Social Life, Where are you?

[Elle23]

This is my first round of the Whole30 (5 days in). I found the weekend a little isolating because I was afraid to join my friend for dinner and drinks. I just can't trust myself that much yet. I was wondering if anyone had any specific tips other than the ones listed in the blog. I live in Houston, Texas, so there aren't many Whole30 friendly restaurants (at least the ones I have frequented). I don't want to be a shut-in for the 30 days, but my friends are a little confused about what to do with me since I'm not up for the usual tacos and beer. 

[SugarcubeOD]

Go bowlling? To the park for a picnic (then you can control your food), a walk in a scenic area, axe throwing, belly dancing class, comedy club... there's a lot of things you can do that while there may be food there to navigate, doesnt revolve around food like sitting in a restaurant.

[ShannonM816]

Investigate some new restaurants. If you're in Houston proper, there are options -- higher quality seafood and steak places for sure, even chain ones like Texas Roadhouse can be options, just do some checking online for menus and allergen or ingredient information, narrow down your options, and if you need to, call restaurants before you go and ask them (call during an off time, not in the middle of a lunch or dinner rush). Tex Mex can be hard to find options in, but at some restaurants it's possible -- you might end up with fajitas with no tortillas or a fajita taco salad or something like that, just find out what they marinate and season their meat with and what oil they cook everything in, and ask if they can do extra veggies and avocado in place of rice and beans. Also, google Houston paleo restaurants, or even Houston farm to table restaurants -- I know there are some. (I'm in Dallas, but a few years ago was researching some options for my sister in Houston -- what I'd found then is probably outdated, but I can't imagine there's not something, since there were a few even then.)

Here's a pdf of tips for eating in restaurants:  https://whole30.com/downloads/whole30-dining.pdf 

 

 

[laura_juggles]

I second @SugarcubeOD's suggestion of non-food things. I find that social "events" that only involve food and booze (I rarely drink) are boring as heck. 

Organize a board game or video game night at your house and invite people to bring potluck snacks. You can have food and beverages around that you can have, and then you can all have fun. Go rock climbing. Mini golf. Heck, those "paint and sip" things are just as much fun with a seltzer as they are with a beer (I've done both.)

[ladyshanny]

36 minutes ago, laura_juggles said:

I second @SugarcubeOD's suggestion of non-food things. I find that social "events" that only involve food and booze (I rarely drink) are boring as heck. 

Organize a board game or video game night at your house and invite people to bring potluck snacks. You can have food and beverages around that you can have, and then you can all have fun. Go rock climbing. Mini golf. Heck, those "paint and sip" things are just as much fun with a seltzer as they are with a beer (I've done both.)

I've done Paint Nite a couple of times now and while I do have a glass of wine, I suspect not having it wouldn't even be noticeable; you're so focussed on the painting you "forget" about your drink!

[GoJo09]

On 5/1/2018 at 2:11 AM, SugarcubeOD said:

Go bowlling? To the park for a picnic (then you can control your food), a walk in a scenic area, axe throwing, belly dancing class, comedy club... there's a lot of things you can do that while there may be food there to navigate, doesnt revolve around food like sitting in a restaurant.

I need friends who want to go axe throwing! (Actually, my friends would probably be up for it... Must find somewhere to throw axes!)