Contributed By Sandy | Published: Jul 16, 2005
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by Michelle Selica the webmaster and operator of Food
Diet Inc
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Martha Stewart once said about dieting, "The toughest part
of a diet isn't watching what you eat. It's watching what
other people eat." Attending a party is very difficult when
you're on a diet. Also, hosting a party when you know many
of your guests are a diet can be maddening. What do you
serve? Low fat or low-carb? You can't plan your menu to
accommodate all the current diets on the menu. But, you can
set up an atmosphere that centers on socializing rather than
on feasting on appetizers.
Today's popular diets focus on different approaches to
eating healthy. While some diets put the emphasis on
leaving out carbohydrates, others allow only certain
carbohydrates. Atkins diet, for instance, restricts refined
or processed carbohydrates while the South Beach Diet does
not allow any carbohydrates in its beginning phase. Also,
the Carbohydrate Addicts Diet lets dieters eat carbs once a
day when eaten with other proteins and vegetables.
So what options regarding food are left for the party's
hostess? Believe it or not, lots! If you leave out all the
prepackaged party finger foods that many times amount to 300
calories in one quick pop, you can create healthy and tasty
options for all of your guests - dieting or not. The
easiest way to select a spread is start by picking a fun
get-together theme. When the emphasis is less on what to
eat and more on what your guests can participate in, many
dieters feel much more comfortable attending a get-together.
Some theme ideas include outdoor leisure activities like
Bocce ball, TV show finales and special events, and party
games like Bunco or Scavenger Hunts.
To add some pizazz to your foods that might otherwise look
blas~, try arrangements that add visual appeal. For
instance, arrange fruits and vegetables in the shape of a
rainbow or other interesting pattern. Also, scoop fruits
into fun cups and leave those by the dessert area.
The dessert area is often the most heartbreaking area for a
dieter. Many dieters feel deprived and break down to eat
the sugar laced treats. Offer some desserts made with sugar
replacements like Splenda, which taste just as good as the
calorie loaded version. Also, replace candy with naturally
flavored shaved ice. Did you know that many dieters are
allowed to enjoy the benefits of small servings of certain
chocolates like dark chocolate? When servicing desserts,
cut the pieces slightly smaller out of courtesy.
If a sit down dinner is part of the plans, plan the dinner
at a very leisurely rate. Don't try to rush from one dish
to the next. When you eat at a slower pace, you can
recognize quicker when you are full compared to quickly
stuffing food in your mouth. Stay away from fried or
breaded foods and prepare grilled foods or chilled foods
like shrimp. Soups are only a good idea if you pick a soup
prepared without starch. Breads don't have to be left out;
however, avoid white breads and stick with multi-grain or
wheat.
Attending a party while on a diet or hosting a party with
many guests who are on a diet can be a bit nerve wracking.
However, when activities other than gathering in the kitchen
area are involved, more dieting guests feel more like
socializing. Even though Martha Stewart was commenting on
dieting, you can also use this wisdom to help you plan your
next social affair, "A diet is when you have to go to some
length to change your width."
Copyright 2005 Michelle Selica. All rights reserved.
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Michelle Selica is the webmaster and operator of Food
Diet Inc,
one of the fastest growing information resources for diet
related topics on the internet. Please click on her archive of
articles for further info:
http://www.foodiet.com/
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