Weight Loss Tip #4 - Eating Out at Restaurants

    Everyone goes out to Dinner every once in a while whether it's just a break during the week, to celebrate a Birthday, Anniversary etc. The most important thing to do is to PLAN AHEAD. If you don't plan ahead most likely you will end up overeating and worried about what the scale will show. For instance, one of my Favorite Restaurants is Outback Steakhouse. When I go there I have a plan. I normally get their Chicken on the Barbie and eat half the portion (they give you a lot). I ALWAYS ask for no butter on anything and they are always so nice about customizing anything! I also get the house salad and a side of their mixed vegetables. I ALWAYS take my own butter which is "I can't Believe it's not butter spray" and use it on the veggie side. Do I care if others are looking and wondering why I brought my own spray butter? The simple answer is "No"... Anything that helps me to stay on my program is what I'm going to do!!! Sometimes I will take my own salad dressing as well.. it depends on where I'm going. Outback has a YUMMY tango tomato dressing that is low in calories as well. So when I leave I feel happy and satisfied just like everyone else but I'm still staying on my program.
   One night I went out to dinner and someone ordered desserts and ordered me one as well... I'm not really sure why they ordered it for me but when it got to the table I knew I didn't want to spend any more points or calories for the day and I did not want to eat it. I didn't even know how many calories were in this big piece of Chocolate cake that had a thick layer of icing! So... I kept thinking about it like every 5 minutes. Should I eat it? Should I not eat it? Is it really that many calories? I decided it was not worth it and as I sat there it kept calling me!!! What did I do? I took a salt shaker and poured TONS of salt all over it!!! I surely wasn't going to eat it now!! As I said..... no matter what you have to do to stay focused is what is going to get you to your goal as crazy as it sounds!
   With all the smartphones and different ways for us to access the internet on the go we can look up calories and nutrition information for just about anything!! Use your phone while waiting for the waiter or waitress to figure out what you are going to order if you don't already have a plan! Make your plan work for you!!!