You are very right in saying that "depriving myself flat-out seems foolish". It is very foolish and would just not work.

I am the same age and have the same weekend schedule, bars, dinner out etc etc. Sometimes it is hard ... most of the time it is hard! But you can still go out and enjoy yourself just as you did making the best food and drink choices you can.

I also try to have very healthy breakfasts, snacks etc during the days on weekends to allow me to not be so worried about going out do have a drink and a nice dinner.

I don't know.... I used to be one of those who believed that it was OK to let healthy eating slip once a week, too. Now I've come to look at it a lot differently.

I lose weight really easily: I've gone from 129 to 113/110 twice now by losing about two pounds a week pretty consistently. But the last time I didn't keep it off, and I think that is because I subscribed to the weekends/holidays/vacations are lenient zones plan.

This time I've eaten healthily the whole time. This time I went on vacation and ate right. This time I chose healthy options even when out to eat on the weekend and I drank one glass of red wine only very, very rarely.

I do believe that it is OK to indulge a little from time to time. I haven't chosen to do so myself as of yet, but I can see that. But I don't know if it's a good idea to go off plan every weekend. In my experience, that doesn't teach you the habits you need to keep the weight off. And, as you get closer to goal, you may find it harder to see results if you aren't pretty vigilant. In fact, for some people, it is hard to see results period when going off plan on the weekends.

But, as I say, that is just my personal experience. Everyone is different. Different approaches work for different people. I imagine there are those who need leeway in a plan in order not to fail.

For what it's worth, I have found it pretty easy to find healthy, tasty options on restaurant menus and to drink water with a twist of lemon while still having a good time out with friends. And I feel so much better about myself when I make the right choices. I know I'm choosing long-term health and happiness over short-term indulgences.

I find that if you are among friends and good conversation, you tend to eat less and talk more!

There must be healthy choices you can make when you go out! Don't be scared to order an appetizer and a side. Cradle your drink and really savor the drink instead of taking shot after shot. I also squeeze in a very good workout every day before I shower and get dressed. I drink lots of water and green tea during the day to flush out the salt I'm getting from restaurant foods.

I guess those are what I've done before I head out. This whole year has been vacations/traveling for me so I definitely understand that the social aspect is hard.

Well...I hate to tell you, but you need to make choices. And that's all it is. and it is ALWAYS your own choice to make. Do you want to lose weight, or do you want to have the same life the exact same way that caused you to gain weight in the first place? It is up to you to decide which is more important.

From there, you CAN still have a life without giving up everything. it isn't an "all or nothing" situation, most likely. It will bw about "damage control" in the food/drink category so you can still enjoy going out with your bf and crew. When you go to the restaurant, don't get anything fried, or with sauce. Skip the appetizer and dessert. Get double veggies and no rice or potato.

At the bar, I would suggest striaght up club soda with lime or lemo0n. It looks like a "real" drink, but has zero calories. Or have ONE wine spritzer made with diet soda or club soda, and then switch to straight diet soda, club soda, or water. Or have one mixed drink with diet soda, then switch. Stayaway from sweet fruity drinks for sure. No pina coladas, no daquiris, things like that.

Just make the best choices with the menus you are dealt. You can do it!

Barb

My lifestyle tends to be similar (I'm 28). When Friday hits, it is almost a guarantee that everybody from work in going out for happy hour, and my friends tend to go out to dinner on weekends as well. I try to eat before I go. I know it seems silly to eat before I go out to dinner, but if I eat something light before I go, I can order a side salad or a shrimp cocktail at the restaurant. This way I can eat with everybody and not go overboard. I try to remind myself that I go for the socialization and not the food. Drinks are more of a challenge for me Vodka and soda is pretty low calorie; wine is also a pretty good pick. I do allow myself to have a couple beers from time to time. It just can't be 5 beers every Friday and Saturday night. . .

You could always suggest fun weekend activities that don't involve drinks. We play wallyball sometimes, and with the warm weather hitting, there will be plenty of time for batting cages or go-carts

You can't change the way all of your friends live their life, and you don't want to cut out your social life. Finding a balance between the two will help to make it more of a lifestyle change, and maybe some of your friends will jump on board with you.

This weekend there is a local event that raises money for a certain organization in the town, anyways, $50 dollar (already paid for)tickets for unlimited amounts of margaritas, and mexican dinner. Great. Lol

It's also worth throwing out there that drinking tends to weaken one's resistance to unhealthy food choices. So the less you do of the one, the more likely you will be to stay on track with the other.

And I don't recommend trying to exercise off the excess, either. I'm am exercise fanatic—I work out more than anyone I know—but that didn't stop me from putting back on the weight when I stopped being vigilant about my choices. It's also no way to live, in my opinion—always trying to play catch up after you fall off the wagon.

For me, I use exercise and food/alcohol evasion to survive the weekend. I go dancing a lot on weekends and generally get a decent 2 hour workout every time I go. Dance places don't have food and have long drink lines, so I don't overindulge on alcohol.

I admit I do a lot food and drink evasion when I'm out with friends. Too often, they will refill my beer glass or offer me food. I do taste their food, which is fun because I get to eat something tasty in a bite sized portion. With alcohol, I nurse one drink for the night. And then dance it off later.

Basically, I had to get over the peer pressure and need to be accepted. People will get over it if you eat and drink less. They are your friends- they love you for who you are, not for sharing a plate of nachos and a pitcher of beer.

You will do great! Look for a salad, dressing on the side? A lean chicken breast dish with a side of steamed veggies? Drinks- maybe one then done? The rest of the night do lemon water or club soda? You have the control. Keep the conversation flowing, asking other people questions- don't sit there all night and think about what you're not eating. Think about those slimmer clothes =) and a healthy heart =) and those gorgeous muscles that are growing!! I wish you the very best!!

You can always go with your friends for ice cream, you don't have to eat any.

It's very easy to wipe out a week's worth of on plan eating on the weekend. When I was losing weight, I was strict 7 days a week. I got to the weight I want, and now I have weekend treat meals. I didn't have to deprive myself for my whole life, but I did have to be careful while I was actively losing weight.

You said you just started. If you don't see any progress after a month or so, you might want to re-evaluate your weekends. If your friends really want your success, they will support you and won't "demand" ice cream.

You really can say no. I do it all the time. I know it might not feel very easy right now, but once you start cutting sugar out and following a plan of healthy eating, your craving for sugar will recede and your desire will increase to further what you have accomplished already. It will become easier and easier to say no, even to ice cream (and beer > ). There is an entire carrot cake from Paradise Bakery & Cafe and an enormous box of chocolate right outside my office door as I type, but I'm cool with it. That wouldn't have been true before I got my eating under control.

You words were - to deprive yourself would be foolish - yes, of a slim, thin, trim, healthy, self confident, all that you can be - you. Quite foolish to deprive yourself of that!!! It's all perspective. Decide what it is you want the MOST out of life - and resolve to pay the *price* to get it. You can't have it both ways. You just can't. You can't eat off plan foods (and/or drinks) AND have the weight loss. It just can't occur. Any deficit created in the days prior to the weekend will be wiped away and depending on just how much you care to not *deprive* yourself, you can not only not lose weight, but you can gain.

Going out with friends IS harder, but you'll just have to try harder and plan harder. You don't have to drink and eat high calorie foods in order to have a good time.

Have some baked fish or grilled chicken, or some soup and a salad. Have diet soda. Enjoy your friends and enjoy the new slim, trim life you will be carving out for yourself.

By the time I was 26 I was settled in with a husband and infant and was already fighting off baby weight. Yes, yes, enjoy your 20's! But you don't have to do it with food or alcohol.

I'm a bad one to ask about the drinking because I have 2-3 drinks a year, and this year will most like be NONE. But it seems to me you could sip from one drink and maybe not even finish it. I'd stay away from any of the sweet drinks and maybe stick to heart healthy red wine.