Day Thirty-Seven: The Dreaded Dinner Party

You're doing great on your quest to eat healthy. Then, you get an invitation to go over to a friend's house for dinner. You feel anxiety start to well up when you wonder if there's going to be anything there that you can eat. You know that if you go and don't eat, it could be awkward....you don't want to offend anyone. However, you also don't want to sabotage yourself by trying to be polite to your host.

Everyone who chooses healthy habits encounters this problem sooner or later.

The average American diet is loaded with salt, sugar, alcohol, and fat. This is multiplied when we're in a social setting. When we dine socially, the average person tends to consume 2-3 times more calories than when dining alone or with our immediate family. So, it's good to think proactively when you know you're going to be in a social situation involving food.

Here are some tips:

-Don't go to a social event on an empty stomach. Eat nutritiously before you go. You can let your host know that you ate a large meal earlier and therefore aren't very hungry. People tend to be accepting of this without feeling upset or wondering why you didn't eat the food that they spent hours preparing. If you feel like scooping a little salad onto your plate with a bite or two of cheese, this can ease any awkwardness.

-Take something healthy. Prepare a veggie tray or a whole wheat pasta dish, something that tastes great and also ensures that you've got healthy food on hand.

-If you want to partake in the meal, you can use it in place of one of your cheat meals. This requires flexibility, but can be well worth it, especially if you begin to have feelings of deprivation.

-Lean towards fruit, veggies, salad, and a few pieces of cheese. Stay away from the greasy, fried, and sugary stuff.

-Drink a lot of water. If you are drinking a non-alcoholic beverage and others are having wine or cocktails, it can be fun to squeeze in a lime and put your drink in a rocks glass.