It's Friday and the weekend is upon us! If your weekends are anything like mine- then you have to make sure you have a plan in place! With the husband and kids home, my weekend can easily get crazy leaving me little time for myself. If I have my food planned ahead of time I am much more likely to stay on track. Planning is best, when you are out you always need a game plan. You should avoid eating out as much as possible because once you enter a restaurant you surrender control over what is in your food. I am going to dinner on Saturday night with my husband (date night) BUT- I know where we are going and I have already scoped out the menu and know what I am getting. I always ask the waiter to skip the bread- it's a killer every time. Outta sight- outta mind! Follow these tips to help get you through any evenings out, parties or get-togethers.
1. Develop an "I don't have to eat it all!" Mindset. Make up your mind before you go that you don't have to get the most bang for your buck by cleaning your plate. KEEP YOUR GOAL IN MIND.
2. Satisfy hunger only-Don't Gorge. Eat for the purpose of satisfying your hunger, but no more.
3. Start small and green. Start your meal with a salad, without dressing. Use a spritz of lemon or some balsamic vinegar.
4. Broth is best. When there is no salad option have a broth based soup.
5. NO BREAD PLEASE! Remember this is not helping you achieve your 10 pound weight loss goal.
6. Clean Cooking techniques rock! Look for entree options featuring steamed or raw veggies and grilled, baked or roasted meats or fish. If they aren't listed, ask the server to prepare it that way. Oh and don't always trust the low fat or fat free symbols.
7. Portion control is in. Have a good look at your plate when it arrives. Ask for a doggie bag and split your meal in half.
8. Fletcherize. The practice of chewing each mouthful a min of 25 times. It gives your body a chance to recognize when you are becoming full. (This is very hard to do when you are with ki
ds, because you never know when they have had enough and you will have to leave your meal behind to take the kids out).
ds, because you never know when they have had enough and you will have to leave your meal behind to take the kids out).
9. Zero Tolerance. You want to avoid alcohol because sugar can derail you in the most powerful way. Have sparkling water with lemon or lime slices.
10. Stop before the end. Think of your plan to shed those pounds, if you can't resist something sweet ask for a dish of fresh fruit and leave it at that!
11. Substitute when possible. I always ask for a veggie instead of a potato and I ask for it to be steamed. Also- ask how the main meal is prepared. There may be tons of hidden butter and oil in the dish that you can omit if you know ahead of time.
If you doubt your ability to resist restaurant offerings then pre-eat! Then when you go to a restaurant or social event you don't have to worry about what's on the menu and you can focus on socializing. Over the Christmas holiday I brought my shakeology to each party and drank it there. It helped me to not obsess over the app table.
If you can't resist the dessert table then pack a few clean cookies in a Ziploc bag and pull
them out with your coffee while everyone else is eating their sugar laden cookies and cake. I made some 21 day fix approved cookies and brought them to all of my holiday affairs. That way I knew I had an option and didn't feel like I was missing something by not having dessert with my family. Stay away from fast food and drive throughs! A big no-no!! If you are going out and like to enjoy a glass of wine- limit yourself to 2. You can also ask for a white wine spritzer. That will minimize the amount of alcohol and cut your calories in half.
them out with your coffee while everyone else is eating their sugar laden cookies and cake. I made some 21 day fix approved cookies and brought them to all of my holiday affairs. That way I knew I had an option and didn't feel like I was missing something by not having dessert with my family. Stay away from fast food and drive throughs! A big no-no!! If you are going out and like to enjoy a glass of wine- limit yourself to 2. You can also ask for a white wine spritzer. That will minimize the amount of alcohol and cut your calories in half.
One of the most difficult things to manage while following a healthy lifestyle is your social life. So surround yourself with family and friends that support what you are doing and are not sabotaging your efforts. Instead of going out drinking or to a restaurant here are some alternatives.
Get a workout in!
Have a game night at home with healthy clean snacks
Meet a friend for a play date at the park or go for a walk or bike ride
Try taking a class at your local gym or yoga studio! Meet a friend- you'll feel so much better!
Eating clean and creating a healthy lifestyle doesn't have to mean that you are becoming a boring person. There is so much more to experience than food and drinks! Live outside the box and you will have people wondering what you are doing because your energy and personality are on fire!!!
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