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To Eat Right, Use the Buddy System
A partner can help you stay on track.
Sound familiar? You come home starving from an exhausting workout to find your family eating pepperoni pizza in front of the television. Suddenly, your plan to grill fish and steam veggies is, well, losing steam. Next time, summon the help of your personal support system. Your chance of success soars if you've got friends urging you on.
Who and where should you recruit?
At Work
Best Buddy: A health-minded peer or supervisor who eats lunch around the same time you do.Why: Make her a healthful-eating role model.
How Your Buddy Can Help: She can eat lunch with you once or twice a week to help you stick with your food plan. She can also take lunchtime walks with you and dissuade others from plying you with bagels and birthday cake.
At Home
Best Buddy: A friend who lives nearby.Why: You might think it’s okay to lean on your family — but the experts warn against it. Focusing kids on dieting can lead to eating disorders. And having your spouse restrict your diet can lead to resentment.
How Your Buddy Can Help: She can take evening walks with you and exchange low–fat recipes. She can also go grocery shopping with you and help you make healthy choices.
At Parties
Best Buddy: A chatty and social pal who’s also invited to the fete.Why: You’ll spend more time socializing and less time grazing at the buffet table.
How Your Buddy Can Help: Meet before the get–together for a pre–party snack of something low–cal but filling, such as fruit. When you arrive, stay hydrated and away from temptation by sipping a glass of water. When you do approach the goodies, have your friend accompany you.
Dining Out
Best Buddy: A pal with a good track record of restraining herself at restaurants.Why: She’ll help you refuse other friends’ urgings to try “just one bite” of their fettuccine Alfredo.
How Your Buddy Can Help: Ask your buddy to split a salad or another healthful appetizer with you as well as a sensible main course if neither one of you is starved. If others order alcohol, ask her to abstain with you. For dessert, share a fruit sorbet — or just chat over tea.
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