For my first coach summit, I had great expectations. Visions of training with Tony Horton and other top trainers, taking in great information, and trying to understand the philosophy of the company better. Well check, check and double check! I have a lot of information to transcribe and pass on. I hope to have some time this weekend to make it happen.
But for now, I wanted to post on a common question I’m always asked…. “How do I maintain my nutrition when going to get together with friends, Family? What do I do if I will be staying with family a couple of days? I don’t want to be the social outcast and causing problems.”
All good questions and concerns. And I just happen to be put to the test so I thought I will review the Party Guide provided by Beachbody’s Rockin Body, and the steps I took. Now granted, my 4 days at the coach summit was easy. We had daily work outs, and Beachbody provided Shakelogy for Breakfastand arranged healthy lunches. However my 4 days with relatives turned out to be tougher then I expected. I found that I took off my Nutrition Nazi hat as I was a guest after all and they really were caring and well intentioned loved ones.
But first, let break out the Party Guide and see what it recommends. First, it does recognized how difficult it is to stick with a nutrition plan and eat healthy at restaurants and parties, but you will be surprised at what you can enjoy when you are out with family and friends. The key is moderation. You can indulge a little on occasion without throwing your diet out the window.
If you want to nibble on something tantalizing, scale back on the calories you drink. Here are some of the tips they bring out:
- Tell your host ahead of time that you are watching your diet and ask about light options.
- Offer to bring a guilt free dish
- Eat something before the party to avoid hunger and pigging out.
- Skip the appetizers and wait for the main course.
- If no healthy options are available, get creative. Scrap the gloppy sauces off food and veggies. Nibble a bit on lean protein.
Enjoy:
- Sashimi
- Sushi (avoid the tempura, lightly battered versions)
- Shrimp Cocktail
- Veggie Crudites
- Nuts
- Hummus and Pita
- Grilled Skewers
Avoid:
- Pigs in a blanket
- Fried foods like egg rolls
- Sausage
- Cheese platters
- Heavy Dips
- Potato chips
- Buffalo wings
Some additional tips:
- Suggest a restaurant that serves fresh healthy food. You will be doing your friends a favor too.
- Take your time, it isn’t a race. Set down the fork between bites and enjoy the conversation.
- Remove the bread basket and butter dish. Ask for Veggies.
- Portions are massive. Don’t eat everything on the plate. Take some home.
- Ask for half portions or split a plate.
- Drink sparkling water. Basically drink water to fill up, but make it feel like a cocktail.
- Always ask for dressing and sauce on the side.
- So no to fried platters.
- Avoid the death tower of chocolate cake. I add my 3 bite rule if small portions don’t exist. Ask the waitress/Waiter to divide the one slice into x amount of portions to give each 3-4 bites. If they want a nice tip, they will comply.
The last tip really does work well. I was able to apply this and only came home 2 pounds heavier. And I blame that on the crappy airport and airline food. I always get travel stomach and takes me forever to get rid of that bloat. So as soon as we came home, I started the 3 day Shakeology Cleanse. Basically 3 servings of shakeology during the day, with optional fruit for snack, and Salad with protein for dinner. I lost 3 pounds and back to my goal weight and feeling great! So it can be done!
