Low carb social event dilemma- help!

[LadyRubyPenhaligon]

I've been low carbing for a month now and have lost 10lb, I have not broken the rules at all, not once! The problem is I am going for a social meal with friends on Friday and the menu is chilli and rice etc and wine. I want to enjoy this event but am so worried as to how it will affect all my effort so far. Obviously I plan to eat more chilli than rice and limit the wine if I can but how will this affect everything?

[questions2008]

hi lady, wow that's a great loss!

I was in your situation when I started lc-ing almost 10 weeks ago and had to go to my first meal out that I couldn't control what would be on the menu. I ended up eating a fair bit of pulled pork (which was quite sweet!) and had to drink some cocktail - it was a cocktail making session. What I worried about was that it would cause me to fall off the wagon, but it didn't! I just carried on as normal the next day and within 2-3 days I was back on a downward trend.

I think if you eat just the chilli (have some rice on the plate if you don't want others to notice) and have a couple of glasses of wine, you'll still be quite low on carbs (i think a glass of wine is about 4g carbs), you can also keep carbs to a minimum during the day.

Enjoy!

[BIWI]

Is it a meal in someone's home? If so, and if they are good friends, could you make some cauliflower rice and take that with you for your meal? That way you can limit the carbs significantly.

If not - then don't worry. If you're going to make low carbing an ongoing WOE then these occasions will arise every now and then. Have a really low carb day apart from the meal, and then be super strict for the next couple of days afterwards.

But above all, enjoy the evening!

[thenightsky]

Don't have the rice and don't eat all of the kidney beans. Count the wine into your carb allowance. Don't eat pudding if there is any on offer. People won't notice as they'll be too drunk by pudding anyway.

Drink loads of water the next day.

[LadyRubyPenhaligon]

Thanks for all your advice. It's hard to believe that wright I've lost won't be piled back on immediately. Am now researching which type of wine is lowest for carbs!

[DontDrinkAndFacebook]

I have this problem all the bloody time, and it's part of the reason why I never really succeed tbh. I am too polite to refuse what's put in front of me, and I don't like to make a fuss.

I have the same problem tonight and I'm dreading it because I've only just managed to get myself back on track and I really don't want to lose the plot again and stuff my face all weekend.

Eat something high protein like a small omelette before you go out so you won't be too hungry and cave in.

Put a small bit of rice on your plate (if you don't feel like explaining/justifying to everyone why you are not eating any) but push it around and mix it with a bit of chilli so it looks like you are eating it.

Eat the chilli but try to lose a few of the kidney beans under the pile of rice. If there is guacamole, cheese, etc., eat lots of that.

Red wine is better than white but best of all would be to take your own vodka or gin and slimline mixer or cranberry juice or fresh lime and soda water, and make sure you drink water in between each few sips.

Good luck. Think of me tonight as well!

[DontDrinkAndFacebook]

Although I agree with BIWI that it won't make much different to have an off night occasionally, what can make a difference is if you find it really hard to get straight back on the LC wagon the following day. Whenever I get out of ketosis it can set me off on a carb binge for the next few days. Really depends how in control you feel.

[500smiles]

YY to getting straight back on it.

I've done exactly the same as DontDrinkAndFacebook, and if you leave it, then it is so hard to get back to it.

I'm dreading Saturday night, we have a long standing social event that is a pudding night, yep, no starters or mains, just puddings and desert wine.

[LadyRubyPenhaligon]

Thanks for all advice....just heading out, will try my best!

[DontDrinkAndFacebook]

I was lucky on Thursday, the food was pretty low carb friendly, easy to separate the carbs from the rest, and I took some vodka with me instead of drinking wine. But I'd been eating so low carb the week before that I did get drunk really easily get a stonking hangover on Friday morning.

I had to eat some carbs to feel human again next morning but I stuck to 'sensible' carbs. I had two Dr Karg crackers with butter and cheese and a big glass of tomato juice. For lunch I ate some lightly breaded chicken goujons on their own and for dinner I had an Indian takeaway which was a bit of curry and some tandoori chicken but no rice, no bread, no puppadoms and chutney although I did eat a few handfuls of crisps beforehand, but I didn't have any alcohol.

On the whole I think I avoided disaster and I'm feeling positive and in control again today.

[DontDrinkAndFacebook]

oh and I didn't touch the pudding which was Tiramisu (love it) so feeling proud.

The hostess did give me a bit of a look when she collected the puds up and saw mine untouched but I didn't bend.

[LadyRubyPenhaligon]

I did it! Ate a spoonful of rice to be polite and a bowl of chilli and sour cream. Rather more wine than planned so gallons of water and v strict day today despite feeling like I need carbs badly!!

[BIWI]

Well done!

[DontDrinkAndFacebook]

Well done from me too.

[LadyRubyPenhaligon]

Thanks and BIWI a big thank you for all the info you have provided on here.