Written by Amelia Heimerman

Eat throughout the day

A common thought is to save your calories until you arrive at your poolside gathering, but this can result in eating only high-calorie foods and even overeating. By restricting during the day, you encourage your body to get in calories fast by gravitating towards calorie-dense foods rather than produce. Being overly hungry at the party can also leave you solely focused on when you’ll eat rather than letting you be present while conversing with your loved ones. Lastly, if you plan on drinking it is very important to have some food in your system to prevent you from becoming too intoxicated too quickly. 

Stay hydrated throughout the day

Hydration is very important especially as the weather gets warmer, but it can also affect our appetite. According to the Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation, studies show that 37% of people mistake thirst for hunger. Typical hunger cues like an emptiness in your stomach, irritability, headaches, and dizziness can also be signals of thirst. Therefore, staying hydrated can help you sort between psychological and physiological hunger. Hydration is also important if you plan on drinking alcohol since alcohol actually dehydrates the body.

Bring produce to the function

Fruits and vegetables are not only easy to prepare, but are great low-calorie and nutrient-dense sides. Enjoying these foods alongside your meal or as an appetizer can help you feel fuller on less calories. Outside of hunger, these foods provide nutrients and hydration to the body. Cutting up fresh pineapple or watermelon and throwing together a summery salad kit from the store are easy ways to prepare and incorporate produce at your poolside gathering. 

Stress less

It can be stressful not knowing the calorie content of the foods available to you at an event like this. When creating a plate of food, a rule of thumb to consider is the larger the portion of veggies, the lower the calories in the meal. Don’t be afraid to stock up on produce and be creative with it. Adding some of the prepared salad kit on your burger is a great way to sneak in produce and enhance the flavor of your meal. Remember to look for protein sources and fibrous carbs to help you stay full longer and keep you from snacking after your meal.

Be conscious of your surroundings

When you are done eating, consider finding somewhere to sit away from the food area to engross yourself in conversation or enjoy a low-calorie drink. Before you do this, ensure you have eaten enough to where you no longer feel physiological hunger.

Push away guilt and focus on long term habits

Perhaps you overeat or noticed a lack of produce available at the function. It happens to the best of us. This one meal will not jeopardize your long-term success as long as you consider this situation and learn from it. Reflect on how you can plan ahead of time by eating beforehand or bringing produce to enjoy with dinner for future events. The most important part of these gatherings is to be with loved ones and make memories rather than eating the perfect meal, so do not be too hard on yourself. 

I hope this article helps you navigate booze and food options to supply or look out for at a summer get-together. Spontaneous events like parties and barbecues can be stressful when it comes to ensuring whether your health and nutrition goals are met, but it is important to consider the long-term rather than dwelling on one night. The above tips and tricks are meant to guide you towards your goals in a healthy, anxiety-reducing way. At the end of the day, do not be afraid to enjoy a good meal and reconnect with the ones you love.

Are you looking for more advice like this to support your weight loss journey? Click here to learn more about The Millennial Nutritionist and its services.