Social situations can be definitely very difficult to navigate when you are trying to also stay healthy and reverse your diabetes. It is possible though and today we are going to give you tips on how to do it! We will cover restaurants, desserts and alcohol, social gathering, and traveling.
Restaurants
First, going out to eat is definitely a time when most Americans think that their only option is to splurge, cheat on their diets, and overindulge. The typical plate at a restaurant is 1,200 calories and it's often loaded with sodium, unhealthy fat, and refined carbs. But, there are ways around this though and by making better choices you can get healthier options. When going out to eat, look at the menu before you go and first think about what you would make for yourself at home. Look out for words such as “grilled,” “broiled,” and “steamed” and choose those options over “fried” or “battered.”
Most, if not all restaurants will have a vegan option, but if there is a dish calling your name that might not be vegan, don’t shy away from asking for modifications. Restaurants will be willing to switch the chicken for some tofu or beans, you just have to ask. You can also modify other aspects of your meal. For example, you could ask to switch your white rice for brown or you can swap out a starchy veg for a non-starchy one if the meal is already carb-heavy, and you can also ask for things like a lighter sauce if the one that comes with the meal is especially creamy. Restaurant portions, especially in the United States, are far greater than what you might make at home, therefore you might want to consider splitting your dish with another person, or taking some home as leftover. One of the best ways to do this is to ask your server to box up half of your meal BEFORE the meal arrives at the table. You're more likely to finish the whole meal if it's all right in front of you. In addition, another way to help monitor how much you are eating is to eat slower and to pace yourself. Try taking a full 20 minutes to eat your meal. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full. Eating too quickly may lead to overeating.
When it comes to ordering take out, the same guidelines apply: choose plant-based whole food items as much as possible, ask to modify dishes if necessary and be mindful of portions, being specifically aware of the possibility for overconsumption. And don't be afraid to ask for modifications i.e. ask for extra veggies. You can also halve your meal into two portions and save one half for the next day - add a salad to both halves so you have more food. Appetizers are another way that makes it too easy to splurge while out to dinner. A way to avoid overconsumption at a restaurant, in general, is to eat a small snack before you go to the meal. That way you aren’t overly hungry and will not have the urge to over-consume when the food is presented to you. We recommend skipping the bread - there’s no nutrition value in that bread so ask the waiter not to bring it at all. Opt to order the appetizers that are primarily vegetable-based such as edamame, salads, and soups, and stay away from the fried, fat heavy options such as a plate of mozzarella sticks.
And lastly drinks and desserts. When going out to eat, one good trick is to pick one or the other. Avoiding both would be the ideal first option, but if you have to choose one, try to avoid the other. For drinks, skip the margaritas, punches, Pina Coladas, and other sugary drinks and instead order a liquor with a zero-calorie mixer such as seltzer or lime or lemon juice, a glass of wine, or even a light beer. For dessert, if you do order one, consider splitting it among the table instead of ordering a full one for yourself. Or better yet, wait until you get home and make your own healthy dessert!
Social Gatherings
When it comes to any sort of gathering or party, food is almost always involved. Let’s start with birthdays, holidays, and special occasions in general. With these, the most important thing to remember is not to punish yourself, the day should be enjoyed and it’s ok if food is a part of it. Portion control is going to be your best friend when getting through any sort of celebration. Enjoy yourself, but just be mindful of what you are consuming - there is a fine line between indulging and overindulging, so be smart about enjoying yourself but not going overboard either.
When eating a meal still consider what your plate should look like, at least half of it should be either fruits or non-starchy veggies, ¼ of it should include whole grains or starchy vegetables, and then the last quarter should contain a plant-based protein source. If you don’t think that this will be possible, consider packing your own food or bringing a dish to share that you know you can eat if the options are limited. People often love it when others bring healthy dishes! When it comes to dessert, don’t be afraid to participate, but perhaps opt for half a slice of cake and some of the fruit salad instead of a full slice of cheesecake. Or bring your own healthy dessert to share with others!
When going to sports games or any event where there are vendors and options for healthy foods might be limited, you should consider either eating before you go or packing something for yourself to eat when you get there. You will not only save money by not buying overpriced hot dogs or tacos from a food truck, but you’ll also be eating something that you know is good for you. If you do happen to buy something to eat at the event, choose wisely, and limit yourself to one purchase. When at a baseball game, for example, it can be easy to continually buy snacks throughout the game, try to avoid this by carefully deciding on a snack that is still healthy and also satiate you so that you don’t feel the need to continually eat. Stick to plant-based foods like veggie burgers, peanuts, or popcorn. And lastly, when sharing with others, it can be hard to determine how much you are consuming, so just be mindful and consider even pre-portioning the food before you eat it so that you know just how much you will have.
Traveling
Traveling is another time when meal planning and staying on top of your food intake can be challenging. If you are driving always pack yourself food that you can eat to avoid having to purchase meals at rest stops or fast-food restaurants; if you are flying, then eat before you go, and if you still find yourself hungry, purchase a filling, plant-based snack such as nuts to hold you over until you reach your destination. When on vacation people often treat themselves to multiple meals out a day. We encourage you to check out what grocery stores or markets are around you and get food that you can either cook if you are lucky enough to have a kitchen, or at least buy food items that you can prepare into meals that do not require a stove or oven.
When traveling, you often run into buffets. When attempting to navigate these grab smaller plates and glassware to avoid taking in too much. Bigger cups, bowls, and plates will obviously hold more food and encourage you to fill it up. They also can make normal portions seem smaller than they actually are, which will prompt you to get more than you’ll need. Second, try not to make more than one trip. It’s easy to overdo it by going up for seconds and then thirds, but limiting yourself to one trip will prohibit you from eating more than you need. Here’s another good time to apply the 20-minute eating rule! You may notice you don't even want seconds or thirds after having your first plate in a full 20 minute time window. And lastly, after you’ve gotten your food, try to find a seat as far away from the buffet as possible to separate yourself from the food. The closer you are, the easier it will be to grab more - creating space between you and the buffet will allow you to control that.
Overall when finding yourself in social situations, first, pretend you are at home and cooking for yourself and make your food choices accordingly. Next, portion control is your best friend. And lastly, it is easy to overdo it when you are celebrating something or on vacation or just spending time with others, if this does happen, don’t hyperfocus on it or punish yourself - just move on and work hard to get back on track during your next meal! Apply the Never Miss Twice Rule - when sticking to these new healthy habits, try not to slip up two meals in a row because then that’s starting to create a new unhealthy habit. If you slip up, it's OKAY, your whole day is not ruined, we repeat, your whole day is NOT ruined. Just get right back on track with your next meal.
Dealing With Restaurants, Parties & Travel
Dealing With Restaurants, Parties & Travel
Supplements to Consider
+ PART 7: Dealing With Social Situations & More
Restaurants
First, going out to eat is definitely a time when most Americans think that their only option is to splurge, cheat on their diets, and overindulge. The typical plate at a restaurant is 1,200 calories and it's often loaded with sodium, unhealthy fat, and refined carbs. But, there are ways around this though and by making better choices you can get healthier options. When going out to eat, look at the menu before you go and first think about what you would make for yourself at home. Look out for words such as “grilled,” “broiled,” and “steamed” and choose those options over “fried” or “battered.”
Most, if not all restaurants will have a vegan option, but if there is a dish calling your name that might not be vegan, don’t shy away from asking for modifications. Restaurants will be willing to switch the chicken for some tofu or beans, you just have to ask. You can also modify other aspects of your meal. For example, you could ask to switch your white rice for brown or you can swap out a starchy veg for a non-starchy one if the meal is already carb-heavy, and you can also ask for things like a lighter sauce if the one that comes with the meal is especially creamy. Restaurant portions, especially in the United States, are far greater than what you might make at home, therefore you might want to consider splitting your dish with another person, or taking some home as leftover. One of the best ways to do this is to ask your server to box up half of your meal BEFORE the meal arrives at the table. You're more likely to finish the whole meal if it's all right in front of you. In addition, another way to help monitor how much you are eating is to eat slower and to pace yourself. Try taking a full 20 minutes to eat your meal. It takes about 20 minutes for your stomach to tell your brain you are full. Eating too quickly may lead to overeating.
When it comes to ordering take out, the same guidelines apply: choose plant-based whole food items as much as possible, ask to modify dishes if necessary and be mindful of portions, being specifically aware of the possibility for overconsumption. And don't be afraid to ask for modifications i.e. ask for extra veggies. You can also halve your meal into two portions and save one half for the next day - add a salad to both halves so you have more food. Appetizers are another way that makes it too easy to splurge while out to dinner. A way to avoid overconsumption at a restaurant, in general, is to eat a small snack before you go to the meal. That way you aren’t overly hungry and will not have the urge to over-consume when the food is presented to you. We recommend skipping the bread - there’s no nutrition value in that bread so ask the waiter not to bring it at all. Opt to order the appetizers that are primarily vegetable-based such as edamame, salads, and soups, and stay away from the fried, fat heavy options such as a plate of mozzarella sticks.
And lastly drinks and desserts. When going out to eat, one good trick is to pick one or the other. Avoiding both would be the ideal first option, but if you have to choose one, try to avoid the other. For drinks, skip the margaritas, punches, Pina Coladas, and other sugary drinks and instead order a liquor with a zero-calorie mixer such as seltzer or lime or lemon juice, a glass of wine, or even a light beer. For dessert, if you do order one, consider splitting it among the table instead of ordering a full one for yourself. Or better yet, wait until you get home and make your own healthy dessert!
Social Gatherings
When it comes to any sort of gathering or party, food is almost always involved. Let’s start with birthdays, holidays, and special occasions in general. With these, the most important thing to remember is not to punish yourself, the day should be enjoyed and it’s ok if food is a part of it. Portion control is going to be your best friend when getting through any sort of celebration. Enjoy yourself, but just be mindful of what you are consuming - there is a fine line between indulging and overindulging, so be smart about enjoying yourself but not going overboard either.
When eating a meal still consider what your plate should look like, at least half of it should be either fruits or non-starchy veggies, ¼ of it should include whole grains or starchy vegetables, and then the last quarter should contain a plant-based protein source. If you don’t think that this will be possible, consider packing your own food or bringing a dish to share that you know you can eat if the options are limited. People often love it when others bring healthy dishes! When it comes to dessert, don’t be afraid to participate, but perhaps opt for half a slice of cake and some of the fruit salad instead of a full slice of cheesecake. Or bring your own healthy dessert to share with others!
When going to sports games or any event where there are vendors and options for healthy foods might be limited, you should consider either eating before you go or packing something for yourself to eat when you get there. You will not only save money by not buying overpriced hot dogs or tacos from a food truck, but you’ll also be eating something that you know is good for you. If you do happen to buy something to eat at the event, choose wisely, and limit yourself to one purchase. When at a baseball game, for example, it can be easy to continually buy snacks throughout the game, try to avoid this by carefully deciding on a snack that is still healthy and also satiate you so that you don’t feel the need to continually eat. Stick to plant-based foods like veggie burgers, peanuts, or popcorn. And lastly, when sharing with others, it can be hard to determine how much you are consuming, so just be mindful and consider even pre-portioning the food before you eat it so that you know just how much you will have.
Traveling
Traveling is another time when meal planning and staying on top of your food intake can be challenging. If you are driving always pack yourself food that you can eat to avoid having to purchase meals at rest stops or fast-food restaurants; if you are flying, then eat before you go, and if you still find yourself hungry, purchase a filling, plant-based snack such as nuts to hold you over until you reach your destination. When on vacation people often treat themselves to multiple meals out a day. We encourage you to check out what grocery stores or markets are around you and get food that you can either cook if you are lucky enough to have a kitchen, or at least buy food items that you can prepare into meals that do not require a stove or oven.
When traveling, you often run into buffets. When attempting to navigate these grab smaller plates and glassware to avoid taking in too much. Bigger cups, bowls, and plates will obviously hold more food and encourage you to fill it up. They also can make normal portions seem smaller than they actually are, which will prompt you to get more than you’ll need. Second, try not to make more than one trip. It’s easy to overdo it by going up for seconds and then thirds, but limiting yourself to one trip will prohibit you from eating more than you need. Here’s another good time to apply the 20-minute eating rule! You may notice you don't even want seconds or thirds after having your first plate in a full 20 minute time window. And lastly, after you’ve gotten your food, try to find a seat as far away from the buffet as possible to separate yourself from the food. The closer you are, the easier it will be to grab more - creating space between you and the buffet will allow you to control that.
Overall when finding yourself in social situations, first, pretend you are at home and cooking for yourself and make your food choices accordingly. Next, portion control is your best friend. And lastly, it is easy to overdo it when you are celebrating something or on vacation or just spending time with others, if this does happen, don’t hyperfocus on it or punish yourself - just move on and work hard to get back on track during your next meal! Apply the Never Miss Twice Rule - when sticking to these new healthy habits, try not to slip up two meals in a row because then that’s starting to create a new unhealthy habit. If you slip up, it's OKAY, your whole day is not ruined, we repeat, your whole day is NOT ruined. Just get right back on track with your next meal.
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Supplements to Consider
Vitamin D
The best source of Vitamin D comes from the sun. We need about 20 minutes of sunshine a day to meet our needs. However, it can be hard to always accomplish this if you don’t go outside every day, or if you live in the Northern Hemisphere - during the Fall and Winter months, the sun’s UV rays just aren't strong enough. Plus, very few foods contain vitamin D. So, vitamin D is a very common deficiency across the world, yet it plays so many important roles in our body including in diabetes and insulin regulation. We highly encourage you to ask your doctor for a vitamin D test. Because deficiency is so widespread, we recommend taking 1,000-2,000 IU of vitamin D every day. You can find a list of our favorite recommendations below this lecture. Some food sources of vitamin D include brown and white mushrooms, especially ones that have been exposed to light from the sun. Other foods like non-dairy milk and tofu are fortified with vitamin D (meaning food companies add the vitamin to these foods) -- be sure to check the nutrition labels.
Vitamin B12
Vitamin B12 is a micronutrient that is found in animal products in large quantities and is harder to get on a plant-based diet. Some foods like nori, nutritional yeast, and marmite have B12 but only minimal amounts. And some non-dairy milk and cereals are fortified with B12, but again, check labels to be sure! When following a plant-based diet, we recommend taking no more than 1,000 mcg of B12 once a week.
Iron
Iron is more of a concern for premenopausal women. They are at a greater risk of having lower iron levels. If you don't fall under this category then you most likely don't need to worry too much about your iron. But if you do fit into this category, ask your doctor for a ferritin test. This is the best test to discover your iron stores and your true iron status. Some plant-based sources of iron include dark chocolate, wheat germ, soybean, and black beans. As you can see, it's found in a wide range of foods, so if you eat a balanced diet you will meet your iron needs. Fun fact: to help iron absorption in your body, you can pair iron-rich foods with vitamin-C rich foods (like oranges, lemons juice, bell peppers); this will help you absorb the iron.
Omega 3 & 6s
Lastly, we have omega 3 & 6s. They are called essential fatty acids because we must get them through our diet. It’s important to focus on the ratio between omegas 3 & 6s. The Western Diet or the Standard American Diet supplies a ton of omega-6s (from processed oils and foods), which leads to an unfavorable ratio and causes inflammation in our body. Because of this, people then feel like they must raise their omega-3 levels, and they turn to fish oil supplements and fatty fish. However, on a whole-food, plant-based diet you will receive the right amount of omega-6s (not too much or too little), and plenty of omega-3's to maintain a favorable ratio. Below are great sources of omega-3s.
How to choose a supplement
It is important to note that when looking for supplements there are a lot of options and it can be overwhelming to determine which ones are best. The most important thing you can do is read the labels. Dietary supplements do not undergo the same regulations as a prescription or over-the-counter products, so be sure to look for the USP verified mark or NSF certification. These two organizations ensure that the supplement was developed and manufactured safely and contains the ingredients that are listed. Below you will find some of our favorite supplement recommendations.
Next Lesson
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Dealing With Restaurants, Parties & Travel
Supplements to Consider
+ PART 7: Dealing With Social Situations & More