February 16, 2013
44.2 pounds to go
I realize that throughout this blog I’ve whined frequently about how tough it is to avoid over-eating at family events. I point my finger at my family and cry “it’s your fault that you’re pushing 17 pounds of food in my face when I’m trying to be so good! Why are you doing this to me? Sob.” This isn’t fair to myself or to my family. Ultimately, they are not the ones chewing, swallowing and making the choices – that’s up to me.
I will admit that there is typically so much food at these events that it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Dishes of chocolate. Cookies. Bowls of chips. Alcohol. And of course, the main meal event. Then dessert. That is a hell of a lot of calories lying around and can be hard to resist. So what can I do?
First, I’ve found that party hosts fall into 3 general categories when it comes to food pushing:
- They want to make sure everyone is fed so they put out a big spread. They tell you it’s available and offer.
- They want to make sure everyone is fed so they put out a big spread. They insist you try everything. They offer seconds, thirds and sevenths. Then they urge you take some of the leftovers home.
- WASP-y parties. Expect only tiny appetizers and a lot of white wine. I always leave these parties drunk and hungry.
Whether any of these three situations are the standard normal or not, I can’t be sure – it’s just what I have experienced the most over the years. I find I’m the most comfortable when I’m not ordered to try the cake and made to feel guilty if I don’t. I like it when the food’s available and I can choose what I want (or don’t want) without feeling the judgment reigning down upon me. In some cases, I’m sure that the judgment is in my mind, but in others I’m not so sure.
Next, all the standard preparations for eating at a restaurant apply to a party. Try to exercise before to bank up a few extra calories. The promise to exercise after an event is futile – no one wants to go for a walk, drunk tired and stuffed. Eat more protein earlier in the day so you don’t feel the need to overindulge. Wait 10 minutes before you go for seconds. Log the damage in your calorie counter. And always, if all else fails, be quick to forgive and get back on the wagon the next day to avoid a backwards-slide. There’s no one magic bullet cure, just lots of little tips that add up to overall self-control.
I do have a secret weapon in my back pocket for these events: lying. For those party-throwers whose faces fall when you refuse the cake use these handy fibs:
- I’m lactose intolerant
- I’m gluten sensitive
- I can’t eat a lot of grease
- I can’t eat x, y, z food, it upsets my stomach.
For some reason, if you attach the excuse to a health problem, food pushers will generally back off because they don’t want to make you sick. However, if you say “I’m on a diet” or “I’m on a health kick” most often they will roll their eyes (mentally) and still follow you around with the ice cream cake until you take a bite.
For me, items 1 and 2 are true, so I don’t feel as bad about it. Not to go into detail, but if I had the ice cream and cake the first thing that would happen is a mad dash to the bathroom then a splitting headache. No thanks. They’re also convenient because I can easily say no to ice cream, cake, cookies and chips (the biggest calorie offenders) without offending anyone. Even if you don’t have the same affliction, now you know the results so please feel free to use them as an excuse!
Like anything else with a lifestyle change, dealing with events becomes easier with practice. I’ve trained myself for so many years to get ready to dig in and eat everything in sight at parties because that’s what I felt was expected of me. Plus, I wanted to – there’s no hiding from that. The first party I went to when I started logging my food was torture. Then it got a little easier, and a little easier. Now, I still have my moments at parties but I don’t feel scared or anxious when I walk in the door. Now I know what to do.
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