A lot of us go out to eat which presents a problem when trying to lose or maintain your weight. So, you need to be conscious and prepare yourself by having a plan. I was a waiter for 5 years, so I know how you can be pushed into poor choices, especially when they bring a dessert tray right in your face.
Here are where some of the potential problems lie:
1) Bread on the table
2) Alcohol/Soda
3) Certain Appetizers
4) Certain Entrees
5) Desserts
6) Coffee with added liquor, cream and/or sugar
Now, do you have a conscious plan when you go out or is it anything goes?
If you have a little bread, maybe you shouldn’t order that pasta dish. If you know you don’t want the bread, ask them to remove it from the table so there is no temptation.
If you have 2 glasses of wine, maybe you shouldn’t have that dessert. Keep in mind, if you decide to drink it can make things difficult because alcohol will inhibit your ability to make better choices.
How many times do you go out to eat per week? If it’s a lot, then it’s even more important to plan your meals and set some healthy boundaries because there is a lot of temptation. On the other hand, if you don’t go out a lot and you eat very clean during the week, maybe you can have some slack on a weekend dinner as a treat meal.
The key to losing or maintaining your weight is to be conscious of what your eating throughout a week and having a plan of action that works with your lifestyle.