Eating for life – step 4 PARTY TIME is a super fun stage to reach. We all need to party more and know how to enjoy ourselves too. Parties and celebrations are what bring us together.
Staying fit and healthy, and for some of us we’ve had to learn how to trim down a bit, is difficult to achieve long term. We like to celebrate these special times with family and friends but we also do not always have to go back on diet.
In this eating plan, it is possible. Yes, we can have our cake and eat it too. When I learned how to take the guilt out of enjoying a dessert or a piece of cake, it took the stress of eating and losing weight right away.
The dilemma of what to do when your neighbor invites you over and serves you cake is solved.
how to?
This is how you can enjoy your sweet treat, safely and with a clear conscience.
You may have ONE meal per WEEK as a free meal.
You may eat any food you like.
ONE condition: YOU MAY NOT OVEREAT.
The thing to remember is that you will be invited to another party. And no this will not be the last time when this dessert will be available to you. Slow down and enjoy the party.
Remember too, that eating it all up quickly and trying to forget what you did is not the idea either! Ask me, I’ve tried to live and reason with myself in this way too.
eating for life – step 4 PARTY TIME ahead
As we enter into seasons when we go to one party or function to the next, what do we do? Most places and functions also offer healthy alternatives like fruit platters etc. and these are good choices to make there and then. You will also feel a whole lot better and will not suffer from a sweet head or have your blood sugar spike when you have a super sweet cake on an empty stomach.
If you’ve had to go to three functions in one week, well then take the following three weeks to bring normality back into your life and stay away from party-type treats.
eating for life
What I love most about this way of dealing with sweet treats is that it gives me a way to do this for life. The trap of fads and diets is that they are not sustainable and when they don’t ‘work’, we give up. I have found that this way of eating has helped me maintain a healthy weight and level of fitness.
I have made so many mistakes and have made so many bad choices but I no longer feel unable to achieve my goals. Eating for life is what I’m aiming for. Getting back to the better way of eating is easier now because I realize that it was only a bad day or week but that is not my life.
Our choices when it comes to buying sweet treats now are so different. Feeling so much better in myself is enough motivation for me to continue on.
enjoy your party
Part of success is to be in the moment. Celebrate with your friend or family member, eat what they have prepared. Relax and savor the taste, enjoy. Eat slowly and don’t overfill your plate, be kind to yourself. You are only accountable to yourself and you’re only doing it for yourself.
Know what you can and can’t eat. CHECK THIS ALL OUT WITH YOUR DOCTOR. Know your allergies and intolerances, it will matter how much or how little they will affect you. Honesty with your host is important, no one wants to give someone anything that will harm them.
Quantities of food are something that you can learn to know and control. Start trying to savor the taste and do not worry about getting the largest piece on the platter.
portion control
If you’ve spent years eating badly and have gotten used to huge portions, cut back slowly. WORK WITH YOUR DOCTOR. What I have found super helpful is to know that the guidelines in this way of eating give me enough to fuel my body. That helps me deal with the hunger pangs that I experience especially after I’ve eaten badly for a while.
I trust this plan. It has worked for me for the past 10 years. I am a middle-aged woman and I have lost weight and gained my energy back in a time when many say it is not possible. Give yourself time. You’ve taken a few years to learn some bad habits, give yourself the space and time to unlearn them again. You’ve got this.
don’t give up
Enjoy the party and have fun celebrating with friends and family. If you’ve gone overboard, be kind to yourself – don’t give up! There is so much in life that challenges us and eating well is also one.
Keep going, if you only make one good change per week for a month, go for it. If you get it wrong or you’ve tried your best and you still do not experience good changes. Stop! Have an honest look at what you’ve been doing. Chat to someone you trust. Write down everything you’re eating or have eaten, talk to your doctor. Get to know what food and which sweet treats work for you and which do not.
educate yourself
This process and learning curve may be steep, but it is very worth it. Don’t rely on others to teach you about food and eating, teach yourself, you’re the best person to gauge what your body is up to. Even when you work this out with a doctor or dietician, they will interview and examine you too. No one knows your body better than you do.
Don’t be afraid of change, learning and equipping yourself empowers you. Knowing how to navigate yourself around a party or celebration is fantastic. Learn and experiment. New foods await you at the next party. Give them a try. Don’t overfill your plate. Rather have a small try of everything and you can always go back for another nibble and taste something else.