice I wrote meal not weekend) but make sure to get back to your regimen the following meal or day. If you really want to lose the weight, you'll make it work. Good luck!
  • Kickinthehabit
    Kickinthehabit Posts: 30
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    Mmsilvia,

    All good. Will try to incorporate the mindset. Thanks for the reminder about the bread. That's a big trouble spot when I am out.

    I have seen the menu. I want crab imperial. I think thats really high in fat and calories. But, I really want it. I'll look up the calorie count on that and decide whether it's worth it.

    This is great. With this much fore thought, o should be fine!
  • mmsilvia
    mmsilvia Posts: 459 Member
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    Mmsilvia,

    All good. Will try to incorporate the mindset. Thanks for the reminder about the bread. That's a big trouble spot when I am out.

    I have seen the menu. I want crab imperial. I think thats really high in fat and calories. But, I really want it. I'll look up the calorie count on that and decide whether it's worth it.

    This is great. With this much fore thought, o should be fine!

    Bread is my biggest down fall. I always avoid the bread basket because I can't have just one. Order the Crab Imperial. Ask the waiter if they is a lighter alternative. If not only eat half. You'll be able to enjoy it 2 days :) Also, remember tomorrow is ALWAYS a new day :)
  • NorthernCally
    NorthernCally Posts: 50
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    Welcome to MFP, Kickin'! I was going to say a lot of the same stuff that mmsilvia said. The suggestion about taking home half (or even 1/3 of the meal to eat the next day), can work really well! Of course, it depends on what you're eating. I wouldn't divide a corned beef sandwich in half. But, if it was say, a big clubhouse sandwich, that comes with fries, onion rings or a salad, ask for a take-out box when the meal comes. Put away half...then eat the rest slower. You've probably been hearing it for years: eating slower gives your stomach time to realise it's full. I didn't believe it, 'til I really started doing it. It's not a matter of chewing every bite 35 times; I just take smaller bites and really enjoy the food. Eating out is about the whole experience. Especially when you're celebrating an anniversary! That's a big deal! So, enjoy the time with your hubby, enjoy talking with him and spending the time with him! You can really get into the romance of the night, and appreciate the food, without it being the main part of it. And, if you take home some for tomorrow, the meal itself won't fill you up, and then you can really enjoy dessert if you want one...then, get back to business the next day!

    Happy anniversary, and good luck! You can add me if you want to!
  • dlaplume2
    dlaplume2 Posts: 1,658 Member
    Options
    Think positive!!

    People always say just order a salad & you will be fine but, I like to eat & I want to enjoy my dining out experiences.

    Pick the restaurant out ahead of time. Review their menu online. Determine what opptions interest you. From they decided how to approach your day.

    If there is a main course that you would like to have. Plan your day around that. Start with a walk together in the morning. Eating lots of fruit & veggies & drinking lots of water. That way you have saved most of your calories for dinner. And, because it's something you will enjoy you will fee satisfied.

    If there is a desert that you are more interested. Start your day off with the same approach but, instead pick a light dinner. Salad with some grilled chicken. Grilled chicken or poached seafood with steam veggies.

    More dinning out tips to keep in mind:
    Only eat half of your dinner & save the other half for the next day
    Order an app as a meal (smaller portion)
    Start with a soup or salad
    Ask NOT to have a bread basket on the table
    Add lemon or lime to your water for flavor
    If you are drinking alchol - alternate with water

    As long as it's in the right direction the smallest step is something to be proud of. You only live once enjoy your meal but, remember it's only fuel.

    Ditto
  • happy4real
    happy4real Posts: 10 Member
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    Welcome,this is a great site and program you will get alot of support and encourgement.
  • Matilda74
    Matilda74 Posts: 5
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    I always want to follow the "take home 1/2 your entree" advice, but I know I can't do it. I don't feel comfortable asking that they wrap up 1/2 of it before it comes out and I also know that once it's in front of me, it's going to be eaten. You know yourself best - take the route you're most likely to have success at. For me, it's ordering an appetizer as my entree. Sometimes I even order two sides if those are healthy options. I need someone else to handle my portion control when I'm out to dinner! :)

    I think the key thing to focus on is that you need to plan your meals for the rest of the weekend and accept that this ONE MEAL (not the whole weekend as someone very rightly pointed out) may be a bit of an indulgence and you'll be "back on the wagon" if you have more than your fair share the next day. You can do it!

    SW: 175 (9/6/11)
    CW: 173.5 (9/12/11)
    GW: 135
  • Kickinthehabit
    Kickinthehabit Posts: 30
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    Thanks everyone. Really helpful! I am now looking forward to our anniversary dinner. These reminders were great to help to keep me motivated and stay on track. It's a fact of life, I will be going out to eat, I better learn to manage it!
  • miller1208
    miller1208 Posts: 25
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    Ok, I could make Thursday night like a preplanning session for an upcoming natural disaster. (which weekends have been) I could think of my kitchen as a command post for emergency management services. I like it. The only way weight loss has ever worked for me is when I preplan my meals.

    Good for you! Planning is essential. You wouldn't take a trip to a foreign country without planning, so why do we fail at planning what we eat? I've used the fee for service menu planner, saving dinner body clutter menu, and there are tons more like it out there. I love it when I can just print out the grocery list and go. Best of luck!

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