My nephew is getting married on Saturday near where we live. Tomorrow my son, DIL and grandson will come from out of town. Also, my SIL and neice will stay with us, too. There's lots of food stuff to face. Friday night there's a rehearsal dinner ( I requested grilled chicken). Saturday is the wedding. I don't know what they will serve at the wedding. Sunday there's a big brunch - I know their will be ham...there's always ham everytime my othe DIL has a party .

When I think about it, there's really only three meals I don't have control of over the entire weekend - as far as choices go. My strategy is to make the most healthful, sane choices I can. - with what I am presented with. I'll have a bite of cake, maybe. Keep my water glass full at all times.

You'd think after losing so much weight....I could 'just do it'. But, I always need to have a strategy to have sanity with food.

My general thing for when my son comes home is to fix some of his favorite things. It's tradition that I make sausage gravy and bisquits for breakfast when he's home. I will have to see how I am feeling on that day. May have to skip it. Maybe, I'll make him deviled eggs and his favorite brown rice dish, instead.

I am so glad that I have 8 on plan days under my belt. I think I am feeling 'up to the challenge' as well as I can. However, my usual MO for after getting thru a hard weekend, is a binge on Monday. At least I know it.

Any tips on how your approach situations like this? It's a real foodie weekend.

I am kind of rambling. But, you wonderful folks always are helpful.Thanks.

The thing that really helped me for the big family meals during the holidays was to have a really specific eating plan. I didn't want to deny myself something that I love and only get to have a couple of times a year, but I also didn't want to regret eating it either. I made a list (a real, on paper list) of what I was going to let myself eat, and I made it as specific as possible. Half a piece of this, a spoonful of that, none of that, this many glasses of wine, etc. I actually didn't end up eating everything on the list, but it helped so much to have a framework of what was permissible.

Good luck this weekend, and have fun at the wedding!

Good luck, and congratulations to your nephew!

You would think eating healthy would be automatic, right? Sometimes the best laid plans prior to an event end up out the window for me LOL!
As long as you have the plan, you might want to enlist some help from people to make sure you stick with what you need. Get in a little more exercise - dance a lot at the reception

I would skip the favorite meal thing for your son. Plan a healthy meal, remember - it's him you are eating with, not the food.

I would actually write down your goals for the weekend, don't just have the idea and plan in your head. Make it concrete, fold it up and place the paper in your pocket (not your purse), so it is on your person at all times. Use it as a touchstone to help you stay the course.

As much as I love biscuits and gravy, your son knows you love him and he doesn't need that kind of food to prove it. I say skip it, and that's one less stressful food choice for you this weekend. Sounds like the rehearsal dinner is going to be okay, and you will hopefully find some lean protein and veggies served at the wedding. Big weekend-long celebrations are so stressful, but I know you can do it! As long as you keep your head and make the best food choices you can, you'll be able to get right back on plan on Monday and no harm done.

Above all, enjoy yourself! If you keep yourself busy enough visiting family you won't have time to worry about food.

Seeing as how I go to weddings every weekend ... ... I might be able to help with this.

First of all, even the healthy food at a wedding will most likely be not completely healthy. Caterers cook with a lot of oil and butter, so even veggies will be pretty high calorie. However, I've never been to a wedding where there wasn't a veggie tray / crudities and where there wasn't some kind of fresh fruit either. Load up on that as much as possible.

If they have a carving station, you can ask the carver for the leanest cut of meat and they'll be happy to find just the right cut for you.

If they don't have a carving station, then ask the server if they can find you a piece of meat w/out sauce on it in the back. A lot of times if you ask the caterers sweetly, they will provide something lower fat/cal.

Avoid anything fried or wrapped in bacon.

I struggle each week with wedding food - because I can't leave the wedding to eat a meal or even bring something with me (no outside food is allowed in most venues). So I'm stuck with what's served. It's tough, but you can do it.

And you know what ... it's also a wedding and there's nothing wrong with going a *little* off plan to celebrate. Have a 1/2 a piece of cake or a glass of wine or a few nibbly-appetiser type things ... and don't feel guilty. Moderation is the key here.

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Enjoy yourself this weekend! I think everyone gave you great advice

Thanks to you all. Some great ideas and strategies. I really appreciate it. Also, thanks for wishing me well and to have fun.

How could I not have fun with my grandbaby! (he's 15 monthes)

Boy you got some great advice!!

I almost feel bad for coming in here with a recipe tweak.

I adore biscuits & gravy!! Anything I absolutely adore I've tweaked in case the urge hits and I just gotta have it. Granted I havent aten this in a couple of years... But its there and better for me then the original.

So here is what I've done... just in case .

1 pt biscuit's... makes 3 biscuit's

Ingredients


3 Tbsp fat-free skim milk
1 1/2 tsp plain fat-free yogurt
6 Tbsp Gold Medal Self-Rising Flour


Instructions


Pre-heat oven 425.
Mix ingredients and drop onto lightly sprayed cookie sheet. bake for 13-16 minutes

Amount Per Serving
Calories 45.1
Total Fat 0.1 g
Saturated Fat 0.0 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 0.4 mg
Sodium 10.9 mg
Potassium 45.2 mg
Total Carbohydrate 8.9 g
Dietary Fiber 0.3 g
Sugars 0.0 g
Protein 1.8 g


Sausage gravy... 2 pts per serving... serves 6

Boca sausage patties ( 6 servings crumbled )
1/4 c. flour
2 c. skim milk
1 tsp. ground black pepper
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground red pepper flakes

Brown and crumble breakfast patties, remove from pan and set aside. Add flour to pan stirring till a roux is formed. Slowly add milk stirring constantly until thickened. Add seasonings and sausage.

Amount Per Serving

Calories 117.5
Total Fat 2.7 g
Saturated Fat 0.1 g
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Monounsaturated Fat 0.0 g
Cholesterol 1.6 mg
Sodium 352.6 mg
Potassium 141.1 mg
Total Carbohydrate 12.9 g
Dietary Fiber 2.1 g
Sugars 1.0 g
Protein 11.3 g