Starting a healthy diet requires being sincere and dedicated in the long run. However, sticking to healthy eating during social situations presents a different challenge altogether. While cheat meals are pretty normal, giving in to temptation each time you eat out can actually throw your diet off track. Too many cheat meals can nullify your progress, whether you’re on a bulk or cut.
Why is sticking to diets in social situations difficult?
Sticking to a diet in social situations can be challenging for several reasons. Whether you like it or not, most social gatherings revolve around food and drinks, making it difficult to avoid unhealthy choices. There are a few reasons that make sticking to diets in social situations quite difficult. Let’s go through them:
- You’re not in your regular environment
In most cases, whenever you attend a party, the environment will be different from your regular routine. This can have a large influence on your food choices.
- You don’t have a say on the food options
Maintaining a healthy diet involves you hand picking the food that goes in your belly. Whether it’s a dinner party, a family gathering, or a night out with friends, the food options available are rarely healthy or an acceptable substitute for your diet. This is why you can’t stick to eating healthy in such a situation as you have no control over the food that’s going to be there.
- Peer pressure
Peer pressure plays a big role too. Your friends may encourage you to indulge or join them in eating foods that you normally would avoid, which in turn makes it difficult to keep up with your diet plan. Social events also can create an atmosphere where food is not just a meal, it represents more - the feeling of togetherness and celebration. Moreover, since most social situations involve alcohol, which lowers inhibitions and normally results in unhealthy eating habits. With temptations of food with peer pressure and emotional associations about eating, it becomes really challenging to stick to diet goals when in social situations.
Tips for healthy eating in social situations
Sticking to healthy eating while going out doesn’t have to be as challenging as it may currently feel. With a few simple social eating tips, it will feel much easier for you to practice balance with your food choices. Take a look at what you can do:
- Plan ahead
Before attending any social event, make it a point to check the menu at the restaurant or ask the host what's being served. If it's a restaurant, plan healthier options ahead of time. If it's a potluck or gathering at a friend’s house, consider bringing a nutritious dish that fits your diet. By planning ahead, you can eliminate impulsive decisions and make sure a healthier choice is available for you to choose from.
- Eat before you go
Having a light and healthy meal or snack before you leave for the event may be one of the ways to avoid overeating or making bad choices. This will lower your temptation to indulge in high-calorie foods once you reach the social event. Consider food which is higher in protein and fiber to help keep you full for a longer period of time.
- Restrict your alcohol intake
Alcohol will quickly add extra calories and lower inhibitions to make poor food choices. Alternatively, you could have fresh juices or have a light, low-calorie drink. Liquids help control hunger and keep you focused on dieting.
- Don’t be afraid to say no
Social events are situations that may involve peer pressure, but you should never be afraid to say no. It is completely okay to say no in a situation that has the ability to jeopardize your long-term goals.
How RightLife’s EatRight program can help
- Meal Planning
Even when healthy eating and staying healthy seem like a challenge while socializing, the EatRight program from RightLife eases your worries with proper meal planning. You can make wise decisions even when dining out or at social events. The program can give you personalized meal planning that suits your social calendar so that you never feel restricted. For example, if you have an event that you know you're going to be at, such as a party, EatRight has suggestions about how to balance your food earlier in the day so you can have fun but not compromise your health. You'll be less likely to make those impulsive, unhealthy decisions and feel confident in any social situation.
- Diets
The EatRight plan supports a range of diets that help you stick to your preferred way of living, even when making those decisions in a social setting. Whether on low-carb, high-protein, or a plant-based diet, EatRight will help you fit into your healthy eating habits while enjoying dining with friends and family. They offer a wide array of diet-friendly recipes that are not only healthy but crowd-pleasers, ensuring you do not feel left out in the event. Lastly, EatRight emphasizes balance, thus eliminating the strict elimination diets. This would make the social functions so much easier yet not compromise on your diet.
- Food and Mind
The EatRight program recognizes the connection between food and the mind, particularly in socialization. The food is constantly used for handling emotional states like stress, celebration, or pressure from peer groups. EatRight teaches one mindful eating, which heightens their awareness of how social environments affect what they're eating. Mindfulness practice will encourage food choices that nourish your body. The program also teaches one emotional triggers, such as overeating due to stress or even just a desire to eat with friends. With EatRight, you can attend social events and focus your mind on long-term health.
EatRight provides meal planning, diet flexibility, and mindful eating strategies that enable you to sustain healthy eating habits under any kind of social situation, which helps keep you well-balanced and confident. Keep eating healthy in social situations by registering with RightLife now.
