Staying on track of your healthy eating plan isn’t always easy, especially when you’re being social!
Take it from me, it takes some discipline to turn down melted cheese and mounds of carbs. However, it’s not all doom and gloom!
In fact, when you discover that you have the willpower to say “No” to certain foods, and see progress because of it, you know that the pain is worth the gain and you’ll feel empowered to make improvements in other areas of your life as well.
Here are a few tips to help you stay on track while you’re out and about.
1) Avoid Sugary Drinks
Frozen sangrias, margaritas, and piña coladas are LOADED with sugar. These are sometimes advertised during happy hour which makes them even more appealing. Don’t do it! There are a ton of other options that will allow you to still have fun without all the added calories.
- vodka tonic
- tequila with lime
- Lower cal beers
- Club soda in a drink glass
- Bloody Mary/Maria
Mixed drinks that use cokes, juices, and flavors are loaded with sugar. You’ll find that if you spend a little more for a higher quality liquor such as tequila, you can enjoy drinking it straight without having to add any other flavors. It’s also fun to really taste the craft of the good liquor too.
2) Avoid Over Snacking
Snacks are meant to be SMALL bits of food so you shouldn’t get full off of stuff like bar nuts, chips and salsa, or chips and queso. That stuff is so good it’s hard to stop eating it. So here’s a couple things you can do to prevent over snacking:
Eat a handful of something healthy like mixed veggies, carrots, or broccoli or a handful of nuts before you head out the door. This way, you’re not starving before you even get somewhere that has food.
Once you get to a place that has snacks like chips and dip, for example, be mindful of what you’re going to eat BEFORE you eat it. So using the chips and dip example, you don’t want to look down and suddenly realize you ate the entire boat of chips.
If you are starving when it’s time for apps, try to order something that won’t make you feel guilty if you plan to eat a lot of it – like hummus and veggies or carrots and celery sticks.
3) Order Lite Entrees
When eating out, it’s easy to indulge in entrees that are smothered in cream sauce, or served with unlimited bread, are fried, or come with a mound of pasta.
When you go out think:
- Gilled
- Steamed
- Protein
- Veggies
Most restaurants can prepare grilled proteins, salads, or steamed options. This even goes for Asian foods. Here are some examples of healthy options:
- Side salad in lieu of fries (add some bow tie or penne pasta for carb if needed)
- Grilled meats with steamed veggies on the side
- Kababs
- Steamed rice in lieu of fried
TIP: If an entree or a salad comes with the sauce or dressing on top, ask to have it on the side so you can control how much you want to eat.
Sometimes it’s challenging to eat healthier foods around friends who don’t understand why you would sacrifice things like dressing on your salad or not eating the table bread.
You just have to remember that your healthy lifestyle makes YOU feel good. If you have friends that make you feel bad about being healthy, it’s probably best to hang with them in scenarios that don’t involve food.
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