• First, be prepared and pre-plan! Check out the menu ahead of time and decide what you will order before you get there and are bombarded with food cues and distractions.
    • (See if there is nutrition information on their website)
  • Don’t go overly hungry as your defenses may be down compromising your ability to make rational decisions in alignment with your goals.
  • To curb hunger, eat a light snack or have a small bowl of tomato or broth based soup before you go.
  • Once you are seated at your table, immediately ask for a large glass of water with lemon and drink it before you order. Then ask for a refill to have during your meal.
  • If drinking alcohol, limit yourself to one glass of wine or 1 light beer. Slow down your eating and drinking by alternating sips of water with sips of you wine or beer and with bites of your dinner.
  • Ask for sauces and dressings on the side so you can control the amount.
  • Skip the fried food. Some fried dinners can have 2,000-3,000 calories! Likewise for the cheese-laden and cream-sauced dishes.
  • If the portions are large, ask for a doggie bag right away and put half you meal into the to-go container.
  • Think about all the reasons for going out besides eating for example,  a change from your daily routine, being waited on, not having to cook and clean up the kitchen afterwards, spending quality time with family or friends. Focus on these things and enjoy the experience.