I've started my second week but I will be heading to a festival for four days, how can I balance weightloss with the burger van enviroment?

[BrideToBe51213]

I will try to take sensible food with me but we are going in a caravan with a small fridge. My family eat a lot of unhealthy food and the line 'No thank you, I'm on a diet' usually results in 'One won't hurt you'. Occassions like this often make me feel that I'm being difficult / being the odd one out. Then there is also the issue that calorie counting will be a lot harder as I wont be able to cook for myself like I would at home. Any tips would be a real boost

[Zest Healthy BMI]

Hi Bridetobe51213,

Firstly, I hope you have a great time at the Festival. It sounds good that you've already considered that you can take some healthier foods with you - as you already have a plan of action to try to eat healthier from the start. Maybe sharing with your friends the fact that you are trying to lose weight, and that goal is an important one for you, so that you hope they will help you with that goal by not encouraging you to eat foods you don't consider to be healthy. Then, having a response (like a broken record technique) where you just respond to any other attempts to make you eat things you'd rather not eat, by saying "Thanks, but I'm trying to keep to my diet, and I've already planned what I'm eating" (and then tell them about the tasty healthy food you've had instead, or are about to have).

If you do end up eating something that you'd not planned for, then don't let it put you off continuing your plans - some days are better than others, and you can start again - but don't end up eating more, try to distract yourself by going for a walk, or something else.

You could try allowing yourself a treat each day, but plan for that treat in terms of deciding beforehand what it will be - so you don't end up being lead astray.

Not sure how helpful these suggestions will be to you, but hope some of them are helpful.

Have a great time at the festival.

Lowcal

[dylanski]

To be honest, you probably can't, so unless you are aiming at a specific date to achieve weightloss, just relax and enjoy your break, and get back to it afterwards

[chay]

I would spend my time walking ans dancing and being active. If people are insisting, have a little but then say after a short while, actually I'm not that hungry. Moreover enjoy the time away -4 days are only 4 steps in an otherwise lifelong journey and there will be times when it's not possible to be perfect. Also, try not to make it a huge issue. The word diet tends to make people want to tempt you, so just say I don't fancy it ta. There are not normally just burger vans so you could just 'fancy' the healthier options. Hope it goes well and you have fun. Chay

[Sarahd56]

Hi there!

Firstly, dont say you are on a diet! Just say, oh no thanks, too greasy for me, or oopps I will pass on that if you dont mind, way too filling for my tummy! Make a bit of a joke with this,that way hopefully people will not tempt you! Take lots of low cal health bars with you too! Great for when you get the urge for a sweet! Enjoy festival, and just think sensible for the few days you are away! You can always pick up the good habits when you return home! Drink lots of water, I find that fills you up too x

[binksk]

Don't panic, I've been to many festivals and there is always loads of different food stalls selling a huge array of foods.. some even healthy. Have a good walk about when you first arrive to see what stalls are selling what. Try getting jacket potatoes as they are filling and much better than a burger. Plus you will probably spend most of the day walking and dancing so even if you can't always eat healthy you should burn off everything you do eat.

Have Fun

[BrideToBe51213]

Thanks guys for all the tips. I have just done a pre shop and made sure i included brown bread, veg, pasta pots and the oh so simple oats pots so I can easily have healthy filling item, I also picked up low cal alcohol as this will be a bit of a weakness. In preparation I have also set myself the target of getting to my 150 minutes of exercise before we go, so far I've done 120 minutes!

I'd also forgot about the range of foodstalls they have, such as baked potatoes (usually I have been looking for all the unhealthy options :s ).

It wont be realistic of me to calorie count and if I do slip up I need to treat the next day as new day and accept part of having fun will mean relaxing a bit. Wish me luck....

[geemel79]

i went to rockness festival friday to monday and i took my herbalife shakes with me, friends all though no way youll stick to it but i did morning and lunch two shakes, and had my seed mix and raisins in my pockets to snafk on during the day, in the evenings i opted for chicken kebabs loads of salad a little sauce and didnt eat the piutta bread, i wasnt drinking lots of alcohol but kept the fluid intake up with plenty of water tbh the smell of all the grease porta loos and the mess put me right off anyway lol

[MusicMaker]

Make every calorie count in terms of enjoyment. Enjoy foods that you really like or would love to try, and don't waste calories on a greasy burger or anything else that you don't fancy just because it's there. Also it's easier to say you're saving room for some treats than to say you're just not eating much. (But if you'd really love that burger and it's your treat for the day, go ahead and enjoy it! Perhaps eat less of something else.) You can spend a lot more time on your feet at a festival than normal, which will help to burn it off - try not to sit down at every opportunity (you won't want to if it's wet).

Some of the more exotic burgers you often find at festivals (e.g. ostrich, buffalo/bison, kangaroo etc) are actually quite good for you as these have very lean meat and are low in saturated fat - I love them! (Even beefburgers can be made from good, tasty lean cuts from good breeds or from nasty, fatty "recovered" meat, and sausages made from leaner cuts of known breeds are so much tastier as well as healthier than those made from fatty gloop.) And festivals often have lots of healthy, organic and veggie food that are a real treat even for a committed carnivore like me - but beware of some of those tasty organic/veggie cakes.

Another tip - if you fancy something nice that seems too calorific, get one to share with someone else - the non-dieter you share with will happily eat the lion's share if you let them but you'll still enjoy a taste. Don't worry too much about losing weight during a festival (unless you go to one every week) - just try not to put it on, and go back to the diet afterwards. Have fun!

[BrideToBe51213]

Hi,

Just an update following the festival. I did my best with trying to avoid temptation while still accepting that I wasn't going to be an angel the whole time. I gained two pounds which I felt a little down about but my partner who went off his diet completely gained 7 pounds which opened my eyes to how much my small changes had limited the damage. Previous I have gained a lot when its holiday / christmas, using the theory that eating is part of enjoying whats going on. Since coming back I've already lost 1 pound of what I gained

I also forgot how much walking and standing there is which I think was a real help. Thank you for all the tips, they all came in handy and helped me to feel in control!