It's grilling season! Tips on how to not overeat at the party
Summer is here! And for a lot of us it means more BBQs, grilling, eating outdoors and summer parties. As fun as it sounds, do you feel like you always overeat at the party? Let it be a July 4th BBQ party, a birthday or a work event. It is so easy to overeat in such circumstances. We find ourselves surrounded by loads of food and we keep on munching on all those heavy appetizers, flatbreads, sliders, dips, chips, nuts, and, of course, desserts at the end. And let's not forget all the drinks that come with it. We almost do it unconsciously as we reach for another bite while mingling with people around. At least for me, while I pay a lot of attention to what I eat in general, I am still guilty of that mindless munching at the parties.
Don't spoil the party fun with an after-party guilt
I didn't want to get to the point when any party was always associated with overeating and guilt that comes afterwards. It should be fun. And for me it also means that it shouldn't make me feel bad about myself. So I started thinking about some tips on how to not overeat at the party. I remember reading an article on a similar topic sometime ago and these were the two things that stood out for me:
1. Don't come to the party hungry! You are much more likely to overeat then. Eat before the party just enough that you are not dying of hunger anymore and can just snack on the lighter stuff. It is especially helpful for someone who either has dietary restrictions or tries to stay away from foods containing gluten or dairy, which you'll find in most party appetizers or snacks.
2. Pick a seat or a spot further away from the food. I could not agree more with this one. Most people keep on reaching for food just because it is conveniently placed next to them. If you seat far away from the table, you are less likely to get up all the time to refill your plate. I started adopting this lately and would highly recommend keeping this rule in mind. If it is a house party with activities happening in multiple rooms, go away from the dining room and mingle with some other people for a while. If it is an outdoors BBQ, pick a spot in the backyard that is furthest away from where the food is served.
A few other of my personal tips include:
3. Substitute chips with vegetables. You don't have to always dip pita chips in hummus or that yummy ranch dip. If there are fresh veggies on the table, they are also perfect for dipping. So stock up on those instead.
4. Replace carbs with protein. Instead of filling myself up with heavy appetizers loaded with carbs, I try to opt for protein - let it be grilled meats, sausages, chicken, or cold cuts. And who said that a burger always has to be eaten with a bun? Lettuce is a great alternative. Or skip any wrap all together and just spread some avocado on a burger patty, top it with a slice of tomato and some cheese, and enjoy!
5. Opt for fruit instead of a dessert. If you really want to finish it up with something sweet, grab some fruits instead. Or offer a friend or a partner to share that piece of cake with you. Most of the time that's really all you need.
6. Depending on the type of the event, bring something for the table that you can eat. For example, I sometimes bring a quinoa vegetable salad as it is not only healthy but also filling, or a sorbet that I can enjoy at the end.
7. Stay hydrated. Stay hydrated on water, not those bottomless mojitos and beers.
My rule of thumb
So my general rule of thumb is to start with some lighter appetizers such as olives, dairy-free dips (i.e. hummus) and veggie sticks or nuts, then fill my plate with more vegetables and proteins, and finish with some fruit. This doesn't mean that I never eat carbs or a dessert at the party. It just helps me to be more aware of what I eat and keeps me guilt-free after the party. I've read somewhere the other day that it is not about eating less, it is about eating right. And I could not agree more with this!
Do you have any other proven tips that keep you from overeating at the parties?