Eat Your Way To The Top!

To me there's no greater pain than a buffet full of FREE foods that I cannot indulge in. I normally find myself in these situations at work or social gatherings. Through all my courses in college dedicated to helping me guide my way through my professional or personal life, there was one main one they forgot, Food Restraint. At least once a week I seriously sit back and wonder why does food taste so good, especially all the things I'm not supposed to eat. It seems as a way to help survive the business world companies and organizations alike have taken to providing free food and/or discounted drinks. I guess possibly hoping this will make up for where your check lacks for those extra 10 hrs you put in for the week. 

Now for most this might be a formidable gesture but as a diabetic I would rather be paid, not fed for my extra hours of work. I'll gladly take that money and buy myself some diabetic friendly snacks instead of picking around the food selection provided; hoping the chocolate chip cookies, meatballs and apple martini don't send my blood sugar on a roller coaster ride. Peer pressure is at an all time high during these events. Either someone wants you to taste how good their coveted family recipe is, the aroma of all the foods invades your senses, or watching someone take a bite out of a desired dish all of these and more are enough to send you over the edge. As much as I wished to avoid these events altogether they happen to provide some of the best opportunities for networking. So I had to just suck it up and come up with a way to make it work. Here's a few tips I have come up with that might help you get there as well.

1. Pop a snack- If you eat a snack before you go you might be less tempted to indulge in all the goodies once you get to the event. Following you don't eat with your eyes, which I'm totally guilty of, your snack should be enough to hold you over until you leave.

2. Drink a lot of water- Water can create a false sense of being full, if you drink enough. You'll be so full from water you won't want anything to drink nor eat.

3. Drink Skinny- If you're going to drink opt for a lighter choice such as a Skinny Girl margarita. Stay away from the harder alcoholic beverages not only because they have more carbs and sugars but also you don't want your coworkers to see you hammered, remember your audience!

4. Eat with purpose- If you are going to have a bite to eat decide on your selections before you look at the food. All that good looking food at one time might be overwhelming and your senses will end up winning over your brain. Tell yourself you're going to stick to some fruits or the veggie platter. You'll have less of a chance deviating from this plan because you'll feel like you let yourself down if you do.

5. Take advantage- Sometimes companies or organizations send out a survey to see if anyone is allergic or has any other dietary restrictions before they even plan a menu. Take this opportunity to tell them you're diabetic and see if they can provide you with an alternate option. 

These tips will definitely come in handy for your next social event. It might be hard at first but I promise you'll be all the better for it!!