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Cheers!

When you’ve got a cocktail party on Friday night, dinner at your favourite restaurant on Saturday, a Sunday session at your local, and a meal with the family all in one weekend, it’s not just your schedule that’s going to be a tight squeeze. In fact, any attempts at weight loss seem doomed to fail.

If you’re tempted to abandon your high heels or bow tie because you’re worried that social occasions will ruin your weight-control goals – don’t. Instead, read on to find out how you can have your cake, steak, hors d’oeuvres, and bubbly – and enjoy them too.

Arriving with a rumbling stomach is a bad start to any social occasion. It’s often the pre-meal nibbling that causes the most calorie damage. Think cheese and crackers, dips, chips, peanuts, garlic bread, and deep-fried appetizers such as spring rolls or wontons…

What to do? Eating before you go out can stop those “I’m so ravenous, I don’t care if this bowl of chips contains my whole day’s calorie allowance!” moments. Although it can be hard to find the time when you’re busy getting ready to go out, a low-calorie snack will take the edge off your appetite and help you make rational and sensible food choices once you’re out.

Including some protein in your snack can help sustain you for an even longer period of time. Good snack suggestions include low-fat yoghurt, a slice of wholegrain toast with peanut butter or a small handful of raw almonds.

If you know you won’t be eating a meal while you’re out, have a balanced low-calorie meal before you leave home.

Treat yourself

Half the fun of socialising is sharing delicious foods with family and friends. Deciding not to eat when you’re away from home can leave you feeling left out. And feeling left out can lead to making up for it later by eating a block of chocolate, a tub of ice cream, some cake, a bag of chips and…well, you get the idea!

What to do? Sampling a small serve of everything that you like the look of is a bad idea, but choosing one or two treats to enjoy while you’re out is a good solution. Choose your favourite “must-have” foods. If you can take or leave chocolate cake, but absolutely love your Mum’s special apple pie, have a small serve of pie and leave the cake for someone else to enjoy. Really savour and relish your chosen treats! Satisfying your cravings and your emotional needs with some small treats lets you join in the celebrations while keeping you on track with your weight-loss goals.

Make good choices and savour every morsel

A restaurant meal doesn’t have to mean a high-calorie, four-course, eat-until-you-explode extravaganza. You’ll actually enjoy your food more if you take your time over well-prepared, full-flavoured, gourmet-style foods. Remember, quality, not quantity, is the mark of a good meal.

What to do? Regardless of the type of restaurant you’re going to, there are always some choices that are better than others. Some restaurants include their menus on their website, or can supply you with a copy in advance so you can get an idea of the types of dishes they offer.

Ask your waiter or waitress how meals are prepared and for recommendations on which dishes will best suit your needs. Order dressings and sauces on the side, and don’t forget to order vegetables or salad to go with your meal if they are not included.

When your meal arrives, relax and enjoy it. Take your time to eat, instead of racing through it. If you're a fast eater, try to slow down and focus more on the flavours and textures of your food. Pace yourself with the slowest eater in the group. If you’re having trouble thinking about anything other than whether you want tiramisu or crème brulee for dessert, put your fork down, drink some water and get involved in the conversation instead. Dining out is about more than just the food.

Help your host

The host is usually the one that determines whether or not there will be healthy options at a dinner party or other social occasion. If you know that your host always caters with creamy dressing-laden salads and rich desserts, or that your friend will be bringing her famous triple-layer chocolate torte, then you’ll know that you’re in for a tough time sticking to your healthy-eating plan.

What to do? Help your host by bringing your own food. No, we don’t mean turning up with a meal all for yourself! Rather, bring along some healthy food to share. Try vegetable sticks and low-fat dips, fresh rice-paper rolls, sushi, rice crackers and salsa, or a fruit platter.

Tipple or tipsy...

It’s easy to overdo it with alcohol. Before you know it, that one glass of champers has turned into polishing off the whole bottle. The more you drink, the lower your resolve becomes to say no to more alcohol or to high-calorie foods. Alcohol is full of ‘empty’ calories – empty because they add to your waistline but they don’t benefit your body in return. Too much alcohol can certainly make weight loss hard.

Although wine can boost your antioxidant levels, don’t even think about using the “but wine is good for my heart” excuse to top up your glass - after all, you can also get antioxidants from fruits and vegetables, without the hangover!

What to do? If you choose to drink, decide before you go out how much you want to drink. If two drinks is to be your limit, make sure you stick to it. Ask a friend or partner to gently remind you of your plan if it looks like you’re heading back to the bar.

Remember that alcohol dehydrates, so not only can it leave you with a killer headache the next day, it can also contribute to feeling thirsty and drinking more than you’d planned. Have a glass of water in between each alcoholic drink and quench your thirst with non-alcoholic drinks.

Try to avoid ‘shouts’ or ‘rounds’ with your mates. It’s hard to drink at your own pace if you have others putting on the pressure or lining up drinks on the bar for you. If you do get caught up in a shout, buy yourself a non-alcoholic drink when it’s your turn.

If limiting your drinks or saying no to peer pressure is difficult for you, being the skipper for the night can provide a solid ‘excuse’ for not overdoing it.

As well as physically affecting your body, too much alcohol can result in embarrassing behaviour, memory loss, and actions that you may regret the next day. Especially among work colleagues, keep a careful eye on your alcohol consumption – it’s amazing how those stories of you dancing on the tables at the office party can come back to haunt you when it’s time for your next promotion!

Step away from the table

Social occasions can sometimes bring feelings of anxiety, nervousness or stress. Maybe you don’t know many people at the party, or perhaps your ex-partner and their new boyfriend/girlfriend are there. Or maybe you’re the host and you’re anxious about how many people will turn up and whether everyone is having a good time. Feeling uncomfortable can lead to emotional overeating or bingeing, and neither is a good move for weight control!

What to do? Be aware of your actions. It’s easy to unconsciously nibble and pick at foods when you’re not hungry, especially if you’re feeling uncomfortable or awkward. Move away from the food table and involve yourself in conversation. Holding a drink in one hand and a plate or napkin in the other can also help prevent you picking!

If you feel uncomfortable making small talk or know you’re likely to face some difficult situations, plan in advance how you’ll deal with these circumstances.

Saying "no thanks"

Not for me thanks!

Sometimes well-meaning friends or relatives can put a lot of pressure on you to “just have one of these deep-fried spring rolls” or give you unhelpful comments like “you’re fading away to nothing – eat something!” This pressure can be very hard to manage and can seem hurtful.

There are many reasons why people pressure you. It could be because they correlate love and affection with feeding you, or maybe they don’t want to eat or drink alone. Or perhaps they’re simply too caught up in their own thoughts and issues to realise that offering you a piece of cheesecake when you’ve already told them that you’re trying hard to lose weight is not helpful.

What to do? The best way to deal with pressure to eat or drink when you don't want to is to say "no thanks" politely and assertively. However, if saying “no” just isn't working, keeping a small serve of something on your plate can help ease the pressure. People tend to be less likely to push you to eat if you already have something – “Thanks, but I already have a piece of cake.” Just remember to discretely put your plate down somewhere later on, before you do eat the cake! You can also use this tactic for drinks that you don’t want.

Other helpful phrases for overbearing offerers include “I have an allergy to wheat/dairy/eggs,” “I’ve already eaten,” “Chocolate gives me migraines,” “I tried some earlier, it was delicious,” “I’m too full, but I’d love a cup of tea.”

So don't be scared of social occasions when you're watching your weight. Arm yourself with our tips, dig out that little black dress and those high heels and dance the night away – you’ll even burn a few calories while you boogie. Happy celebrating!

Last updated: December 15th, 2007

7 ‘Little Black Dress’ Tips for Partying on a Diet