Eating out on Exante (christmas parties) - any tips?

[booboobearette]

Ok, so I know that eating out is not the done thing when doing Exante total, however as it is the run up to christmas and obviously there are meals out etc I am just wondering if anybody has any tips or advice on how to survive this without sabotaging your weight loss.
I am not telling anybody I am doing this (I am sure some of you can relate to why - the negativity from people sayings its a 'fad' diet etc) so its not going to be easy!
I am not talking of meals out several times a week or anything like that, I have 3, maybe 4 between now and christmas - and i plan to stick 100% to plan apart from these nights out and even then I wont go mad. What is the best thing to eat and does anybody have any advice to survive these?
Thanks in advance

 

[harry m]

Hi, try to eat only protein stuff eg (eggs, chicken) no carbs at all otherwise carbs gonna kick u out of Kitosis and I m sure you don't want that.NO Alcohol at all.Try to drink lots of water....I hope it helps.

 

[booboobearette]

Thanks Harry M, thats helpful, I will have a look at menus online before i go out. I have not even got my pack arrived yet but want to be prepared for every eventuality!

 

[sliemox]

fish, chicken, vegetables , water if you have to zero coke. Just have a look at the foods allowed in working solutin and try to incoporate those. try to avoid alcohol if u can and any bread, pasta, rice etc

 

[booboobearette]

Thanks Sliemox

 

[laughingbean]

The best advice I can really give is that you boycott these socials or attend them and stick to drinking just water or cola zero (if it's available). You put that in the run up to Christmas, there are obviously 'meals out' etc but at any time of the year, there's reasons for big social functions and the needs to eat rich foods (e.g. with summer comes BBQs). You don't have to attend them, of course. It comes back to 'how badly do you want to lose weight?' There will be other Christmas times.

There's never a good time to diet.

Even if you ate chicken or eggs or whatever it is people say you 'can' eat without the famous "knocking you out of ketosis," you're still adding-in calories and this will significantly slow-down the weight loss. In fact, when you wake up after a night before where you've eaten, say, a plate of white meat and whatever-else it was "probably Ok" to pile away, your confidence will now likely be hit, as it'll be a cert you've put on some weight. This then leads to a person giving-up as; after all, there's another social in two days' time and if it looks likely I've put on weight and I'm out of k....

(I'm speaking from experience here).

But yes, the person who has added 'no alcohol at all' is being wise - it is full of calories and has no health benefits whatsoever.

 

[Starlight]

But yes, the person who has added 'no alcohol at all' is being wise - it is full of calories and has no health benefits whatsoever.

Its more to do with the fact drinking alcohol is extremely dangerous when youre in ketosis, as opposed to the extra calories


I have to admit I dont subscribe to the idea of not socialising, I dont intend to become a recluse on a VLCD. There are plenty ways round eating out, one of my most frequently used ones is '2 nights out on the one night' I make my excuse for missing a meal because I have to be somewhere else first, then when I do arrive, the foods done and Im not expected to drive cos Ive got the car

Theres more to nights out than food and drink

 

[Starlight]

A wee reminder... NO food talk allowed in the 100% forum

Thread moved to main forum

 

[Loser85]

Agreed - i went to my brothers engagement do at the weekend and sat all night with pints of water and no food. Had a brilliant night.

 

[booboobearette]

Apologises, I did not realise that I had posted this in the wrong place!
I dont really go out very much and when there are long standing christmas meals out then you cant really say no when they have been arranged for a long time. I intend to make the best choices that I can on the evening, and I will plan what to eat before hand by reviewing the menus but I know for a fact that come the next day I will be back on track 110%.
I'll play it by ear but the last thing I want is to cause upset amongst friends by pulling out (they dont know I am doing this). I'm getting married next year so I know that I will get to my target.
I dont think its reaslistic to cancel life when I know that I will be 110% every other day.

 

[Starlight]

Youll find people on a VLCD handle Christmas one of three ways

a: stick strictly to plan
b: Have a day off but make sensible choices, protein, veg, no dessert, sauces etc
c: Have the day off and enjoy it and get back on plan again straight afterwards

Which you do is purely down to you, I have to admit I wont be thinking of my packs on Christmas Day, we dont go mad in our family for sweets/chocs etc but I WILL be having my full Christmas dinner with my family. Lifes to short to miss out on special days with my family, my dad died very suddenly in Jan 2009, we had absolutely no idea whatsoever that Christmas 2008 would be our last 'proper' family Christmas, and Im so glad it was a really lovely one. I know if Id been on packs then and stuck to them it would always have been something I regretted

At the end of the day its your choice, theres no right and wrong answer to this one

 

[booboobearette]

Thanks Starlight. I agree completely with what you are saying and will go with option c. I will get straight back on it as I will be doing so well I will want to limit damage.

 

[BuxomBarrister]

I will be having a full christmas dinner but no dessert and no chocs/cakes/nibbles etc.

The way I approach night's out is to chose a sensible small option and get straight back on plan the next day. As you can see from my sig, my losses have always been good.

 

[booboobearette]

Thanks BuxomBarrister - I am planning on getting straight back on plan the next day so hopefully if i make sensible choices it wont affect me too much. thanks for the advice.

 

[tronic]

umm.. christmas dinner.. i'm in 2 minds..

1) Full Chrimbo Dinner but no other treats
2) Chrimbo Dinner with just Green Veg and NO spuds..

Just not sure a couple of roast potatoes and a bit of mash are worth coming out of ketosis for and facing 3 days of having loads of temptations around and being dead hungry!

 

[thatsnotmyname]

I'm in similar situation Booboobearette, so this is a really grea thread to have started! Thanks!

My job involves social functions etc and it's really hard not to join in, especially when with clients etc... I have 3 Xmas dinners to navigate and while I'd love to bow out and be a social recluse so I can stick to plan 100% I know this will make me really depressed and resentful!

So! In light of that, I'm planning ahead! Luckily I can look at menus ahead of time and in most circumstances I can even pre-order my food. No one bats an eyelid these days what with so many food allergies etc... and I've pre-warned all my friends I'm not drinking (not really a drinker anyway) so they know not to base our activities on booze!

You don't have to tell anyone you're on a VLCD at all! But be prepared to plan ahead! It will always help. I have even gone so far as to bring my own coke zero to certain places because I know they will only have diet which will kick me out of ketosis (previous attempts at Exante and CWP).

As for Xmas, Starlight's advice is spot on! It's entirely up to you and your choices. There is no right or wrong answers.

I plan on enjoying it with my family! I may veto carbs on my plate but then again it really depends on how I feel and how much I've already lost!

I'm approaching this Exante journey in a very different mind frame! it's not about what I can't have, it's more about what I can achieve and the options open to me! I don't say I can't have XYZ, rather I try and stay positive and say I can enjoy ABC! Plus they're so many amazing people on this forum who have figured out ways to make ketogenic dishes from their packs so it makes it easier in the long run!

Well, that's my 2 pennies worth! Good luck xx

 

[booboobearette]

Thanks thatsnotmyname.
I feel in control now ready for christmas, having lost half a stone in my first week, i am really now aiming for the end result so i know i wont spend too long off plan. its hard when like yourself, you have pre arranged christmas events, but i now feel confident to get target.
hope your week is going well?

 

[thatsnotmyname]

Thanks thatsnotmyname.
I feel in control now ready for christmas, having lost half a stone in my first week, i am really now aiming for the end result so i know i wont spend too long off plan. its hard when like yourself, you have pre arranged christmas events, but i now feel confident to get target.
hope your week is going well?

Good for you x I'm okay just guzzling water and trying not to fixate on the weeks ahead.

 

[booboobearette]

know that feeling about the water - i seems to spend more time on the toilet these days than anywhere else!