A regular topic that comes up with my clients is eating out, eating while on a road trip and weekends. How do you navigate any/all of it?
This wellness journey we are all on is never about perfection. Ever. That leads to negative self-talk, remorse, and regret.
Rather, it's about planning for what is going to make you feel great. Choosing what we eat is 100% up to us. What sounds good in the short term(candy, sweets, etc) often leads to us feeling tired and sluggish pretty soon afterward.
Some ideas for weekends, road trips and BBQ's...
Plan ahead if you can. If you can't abstain from the packaged yumminess at a convenience store- do not go there. Take the extra 10 minutes to go to a grocery store to get some food from the deli. Opt for water instead of sugar drinks( I know it's no fun) but... this time of year we need more water!
Restaurants always have their menus online. Look at the menu before you go. Decide what you want to indulge in beforehand. Portions are HUGE these days and it always pays off to know ahead of time what you're going to get.
If you're trying to lose, pick one thing that you want to enjoy and do it in moderation.
BBQ's... now that we can finally get together again, lots of BBQs are happening. Make some hard rules for yourself. Then stick to them. It's so easy to overdo it and leave feeling stuffed and awful. A few smart rules could be..
1-deciding on how many adult beverages you will have. Make it a must to have a glass or two of water between drinks.
2-no chips/snacks until you have a plate. Then they can go on the plate. It's so easy to eat 200 chips before you even get to dinner!
3-Just like the restaurant- pick what you want to indulge in.. and stick to that.
You are not missing out on the fun. The fun is the people you are with, not what you eat. Believe me, I've had plenty of food regret because I overate. It was an awful feeling.
We have rules for our kids when they were little- brush your teeth, bath time, nap time.
Why not make rules for yourself and your health?