Restaurant Survival Strategies

Have a problem overdoing the calorie intake when you eat out but just don’t want to give up the occasional night out at a restaurant?  One woman’s advice:  Put half your entrée in a to-go box before you start to eat.

While that strategy helps significantly reduce a single meal’s calories, it can also be embarrassing.  You know you have portion control issues, but does everyone in the restaurant really need to know it, too?  Having the waiter deliver a to-go box along with your meal, and shoveling half your entrée inside is like lighting up a giant neon sign that blinks disturbingly:  "Fat Chick With No Self-control."

No thank you.

Here a few real-world strategies for cutting back on restaurant binging that won’t leave you horrifyingly embarrassed.

1. Treat the bread basket like it’s laced with cyanide.  You don’t want to stuff yourself with empty white-bread calories.  Save it for the good stuff.

2. Double up on vegetable sides.  Pick extra green beans or broccoli and skip the carbohydrate intense mashed potatoes or baked potatoes or anything made with white potatoes, especially if it comes in french fry form.

3. Put your fork down between bites.  This simple act stretches out the task of eating, giving both your stomach and your brain time to register that you are full.

4. Box the rest up immediately.  When your brain does send you the signal of satiety, have your waiter box up (or remove) the rest immediately.  This will keep you from mindlessly nibbling over stimulating conversation.

Comments

[Michele @ Healthy Cultivations]

Thanks for the tips. Some ideas are worth repeating.