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Mission 47: Make Peace With Parties and Buffets
Once you’ve gotten a handle on exercise, eating well, meal-planning, sleep, diet traps, emotional eating and saying no, it can start to feel like you’re on your way to lifelong weight-loss success.
You can start to feel cocky, maybe lean in to a little strut.
But then comes – DUN DUN DUN! – the party!
Or even more terrifying, [insert gasp] the buffet!!
Two words. Don’t. Panic.
In this mission, I’m going to show you how to be prepared and change that old, troublesome path of least resistance so that these events don’t unravel all your good work.
The bad news is that party and buffet challenges are sneaky – you can’t just turn up and hope that willpower will get you through. As you already know – don’t we all! – it won’t.
The good news is that the challenges are all predictable, so you can prepare in advance.
After completing this mission, you’ll be able to maintain your cool at any party or on any buffet line.
Ready? Let’s do it.
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Our group responses are: Party, Potluck & Buffett Planning
Three Weeks Before: Make invitation list; Decide on theme and offset expenses with potluck: we provide the main course and beverages and you bring the side dishes; Send invitations by mail or email – rsvp; Plan a healthy menu: fruit; veggies trays; finger sandwiches with lean meat or fish [salmon or shrimp tray with sauce], fruit punch with sherbet ice cream, yogurt with fruit, dessert bar with fruit, yogurt, raisins, granola, unsalted nuts, etc complete with shopping list for the number of guest attending; party decorations; plan the use of your oven and stove; hire a caterer [optional]
Two weeks: Use nicer paper products; name tags if needed; Entertainment: background or band or DJ; plan games or ice breaker or play Bingo, shop for prizes if needed; Grocery shop: sherbet and prepare dishes that can be frozen
One Week Before: Clean your house or optional cleaning service; borrow folding chairs from friends; plan your furniture arrangement; Take an inventory of cookware & serving dishes; Stock your colas, coffee and tea including sugars and creamers; make ice or purchase a bag of ice or if your refrigerator
has an ice maker – start making ice.
Three Days Before: Send a second email reminding your invited guests of the party and reconfirm you will be attending or no; Optional notify your neighbors due to parking or noise; guest or essentials basket in bathroom: tampons, breath mints, Kleenex, hair spray; Decorate; Check your medicine cabinet & remove personal items & medications; Large parties set up a clean-up station; Small parties have trash cans conveniently located for paper products; Have a place for coats; Finish your grocery shopping including cooking schedule for remaining dishes or final check with your caterer
One Day Before: Set up the tables or buffet setup; Buy and arrange flowers if necessary;
Finish cooking or finalize the caterer; Give your house once-over & clean where necessary
Day of the Party: Complete last minute cooking; complete setup of chairs, DJ or Band; put the food out or have the caterer setup food, etc; Great the guests as they arrive. After the party have a cleanup crew plan and implement it. TIME TO REST AFTER A FUN FILLED DAY
I am doing much better at buffets now. The biggest challenge is counting the portions, not the sweets anymore. Another victory!
A lot of people do not drink alcohol due to medications or bad experiences. For people who drink; be responsible and drink in moderation.
Dining Out No’s No’s: Cooking without hair net or not cleaning their hands frequently for sanitary purposes. Manager/head cook should be notified immediately. If not resolved don’t eat their and notify the Health Board.
Parties
Position yourself far away from the food tables, or the doors through which waiters.
bring in food trays – if possible out of view of these locations. Group Response: Temptation and contamination.
Become fascinated by the company – really look for ways to have engaging and.
distracting conversations with your fellow guests. Group Response: Look for ways to socialize with your fellow guests. [Topics could be: local event, school event, small talk and low key.]
Buffets
Eat healthy snacks before going to buffet or going to dinner. Eliminate desserts. Dining at a local restaurant with buffets at Golden Corral; Ponderosa. Frisch’s Breakfast Bar but eat healthy at any Buffets. Eliminate eating at buffets frequently. Once a year is about right as long as you eat healthy and in moderation.
Progressive Dinner: First home: Appetizers; Second home: Salads; Third Home: Main Course; Fourth home: Dessert and Red Wine. This was popular when I was growing up having a New Years Eve Progressive Dinner. Due to weather in this area all homes need to be within a couple of miles.
The majority of us don’t drink alcohol as some medications will not mix with alcohol. Instead of alcohol: grape juice instead of wine; 7-Up or Ginger Ale in place of champagne, etc.
If you do drink: Eat before and during your drink so you won’t have the effect alcohol can give — especially if you drive. [Snack ideas to eat with alcohol: pretzels, nuts, chips, etc.]