My social life is ruining my diet!

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  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,668 Member
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    How about being Responsible? You don't have to indulge, you know that. That's the only answer, be responsible.
    That's not the only answer. You can have a good fun weekend as long as you account for the calories consumed and counter them if you go over.
    This weekend I ate 1000 calories over my limit, but got in an extra workout to comp half of them. And still lost weight.
  • ashlielinn
    ashlielinn Posts: 920
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    You can go out with your friends and still be responsible! Make sure you work out in the morning. Choose healthy foods (just because your friends are ordering cheese fries, it doesn't mean you have to do the same), and stick to lower calorie drinks. Vodka tonics and whiskey with diet soda aren't too bad for you. Yes, a lot of my friends will make comments about how strict I am with myself, but I let it roll off my back knowing I'm doing something good for myself. I'll also say, "I'm not judging the 3,000 calories of grease, sodium, and fat you're putting into your body, so don't judge the healthy, good for me stuff I'm putting into mine!"
  • Bankman1989
    Bankman1989 Posts: 1,116 Member
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    Right, i'm good generally Mon-Fri and train 5 times a week. I always seem to have something in the diary that ruins it. I get on the scales on Monday and kind of wish i hadn't had so much fun, but then sitting at home all weekend and restricting myself is boring. I hate saying no to going out with friends and family.

    How does everyone else cope with this?!

    You need to start exercising more to offset those calories. I love having fun..but if I don't burn TWICE as many cals as i take in i am not gonna indulge and ruin everything I work for.

    Don't blame your social life. Take time to get in more exercise..or go dancing that will help burn the calories while your having fun!
  • stuffinmuffin
    stuffinmuffin Posts: 985 Member
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    Try and set your calories to maintenance over the weekend. You will lose a little slower than the suggested loss a week but it will be easier to stick to.

    It shouldn't be a "diet" but more of a healthy lifestyle. Lot's of people have active social lives and you need to learn to control when is good and when is not.
    Do you go out both Friday and Saturday night? If you do, maybe limit yourself to just 1 night unless it's a special event.
    If you go out alot in the day, pick healthier options at restaurants/cafes, or plan nice meals to take with you.
    If you order takeaways, lots of places have the nutritional informations. Look it up and fit it into your daily calories (with maintenance this should be easier and you'll be less likely to just say "forget it" and go loads over.

    Can you not have rest days exercise-wise during the week and exercise over the weekend instead. If you're on maintenance as well, this will bump your calories up really high and you should have no problem staying under :)

    Agree with the above - it should be a lifestyle change and not a 'diet'. MFP taught me the things I was doing wrong when out socialising - calories in alcohol and three course meals! But we all have to live a little too. I used to have one 'cheat' day a week (normally a Friday) which would involve a meal and/or drinks with friends, then carry on my calorie limit as normal for the rest of the week - this kept me sane and I do quite believe it tricked my body from getting a bit too used to a samey food intake routine. Celebrations such as weddings, birthday's etc have been times to celebrate and indeed eat cake - for these are the times that cake was invented! ; ) As above I would do what exercise I could (maybe a long walk...even shopping will burn a fair few cals) and keep cals as low as possible until I was out at the meal, or with friends in a bar.

    Overall though it's a huge learning learning curve! I love my exercise now and it's also a legitimate reason for me to say 'no thanks, I'm not drinking too much tonight because I'm running in the morning.' Plus...from downsizing portions of food, exercising more and cutting back on alcohol - I've become a pretty cheap date! ; )
  • karen90631
    karen90631 Posts: 10
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    Not that this is a solution for everyone, but I find being vegan makes it easier to handle all the temptations of others' foods.

    My boyfriend is a good cook, and he's got cheeses and meats and carbs around the house and none of it I eat since it all has animal products in it.

    For me, it's freeing. But some feel limited going vegan. Personal tastes and strategies I suppose. Good luck!
  • nibblerbigcat
    nibblerbigcat Posts: 60
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    I find this hard too. It doesn't help being around skinny people who aren't concerned about weight at all. The one thing that really ruins my diet is alcohol. I am good most days out of the week, and then I let loose on Friday-Sunday. All I can say is that it helps me maintain my weight, but not really lose. I've been testing out a few things on how to ~be good~ over the weekend, but the only thing you can do is maintain self control and remember that you have to incorporate weight loss into your overall lifestyle.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    I have a social life and I reached my goals. I go out 1 night/week. I bring my lunch and breakfast to work. I just log everything...even on the nights hubby and I share a bottle of wine. Still having fun and enjoying life. I just make sure to do something active every single day.
  • Onesnap
    Onesnap Posts: 2,819 Member
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    It doesn't help being around skinny people who aren't concerned about weight at all. The one thing that really ruins my diet is

    Skinny people are concerned about their weight. It's the reason they are skinny. Changes are they: 1. are active, 2. have good genes, 3. follow the 80/20 rule (eat well 80 % of the time). I'm a size 8 now and you can bet your bottom I CARE about my weight. Everyone I know that is an 8 or a 6 or smaller CARES about their weight. Don't make generalizations like that--it's kinda mean to those of us that worked their tails off to get to this point.
  • DizzyLinds
    DizzyLinds Posts: 856 Member
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    Exercise more! I gym it 5-6 times per week and i'm a PE teacher...i barely sit down all day!!!
  • Espressocycle
    Espressocycle Posts: 2,245 Member
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    I often go overboard on weekends and eating over maintenance for even one day results in a couple lbs of water weight for me, but it's gone by Tuesday and my weight loss has been steady.
  • gertieblueboots
    gertieblueboots Posts: 46
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    The biggest thing for me has been self-discipline. I used to be good on weekdays and hit the bars on the weekends, eat some fries and have enough drinks to be sure that I'd not be able to walk out without a little help. But my progress slowed and then stopped because of this. I'd lose 2 pounds over the course of the week, gain 5 over the weekend, and struggle to get back to my Friday weight by next Friday. Eventually I was gaining weight from it, so I just had to ask myself...would I rather have fun tonight, or get in shape and be healthy for the rest of my life? It's hard to say no to an evening of fun, but if you count them up, and say you're going to have to miss maybe 30 or 40 fun weekends to get into shape, it's worth the sacrifice for me.

    I haven't always followed that advice, but being able to say no, to be in control, that makes me feel a lot better. I know that doesn't work for everyone, but that's my method!
  • hydranger
    hydranger Posts: 23 Member
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    I've been following a diet where I get porridge for breakfast, soup and roll for lunch, and a prepaired diet meal for dinner then I have to add veg or salad, half pint of milk, 2 pieces of fruit and a snack to make the cals up to 1200.

    It would be unrealistic for me not to have a social life so when I goout at weekends I have Vodka and Diet Coke, I decide how many I'm going to have before I go out and stick to it, I don't have my fruit or snack for a couple of days before to allow for how ever many drinks I've decided to have, I usually manage to stay within my weekly total of cals even if some days are higher or lower than others.

    I also a believe life is for living and having some fun and if I have too many calories then so be it, I'll still get there but it will take a little time longer.

    Have your fun and social life but be sensible.
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    Exercise more! I gym it 5-6 times per week and i'm a PE teacher...i barely sit down all day!!!

    Then you must really be eating way too much!
  • fteale
    fteale Posts: 5,310 Member
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    It doesn't help being around skinny people who aren't concerned about weight at all. The one thing that really ruins my diet is

    Skinny people are concerned about their weight. It's the reason they are skinny. Changes are they: 1. are active, 2. have good genes, 3. follow the 80/20 rule (eat well 80 % of the time). I'm a size 8 now and you can bet your bottom I CARE about my weight. Everyone I know that is an 8 or a 6 or smaller CARES about their weight. Don't make generalizations like that--it's kinda mean to those of us that worked their tails off to get to this point.

    Very true. All the thin people I know, and that is most people, there are very very few overweight people around here, are obsessive about their weight. It is simply not the done thing to get above a UK 10 where I live. When I was a UK 12 (US 8) I was the fattest mother at the school gates. It was one of my incentives to lose weight.
  • lizziebeth1028
    lizziebeth1028 Posts: 3,602 Member
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    Thankyou for all of the repiles. As some of you said, the word 'diet' was probably the wrong choice of word as i see it as just following a healthy lifestyle.

    This weekend was aprticvul;arly bad as i was staying at friends from Fri-Sun, so that's why i exercised Mon-Fri. If normally head to the gym over the weekend and have a weekday rest day. It just always seems something comes up! I eat pretty well and keep in my allowances until the time where i am out, always health breakfast and lunch and prepared snacks. Think i'm just feeling a bit low today and need some MFP love and support!


    Yikes calm down people....Sometimes I refer to it as a 'diet' too....it's easier than saying 'eating to maintain a healthy lifestyle'. That can be quite a mouthful (never mind the pun lol)

    Weekends are my biggest challenge too! I'm just coming of my birthday/halloween weekend. I consumed major calories! Ugh! I will definitely be making better choices, exercises my body AND my will power a lot more next weekend. There's no tricks....everything in moderate!
  • DizzyLinds
    DizzyLinds Posts: 856 Member
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    Exercise more! I gym it 5-6 times per week and i'm a PE teacher...i barely sit down all day!!!

    Then you must really be eating way too much!


    Eating too much? I just eat what this bloody MFP advises! Think mine is set to just over 1360 cals per day
  • katismiles
    katismiles Posts: 96 Member
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    If I am going out, I spend a while online searching through foods at certain places and then log it and other possibilities for the day. I also try to go to movies or shop instead of going somewhere to eat. It's helpful
  • Beeps2011
    Beeps2011 Posts: 11,985 Member
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    I have a large number of work-related lunches and dinner-functions at some of the BEST restaurants in town. So, yes, it is a challenge. I have eliminated bread and dessert. Period. (And, believe me, that's TOUGH.)

    I limit myself to one alcoholic beverage.

    And, it remains a struggle. I actually end up quite relieved the weeks I get to just sit in my office or NOT have to go out at night - and I'm a SOCIAL BUTTERFLY!! But, right now, losing these damn 8 lbs. is REALLY my biggest goal and so, I have to prioritize, every single day, what means more to me...

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