The purpose of this post is to supplement my last blog post, “Why Celebrating Every Accomplishment/Holiday/Occasion Ruins your Progress.” If you often find yourself in social situations in which friends, family or acquaintances pressure you into eating or drinking things which set you back in your progress, this post is for you!
Do you ever feel pressure to go out with your friends on Friday night because you fear you will be left out? Do you find yourself being pressured to drink when you don’t want to? Do you ever get invited to a friend’s birthday party, and then they invite you out to dinner at a restaurant the following week, and then the next week they ask you to attend a party at their house? If you are an extrovert, these opportunities sound tempting! If you are an introvert, however, they sound mentally draining (I would know because I am naturally an introvert). Moreover, if you have weight loss goals, these events may scare you because of the potential to binge eat (or just eat terrible food in general) and eliminate all the hard work you’ve put in. So how do you handle these invitations? Listed below are some recommended tips to allow you to accomplish your goals while maintaining your relationships with people:
- Prioritize who you go out with. Yes, I know this sounds terrible but let me explain. We all have family, friends and acquaintances. And in my opinion, that’s the order of who you should go out with – family, then friends, then acquaintances. For example, if you have the option of going out to dinner with your dad who is in town for the day or with a buddy who lives down the road, it should be an easy choice. If your buddy is really your friend, he will understand why you chose to see your dad instead. If he doesn’t…he may not be a good friend after all.
- Set a budget. No, I’m not a financial planner nor will I tell you what to do with your money. But if you set a budget and if going out on Friday night will blow your monthly budget, talk to your friends about it and be honest! Providing for your family is more important than closing the bar down at 1:00 am.
- Limit how many times you go out per month. If you are married, this is obviously a conversation you need to have with your spouse. For us personally, we go out for a meal once per week. If an opportunity comes up such as a party at a friend’s house, then we discuss whether we still want to go out as a family, or go over to our friend’s house. This limitation on how many times you go out will not only save you money, but will reduce potential setbacks in your diet!
- Propose an alternate solution. For example, if you have a good friend who invites you to a local bar but you are trying your best to stay disciplined in your health goals, ask them if you can meet them for a cup of coffee some other time. Perhaps take them to a different restaurant that provides you more healthy options. Be creative and show them that you value their friendship while still staying on the path to success in your weight loss journey!
- Have the power to say no! This is the most important tip I can give you! Don’t be a yes man/woman! Nobody has the right to tell you what to do. So if you are feeling pressured to go some place you don’t want to go, drink something you don’t want to drink, or eat something you don’t want to eat, it’s okay to say no!
- Surround yourself with those who support you. It is important that if you are pursuing a goal, you are encouraged by your network to keep going! If your inner circle of friends do not support you, find a new circle.
These are just a few recommendations to help you deal with social pressure. I hope you find these tips helpful! We are all faced with social pressure from time to time (some of us more than others). But just because we have opportunities to spend time with family and friends, doesn’t mean we have to lose all of our progress. We can still live a healthy lifestyle while maintaining close relationships. Remember, a truly healthy lifestyle incorporates healthy food, fitness, faith and close relationships with family and friends.
As always, if you need help improving your health and nutrition, please message me!
Coach Rich
Richard Fitzgerald 