5 Tips for Sticking to Your Diet at a Party

The toughest part about being on a diet for me is feeling deprived at social gatherings, like today’s church picnic.  I know a lot of bodybuilders who avoid social gatherings entirely during show prep (which is the 12 week diet down before a competition.)  But I have family commitments (birthday parties, weddings, etc.) and let’s face it, who wants to give up their social life in the quest for an award-winning physique? Here are…

5 Tips to Stick to Your Diet at Parties

1. Get your head clear about your motivation.  If you have a medical condition (like my mom’s diabetes) that puts you in danger if you binge, then you have to stick to your diet.  If you are going to be standing on stage in a bikini in 9 weeks, that’s pretty darn motivating too.  The stronger your motivation, the easier to follow your meal plan.
2. Eat before you go to the party.  You will be less likely to snack on chips and alcohol.
3. Pack your own food.  I used to feel weird about this until last year when I started telling people that I was in a bodybuilding competition and had to follow my plan.  Not only did people think it was cool I was so dedicated, they also began asking me questions about how they could eat better too.
4. Don’t stand near the food table.  Out of sight, out of mind.
5. Hold a glass of water.  Sometimes when you think you are hungry, you’re really thirsty.  So drink water throughout the party and avoid hunger and thirst pangs entirely.  Plus if you are holding water it makes it all the more difficult to also hold a cookie.  Just sayin’

If you slip up and have a glass of wine or cheese and crackers, stop what you’re doing, go sit down and really pay attention to what you’re eating.  Don’t beat yourself up; savor your cheat.  Enjoy it, taste it, focus on it.  Now go back to step #1 and remind yourself why you want to eat healthy.  One little cheat does not give you free reign to binge the rest of the party.  Get back on track and enjoy the party.  You can do it!

Hope to see you at the next picnic.  I’ll be the one eating chicken and brown rice from my Tupperware.

Lisa 😉

• @sheslosingitnet
• http://www.facebook.com/ShesLosingItnet

Sheslosingit.net (c) 2013 Lisa Traugott.  All rights reserved.  No portion of this blog, including any text, photographs, and artwork, may be reproduced or copied without written permission.