Sometimes we have big events going on in our lives like a wedding, holiday party, or even a birthday bash. Usually, a lot of food is available, including plenty of sweets.

How do you mentally prepare yourself to handle the food you know will be there for the asking?

Do you have any sure-fire strategies for not over-eating at these events?

What do you do when it's expected that you eat something you know you shouldn't, such as cake at a birthday party?

I have three tips for these types of situations:

First, I always plan ahead to make sure I'm not starving when I get to the event. That usually means packing a snack just in case. If I'm not as hungry, I don't overeat.

Second, I survey what types of foods are available, and then pick one or two to eat. I always select something I don't usually eat, or a particular favorite (like fresh shrimp!). I take a small portion of each of these to sample them, eat slowly, and enjoy them fully.

Third, I remind myself that the purpose of the event is NOT to eat as much as possible! I'm there to enjoy the people and the day, and the food is one of my last priorities.

Those are great tips! I especially like the last one, about reminding ourselves of why we are really there. I know myself, I get caught up in the food I want vs. the food I should have, and then I tend to forget that was not supposed to be the focus at all.