Surviving a Dinner Party in the Most Healthy Way

Who does not love a good party?  Summer breeze, yummy cocktails, food on the grille, day parties that turn into night….more food, more drinks.  As wonderful as parties are, they can be a bit problematic when it comes to your weight.

What to do?  Here are some tips to make your social life a bit more successful on the scale.

• Eat before you go – Sounds crazy, but by far the smartest thing you can do.  For those of you who “don’t eat all day so you can eat a lot at night” – pretty please, stop that habit.  This can lead to overeating and metabolically the body is going to store all that food as fat.  Eat a balanced plate of food with protein, fat and carbs within an hour of heading to the party.  Trust me!  You do not want to walk into a party ravenous.
• Think about where you are standing – So often we mindlessly eat at parties.  If you are standing next to a bowl of nuts/chips/cookies/fill in the blank, you can eat way more than you intended to and you didn’t even want the food!  Such a sad reason to eat.  Take a moment and notice where the food is, and choose a spot on the other side of the room.  Enjoy conversation with friends rather than mindlessly munching.
• Water, please – Drink up!  Water that is.  So often we eat more and drink more alcohol than we mean to, while having some water may be just what we need.  Keep a water glass near by and drink it!
• Where are the vegetables? Where is the protein? While you can enjoy certain treats, try to keep the plate balanced.  Find the vegetable and the protein to make sure you do not over do it on starches and fats.
• Be mindful and enjoy the hell out of it – Enjoy your treat – sit down, savor the flavor and take it in…then move on.  So often we inhale drinks/desserts/fried goodies and we eat so fast we miss it!  What a shame.  Treats are meant to be enjoyed – enjoy it but do not let it ruin your diet, weight or night.
• Break a sweat. Get a workout in that morning to start the day off right…be sure to eat post workout and pre-party so you don’t walk into the party starving!
• Be secretly high maintenance – If you know you are going to a party where there is going to be nothing remotely healthy, bring a platter of some food you know you can eat.  Or if someone places the cookies on your end of the table, slyly move them to the other side.  Put a little bit of the indulgence food on your plate but no need to eat all of it.  Make the night work in your favor rather than it getting out hand.

What do you think?  Can you be a social butterfly and still succeed at weight loss?  I say YES!  Cheers!
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Jae Berman, MS, RD, CSSD, serves as the Regional Registered Dietitian of The San Francisco Bay Club. As the nutrition expert and dietician for Western Athletic  Clubs, she thrives on helping people live healthier, stronger, more confident lives. With an extensive education in nutrition, Jae has been featured as an expert in Shape Magazine, Better Homes & Garden and more. Her background is in sports nutrition, weight loss counseling and disease management. She is also a personal trainer and yoga and Pilates instructor. Jae earned a master’s degree in Applied Physiology and Nutrition from Columbia University and completed her dietetic internship at UCSF Medical Center.