This month is going to be so hard to stay on program...
7/4-barbecue
7/8-Matthew's birthday-the boardwalk/beach which means pizza (I've been able to stick to one slice with diet soda) and eating a fat free kid's size frozen yogurt-and birthday cake!
7/12 matthew's birthday party-too much good Italian food, plus cake!
7/20-not one, but TWO parties-one kid's first birthday party, and one engagement party
7/24 my niece's birthday party...
My friend Kim's son's birthday is 7/20, so we may have a party on 7/19 for that.
Help!!! I am going to try to "cheat selectively" for when it's actually worth it. My niece's party is at a bowling alley, which means gross dried out pizza and watered down soda-not worth even eating..
Sounds like you have some of these events already thought out! Congrats!
Here are some suggestions I have....take them for what they are worth!
7/4 - Barbecue - often there are some healthier choices. If you eat meat, protein is quite filling. I would have chicken or a burger 1st (and resist the chips and potato salad). Is it a family BBQ? Could you bring some pretzels or something nibbly that the host would put out? I usually try to bring a "safe" food for myself (because chips are my weekness). There are often vegetable platter, green salad and fruits...
7/8 - Sounds like you have a great plan!
7/12 - Do you know what Italian food will be served? Could you select a few of your favourite items and limit yourself to one serving? I try to get rid of my plate, so that I am not as tempted to have 2nds.
7/20 - I would pick the location with the best looking cake and stick to that one. My guess would be the engagement party...but you will know best!
7/24 - Is this a sit down dinner? I would try to find out the plan before-hand and decide how you will proceed.
Here are some general things that I try to do:
Eat some vegetables or cereal before-hand so I don't show up at the party hungry. I used to try to eat as little as possible, so I had the calories left for treats, but I found that if I was too hungry I was crazy to have everything by the time I got to the event. I try to carry a "treat" drink around (wine, a beer, a juice, a seltzer - whatever you like best) - that way you still feel like you are getting a treat.
Most importantly - go easy on yourself! These are all enjoyable events! Focus on having fun with your family and friends rather than worrying too much about the food.
Wow!! Thanks for sharing all of that, both of you.... Sherry I was totally ready to type a reply, but then I read Kris's and I think she covered it all, LOL. Good luck with everything in July! Just think about everyone here at 3FC and you'll do fine. -Apryl
The barbecue won't be much to cheat on. It's at my mother in law's...and I"m going to sound mean, but her cooking is not great, she isn't making/buying any potato or macaroni salad or chips, so I don't need to worry about that. I think she's just grilling chicken. I made fruit salad, and one unhealthy dessert.
Matthew's birthday is just battling the cake, which if I eat a piece, that's fine.
Matthew's actual birthday party is another story-we go all out with the Italian food-major cheat day, pasta (tortellini w/vodka cream sauce, bowties w/broccoli and garlic, chicken parmigan, pizza for the kids...etc., etc,
The kids parties shouldn't be too bad. Lousy pizza and lousy cake, which I can easily skip. I'm not cheating on things that aren't worth cheating on.
The engagement party-that will be rough. Our friend Mike's parents own a pizza/Italian place, so the food will actually be really good.
I'll let you know how it goes...and how much I end up gaining!
What I would do is try & get a copy of the menu's for the Italian places--treat it like a dirty magazine, spend a few hours looking at it, drooling over it, coveting things, , and then make your decisions based on that. I try to do this for any restaurant where I'm not familiar w/what is on the menu--this way, I get to try something I really really am craving, making it worth it to eat light the rest of the day.
Quote:
I'm not cheating on things that aren't worth cheating on.
I think this thread is a great reminder that dieting at any time can be a minefield. How many times have we said,
"After Thanksgiving, I'm really going to eat well."
"No one can possibly eat well through the holidays..."
"Oh I can't resist Valentine's Day and all the chocolates... after that, I'll eat healthy."
"I'll start dieting after the Easter bunny comes..."
"But it's my birthday! How can I celebrate while dieting?"
"Oh but summer backyard barbeques, 4th of July! Labor Day! Fireworks and Beer! No dieting now."
"After Thanksgiving, I'm really going to eat well."
We can find excuses if we want to... I'm glad to see that you're thinking smart instead of just giving up.
GoddessJessica, Have you been listening in on my conversations?!?!?! That pretty much describes what I've been saying all my life!! Every now and then my DH will say, "You're still on a diet? But it's not Monday?" He's not used to me ever even getting all the way through a Monday and sticking with it.
Well, the barbecue would have been fine if I didn't create my own way to cheat-I baked my lethal chocolate chip cheesecake brownies-won't I ever learn that I can't keep these kinds of things in the house. I have no self control with chocolate.
It would have been okay-I brought half the pan to my mother in law's-and NOBODY ate any! I'm insulted..sigh. Well, my husbands aunt can't eat chocolate, my husband' s uncle filled up on burgers, my future brother in law had eaten before he came over, and my sister in law wasn't there. (my son Matthew doesn't like them) My mother in law kept a couple and sent the rest back home with us! (then my husband ate some!) Nobody touched the yummy fruit salad I made either (I'll post the recipe later-it's healthy and good). I binged on them Friday night and Saturday, and felt sick and gross.
My mother in law only had grilled chicken (I had one piece on a roll) burgers (which I didn't touch-I don't eat red meat) oddly she made vegetable lasagna w/low fat cheese (ate a very small piece) and beans (small portion). She didn't have any potato or macaroni salad or chips, which was good for me, but odd for a barbecue. She's very sweet, but isn't good at planning dinners, etc, always forgets a major thing or has weird menus.
I went back on program Sunday and today...but tomorrow is Matthew's birthday, and Saturday is his party. I need to be really good the rest of this week, cause Saturday, forget it-read the menu above!
Thanks for asking! I went totally off program-ice cream cake, pizza, the whole deal.
BUT I've found that if I go right back on program the day after messing up and stick to exercise, I DON'T gain anything! One of the most important things I've learned on the journey this time-my LAST time doing this- is that I've been able to go right back on program the next day. That is the most important thing for me. If I go right back on, I'm fine, no damage done. It's when I turn one day of slips ups into a week long free for all-let's eat all the foods I've missed that I'm in deep trouble. Then I lose ALL the good habits and will end up back at 256 lbs or more.
july is a healthy eating minefield! Help!
, and then make your decisions based on that. I try to do this for any restaurant where I'm not familiar w/what is on the menu--this way, I get to try something I really really am craving, making it worth it to eat light the rest of the day. 
