Mar 22, 20173 min read

Can you dine out and lose weight? YES Lets learn how!

Being in the weight loss industry for over 17 years I have heard every excuse and reason why people can’t lose weight.

Most people believe that their reasons are not excuses but realistically they are. Here’s what I do know Losing weight is hard! Always has been but we face more challenges now. Today I am tackling the #1 reason/excuse people give me for not losing the weight they want too.

Dining out: here’s the reasons I hear on a daily basis.

Portion Size

Don’t know how it is made

Too many temptations

Pretty pictures on the menus.

It’s a special occasion

We never go out

It smells so good

They make things I won’t make at home.

Any of these ring true for you? So I have some things I think you have to educate yourself in some areas and you have to ask your self some questions?

Are you a person who goes out often? Is this a special occasion or just a meal? Am I going to indulge tonight or do I want to make good choices?

Lets start with I don’t know how it is prepared. Remember asking questions is always a good idea. It is perfectly OK to ask what is on the dinner salad.

Here are some menu words to help

Skip these: Fried, Battered, creamy, glazed, breaded, smothered, crispy and cheesy

Go for these: Broiled, Baked, Steamed, roasted, light, grilled, fresh.

Ask for your sauces and salad dressings on the side. Then at the very least you can get a good idea of portion size.

Lets talk about portion size, we know restaurants are very exact with their portions they know how much they are giving you that’s how they make a profit. Ask. I was at a restaurant one time and asked if they would give me just a cup of spaghetti. They said of course when I asked what they usual portion was they said 5 cups. UGH! If you are weighing and measuring at home you will get familiar with what things should look like. Here’s some other ways to get a handle on portions.

Share. (My husband and I have a one third two third rule. I only need one third it made home more accepting of the idea and it saves us money)

Take 1/2 home package it up before you begin eating. (Rather than treat it like the last time you will ever get it eat it again tomorrow)

Ask them to bring you less.

Go for the appetizer or kids menu.

Next big issue: we never go out/ it’s a celebration

I think with this one you can splurge some. But decide where you want to splurge on alcohol, dessert, or the meal? I know we sometimes answer yes to all of these. That comes back to is weight loss important to you that night?

But if you are someone who going out often. You will need to choose wisely.

Too Many Temptations/ the pretty pictures on the menu/ it all smells so good.

Here you need to decide before you ever go to the restaurant. Google has every menu look it up, educate yourself, decide you best option and stick with it.

Last thing I want to touch on is FREE FOOD (chips, bread, etc)

Decide if its worth it. I go to one restaurant I am there for the bread I know it going in and I will order a salad so I can indulge in the bread. I know one person their favorite restaurant is a Mexican and all she eats is chips and salsa and one margarita. See there is a way to do it. Know what you wan the most where you are going.

Please PLEASE go back and read my blog post here

Not all Salads are created equal……

It is important that you understand that sometimes the worst choice in a restaurant is the salad.

I think what you always have to ask yourself is it this worth is? Am I making the best possible choice in this situation? But the sentence I challenge everyone to ask is ” DO I want to lose weight or don’t I?” Sometimes the answer is nope not tonight but tomorrow I will be back to it, and that is OK! Just be sure you are back at it tomorrow. It’s not about beating yourself up or about being perfect. You just need to be making healthy choices more often than not. Chose wisely and enjoy your choices.