It’s Friday, right around “Happy Hour” … do you have your evening planned out? We all know “Failing to plan is planning to fail”, but this can really kick into gear once your night is in full swing.
Take a few moments to decide what you will and won’t eat at dinner. Decide if you will or won’t have a drink tonight, and if so, how many? Don’t go out unprepared. Have a plan laid out for yourself and stick to it. Otherwise, you’ll be vulnerable to “whatever everyone else is doing”. I can guess that their goals may not be quite in line with your goals!
It’s easy to get caught-up if you don’t give yourself some parameters in advance. Don’t let yourself out the door until you know what you’re doing. It’s similar to going to the gym … you should have your workout planned in advance, and preferably in writing, before you leave for the gym. When you get there, you don’t guess, you know what’s up and you get it done. Use this strategy tonight, and whenever you have a social function that could impinge your progress.
Many people advocate writing out your entire day’s menu the day before. That way, you don’t have to guess about anything; all you do is follow the plan. It makes life easier for sure when you focus on your goals and make decisions while you are clear-headed and well fed 🙂
If tonight is your Cheat Meal, then, by all means, you should definitely go out and enjoy it! Don’t feel guilty about your cheat meal if it is pre-planned, you stuck to your diet and nutrition plan all week, and you’re looking forward to it. Just make sure to stick to your own “rules” regarding the cheat meal, as this is not the time for a free-for-all. This is a nice time to catch up with friends, relax, and enjoy some foods you don’t usually eat.
You’ll feel better knowing you stuck to your plan and tomorrow you won’t wake up with a hangover. Bonus.