FitMitTuro Fitness Podcast

How to deal with social events, holidays and eating out without losing your progress

May 25, 2023 Turo Virta Episode 95
FitMitTuro Fitness Podcast
How to deal with social events, holidays and eating out without losing your progress
Show Notes Transcript

In today´s solo session I talk about how to deal with social events, eating out and holidays. In my own Fat Loss Phase I had a 4 day holiday and went probably 10k calories over my maintenance calories. I am talking how I deal with holidays and giving my best tips how to make most out of your holiday without losing progress.

I am giving several strategies that you can try when going out to eat and how to enjoy holiday.

I would love to hear from you what you think about this episode. Send me email turo@fitmitturo.com or DM me in my Instagram @personaltrainer_turo

Also taking a screenshot and sharing it and tagging me in your story or in social media helps me so much to help more people. 

I really appreciate your help. 

Talk Soon,

Turo

0:02  
Hey and welcome to this weekly training today I'm talking originally about how to deal with social events, holidays eating out without losing your property. So, quick backstory, how I came up with these ideas it's one of the most common questions I get from my clients from my followers in my social media that you know that it was my birthday and I was eating a cake that is it okay, or if I went over my board and more you know, I was in vacation for a week and gained a lot of weight What should I do about it? And these are these are kind of things what I'm personally struggling also and and how I always recommend I need sometimes reminder for myself also for example tomorrow when I'm when I'm recording this I'm calling my best friends childhood friends are coming here to Italy and we are going for boy's weekend for weekend so from Friday till Monday and it's going to be three three days just having fun enjoying ourselves and celebrate actually our 40th Birthday it's one year late but but do all kinds of problems when you don't sit time and weekend early enough it couldn't be couldn't make it earlier but it's going to be weakened to when I'm not going to pay attention anything about my fitness most likely there will be a lot of alcoholic beverages and eating won't be as it's normal and this all meanwhile

1:43  
started two weeks ago my fabulous face and have been very very consistent have made actually amazing progress I'm really really happy how I feel how everything like what all kinds of measurements how things are going first two weeks and this now thinking like usually would go to was I was originally I was thinking like many of many people are thinking when they are starting their

2:07  
son some that is it now right time because there is a vacation or birthdays coming up and and if it's making sense to get started or is it better to wait and start after and this is the best example that I knew this before and it was it was to be honest, it was I was thinking and also this isn't the right time to do it. But then you know if you didn't if I didn't if I'm originally they need to do it like for four or five weeks most likely that my dad was face and if from those let's say it's a five week so 35 days and let's say that three days I'm going totally out of track and there are still 32 days left. And if I would say like that what is a good rate racer to enjoy life make progress what is enough let's say that you are at 90 pros and cons if you are 90 pros and consistent that's amazing that's for sure you will make results but if you are at procedure you are going to get really good results. So from let's say that I'm 35 days three days it's not even 10 process so I would get still overnight and if I'm to be honest first 14 days maybe they were like one to two days they were not as good as possible now I'm in I'm going to have three days where I'm not going to be even close to my my

3:31  
goals or what I'm thinking that would how the progress should be so then um let's say it's five days from first 17 But there are still another 1718 days left. So it means just that when when you are those three days and they are past whatever happens I'm going to get back on track and act like nothing happened and those those those diversities are that you are like it's very maybe some of you like at least I have talked with many many of my clients who have these like before going to holiday they don't allow themselves to eat for for example eating for days and things like that now, if you don't eat for a day or do days before then you can eat you are kind of earning to eat more when you're on vacation when that vegan is coming in same thing after that you are kind of feeling guilt. And then for that reason you are either using exercise or or you are just simply not eating to get back on track and kind of punishing yourself that will happen and and this is that something some kind of behavior where I tried to get out and help you to get out of it and and provide you actually strategies how to actually do make progress within these times and then and that goes if you didn't lay that calories or progress. It doesn't count for for birthdays, it doesn't count for holidays those times those days. They are made to

5:00  
Make memories to have something to enjoy life. And not only thinking about your progress or losing progress making progress, because it those are there are not many days, I don't know, if it's if you are on holiday, like every second day or every second week, then maybe maybe you should have a different strategy. But if it's like a for like for most people, it's it's occasionally going weekend of dating, having a good time, or going for one to two times a year for vacation for a week. And having usually most of the people have just the one birthday at least if there is if it's their own, and then maybe some friends or family members, or their birthdays coming but but those days, if you think that what you will remember after is that, how much fun if you think 10 years back, like go 10 years back, whatever will happen. Like I'm bored if I think that what was when I was in 30 I don't remember, if I was doing my workouts if I was sitting my gallery or protein goal or, or eating healthy is that I remember those days and times when I inserted myself had a good time. And this is all what life is in the end all about and the progress you're making. Outside of those what is what you are doing from Monday to Friday, if you do get your workouts done enough, often enough how your daily nutrition will dish out what kind of breakfast what kind of lengths, what kind of dinners you are eating, and these these are that cornerstone what will make everything about your progress. So

6:39  
then, if it's if you didn't like what is what, what how then do right if you are if you don't want to lose progress, or you don't want to you want to enjoy, but at the same time not go like overboard, or I kind of improve in those social events and that and in holidays. So this is the are some some best advices what I used to always give for my, for my clients and call I've tried to use myself also but it's it's, it's, it's not, it's not always easy to use, even you know, even if I think I consider myself that I probably know what I should be doing. But I'm still I'm still not doing it always. But it is just consistent reminders, what you should be doing so, so

7:29  
if you think like in social lemons, for example, like late, that's usually what I used to do before and I was thinking that it kind of makes sense. Because I was thinking that if I don't eat like let's say that we have you are going out for dinner late at night and it's a Friday night and you think that you know that you are probably going to there's going to be food choices are not going to be the optimal and you're going to eat maybe a little bit more than usually and then you kind of make this logic that if you don't eat anything a whole day before or eat very little before going to event so then you are you don't you are okay with everything all calories and and that you are okay to eat a little bit more. And this I was I used to be thinking this way also but what usually happened is that when you are starving you show up with big hunger in some social event what is happening is not that you are going to enjoy your eating more you are just eating even more of that

8:32  
those foods what you know that are probably not the best ones what you should be eating so instead if you want I actually started to use like it's a little bit controversial but I hope this explanation makes you sense that it's something that you never show up with the Hungry Hungry, hungry during social live and so you eat something before and making sure that earlier on that day when you go to the social limit that you have had a lot of protein so protein fiber say like some fluids

9:04  
protein so what I used to do for myself like obviously my my daily habits I'm going to get 50 grams of protein every single day for my breakfast so it's it's 25 grams from Greek yogurt 250 grams of Greek yogurt then I have a scoop natural protein powder which is just a pure protein and nothing else. In addition for my breakfast morning this is my way I build my day when I start my day and then and then I usually have some kind of snack

9:35  
it's it's usually some cottage cheese, tuna or some other other protein what I have at home and that these are like already before lunchtime having 70 grams of protein at least and these are I do every single day and if I would go out somewhere eating like the I'm when I'm having a lot of protein before I'm not that hungry. And that same thing for you if you had a

10:00  
William today lot of protein, so you are kind of already feeling full. So you are not there going like, at least for me, it happens if I go out somewhere where I see like that there's so many delicious foods and, and you want to kind of try everything. And then when you are when I'm starving, it's not that I'm trying to use some mindful eating strategies and eat slowly, it's going to be basically as fast as possible and an add on the you are like probably at some point recognizing that, while now it was way too much. So but when you are already kind of feeling full, then the amounts you are going to eat are probably going to be less and, and this is what I other strategy, what I use just right before is just to have an apple or some piece of fruit or it could be some protein also. But let's say 30 minutes before you go for dinner before you go for, for some social event where you know that food and drinks are going to be lots of these are all helping that you are not actually starving, feeling hungry when you go there. So you are probably not going to eat everything and eating a bit less what you know that it's not going to be optimal. And in the end end of the day, you are you have in everything you wanted, but just a little bit less, because it doesn't make any more huge difference. If you eat all five desserts, or if you just have maybe even all five but just a little bit less of it or, or just the one and enjoying that because it's it's not going to change that whole thing. So then next thing if you aren't there, like in some social event, it's staying hydrated. So that's to make sure make sure that you eat, you drink a lot of water during to meal before meal glass of water, during like what I tried to do, having kind of slowing things down as much as possible having sip of water, basically, almost every after every mouthful, it's obviously going to happen every time but just an idea. And it makes you feel so much fuller. But also, I want you to think don't think that you can't have something if you you can have everything you want. Especially if you're on vacation because those situations they don't happen very often they are not. You are not every time like we said if you are in some new country, new place, you have foods available, what you don't get at home, you want to taste and, and enjoy life and everything. And this is actually actually what I would I love to do. Also when I'm traveling, I want to try different things what I don't get at home. And, and but the only thing what you really have to remember is that to eat as low as you can, can. And those kind of mindful eating like Cedric is that trying to have in conversation, dating, not your plain plate. So full that there is no space that if you are still hungry, go to get one more, but not that, that's because I'm a huge did that mistake a lot or I still do. But maybe a little bit less now that you know when you go to if there's some for example, some buffer, and you are kind of like wow, this is good, this is good, this is good, then you are taking everything a little bit, and then your blade is looking like that you've got to look other people if they are seeing how big how much food you have in your plate. So just take a little bit, go to eat it, eat it. And then if you still feel then get some more if you want more but not eat kind of what we used to say in Finland that don't eat with your eyes, just take a bit less what you originally think and then see how things are going and that's slowing things down. And

13:49  
and this is then something some other thing like especially for social events, like because it's very tempting when people are kind of trying to give you some food to like they are offering come on try this. Why you don't you want more and then there is more and so it's the same as the people and say that what I love to say that it's you don't have to say that the thank you it's not it's not they don't they that if you are polite say that they thank you but maybe later or not right now that you still have to you're not sure if you're still hungry. People will understand and you don't have to feel sorry that you said no, it's just using words like that. Maybe later or not right now. So it's making kind of the person who's offering you food.

14:41  
Not that it's it was too harsh or anything. So that's the people ate and then they turn it turn it down. You don't have to take everything and just do it because somebody is asking you and I know other things is like especially if it's kind of too fitting or even if you go to a restaurant

15:00  
Once out look little bit on the menu what is available and make best out of it because if you don't have all all access or all

15:11  
if you don't you can't impact everything what you are going to eat though this is something what I for example if I if I if I go out to eat like we don't I don't go too often but every weekend we go Sundays on hikes and and there is always some good restaurant where we go to eat and and I usually take I always take what I want but I'm I'm starting to look like that I'm not taking I'm making a little bit smarter choices now like earlier I would think it would be right away like that I want a burger if there would be burger available with french fries that would be my option or if there is a pizza pizza would be the right option and or right away my option but now I'm looking like that okay what is their what will be like how my thought process is going like that? What is if there is some protein on that that food so if it's going to be meat if there is some fish or what is there like is there some salad Am I having some vegetables there is there are some side effects the boost possible to date so those are first things what I look and then later on later than rest this then meeting like that what is the best possible what is available and then going with that and not taking right away? What do you just think that it's it's just a thought process what you are going through and and making the best possible choice and it's whatever you decide, then you are

16:38  
you're happy with that decision? What do you leave what you made so that's everything goes it's a it was a good example from this is when I was in, in Mongolia, with my friends we were eating in a restaurant and they had a menu there. And for some reason first we were like I think we had some river we went out we had a couple of beers last night and then both like not feeling really great. And you know when you have a little bit hanging over, you don't you don't crave some vegetables. It's those tasty, calorie dense foods and then we saw that they were making pizza there and my buddy was right away that I'm going for pizza and I was like Okay, I will I also for pizza but let's look what bits up. They have been I was looking I saw that menu and they were then diverse writing actually calories how many calories each meal had. And then I saw that pizza 1200 calories I was like, holy shit. I'm not going to come home pizza. And then I took some I saw some there was some pasta or something.

17:48  
And I thought that okay, this is I think it was a carbonara pasta or something it's not the most healthiest one but was like I don't know 600 calories or something and I was thinking that okay, this is also something what I at this moment I can live with I can eat I feel good about it. And it's still it's 600 calories less and I was looking like that I was just thinking that how that pizza can be 1200 calories and then when I saw it like it was totally different like what we are used to hear in Italy what kind of pizzas you have like they were it was a huge like a probably double size pizza then in Italy and and I think there was like a you're able to swim there in that fat what was there on top of that pizza? And I was looking like oh my god that I'm so happy that I didn't order that pizza was that what picture was in my head? What pizza how pizza should look like and tastes like that it was this was like a nowhere near of that and obviously those calories if you make a pizza 1002 or 1000s I don't know maybe there was 1400 calories but but huge amount of calories in one pizza and I was like okay this I'm not going to need it. So then when it comes to a next step what I what I what I used to always tell is that how to vote in which order you are eating like pay attention like that i i always try to think like that what is making me full list with less calories so usually I eat always my salad first so this is the like kind of

19:26  
how to make yourself fuller without less calories so less calories as possible so if something is I can't eat everything so it's not going to be salad what I can finish so I make sure that I eat salad first and then I have already with the procedure in my stomach the next one usually I go I go

19:49  
celebrate admits the books obviously first and then next one is my protein source. So if I have maybe some steak or fish or whatever after Senate I'm going to go for my

20:00  
protein source, I don't need it all. But, but at least the big part of it and thinking, thinking like that protein sources first, and then this kind of disorder makes it also easier. So it's just an idea that if you can't finish everything, you're not leaving your vegetables behind because you are already full, but then it's going to be something what you probably bought are what you don't need so much and, and that is, that is kind of deep, what helps you that order with foods you are eating, but it's not it doesn't make too big difference more, more, more. It's those themes what I what I said before and then the last one is probably the hardest one is that the alcoholic or beverages what you are going to drink so so character verities, personally if you are having some coke or soda

20:54  
look if you have a possibility to have some diet soda or low calorie option for that. And then another one is those alcoholic beverages. So it really it's it depends on situation but but usually what is the best thing is to have a kind of plan before that how many you are going to have if it's going to be two glasses of wine, if it's going to be three or four. But whatever, whatever number you decide, but make that plan and stick with that because it's it's so tempting, I don't know how it's going to go for myself I to be honest with my with my boys weekend, this weekend, because I know those guys and like especially we used to go like obviously now we are 20 years, 25 years older than we were like on 50s or 18 or 20. So it was totally different. But we had a lot of good time and that and now obviously, things are things have changed. And probably it's not going to be the same how it was. But if I if you didn't like those situations, what do you have? What do you have that you if you have that kind of plan that it's going to be okay, today it's going to be two. And that's it. And then if there is because it's it's in especially in those social events, then there is always somebody that you Alex have a one more or less round or whatever. And that's so hard to say that no thank you. But usually usually those kinds of

22:26  
things how I or if you decide to not have everything at all, it's it's a very like, alcohol is not it's going to ruin your sleep, it's your heartbeat is going to be like maybe 1010 Higher IDI, if I drag my sleep, I see it. Every night when I have I don't even need to have it's maybe maybe two drinks, do three drinks and my heartbeat is then be tired and usually and if it's only if I have one or two, then it's maybe five to five beats higher. But if it's something more it's that quality you are middle of the night waking up quality you are not you're never rested in morning if you if you have alcohol before so it's really really about making that decision that what is it really worth it, to have it like sometimes I'm I believe that it's it's you kind of need it, it's for socializing, enjoying life, but that it's a if you use it like every day daily, one or two even small amounts, it's, it's making actually a lot more harm than good for most people. Like I know that some people are using it to relieve stress or some other emotions. But there are so many better ways to do it. But that's a topic for different different podcasts. And now for what I wanted to say that for alcohol, it's it's more like,

23:55  
like trying to be really careful with that and and what I what I what I told to my, some of my clients, I think Lara was the best example was when we work together like see her like it was kind of after every work day is even to go out to have drinks with the friend sometimes it was one sometimes two, sometimes three, sometimes more. But it was like kind of habit, which was like several times a week. And then like obviously her sleep was bad not making too much progress. And then we made a challenge for her. I was asked that question if you let's try for 30 days, 30 days without alcohol and then after those 30 days if you still want to drink and want to go back where you were go for it but 30 days be without and then you will see how you are going to feel what is going to happen. And then C was actually 30 days without and NC was like first time started to sleep was getting getting better stress was less. feeling loved more inner

25:00  
sized, actually finally made some huge progress. So, and then the will be lot more careful, like, not going to say that she will never drink but not going back where she was. And, and these kinds of challenges if you do dirty details without alcohol, this is, it's, if you can't do it like then you have a serious problem. So these kinds of things, they are helping like to see how things are affecting how you're going to feel if you're able to stick with that. And for studies, just most people don't want to do it. Because they don't, they are they don't think that they have a problem. But But that's, that's going to

25:42  
be a life changer. If you if you try to be without that those are kind of things like if you are in a social situation that somebody's offering you all the time, you know that there are guys, all your friends are always coming by you don't drink, are you boring or something. But if you are telling like that those are usually what people respect pretty well, if you say that I do a 30 day challenge without alcohol and smoking no problem, or other things like what we used to do you have you did some mitigation that you can drink, or like obviously for those people, you know, it's kind of saying same thing.

26:19  
For women who is pregnant and telling that sorry, I'm pregnant, I can train these are no problem. It's not, nobody's coming to you to say that. Come on, have one more, if you have a sense of discussion. So think it's the base, how to say politely No, or using kind of things that, you know, would it makes it easier to say that your friends are going to accept what you are going to what kind of excuse if you because if you say to us that, you know, I don't feel like drinking, it's, it's I know many people don't respect that then they are pushing even more and it's even harder to say no for things. So other other thing is that and then what ultimately about those holidays and social events, whatever happens with life happens, you will go all the way over, you will have some sometimes better time, sometimes it's it's going to be a hell lot of good time. And you go way over with everything. And what what when it happens, don't overthink it or don't be feel sorry about it. You don't need to punish yourself or restrict next day, just get back on track. If you don't, like what I'm going to do this is my example in the best example that don't start to restrict or feel guilty about after that goes it's it will lead to that same cycle repeating that same cycle fear guilt cycle over and over again. So get back on track, get your regular breakfast, eat your lunch, if you don't, if you feel feel really bad about it, then

27:58  
go for a walk or eat a bit less but don't start to skip meals or or do something like what is really not very smart. So make sure you get your protein in your healthy meals and because that is all what matters is that

28:15  
because everybody will go overboard and having dose not perfect days. And the only way the only thing what matters is how fast you how you are reacting how you are responding and how fast you are getting back on track. And, and for other other things if you are for vacation still what I have used for some people like that with the purpose like if you have especially if you have been losing a lot of weight and and you still you kind of feel a little bit tired of that whole diet thing. Why both with the purpose take a diet break, it could be a week it could be a two weeks and with diet break, I don't mean that you don't

29:01  
you can eat whatever you want for a week. But just with the purpose like let's say that if you have been counting your calories that you your calorie goal is let's say the 2000 and your maintenance should be to five with purpose raising those calories to chew five and like even you don't count them accurately but with purposefully eating more and not even trying kind of to make progress or something like that. Okay, this is the period like I'm taking a week or two weeks or month would be longer for that maintenance period and trying just to maintain my rate current rate and not making any progress feeling just having a good energy making progress and workouts and these are like what how I love to include them then then it's in your maintenance or diet break periods that they are on your when you are holidays and vacation season. So these are these were four

30:00  
social events, holidays eating out and if you are in situations you are going for holiday you have a birthday, a social event coming up inside, don't feel guilty and get back on track as soon as possible. So thank you for listening and talk to you soon.