College Social/Emotional Eater

Hey everyone! I'm new (joined tonight), I'm in college and need to lose about 50 ibs. (Hard number to admit). But I'm totally committed (This time) and I NEED HELP!!! What advice would you give me? I usually eat with my friends and forget about the 50 pounds clinging to my butt. HELP HELP HELP!

Hey,

I know people look for buddies on this site to sort of write too when they are having a hard or good day, I don't have a buddy if you want to be mine!

Let me know, I would love it !!

Bianca

Hi!

I'm in grad school and I have the same problem - always eating and drinking with my friends.  That's when you have to be strong and make good choices, whether it's at a restaurant or bar or in the dining hall.  If you need any help feel free to drop me a message :)

I was just writing about the social eating thing today in my blog... My friends go for a Chinese lunch  special just about every week (some of the guys go twice!) we all drink on weekends, and I just can't afford to treat my body that way anymore.

Having a good support system helps. Go to your most understanding and helpful friend (preferably one who wants to be healthier too?) and agree to watch each other at parties (avoid high-cal alcohol) or at the dining hall (say " Lets get a salad with chicken today!"), and to split plates at restaurants. 

Exersise is key. Almost every college offers Phys Ed classes and recreational sports sign up for something fun and easy that will get you moving more. Sign up with a friend? Doing it for a grade or for fun will give you more motivation to exercise.

Basically just find a way to make healthy living a social/bonding experience.

If you need any help, advice, peptalks, or whatever, go ahead and message :D

I know what you mean about being a social eater, because I am one too.  I think the thing that helps me the most is that I have a health conscious housemate who I hang out with a lot and whenever we go out for food, we usually end up splitting a plate at a restaurant, like the last time we went out for burgers.  I found that a lot of bars will offer water, so when I go out, I sometimes just get a glass of water with some lemon or something like that and that way I have a drink in my hands, even though it's not a beer. It can be hard sometimes though because I have very little will power, but Jon keeps me in check a lot of the time.

We have also made a pact to go to the gym when it first opens, which involves me getting up at 530 every morning, and that can be a bit of a pain, but I like to have it out of the way first thing in the morning and that way, I don't have to worry about it anymore. 

What else.....Oh usually if I'm going out with people, I know the name of the restaurant we're going to, so I quickly go online and take a look at their menu to decide what I'm going to have so that I'm not influenced my other people's choices as much and that I don't get flustered at the restaurant deciding what I want to have.  Hope this helps.