[nelie]

I'm vegan but my mom is nearly vegan now so it is easier but I ask her to buy a few things before I get there and then once we are there, we go shopping at a natural foods store near her house. We tend not to eat out a lot but my parents like vegan friendly restaurants so they are ok with going there. I also take snacks with me when we go places so that my husband and I have something in case we get stuck but that is rarely the case.

[Palestrina]

Originally Posted by PatLib

Thanks for the advice everyone!

My thing about not going off diet is this. So I cheat at breakfast because my mom makes these over-the-top breakfasts, then we have to go out to lunch and then we have big family dinners. The problem I start the day cheating and it snowballs. So I sort of decided that I am not going to cheat except on Thanksgiving Day.

And I personally feel great about my decision, the first time ever! I think I will be okay at home, I personally enjoy annoying my family by being contrary so that will be easy!

But I was mostly worried about going out, I already looked at the menus at our favorite restaurants and think I will be okay and I can have wine on my diet!

Be careful with calling it "cheating." Remember that cheating is something very bad, like cheating on your spouse or cheating on a test. Eating food shouldn't be considered on par with those and doing so makes you hate yourself when you go off plan. I prefer to call it "off plan."

Enjoy annoying your family and being contrary however, remember that there are more of them than are of you, and they're armed with yummy food so careful about battling it out with them. Like others have said, it's better to keep your dieting to yourself because announcing it is an invitation to having to defend it and again.... others are armed with food.

In regards to breakfast, I always say it's nice to cook for your family but it can't be bacchanalia every day. I would forgo breakfast with the family. We only do a big breakfast on Sundays here. Every other day breakfast is a solitary and private affair, everybody is responsible for their own breakfast like a big boy or girl.

[tefrey]

Can you bring some of your own food to share? I keep a list of 'diet' friendly recipes that non-dieters rave about. If I am invited anywhere I fix one and bring it to share. Then I can fill up on a food I know is 'legal' and exercise control over the rest.

In my case, people tend to be pretty nice about my diet. My mom and dad know how bad my health was before I started down this path, so they are more than willing to work with me on meals before hand. And I'm hardly the only person with a restricted diet, so I don't really stand out.

Good luck!

[memememe76]

Leave the house every morning to work out. Ideally, you should exercise but if you don't exercise, use the time to relax and bring a book with you instead. And come back after breakfast time.

Actually, when I travel, maintaining some type of fitness regime usually makes it a lot easier for me to then maintain my diet.