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| Tips for Sticking to Your Diet at Parties |
Getting too hungry: Don’t ever let yourself get too hungry (whether you’re at home or at an event). When you get too hungry, you start to crave more food, eat too fast, and ultimately make the wrong food choices and eat too much of them. So before you go to a party or event, eat something. Chances are you’ll get there and the food won’t be served for a few hours anyway. So you’ll be there socializing and standing around, maybe having a glass of wine (which makes you even more hungry), and then by the time the food comes out, you won’t be able to control yourself. So grab a light meal or snack before you walk out the door. The best option is some lean protein, a healthy fat, or some vegetables.
Having poor food options: Have you ever gone to a house party only to find that every item on the menu was high in saturated fat or refined carbohydrates? What do you do in these situations? If that one food choice is your only option, you have to eat it. Luckily, you can introduce another choice. Before attending a social event, offer to bring a dish. Make a dish that fits within the guidelines of your Belly Fat Diet plan. Not only will your host appreciate the thought, but you’ll also ensure you have at least one healthy option available to you.
Overfilling your plate, or not using a plate at all: Don’t pick at party food. Get yourself a small plate and place the food on it before digging in. Doing so helps you see how much you’re truly eating.
To help prevent overindulging from wanting to try a little of everything, survey the food before filling your plate. Walk around to see what’s available. On a scale from 1–10, which foods are the 9s and 10s (the foods you like the most)? Only fill your plate with these options, and skip the ones you don’t really love.
Giving in to food pushers: If the party host or family member tends to push food or drinks at you, keep a glass of water on hand at all times or a small plate filled with vegetables so you can ensure them you have already been taken care of.
Stationing yourself near tempting food: Watch where you position yourself at social gatherings. It’s so easy to eat mindlessly when you’re surrounded by food. If you’re sitting directly across from a favorite dish or appetizer, you’re going to be tempted to go back for seconds (or worse). Instead, try to sit away from the food. If you can’t escape, at least sit near a more healthy dish. That way if you go back for additional servings, you won’t kill your weight loss efforts. Also, focus on the social aspect of the event and try to talk and mingle to distract yourself from the food.
Drinking too much alcohol: If you’re drinking alcohol, be careful about how much you have and when you have it. Throughout a long party, it’s easy to have a few glasses over the period of a few hours. But remember that a few glasses sock you with a lot of calories before you even dig into the meal. Also, alcohol stimulates appetite, causing you to be more likely to eat larger portions.
Chowing down on leftovers: If you’re hosting a party or event, send the less-than-belly-friendly leftovers home with guests so they aren’t around and tempting you for days after the party. Leftovers often lead to more weight gain than the meal itself — especially around the holidays.
