How to Have both a Social Life and a Healthy Life

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Happy Thursday everyone! I g397061_10150813175798056_1526232110_net this question from my clients all the time: How do I stay on track for my goals and living a healthy lifestyle and still maintain a social life?

That is a great question!! It can be tricky, especially if your social life consists or eating at cool restaurants, drinking at fun bars, baking for girls night and then eating some more… sound familiar??

 

Here’s my best advice on this sticky situation…

One of the best things you can do is tell your friends/family about what you are doing & your goals. Most likely they’ll be super supportive! Then suggest that you guys go for a hike or run on the beach together and then grab some lunch, instead of just grab lunch.

When going out for food, just try and do the best you can!
  1. Try and pick healthier options. With the health and fitness craze going around these days, there are usually plenty of hip, healthy restaurant to try. You could try a cool juice/smoothie bar, a salad place etc.
  2. If you do go to a restaurant that has tempting unhealthy options, here’s a good rule…
“Try to and make at least half of your plate healthy. For example, if you are going to have a burger, then get a side salad instead of fries; or if you reallyyy want those fries then get a salad as your main course. Same for Italian and other restaurants – get some pasta but don’t eat the bread they put on the table, OR get a chicken salad and then eat the bread. Think either/or, not both! That way, not everything you eat at that meal is bad for you”
As for going out, that get’s tough. Obviously, you want to try and avoid alcohol if you are going for weight loss; but you also don’t want to be a buzz kill if you are meeting friends for drinks right? Here are two tips…
    1. Get red wine or a super dark beer like Guinness if you are meeting up for drinks with people (red wine isn’t terrible and actually has some anti-oxidants that are good for you! Dark beers like Guinness have the least calories of any beer… shocking right??)
    2. If you are going out then try and stick to vodka sodas or vodka waters (I call that disco water – some bartenders know what I mean and others don’t haha) and then squeeze some lime, orange, and/or lemon slices into it and it actually tastes pretty good and it is about 100 cals (instead of 200-500 in a normal cocktail).
Hope all that info helps! And most importantly just keep in mind your goals and why you are changing your diet and routine. That will be your best motivator :)
– Amanda
Be Happy. Be Fit.