It's Ladies Night, and the Belt is Tight

Girls night out can be good for the soul, but according to new research, it can also pack on the pounds.

Ask 35-year-old Nakiba Worley, who said she fell off the diet wagon after celebrating her birthday for three weeks.

"When you're with friends, it's just whatever," she said. "Everyone's indulging, everyone is having a good time and before you know it, you've eaten a whole plate of food after the appetizer and (are) ordering a dessert."

The study published in the Journal Appetite observed 469 young women and men and found that when women ate together, they consumed at least 100 more calories.

Dr. Mildred McAfee, a physician at Baylor Plano, said women admit this to her all the time.

"You may let your guard down a little more than you would in mixed company," McAffee said. "But again, you want to relax, (that) doesn't mean that you have to splurge or overindulge."

On ladies night, women consume an average of 609 calories, the study found. Men, on an average night out, consume 716 calories.

The study also found that women ate considerably fewer calories while on a date.

"We tend to pull back a bit, trying to be all timid and eat all cute," Worley said.

Eating right, doctors say, is a mental game. The temptations never stop.

"Labor Day weekend is coming up -- another challenge," Worley said.

Contact Us