Dear Alice,

Baruch Hashem, I have so many simchahs to attend lately! Aside for having to get out at night, I find them to be a major diet sabotage! Any tips??

Alice Responds:

Just because it’s wedding season doesn’t mean we are going off track. Here are some tips to help you stay on track even if you have many weddings to attend:

  1. Drink two cups of water before you leave. This will help you feel less hungry and will take care of thirst, which may have been mistaken for hunger.
  2. Have a fruit as well. This will stabilize your blood sugar.
  3. Eat normally throughout your day, not eliminating any meals or snacks. Many people mistakenly believe that eating less food throughout the day will enable them to eat more at the wedding, but that is not true. If you under-eat during the day it will only leave you hungrier later on, which will backfire.
  4. Do not eat dinner at home. Some people think that eating dinner at home is a smart idea so they don’t eat dinner at the wedding, but this almost always backfires because you want to eat dinner at the wedding anyway. Plus, no one wants to feel uncomfortable sitting and not eating while everyone else is.
  5. So what should you eat? Remember the AABCDS rule, which stands for Alcohol, Appetizer, Bread, Coleslaw, Dessert, Soup. These are all extras and contribute to additional calories for no good reason. Instead, have the main dish, which should include a protein, a starch, and vegetables.
  6. Stay busy. Weddings are not only about the food. Make sure to get up and dance, walk around and socialize, even go to the bathroom to check your appearance…anything to distract yourself from sitting at the table for too long.
  7. At the shmorg...treat the buffet like a visual menu. No, you can’t “order” it all. Make a selection of what you think is most worth it to you, then fill up one plate with mostly vegetables and one small item from what you pick on the “visual menu.” On a practical level, keep your hands busy. It’s helpful to hold your purse or cellphone in one hand and hold a glass of water or seltzer in the other hand. This way you would actually have to put something down in order to pick up something that you shouldn’t.
  8. What about dessert? Ideally you should have fruit for dessert. What did you think I was going to say? Hot chocolate fudge cake???
  9. What about alcohol? See above for how it fits into our AABCDS rule, but if you do choose to have a drink, count one shot of alcohol or one light beer as a treat. Stay away from mixed drinks or cocktails, as those are always higher in calories and sugar.
  10. What about when the wedding ends in the middle of the night? Coffee! Besides for being filling, it will also help you stay alert and make good decisions.

I hope this helps you enjoy the wedding without creating any damage to your diet routine!

Alice Harrosh, Alice Harrosh is a Nutrition Counselor and Manager at Nutrition by Tanya, with 12 locations, including one on Main street in Queens! Alice knows that making healthy choices is not always easy, as she has been through the struggle herself. As an optimistic person, Alice’s favorite quote is: “It’s never too late to start eating better. If you have a bad morning, make it a better afternoon.” For more information on Nutrition by Tanya or the TAP (Tanya-approved products) food line, please visit www.nutritionbytanya.com  or call 844-Tanya-Diet (844-826-9234). For daily tips and inspiration, you may follow @nutritionbytanya on Instagram.