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

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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!

Related articles :

• 5 Ways to Beat a Binge
• Coping with Emotional Eating
• Eating Out - The healthy way!

Last updated: December 15th, 2007