How Roos lost 8 kilos with the Happy Healthy Guide

If you told me a half year ago that I could lose 8 kilos, I would have probably laughed in your face and picked up an extra slice of pizza. I would never thought that I’d succeed with losing a few kilos. I’ve always thought that I couldn’t do it because of my build, and partly, since I was aware that I’m simply addicted to eating a lot of unhealthy food. But somehow it still worked out. How? I’ll tell you here! 

 

I want to start off saying that I’ve never considered myself fat. I have always been happy with the body that I had. I simply wasn’t happy with the way that I was living. You don’t see what’s going on inside the body from the outside, and at that moment, I wasn’t happy. Not because I found myself fat, but because I had absolutely no energy or interest in doing anything anymore. I’ve always worked out a lot, so I did develop a relatively sporty body. I’ve always been super proud of it and it’s what also motivated me to begin a healthy lifestyle. I wanted the muscles that I worked so hard for and was so proud of, to be more visible and that i’d become happier. I wanted the energy to try out new things. To make my muscles more visible, I wanted to lose some weight. I chose to become healthier so that I could become happier. And now I feel so good in my skin and I am unbelievably proud of what I achieved and how I look now. I hope that every woman can also feel that way, regardless of weight, muscle or fat percentage.

WHERE DO YOU BEGIN?

I had absolutely no idea. I had just left my parent’s house and I still hadn’t taken stock of all the healthy meals that I was eating at home. I worked out a lot; you would find me at the gym everyday for 2 hours, so I wanted a diet that would fit with that. Everyone with an internet connection probably have heard a thousand times how important proteins are and how bad carbs are. So that’s where my fit journey began: a high protein, low carb diet.

I think that I didn’t eat any pasta, rice, bread or any other type of grain for about 2 or 3 months. Carbs were my absolute worse enemy. I lost weight rapidly, but I didn’t enjoy eating anymore. All my meals were ‘skinny’, so definitely not enough and I really only ate because I “had” to. Now, I don’t want to say that every protein rich diet is skimpy and that grains are necessary to make your meals delicious, I absolutely know that you can make really nice low-carb meals! But for me, I just found it difficult. I had minimal experience with cooking and I was honestly too lazy to try out some new, varied meals every single day. In any case, my diet was plain boring. You can imagine, that by December, I couldn’t resist all the deliciousness I had left behind. Right after the holidays, I went straight on vacation for a week, so my holiday month full of cheat meals got extended even more. I returned home with the same weight that I was at the beginning of my fit journey.

NEW YEAR, NEW CHANCES

And just like that, it was January and everyone was hyped about their New Year resolutions. For the first time ever, I decided to join along with the new year, new me phase and I made it my plan to lose weight this year and also maintain it. This time, I really planned it out,  Even though I hadn’t begun writing for Fitgirlcode as yet, I had heard about it a lot. And when there was a sale on all the guides to help everyone reach their resolutions, I chose right then and there to get the Happy Healthy Guide.

The reason why I chose the Happy Healthy Guide was because I was only interested in improving my eating. I was still doing well when it came to working out; I woke up (almost) every morning at 7am to go to the gym and crawled out of there around 9am (literally, after leg day). But my eating was still going wrong. I was simply eating too much delicious (read: unhealthy) food. I still had it in my head that losing weight was about restriction and that’s something I really wanted to change!

HOW DID IT GO WITH THE HAPPY HEALTHY GUIDE?

The Happy Healthy Guide was very good to stick to. Most of all because the meals were easy to prepare, I didn’t find myself missing my beloved Takeout-apps or menus. I even started to enjoy cooking, and began to look around to see if there were new things I’d like to try. I must admit I was still happy whenever the guide instructed to make portions for dinner and for lunch the next day. That way I saved some work and time, something that worked well for me, as a busy student.

If I look back to my fit journey, I’m most shocked by how my cravings changed. Since I began with the Happy Healthy Guide, I started craving entirely different flavours. While I was able to get full and satisfied from eating Dutch pink cookies and Punsch-rolls, I now have 0 interest in them. A half year ago, I dreamed of pizza or fries for dinners, and now I find myself wanting to go for meals with as much vegetables as possible. It sounds a bit strange, I know, but it’s the truth. A pizza is still good every now and then, but doing the Happy Healthy Guide taught me how to make my favourite comfort foods healthier. I regularly add my favourite toppings on top of wraps and throw it in to the oven. Delicious!

AFTER THE HAPPY HEALTHY GUIDE

The Happy Healthy Guide is made for 12 weeks. Because I still wanted to lose a bit more week after the first 6 weeks and since I enjoyed it so much, I chose to put off the maintenance part of the guide for now. I also chose not to repeat the first 6 weeks completely, since I sometimes found it a bit of a hastle to keep the schedule if I went away to my parents’ or my boyfriend’s for the weekend.

Instead of strictly following it, I mixed and matched meals out of the guides. All the macros are there for each meal, so it’s super easy to make your own day or week-schedule. I used the recipes from the guide and made my own personal meal-plan and that’s how I continued on my weight loss journey.

HOW IS IT GOING NOW?

It has now been a half year since I first began with the Happy Healthy Guide, and I’ve lost 8 kilos. That’s more than I ever could have imagined happening. When I began, I naturally had a target weight, but I never expected that I would actually achieve it. I began my fit journey a bit with the motto: “Reach for the moon and maybe you’ll land on a star”. I didn’t expect to reach my target weight, but I would have already been happy with making some progress towards it. If I had only lost 4 kilos, then that’s 4 kilos off! The only thing I would need to lose were the fat rolls.

I do have to add that losing weight really isn’t everything that matters. In the beginning, I would get very proud if the weight scale showed me a lighter number, but overtime, that number became less important for me. I’m not happier than old Roos because I weigh less. I’m now happier because I have less issues with my body and have more energy, I’m a bit more proud of the person I see looking back at me in the mirror and I’ve found a new hobby: cooking!

GET THE HAPPY HEALTHY GUIDE!

The Happy Healthy Guide really helped to give me the tools necessary for a healthy diet. After I finished the plan, I was still using the guides in a way to make my own personal plan. That way my fit journey was easy to maintain, and also get results from! Are you also curious about the Happy Healthy Guide? We’ve just published an English version of this guide and you can now score it at our webshop! Ready to get all the tools you need? 

4x Healthy Wraps

Us Fit Girls always try to eat as healthy as possible, but when we’re away from home or have a busy week ahead, it isn’t always possible to eat healthy. But that’s where the wraps come in. They’re the ultimate lazy Fit-Girl product and you can’t go wrong with wraps. So here you go: these are 5 super tasty and healthy wraps for a busy week. 

gezonde wraps

SALMON WRAP

I am obsessed with smoked salmon. I used to make salmon sandwiches every day, until one day I thought, why not put it in a wrap? This is exactly what I ended up doing. I made a delicious roll by putting smoked salmon in a healthy whole grain wrap. It is a great meal to make for lunch as well as dinner if you don’t feel like cooking yourself or are simply in a hurry. The seaweed especially adds a freshness to this delicious healthy wrap. Hmm, I’m getting hungry already!

All the ingredients:

  • Whole grain wrap
  • Cream cheese
  • Seaweed
  • Smoked salmon
  • Sesame seed

The method of preparation:

  1. Spread the cream cheese over the wrap.
  2. Add the salmon and seaweed.
  3. Sprinkle some sesame seed upon it and enjoy!

gezonde wraps

WHOLE GRAIN WRAPS WITH HUMMUS, FALAFEL AND AVOCADO

Hummus and avocado are two products that I always have in the house as I am absolutely crazy about them! This wrap contains several simple ingredients and adding the falafel to it transforms it into a filling and healthy meal. Take a look at the recipe and try it yourself!

All the ingredients:

  • Whole grain wrap
  • Hummus
  • Falafel
  • Cucumber
  • Tomatoes
  • Avocado
  • Sesame seed

The method of preparation:

  1. Spread some hummus on the wrap. Add the falafel to it.
  2. Cut the tomatoes, cucumber and avocado in cubes.
  3. Sprinkle some sesame seed on the wrap and bon appetit

gezonde wraps

WALNUT AND CHICKEN WRAP

I have not yet had the chance to try this original recipe from Roos. After coming across it on the blog, my mouth immediately started watering. This is a recipe I will for sure try out this week! Finally, a salad but then put into a wrap. The combination of chicken, walnuts and appel creates the perfect salad-filled wrap you have been searching for this whole time. Who will try this recipe out with me?

All the ingredients:

  • Whole grain wraps
  • Smoked chicken
  • Arugula
  • Apple
  • 2 tablespoons of mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons of creme fraiche
  • Hand full walnuts

The method of preparation:

  1. Cut the smoked chicken and apples into strips.
  2. Grind the walnuts.
  3. Put the mayonnaise, creme fraiche, smoked chicken, apple and walnuts in a bowl. Voila, here you have it!
  4. Place all of it on a wrap and put some arugula on it.

gezonde wraps

PROTEIN RICH TOFU AND BEANS WRAP

Fit Girls like us need proteins to develop our muscles to the fullest and this protein rich wrap is the perfect way to get all the necessary proteins you need. I must admit, I was not a huge fan of beans at first, but over the years I have learned to eat them and I am telling you, they are a great contribution to your diet! They are packed with nutrients and make your wrap taste a lot better. Are you not a fan of tofu? Don’t worry, you can easily replace it with any kind of meat, such as chicken or fish.

All the ingredients:

  • Whole grain wraps
  • Tofu
  • Feta cheese
  • Maize
  • Tomatoes
  • Kidney beans
  • Cumin seed
  • Salt & pepper
  • Coconut oil

The method of preparation:

  1. Cut the tomatoes in half.
  2. Let the moisture out of the can maize and kidney beans.
  3. Cut the tofu in small pieces.
  4. Wrap the tofu in paper tissues. Put someone heavy on it, so the moisture can get out of the tofu.
  5. Heat coconut oil in a pan and add cumin seed, salt and pepper.
  6. Bake the tofu pieces for 4 minutes or until crispy. 
  7. Put the tofu on the wrap and add the maize, kidney beans, tomatoes and feta cheese. 

 

gezonde wraps

Enjoy these healthy and super tasty wraps! What’s your favorite wrap recipe? 

Get in balance with your partner

Don’t we all know that one person that can eat E V E R Y T H I N G  without gaining weight? While you just look at some chocolate and already feel like you’ve gained weight? Yup. I have that one person in my life and like that isn’t enough already… it’s my boyfriend and we live together. He wants to gain weight and I want to lose some. Quite the challenge! In the past months we’ve finally found a healthy balance and we went from being each others irritation to motivation!

1. RECOGNIZE THE PROBLEM

When we just met, I was insecure and felt like I needed to lose a lot of weight. But I wasn’t overweight; I had a normal figure with curves, but insecurity took over my common sense. My boyfriend was too thin, and this was so problematic it held him back in his education and pursuing his dreams. Both unhappy and out of balance, things had to change for the both of us. And so we decided to take on our problems individually. 

2. IN AND OUT OF BALANCE

I soon found a way in my fit lifestyle, but every time we were together and he ate a lot, I did the same. And when he was with me and I was eating healthy, he would get out of balance. We both had such a different diet that eating together was barely doable. There had to be another way instead of making two different dinners?

3. THE SAME, BUT DIFFERENT

After a lot of irritation and failed attempts, I all of sudden realized it wasn’t that difficult at all. For example, if I baked banana pancakes, I ate mine with low fat quark and he would eat his with Nutella and chocolate sprinkles. Minor detail, but it helped to eat together again. Soon we would apply it to everything: he would eat pasta and I would make zucchini noodles. I’d have a bowl of Greek yogurt and he has a bowl of full quark. Suddenly we had found the balance! 

4. BE EACH OTHERS MOTIVATION

I always make sure that he eats more than be but also of the right stuff and he lets me know when I’m making unhealthy decisions. Like digging in the freezer for some ice cream. We motivate each other to go to the gym and we regularly go together. We’re not there yet, but we’re on our way. Of course, there are days I’m not being healthy at all and finish a whole bag of chips, but when I do so, I do it with him. And at that moment, there is nothing else I’d like to do. 

Do you recognize this, Fit Girls? And how are you dealing with these kind of moments? Let me know about your tips! Would love to read them below. 

5 healthy lasagna recipes

Lasagna is one of my favorite meals of all time. I prefer to make a super-cheat-meal version of lasagna, including three kinds of cheese. This, sadly, does not fit every day in my macronutrients. Nevertheless, I still love to put a large dish of lasagna on the table on a cold evening, enjoying it’s delicious taste. Lasagna is an easy dish to prepare, it is warm, filling and always tasty with a salad. So, I went on a quest to find five healthy lasagna recipes that could be eaten any day. Enjoy!

healthy lasagna

Source: Kirbie Cravings

Lasagna with ‘cauliflower-pasta sheets’

Ingredients:

  • 5 cups cauliflower rice
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup onions
  • 1 Ib low fat ground beef
  • 13 oz diced or crushed tomatoes
  • 1 cup tomato sauce
  • 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
  • salt and pepper
  • 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Have you ever tried to make lasagna sheets from cauliflower before? Me neither! The recipe to try it out can be found here.

healthy lasagna

Source: Recipe Runner

Zucchini lasagna rolls

Ingredients:

  • 8 ounces part skim ricotta cheese
  • 4 ounces low fat cottage cheese
  • 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
  • 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
  • 1 tablespoon fresh basil
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • Black pepper to taste
  • 2 large zucchini cut lengthwise into 8 (1/4 inch thick) slices
  • 1 mild Italian turkey sausage, cooked and crumbled (optional)
  • 1 cup marinara sauce
  • 1/2 cup shredded part skim mozzarella cheese

Want to try these lasagna rolls for yourself? Lake a look at the recipe here.

healthy lasagna

Source: Donna Hay

Lasagna with sweet potato, eggplant and cauliflower

Ingredients: 

  • 35 ounces eggplant
  • 2 sweet potatoes
  • Extra virgin olive oil
  • Sea salt and cracked black pepper
  • 25 ounces silverbeet (swiss chard)
  • 1 cup basil leaves
  • ¾ cup grated mozzarella

For the cauliflower-bechamel saus 

  • 70 ounces cauliflower florets
  • 1 teaspoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 brown onion
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • ⅓ cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
  • ½ cup finely grated parmesan

Here is the recipe for this veggie-stuffed lasagna.

healthy lasagna

Source: White on rice couple

Zucchini Lasagna

  • 18 ounces tomato saus
  • 4 pounds zucchini
  • 1 ½ cups ricotta
  • 1 cup shredded Parmigiano Reggiano cheese
  • 1 large egg
  • ¼ cup chopped Italian parsley leaves
  • Fresh cracked black pepper to taste
  • 4 ounces grated mozzarella
  • 4 ounces grated smoked gouda, cheddar, jack or any good melting cheese

Due to all the cheese it may be a little less healthy than the rest, but still worth a try! This is how the delicious dish is made.

healthy lasagna

Source: a sweet pea chef

Lasagna with Sweet Potato

Ingredients: 

  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 2 medium sweet potatoes
  • 1½ lbs. lean ground pork
  • 1 egg
  • 2 cups cottage cheese
  • 2½ cups tomato sauce
  • 8 cremini mushrooms
  • ½ yellow onions
  • 2 clove garlic
  • ⅓ cup chopped parsley
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon pepper
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme
  • 8 oz. mozzarella

Here you can find the steps to how this delicious lasagna is made.

Will you try one of these healthy lasagna recipes or do you already have a recipe of your own? 

Diet tip! Here are 7 healthy meals with 500 calories or less for you to try! 

8 Biggest weight loss myths

Lately when it comes to losing weight, there seems to be so many myths about what will make the process easier and faster. Some of them sound so “healthy” and “effective” that it would be crazy not to try them. But the truth is, that at the end of the day these remain myths. Let’s review the 8 biggest weight loss myths and why they don’t work. 

I’ve battled with my weight my whole life. Not because I am actually fat or majorly overweight, but because I have a tendency to pack up the kilos fast when I don’t take care of myself. I would love to say that just as I pack the kilos easily, I lose them the same way. But sadly that’s not my case. Losing weight is hard, man? ! In moments of desperation, I tried all of the biggest weight loss myths to help my cause. Believe me, they are called myths for a reason, they don’t work! Although at the beginning they seemed to work and I saw small progress, I wasn’t able to maintain them for long and I ended up gaining all the weight back twice as fast! Sometimes I gained even more weight than I had originally lost!

The only thing that actually worked and helped me lose weight and get fit, was exercise and a balanced healthy diet. It wasn’t until I stopped with drastic measures and focused on changing my lifestyle completely that I saw results. That’s why I thought I would share with you the 8 biggest weight loss myths so that you won’t fall into the trap and follow my mistakes.

8 Biggest weight loss myths

1) SKIPPING MEALS:

According to plenty of studies, skipping meals may actually increase belly fat. When you don’t eat and your body gets hungry, it goes into “starvation mode”. This basically means that your body thinks you won’t feed it anymore, so it stores fat as a defense mechanism. Plus let’s be honest, skipping meals will make you feel hungrier which may result in overeating.

2) ADOPTING A GLUTEN- FREE DIET

Having a gluten intolerance is one thing, simply dishing gluten in order to lose weight is another. Remember that eating gluten-free foods doesn’t mean that you are eating foods low in calories or with better nutrients. After all, how many calories do you think you ingest when you eat those delicious gluten-free brownies? 😉

3) DRINKING LOTS AND LOTS OF JUICE INSTEAD OF FOOD

It is okay to drink your favorite green juice for breakfast or as an in-between snack, but it is not okay to indulge in an only-liquid diet plan. Only liquid or all-liquid diet plan can seriously deprive your body of crucial nutrients and muscle definition, which is what we all want after all right? Plus let’s be honest, how long would you be able to keep up with such a diet?

4) CUTTING OUT ALL “UNHEALTHY” FOODS

It is super smart to limit your consumption of unhealthy food, however, taking it to the extreme by eliminating entire food groups from your diet is a bad idea. When you do this, you are more likely to feel deprived, which in turn will only make you crave these foods more. Craving something and not allowing yourself to eat it will make your diet unsustainable, probably causing you to eat these foods in larger amounts in the end. The best thing is to allow yourself to have some of your favorite  “junk foods” in moderate portions whenever you are craving them.

5) EAT LOW-FAT VERSIONS OF FOOD

Don’t think that because it is low-fat, it is low in calories. Many times these “healthy looking” products are still loaded with sugar or dangerous ingredients to make them a) low-fat or a b) diet version.

6) COOK ALL YOUR MEALS

Yes it is true that cooking your meals helps you to preserve more nutrients and gives you more control over your ingredients. However, how realistic is it to actually cook all your meals? Remember that there are many other ways in which you can eat healthy.

7) ONLY INDULGE ON YOUR “CHEAT DAY”

Having a cheat meal is more recommended than having a cheat day. The problem with them is that people tend to eat a week’s worth of calories in their cheat day if they only have one. It makes sense if you know you only have one day of the week to eat everything you like, of course you are going to end up overeating. According to experts, it is better to treat yourself sporadically. So allow yourself to have a cheat meal once in a while in a day other than your cheat day.

8) FALLING INTO THE TRAP OF “MAGIC DIETS”

If it sounds too good to be true, then most likely it will only work in the short term. After all, how long can you keep up with an unrealistic diet?

Although some of these myths may seem like a quick fix for your weight loss goals, remember that all these options are only a momentary fix. Nothing will keep the weight off for good unless you find a balance between exercise and healthy eating. Plus remember, it shouldn’t always be about losing weight, in the end, being healthy is what it’s all about! If you need any tips for losing weight, check out our top 5 tips!

Source: Fitness Magazine

These are the most popular and best diets

Every year there is a diet ranking published by US News that reveals the most popular and best diets. At #FITGIRLCODE we’re not really a fan of ‘diets’, because when you want to undergo a truly healthy transformation it’s best to choose a healthy lifestyle where you eat consciously and exercise regularly. But if you still want to go for a diet: choose a diet that is healthy and where you eat enough. Are you curious to know what are the most popular and best diets? Well, continue reading because you are about to find out!

Best diets for overall health

1. DASH diet. The aim of this diet is to prevent, and lower, high blood pressure. The idea is simple: Eat more protein, fibres, vegetables and fruit. And eat as little fatty food as possible. You also need to watch your carb and salt intake. This programme is quite pricey and it can be hard to follow if you already have trouble eating healthy.

2. TLC diet. This diet has the aim to lower your cholesterol. It claims to lower your bad cholesterol level by 8-10% within 6 weeks. In order to reach this you will need to lower your saturated fat intake. You also need to eat quite some amount of fibre. In order to succeed with this diet you will need to watch the nutritional values of all food. This can be quite a pain in the ass.

3. Mind diet. The goal of this diet is to prevent Alzheimer’s disease. The emphasis is on eating a lot of healthy food like berries, green vegetables, fruit, fish and nuts. And importantly, avoid these foods: red meat, fried food, butter, cheese and candy.

Best diets for losing weight

1. Weight Watchers. This diet will probably sound familiar to all of you. Following this programme could lead to you losing 2 pounds a week. The emphasis lies on eating food which is good for you and not only counting calories. Weight Watchers works Smartpoints. With the help of these points you can find out how much you can eat a day. You also get support from a lot of people who have already lost weight with this programme. This means you don’t have to do it all by yourself. A con of this diet is that it’s quite pricey and the Smartpoint system won’t be fun for everyone.

2. HMR programme. The goal of this diet is losing pounds by eating less calories. In order to do so, some meals are replaced by shakes, nutrition bars and hot cereal. The emphasis lies on eating a lot of fruit and vegetables. With this programme you will learn a lot about a healthy lifestyle and being active.

3. The Biggest Loser Diet. You probably already know this diet because of its successful TV show of the same name. Their theory is simple: We eat too unhealthy and this could absolutely be improved. You should eat regular, filling meals and start to be more active. There are quite some books available about this diet. It also has a 30 day bootcamp programme which gives you numerous workout videos, which you can follow at home. There are even Biggest Loser resorts in America. There you can rent accommodation which will cost you over 2000 dollars for one week. During your time at the resort you’ll cut the pounds with the help of dietitians and personal coaches.

Here you will find a full description of the most popular and best diets. I love the fact that the diets that rank highest are actually healthy diets. Crash diets might be popular, but they are absolutely not healthy. Changing your lifestyle by making it more healthy, one step at a time, will always be a healthier choice. And of course this is a lot easier to stick to.

As you will probably know there isn’t one ‘perfect diet’. Everyone has their own preferences. One diet might work for one person while it won’t do anything for somebody else. Some people don’t even want to follow a diet at all. The most important thing is to find a healthy lifestyle that works for you. Unfortunately it can take quite a while to find that perfect formula.

Do you have a diet that has changed your life for the better? Please let us know in the comments!

Can eating alone impact your diet?

Eating alone is becoming more common and it no longer has the stigma attached like it used to. That idea that if you eat by yourself you must be a desperately lonely, single person grimacing over a microwave dinner and finishing it with a single serve trifle for dessert, doesn’t reflect reality. A new study shows that more and more of people’s food is eaten alone. So can eating alone impact your diet?  

A recent study from the USA found that over half of people’s food and drinks were consumed when they were on their own. This has increased as a result of more single person households across the country (hopefully more bachelorette pads rather than divorcees) and more eating on-the-go! Dinner is the meal that people were least likely to eat on their own, with families with children in particular, eating together five days a week. People eat breakfast alone about 53 percent of the time and 45 percent of lunches are eaten alone. But it’s not necessarily a sad affair if you’re on your own. Early mornings at the gym before work or school can mean drinking a smoothie on the way to class or at your desk, not to mention times when you’re under pressure at work so you may choose to eat lunch at your desk. What this says is that not only are we alone, we’re mutli-tasking at meal times.

“I’ll have what they’re having”

It’s suggested that eating with others encourages eating more calorific meals. Research also found that the weight of our friends may impact your choices and found that people tend to eat more when dining with or near to people who weigh more than they do. One ‘tip’ I’ve seen encouraged to help you “stay on track with a diet while dining out with friends” is to place your order with the waiter first before anyone else. This is because you have a stronger mindfulness for making a healthy choice. Diners who place their order last, tend to order the least healthy thing on the menu. We’ve all been there, once you hear that everyone else is ordering the specialty burger topped with onion rings and extra cheese, you go from opting for a salad to, “I’ll have the same as them and a side of fries”. Because why not really enjoy yourself. If you’re having the burger, you may as well go all out, right? These social occasions are something that we blame our over indulgences on. But before you go turning down all of your social invitations this is specific to eating in restaurants.

Cereal? For dinner?

A meal made with friends could be more nutritious than if you were going to eat alone, even if the food you’re preparing doesn’t scream ‘clean eating’. As when people are alone and deciding what to eat, it is more common to choose a less nutritious option, almost always choosing less or no vegetables! Yup we’ve been there, with no motivation to cook for yourself you choose a bowl of pasta or a even bowl of cereal for dinner. Eating with others is also positive as it is a social occasion when you’re forced to acknowledge what and how much you are eating. That’s not say embarrassment from others thinking you’re being greedy should stop you from having a second helping, but it will make you more aware if you really want it because you’re still hungry or you’re already full and you just want it anyway. Alone, you might not ask yourself this and just consume all that is in front you. When no one else around you could also be tempted to make unhealthier choices just because you feel as though you can do so, without any insecurity about what those around you might think.

Multi tasking mindlessness

Another problem of eating on your own is that you’re likely to be multi tasking; watching television, checking your emails or even on social media. All of these things take your attention away from the moment of here and now which can impact how much food you eat. It’s possible that you’re so distracted that you eat beyond how hungry you were and are left too full yet unsatisfied from your meal.

Applying a mindful awareness of sitting down to eat a meal, whether alone or with friends can help to control your consumption. Registered dietitian nutritionist Beth Warren says that the moments before you dive into your meal are crucial to your experience of it and how much you might eat. Taking a second to look at the food in front of you before tasting it, engages your mind with what you are about to eat and encourages you to recognize when you are full, resulting in more satisfaction from the meal.

No choice but to eat alone? 

If you fall into the trap of thinking that cooking for one is too much hassle which leads you to opt for unhealthy food, then simply make meals as you would for two or four people and freeze the rest. This way, you will have your own ready meals the next time that you’re unprepared for dinner mid week. Or if you do have a full household but they just aren’t there to eat with you then cook for them anyway. You won’t be tempted to go back for more if you know that you have made it for someone else. You couldn’t promise to make dinner for someone else for them to come home to the dirty dishes!

The next time someone offers to cook with you or invites you out for dinner, don’t be tempted to turn it down because you think that it will derail your healthy diet. It won’t. Try planning to make something nutritious together or simply relax and don’t think about the food, just enjoy the company! 

Sources: yahoo.com