How I Overcame My Biggest Diet Obstacle | The Last 5
I've made many attempts in my life to eat healthier--usually it comes right after the holidays or after a particularly gluttonous weekend. I'm usually really good for a couple of days, but then I make dinner plans and it tends to go right out the window. How can I just order a boring salad when everyone else is getting pasta or some delicious cheesy concoction? It's a vicious cycle.
I have extremely weak will power when it comes to food and I'm super aware of it. Put something in front of me and I'll eat it. That's why when I decided to do The Last 5, I felt a little nervous. Let's face it, the majority of social interactions revolve around food and/or some sort of alcohol. But I can't just sit alone inside for eight weeks and hide away from the world right? That wouldn't make a diet very sustainable and it would just be miserable.
That's why in the very first episode, I told Christine about it. It's the one area that I really wanted to work on. But it's more than just having the will power to order a healthy option instead of something like nachos (my favorite food in the world, in case you didn't know), it's not making everyone around me uncomfortable and making myself feel like I'm missing out. Plus, they always say it's when you feel deprived that you end up bingeing. So I knew this was an extremely important obstacle to deal with if I was really going to give myself a chance to be successful in the long run.
As always, Christine delivered with the most helpful tips. She took me to Project Taco to help guide me through a normal social situation I would have. (They have some of the best tacos ever, by the way. I highly recommend the Hermosa Hummus and Blueberry BBQ tacos. Yum!) Watch the video below to see her tips!
I especially liked what she had to say when it came to alcohol, after all, I'm in my mid-twenties, I like to go bar hopping with friends and single (which means I'm dating). I also know that alcohol is just loaded with calories, but again, I don't want to feel socially awkward, make people feel uncomfortable around me and make myself feel left out. She suggested to "clean up your cocktail." That means ordering your favorite spirit (I'm looking at you tequila) with soda water and then adding flavor with fresh fruits and vegetables like limes, grapefruits and cucumbers. Sounds tasty enough for me!
I also always think back to something that Giada De Laurentiis says, "Eat a little bit of everything and not a lot of anything." It's all about moderation. You can eat whatever you want, but as long as you don't go overboard you'll be fine. And in the end, you'll feel better not being so bloated anyway!
On another note, we also did my first weigh in and measurements in this episode. Again, you'll have to watch the video below to see the results, but I can say that I was super nervous before we filmed it. The camera being present sure does add a lot of pressure! But I've been really, really good about following Christine's program called Evolution20. In fact, I'm impressed that I've been able to really stick with something this long.
After this meet-up with Christine, I've been able to implement her tips into my social life and I feel like less of an outcast and less stressed out about going into social situations. On top of that, the results I'm getting from her program are even more motivating to stick with it!
Do you all have any "socializing while on a diet" tips? I'd love to hear them! Share in the comments below.
