But how do you do this when you are out and about or headed to an event where you have less control over what’s on the menu?

It’s fairly simple, though it does require a little pre-planning and strategy. 

I love a good strategy, don’t you? 

So, let’s strategize!

Here are some of my best tips when it comes to eating at restaurants, enjoying your meal, and still sticking to your health goals:

1. Look up the restaurant’s menu online ahead of time. This way you know what you are walking into and can have your order already selected. Call ahead if necessary and ask if the restaurant can accommodate your dietary needs. 
2. Order first. Try to place your order before anyone else. This will help you stick to your order and not be tempted to change your mind after hearing someone else place their order.
3. Opt for the lunch plate. Most restaurant portions are double or triple a regular portion. Order the lunch size if they will allow it. Otherise, you can ask them to box up half your meal in the kitchen before they even serve you. Instant lunch for the next day!
4. Watch for sauces and seasonings. Ask for sauces and dressings to be brought on the side. Sauces and dressings often hide high amounts of sugar, salt, and fat. By ordering them on the side, you can control the amount used. As for seasonings, you may want to ask for no seasoning and then salt and pepper your own food. Restaurant meals often have a very high sodium content, so by seasoning you own food, you are again controlling what you eat. 
5. Speak up. Advocate for your dietary needs. Depending on personal goals, needs, or preferences, don’t be afraid to ask to skip the bread or for something to be grilled without seasoning or steamed without butter. 
6. Drink water. Try to drink a full glass of water before your meal comes. This will not only aid in digestion, but help you feel fuller and keep you from overeating.
7. Split dessert. If you choose to order dessert, split it with someone at your table or ask them to box half the dessert up for you. This way, you still get to enjoy your food without overindulging. 

When it comes to navigating events, many of the same principles apply. However, there are some additional tips to help:

1. Do the best you can in the situation you are in. Depending on the event, you may not always be able to choose exactly what you’d like. So, do the best you can in that situation and let the rest go. One meal that doesn’t align perfectly with your plan will not ruin your progress, and it doesn’t mean you are a failure. Just don’t let that one meal turn into a series of less than ideal meals.
2. Stick to one plate. If there is a buffet, stick to one plate and don’t go back for seconds.
3. Focus on protein and vegetables. Fill at least ½ – ¾ of your plate with vegetables (preferably ones not covered in cheese sauce or dripping in butter). Fill the rest of your plate with protein. 
4. Speak up. If there is a serving line, ask for extra salad or extra protein. It’s perfectly ok to let them know you can’t or won’t be eating the high carb, high fat option and you’d like an extra serving of the foods that you can eat. 
5. Move away from the food table. If you are at an event or family gathering where the food is just sitting out, move yourself away from that area. Grab a family member or colleague you haven’t spoken with in a while and go sit down with them for a catch up chat away from the food. 
6. Carry water. If you are at a mingling or networking type of event, carry a glass of water or sparkling water with a lemon or lime in it with you. You can sip on the water throughout the event and not feel awkward about not having a fun drink in your hand.
7. Follow the 3 bite rule. If there is a dessert or other food option that you really want to have, get a small portion – about 3 bites worth. Physiologically, our brain doesn’t recognize taste after about 3 bites, so after 3 bites, you are either eating to fuel your body or out of habit. 
8. Just say “No, thank you!” Here’s your permission slip to just say no to anything that doesn’t align with your plan, desires, or goals.

I hope these tips and strategies help you navigate eating out or at an event with ease and confidence. Drop a comment and let me know what other tips or strategies you’ve used successfully!

If you are considering taking these shots for weight loss, I encourage you to do your research and consult with your physician, as always, before you start taking them.

If you are already on them or choose to start taking them, here’s what you need to know about taking these shots from a diet and nutrition perspective. 

These shots can lead to rapid weight loss. However, without proper nutrition, you will be losing lean muscle mass instead of fat. This is what’s called sarcopenic obesity or being “skinny fat.” You will still have a high percentage of body fat even if you are within a normal body weight range.

This is what you don’t want. 

What you do want is to lose less lean muscle mass and increase the loss of body fat. To do this, you need to pay special attention to your protein intake. 

In order to protect your lean muscle mass during weight loss using the shots, you need to be consuming at least 25-30 grams of protein per meal. This protein will help reduce any hunger you do have. If you have the opposite symptom of significantly reduced appetite, this protein intake is just as important to make sure you are getting the nutrition your metabolism needs. 

So, what does 25-30 grams of protein look like?

• 6 oz of cooked chicken breast
• 1 ½ cups of 1% cottage cheese
• 10 large shrimp cooked
• 1 ½ cups organic tofu
• 1 ½ cups nonfat plain Greek yogurt
• 1 scoop of Protein powder
• 1 cup Tempeh
• 5 eggs
• 6 oz wild caught salmon filet
• 6 oz turkey breast

So, be sure to fill up on protein at each meal and add in non-starchy vegetables. For instance, use a lunch plate where 1/4 of your plate is protein and the rest non-starchy veggies plus some healthy fat. If necessary, add in a serving (½ cup) of whole grains like brown rice or quinoa (for extra protein), so this would your ratio 1/4 protein, 1/2 non-starchy veggies, and 1/4 whole grain.

If you really don’t know where to start and need someone to take the guesswork out of your MSWL nutrition plan, I can offer you two options to help ensure you get balanced nutrition and lifestyle support during your weight loss journey. 

You may be eligible to receive a discount on your MSWL nutrition plan as well. Email me at hollyisahealthcoach@gmail.com to learn more.

They are really versatile, and you can add just about anything you want to the cottage cheese. I like to make sure I’m getting a good, balanced meal, so mine typically include 3 servings of vegetables and at least 1 if not 2 servings of healthy fats.

3 of my favorite ways to make these cottage cheese bowls are Mexican-inspired, Italian-inspired, and Greek-inspired. The Greek one is my new favorite. Don’t you just love a good Greek salad? Yum!

Check out the recipes below and be sure to watch the full video on YouTube for all of the details and options!

Print

Mexican Cottage Cheese Bowl

Quick and easy protein packed lunch

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Mexican

Keyword cottage cheese bowl, high protien, low carb, quick and easy

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 370kcal

Equipment

• bowl or airtight container
• cutting board
• knife
• herb scissors optional
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups 1% fat cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped orange bell pepper
• 1/2 cup diced cucumber
• 1 1/2 oz cubed avocado about 1/2 an avocado
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp diced fresh cilantro

Instructions

• Dice veggies
• Measure and add cottage cheese to bowl or airtight container
• Top with veggies and avocado
• Drizzle lime juice over top
• Sprinkle with cilantro
• Enjoy!

Notes

This meal counts as: 1 leanest, 3 greens, 1 healthy fat, and 1 condiment

If you are on a low sodium diet, you can easily substitute non-fat plain Greek yogurt or the cottage cheese.

Print

Italian Cottage Cheese Bowl

Quick and easy protein packed lunch

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Italian

Keyword cottage cheese bowl, high protien, low carb, Protein, quick and easy

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 357kcal

Equipment

• 1 bowl or airtight container
• 1 kitchen knife
• 1 cutting board
• herb scissors optional
• measuring cups
• measuring spoons

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup chopped spinach
• 1/2 cup diced cucumbers
• 2 Tbsp chopped fresh basil
• 2 tsp olive oil
• 1 tsp Balsamic glaze

Instructions

• Dice and chop veggies and basil.
• Measure and add cottage cheese to bowl or container.
• Top cottage cheese with veggies and basil.
• Drizzel olive oil and balsamic glaze over top.
• Enjoy!

Notes

This meal counts as: 1 leanest, 2 1/2 greens, 2 healthy fat, and 1 condiment

Print

Greek Cottage Cheese Bowl

Quick and easy protein packed lunch

Course Lunch, Main Course

Cuisine Greek

Keyword cottage cheese bowl, high protien, low carb, Protein, quick and easy

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 5 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Calories 367kcal

Equipment

• 1 bowl or airtight container
• 1 kitchen knife
• 1 cutting board
• measuring spoons
• measuring cups

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups 1% cottage cheese
• 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
• 1/2 cup diced cucumbers
• 1/2 cup mild banana pepper rings
• 10 kalmata olives
• 2 tsp lemon juice

Instructions

• Dice veggies.
• Measure and add cottage cheese to bowl or container.
• Top cottage cheese with veggies and olives
• Drizzle lemon juice over top.
• Enjoy!

Notes

This meal counts as: 1 leanest, 3 greens, 2 healthy fat, and 1 condiment.

If you are an emotional eater, you are not alone. It’s a common struggle for many, and moms often find themselves particularly challenged by it. Juggling numerous responsibilities, managing household chores, and tending to the needs of our families can leave us moms feeling stressed, overwhelmed, and emotionally drained. In such moments, we often turn to food for comfort or as a coping mechanism.

For me, this looked like drinking 2-3 Venti mochas or frappuccinos a day or treating myself to a large Cookies and Cream shake from Chic-fil-A, or eating the entire bag of Oreos after the kids went to bed.

Many of us have done this since childhood and don’t even know why. But if we stop to think about it, every emotion was probably tied to food. Sad? Have a cookie – it will make you feel better. Happy? Let’s go get ice cream to celebrate!

This ingrained pattern often leads to unhealthy eating patterns and negatively impacts both physical and emotional well-being. 

How do you break these patterns and develop a healthy relationship with food? 

It starts by recognizing your triggers. There are many triggers that can cause us to emotionally eat. Below are some common ones, but you may have different ones. 

Common Emotional Eating Triggers:

1. Stress: The demands of motherhood, coupled with other life stressors, can trigger emotional eating. We often use food as a way to alleviate stress and find temporary relief from overwhelming emotions. There’s a whole science behind this.

2. Fatigue: Lack of sleep and constant fatigue can disrupt hormonal balance and increase cravings for high-calorie, sugary foods. When we’re tired, and I mean tired-to-the-bone tired, we may turn to food as a quick energy fix to combat fatigue.

3. Emotional Distress: Feelings of sadness, loneliness, boredom, or anxiety can drive us to seek comfort in food. Emotional eating provides a temporary distraction from negative emotions but ultimately perpetuates the cycle of emotional distress.

4. Lack of Self-Care: We often prioritize the needs of our families over our own well-being, neglecting self-care practices such as proper nutrition, exercise, and relaxation. This neglect can lead to emotional eating as a way to compensate for unmet needs.

Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Eating

When you catch yourself turning to food for comfort, ask yourself the following:

• “What just happened that’s making me want to eat?” Did an event trigger you? Maybe someone did or said something to upset you and it was the proverbial last straw? Maybe ask yourself, “Will food fix this?” Generally, the answer is no. 
• “What am I feeling right now that’s making me want to eat?” Maybe you are sad, tired, lonely? Maybe it’s something joyful and you want to celebrate with ice cream? What other ways can you cope with negative and positive emotions besides food?
• “What is it I really need right now?” Maybe what you really need is a short nap? Or maybe you just need some water. Maybe you forgot to eat lunch so you need real food instead of something high in sugar? Maybe you just need to go outside for 5 minutes or do something creative?

Some strategies for overcoming emotional eating:

Besides walking through the questions above, there are some additional strategies to help with overcoming emotional eating:

1. Mindful Eating: Practice mindful eating by paying attention to your physical hunger cues, eating slowly, and savoring each bite. Mindfulness makes us more aware of our emotions and triggers, making it easier to distinguish between physical hunger and emotional cravings. Check out my article on Mindful Eating.

2. Stress Management Techniques: There are many effective stress management techniques such as deep breathing exercises, meditation, yoga, or engaging in hobbies you enjoy. By far the most effective methods are diaphragmatic breathing and physical activity. By reducing stress levels, we can decrease the likelihood of turning to food for comfort. Check out this video on diaphragmatic breathing and my post on Quick Stress-Busting Workouts.

3. Establish Healthy Coping Mechanisms: Develop alternative coping mechanisms that don’t involve food. This could include journaling, talking to a friend or therapist, going for a walk, or engaging in creative activities.

4. Prioritize Self-Care: Prioritize activities that nourish your mind, body, and soul. Getting adequate sleep, engaging in regular exercise, and practicing self-compassion are essential for maintaining overall well-being and reducing the urge to emotionally eat.

5. Seek Support: Seek support from friends, family members, support groups, or a health coach. Connecting with others who understand your struggles can provide validation, encouragement, and practical advice for overcoming emotional eating habits.

Breaking the cycle of emotionally eating will take time and practice. Be gracious with yourself and don’t beat yourself up if you do emotionally eat. If you do, ask yourself the questions, take note of your triggers, and create a plan or several for the next time you feel triggered to emotionally eat. That could be as simple as going to the bathroom for five minutes so you can process something that happened, phoning a friend for support, or even drinking water. 

Comment what your go-to plan is when you want to emotionally eat.

Oh, and did I mention that you are also trying to do 3 other things at once?

Suddenly, everyone else is finished and you are left eating at the kitchen counter or over the kitchen sink. The next thing you know, your food is gone, and you don’t know how it happened.

Sound familiar?

Me, too. 

And, I don’t like it. When this happens, I usually wind up unsatisfied with my meal and searching for more to eat because I haven’t given my body and brain time to figure out that I’m not about to starve to death and that I’ve actually “had a sufficiency,” as my BFF’s grandmother used to say. 

In the fast-paced world we live in, finding sustainable and effective strategies for healthy weight management or weight loss can be challenging, especially for us busy moms juggling various responsibilities. 

One approach that has gained significant attention in recent years and that I’m practicing is “mindful eating.” Note – I said practice, meaning I’m not perfect at it. Mindful eating goes beyond just focusing on what you eat and emphasizes how you eat. 

I’m finding that by implementing and working on eating mindfully, I don’t find myself wanting seconds or something else to eat. It’s become a game-changing habit that I enjoy even beyond the weight loss and healthy weight management benefits. 

So, what exactly is “mindful eating?”

Mindful eating is about being fully present during meals, paying attention to the sensory experience of eating, and cultivating a non-judgmental awareness of our thoughts and feelings related to food. It involves savoring each bite, recognizing hunger and fullness cues, and appreciating the nourishment our bodies receive from the food.

You may be wondering, “But how do I do this?” I’m going to share with you the steps that I’ve put into practice to help me on this mindful eating journey.

1. Sit Down

Slowly move away from the kitchen counter or kitchen sink and sit down. Sit down even if everyone else has finished. Those other 3 things that need to get done will still get done after you eat. Take a moment to pause and breathe before you start eating. 

This simple act can shift your focus to the present moment, allowing you to connect with your body’s hunger signals and preventing impulsive eating.

2. Take your time – you’ve earned it

Instead of rushing through your meals, take the time to savor each bite and actually enjoy the food that is nourishing and fueling you. Notice the textures, flavors, and aromas of your food. 

Trust me, I know and you know that you have earned and deserve 15 minutes to sit down, decompress, and enjoy your food.

Bonus – by doing this, you are triggering:

• Better digestion
• Better nutrient absorption
• satisfaction with a smaller portion or just without seconds

3. Learn to listen to your body

As busy moms, we often overlook our body’s signals. Mindful eating encourages us to listen to our body’s hunger and fullness cues. Eating when we’re truly hungry and stopping when we’ve “had a sufficiency” can lead to more intuitive and balanced eating habits.

You may want to try this interesting technique I learned from a Netflix documentary on Blue Zones: Okinawans intone this Confucian-inspired adage before beginning their meal: hara hachi bu — a reminder to stop eating when their stomachs are 80 percent full.

4. Leave the phone behind

I am the first one to tell you that I’m guilty of letting my phone distract me during meals. It’s just too easy to look something up or check that notification or feel productive by checking off something on your list while you are eating. However, mindful eating advocates for eliminating distractions like phones or television, allowing us to focus on the act of eating and the signals our bodies are sending. I’m working hard with family on removing the devices from the table. It’s not easy, but I have faith I’ll get there!

One tip a friend uses that I’m working on is keeping a basket in another room where everyone must place their phones during a meal. Not only will this help eliminate distractions, it fosters family bonding. 

This may be awkward at first, and if you find yourself staring at each other, try one of these Talking Point Packs to get the conversation going.

These 4 steps are what I’ve put into imperfect practice with my family’s eating habits. Maybe what works for me won’t work for you. Experiment, play around with it until you find what works for you and your family. 

As with anything, implementing these steps will take time, intention, and practice. As busy moms, we are worth getting to sit down and enjoy our meals. YOU are worth taking care of yourself.

Don’t give up, mama! You’ve got this!

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