I know I’ve been with my man for a while now, but I haven’t forgotten what it’s like to be single, honey. Not at all! I remember when I was on diets, dating would feel almost impossible. How can I date if I can’t drink the carbs in alcohol? What kind of guy wants a woman who only eats salads? Why can’t I think of him cooking me dinner as sweet and not a calorie bomb? I think these are feelings every single gal dieter feels. So, here are some tips on how to date while you’re watching what you eat.
Pick a diet that works for you
Even a diet that works in general might not work for you. So, be honest with yourself when you pick your diet, especially thinking about your dating habits. Do you love to have two glasses of Chablis on a first date? Then pick a diet that has the flexibility for at least one glass of wine once or twice a week. Do you stack your dates five nights a week so you’re always out? The pick a diet that doesn’t require a lot of meal prep or forbid eating out. Be reasonable with yourself, girl! You want this diet to work for you, not feel like a prison.
Plan for dates
Some diets are flexible and allow for you to save and spend calories according to your day’s needs. I say save all of your cheat points for your date days so you can been a little more free-wheelin’ on those days while staying on track. If your diet doesn’t allow for that, then study the menu of the place you’re getting dinner before and make a plan for what you’re ordering. Also, work out the morning of your dates (which means going to bed early the night before your dates!). That’ll get your metabolism churning.
Guide the plans
If you’re on a no carb diet, going to a pasta house probably isn’t the best option for you. I know it’s traditional for a man to plan the date, especially the first date, but don’t feel like you don’t have a say at all. If he suggests a place that is impossible for you to eat, say that you’d love to stop there for a drink, but you’ve been dying to try the place next door (that happens to have salads). Or you could tell him that you’d rather walk to your date than Uber. That way you’ll burn some calories on the way to the date.
Be open with your eating criteria
You don’t have to tell him everything on date one, but if you two begin dating and start to get serious or even serious-ish, let him know what makes eating easy and fun for you. He wants to plans things for you to enjoy yourself, so just let him know how to. And pro-tip: be sure you let him know before he cooks you dinner. One of the worst dates of my life was back when I was doing Atkins and the man I was dating made homemade bread for me! I had to spit my bites into a napkin not to offend him! That could have been so easily avoided with a little honesty. One of many, many things I regret from my single days.
Focus on your goals
Why are you on this diet? It’s to have a healthier, happier and longer life, right? And to look smokin hot in a bikini. Is it worth breaking your diet and stopping yourself from achieving those goals for some crappy first date? No. It’s not. And believe me, your perfect man will fall for you if you order fettuccini alfredo or a salad with grilled chicken. So, you do you, girl. Be the best version of yourself you can be!
Good luck out there all of your dieters. Of course, I don’t think you need to lose a pound, but if it’s what you want, go and get it!
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