[zoodoo613]

May is shaping up to be a busy month. I've been invited to my first cookout of the year this weekend. I'm buying a house from my parents next week, so they'll be up (and celebratory). Two weeks after that we'll be in Florida for a great uncles 90th birthday celebration. And of course, all this means food.

I'm not on any terribly strict plan. I'm allowed to eat food. And my life isn't usually busy like this. If it were any one of these things, I'd probably just not worry about it too much, try not to go nuts, and tally the wreakage (i.e. calories) when it was done. But there's so many things going on that I maybe should rethink that strategy (despite my reservations about doing that for all kinds of deep-seated psychological reasons).

So.
1. The cookout: Get there late to minimize pre-meal snack time. Eat a burger, and some of my potato salad, but steer clear of the chips. Bring and eat watermelon. And maybe a veggie plate. Splurge with G & T.

2. The parents: They're willing to be active and eat healthy, but I'll probably need to plan it out. Otherwise we have a tendency to not do much of anything until my dad announces that it's time to eat again. Meals out will be the biggest obstacle. Advice on that front?

3. The Florida trip: This is the toughest. We'll be there 4 days, and I really don't know what to expect of our time there. Lots of family stuff. Before I realized that May was going to be so busy, I was thinking of just going off plan those days. But now that there's so much going on, I'm afraid that the whole month could just blow up if I do that. I know we'll have a kitchen, so I can probably figure out some of our own meals, but beyond that I'm lost.

[ShanIAm]

As far as the meals out, I would request going to a resturant where there is a nutritional menu available online. Make your meal choice BEFORE you even go and plan your eating that day around it. That is the only thing that works for me. That and the willpower I need when I get there to NOT eat the bread they bring to the tables! OK, I might nibble....but NO butter!!

I would also recommend eating a healthy salad before the BBQ's. Maybe about 30 minutes before so it's nice and settled in the tummy. If you are not full, you won't be more tempted.

Good luck but most importantly -- HAVE FUN!

[QuilterInVA]

These things will be with you all your life. Going off plan is not the answer. Planning ahead is. Most restaurants have nutritional info on line so check before you go. I don't drink my calories so that saves me calories. Plan to get in your exercise every day. When you are in FL you can walk.