What is your greatest challenge when it comes to healthy eating?
I hear from my clients very often, that one of the biggest obstacles they face when they transition to the ketogenic diet, is social pressure. It can be even more difficult when the diet is not widely known or accepted, and is labeled as "restrictive", like the Paleolithic-Ketogenic Diet (PKD).
The most typical excuses of slipping up on the diet are birthday parties, lunch invitations, family meals and dinner parties with colleagues and friends.
So, how to deal with these situations?
The easy answer is: just hang out with people who follow the same diet;)
Ok, that was more like a joke. I know that it is not possible in most cases.
So keep reading, please.
Once you have gained a good level of confidence, you will realise that you do not have to have these excuses and you do not have to avoid these events in order to keep up with your diet.
I’ll give you a few practical tips on how to get there.
First of all, the reality is that these social occasions are about something else than food. The important thing is being together with your family and friends. If you keep this in mind, you will find it easier to handle these situations.
When you are invited for lunch or dinner, there are different scenarios we have to look at.
1) When the host is somebody from your family or a close friend, they normally know you and your eating habits.
So eating well should not be a problem because these people are most probably thinking about you and will prepare something that you can eat as well.
2) When you go to a restaurant with friends, there are also different things you can do:
- it is you choose the restaurant or at least make a suggestion about it
- look up the menu ahead of time. If it is not a very specialised place serving only very restricted types of food (eg a vegan smoothie bar), then it is almost always possible to choose an ideal food corresponding to your diet (eg a ribeye steak), adding maybe some extra requests for the waiter (to grill the meat instead of frying it in vegetable oils). The restaurant wants to serve you so they will do their best to please you. Don't be shy to ask!
3) When you are invited to a party and you know the host, I recommend you to tell him/her about your eating habits in advance, so you know what kind of food will be served.
If you think that this food is not for you, you can choose from the next options:
you agree with the host that they serve you a special meal
you offer to take some food with you. Bring enough of it to share with others though.
you eat before the party and you just take a drink there and socialise.
At bigger parties where you can choose from a buffet table, there will most probably be something for you too. If not, nobody will notice if you don’t eat. Make sure that you don’t go to a party extremely hungry if you are not sure that there will be food for you too.
Always remember to be fine and comfortable with refusing a food. It is ok, to say: "No, thank you."
Get your mind right. YOU decide what food you want to eat, what food is good for you. Nobody can force you to eat something you do not want to. Keep also in mind, that you are the only person who is responsible for what you eat. You make the choice.
Remind yourself why you dollow PKD or the ketogenic diet and it will immediately feel easier. If you have a disease to heal than sticking to your diet is much more important than if you do it for prevention. So you decide if it's worth to eat something that can make you sick for days or weeks.
But be always kind to yourself!
Don't think about other people because most of them are focusing on themselves and they do not care, or do not even see what you have on your plate.
In any case, spending time with your family and friends or celebrating are much more important than food.
If you have questions or you need help, please contact be by e-mail: orsolya.szathmari@icloud.com . I am here for you.