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Tip of the Week: Surviving the Big BBQ Without Getting Bigger

Labor Day is a United States federal holiday observed on the first Monday in September. The first Labor Day was celebrated on September 5, 1882 in New York City. The official celebration of Labor Day was described as a street parade to exhibit to the public "the strength of the trade and labor organizations," followed by a festival for the workers and their families.

Today Labor Day Weekend brings a close to the summer season, with family barbecues and lots of mayonnaise-laden salads. Here are three quick tips to prepare yourself for the holiday festivities so they don't have to undo all the hard work you've done to maintain your healthy eating habits.

Plan Ahead - By planning ahead you can indulge yourself on the holiday without going overboard. Planning ahead can work in one of two ways. You can start cutting back early in the week to allow for some treats at the BBQ. This doesn't mean you're going to have a planned binge, it just means you're going to balance things out a little. Or you can decide now what you're going to eat or not eat. Put it down on paper. When you have had what you decided you were going to have, walk away from the other foods.
Create a New Association - Many people come to associate the fun of a holiday with certain foods. They look forward to those foods, and they couldn't possibly imagine enjoying the day without large quantities of particular foods. This year, create new associations. What else can delight you during this day off? Maybe it will be the excitement on a child's face visiting with friends and relatives. Maybe it will be the relaxation of a three-day weekend. Maybe it will be a great conversation with a friend or family member. BBQ's can be associated with fun, not just food.
Give Up the Fight - If you tend to get into family struggles about how to do things or how to spend time, give up the fight. Getting into a power struggle can send you looking for the comfort of food. But if you simply decide not to get into it with anyone, you can steer clear of getting so aggravated that you need to eat for emotional reasons. Let people do it their way.

This year, do things differently. You might find you get a different result. End your summer feeling empowered, not defeated with these three tips. And let us know what works for you.


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6 Comments In the order they were posted.

thininside said...

I bring my food with me to parties as I am never sure if they will have healthy food choices for me to eat. I rather not take any chances of not having lean meats and salads at the party. I bring a small cooler with my food that doesn't have to be warmed up so that I can focus on other things instead of food. I also have a healthy snack before I go out to a party. You learn how to take care of yourself!

sam7007 said...

BBQs and Buffets are lethal as it is easy to lose track of what you have eaten. I always put the healthy options with maybe a little bit of a treat also of what I want to eat on my plate and that is all I have. That way I know exactly what you have eaten. It is when I go back and pick at second and third helpings that things get out of hand!

eleanor53 said...

I need advice. My birthday is Saturday July 18th and I would like to celebrate it without eating cake. Every year around this time I celebrate by eating cake and ice cream and it seems to set off an eating binge. As a result, I gain weight. I am in the process of losing weight and I have ten pounds to go before I reach my goal. I don't want to mess now. Any advice?

Naomi said...

To Eleanor53: Follow the same sort of advice as for Labour Day - plan and carry out a ceremony for your birthday that has nothing to do with food. Maybe it would be planting a tree? Or distributing kites to all your children, nephews and nieces? Buy yourself a lavish bouquet of flowers? Or, since you are doing so well, only ten pounds from your goal, take yourself dancing!

Alana said...

Although I tend to binge by myself, at parties I'm fraught with social anxiety and don't know what to do with myself. I like to talk with people, but not on the surface level parties usually require. So from my own experience, here's a suggestion: try doing a creative activity either with other adults, or with/ for the kids at the next party. It could be anything from face painting to hula dancing to crafts to making posters/ decorations to celebrate the day. This can work at any holiday, and it will keep your hands busy. I can now usually get through a birthday party, for the most part anyway, without being tempted by the treats. When I'm off balance I just walk away from the food and busy myself with something more fun. I'm 49 and this is by far the most effective technique I've ever used to avoid buffet binges.

J.M. said...

Alana's suggestion was great! My suggestion is from planning ahead for the 4th of July when I was in a weight-loss class taught by a nutritionist. We wrote down all of the foods I anticipated eating - the party was at my house so I already knew what everyone was bringing. Then she drew a plate like a picnic plate, which was sectioned sort of like a peace symbol with a ring around it. They sell these types of plates. In the large section on the bottom, I decided to have salad with a hamburger patty I break it up and have a hamburger salad, complete with ketchup, mustard and onions - it's a great substitute!. In one small section, I decided I didn't want to offend my mother-in-law, so I ate a small portion of the red/white/blue jello, and in the other section was my sister's homemade baked beans. I even planned a small portion of mom's dessert. I did follow this plan, and even though I ate a little more dessert than I planned, I didn't have chips, a bun, and a lot of other goodies. It wasn't a perfect diet meal, but I felt in control and excited that I had a plan - relieved, in fact.

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Tip of the Week: Surviving the Big BBQ Without Getting Bigger

End
Emotional
Eating