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My husband and I also eat out a lot. We don't have children, and our friends are single, so we all go out to be social. Here are a couple of tips I try to use. They don't always work, but you may find them helpful. When I order my meal I ask for a "to go" container. Then I put half of my meal into it before I even start eating. Restarurant meals are so much larger than the amount we actually need to eat and this helps me stay focused on portion sizes. I'm allowed to order dessert on one specific day -- Friday. Any other day, I just fantasize about what I'm going to get on Friday. This helps me stay away from that "but it's just this time" syndrome, yet I still get to eat dessert once in a while. Sometimes when we go out, I don't even order on the dinner menu. I'm only allowed to order off of the appetizer menu (except for Friday of course), or I get something and split it with someone. This also help me keep portions under control. That's all I have really experimented with so far. If you have anything you find works for you, let me know! Maybe it will help me out, too. Good luck!
Excellent advice Henrietta! I really like your idea of having dessert only on Friday. By giving yourself a treat every so often, your diet won't seem like you are sacrificing so much. Here are other alternatives:[list:823d498d1b] [*:823d498d1b]I'm not a fan of willpower, but of choice. If you only believe in willpower, then I think you are bound to fail. It's only a matter of time before you give in, eat something you shouldn't have eaten and then feel guilty about it. So forget willpower. Focus on choice. You have the choice of eating a dessert or not. You could have that luscious triple-layer chocolate cake with tons of frosting. But what would that cake really do for you? Does it make you healthier? Does it satiate your hunger? Does it bring you closer to your goals? What do you really gain by eating it? You might find yourself not choosing to eat that dessert after all. [*:823d498d1b]Don't view food as a "reward". I did this for years and it only led to me being fat. View food as a way to live (i.e., if you don't eat, you'll die) and as a way to be social. When you go out, eat VERY slowly. The slower you eat, the fuller you become. And by the time dessert cart comes, you might not even want any more food. [*:823d498d1b]Lastly, there's the "negative thinking". Do this only in extremes, when you think you are about to cave in. I prefer positive reinforcement that I discussed above (choices and eating slower). But if necessary, envision that delicious dessert covered in something nasty, like vomit, maggots or feces. Yes, it is disgusting - and that's the point. Once you envision your dessert covered in this stuff, you'll probably lose your desire for it. This is just a recent trick I learned and it does work. But so far, my choice idea is pulling me through. The fact that I can have it, but choose not to do so, appeals to me. [/list:u:823d498d1b] So many diets limit what you can and cannot eat, that they become restrictive. By giving yourself the world, yet then selectively choosing your food, you might feel more empowered, thus becoming more inclined to stay on your diet. Additionally, by allowing yourself that treat once a week (or so), you won't feel like you are "giving up everything" just to lose weight. These concepts both work for me, but they may not work for you. Hence, experiment with all the ideas presented in this thread and see which one works for you. Good luck!
i have a very corny solution: eat before you go to the restaurant! then you won't be as hungry :)
Thanks for the brilliant answers folks! I'm going to print these off and hang onto them.