Restaurant Eating...Aint No Big Thing!

One of the obstacles when trying to lose weight seems to be eating out. I say seems to be, because restaurant eating...aint no big thing. We've worked it up to be more difficult than it is. In some ways, eating out can be easier while you are "dieting" than eating at home.

I could tell you all the new ways to find out what you’re eating when you go out to a restaurant. You'll find information about calories,fat grams and carbohydrates, on the internet or even the brand new text message service. I’m sure there is an app for that. BUT it’s easier than that! We make this harder that it should be and then we’re not getting the results we’re looking for.(weight loss)

We’re going on line to look up restaurants menus and nutritional information, then we’re focusing on calories and fat grams and we’re not staying on our nutritional program. We’re being provided nutritional information at some restaurants and saying things like "Wow the 6 inch sub only has 6 grams of fat…that sounds good." We’re making healthier choices than before, but not losing weight.

There’s a difference between being on a weight loss program and being on maintenance eating a healthy diet. The tools offered on the internet, etc are great, but while you’re on the weight loss program, I want to help you go out to eat and stay 100% on your weight loss plan!

I went restaurant hopping and gathered up menus. I wanted to be able to show you, hey, this eating out in restaurants aint no big thing. So here’s what I found, VERY FEW MENUS HAVE PROGRAM FOOD ON THEM! But repeat after me…”The food you need, is in the kitchen!” The restaurants kitchen, that is! It really is. I have picked up MANY menus and looked over them, from our favorite fast food restaurants to the finest dining around. The same thing was true,nothing on the menu, but the food we need is in their kitchen!

So here’s the trick. Confidence! Belief in your ability to order and the knowledge that every restaurant wants to serve you…with love. They need you and will serve you what you need. You just have to be in charge of you and what goes in your mouth!

Let me give you some examples;

Olive Garden…this isn’t on the menu, but this is what I order.
Garden fresh salad, no dressing, with a piece of grilled chicken breast on the top. No bread sticks please. Ice tea with lemon.

Red lobster…"The food I need is in the kitchen."
I will have the broiled sole no butter
Extra vegetables, no rice
Dinner salad~ hold the croutons please and don’t bring the cheese rolls.

Azteca
Chicken sandwich…hold the bun, hold the fries, side salad please, with fat free dressing.

Great Taste Chinese Restaurant
Steamed shrimp with steamed broccoli
Steamed vegetable deluxe
White rice

Subway (don't listen to Jared)
Make any 6 inch sub into a salad, order double meat

Red Robin
Red rice bowl
Hold the rice, hold the crunchy noodles, just bring vegetable and chicken OR
Chicken burger hold the bun, extra fruit or side salad instead of the fries

Burgerville
Side salad
Rosemary grilled chicken breast on top


So are you getting a feel for what needs to be done? The food on this nutritional plan, is in every restaurant in Vancouver and Portland…we must be confident and help our server, help us. The program choices most likely will not be on the menu, but the food you need is in the kitchen. I rarely look at menus,I just order what I need.

So now let's talk portions! We are served meals on platters…what’s up with that?! Then,we’re afraid to leave food! Are you afraid that you’re not going to get your money’s worth? You have to ask yourself, "What did I pay for my weight loss program?"
I often ask for a ‘to go’ box when my food is served and put 1/2 my food away for my next meal.

You are worthy of ordering what you need. You are not high maintenance,you are healthy, in control and confident. You are happy and a role model!
If you had a life threatening illness and had to eat certain foods, would you have confidence then? Or better yet,if your child or grandchild had a life threatening illness and had to eat certain foods,would you have confidence to order what they needed then? Would you be assertive? Oh you bet you would.

Really, I’ve found it easier to eat out.
You order the food, it comes, you eat it.
At home; you buy it, bring it home and put it away, take it back out, prepare it, serve it, clean it up, put away leftovers!

Don’t use the opportunity to go out, to go off program. You can absolutely follow your nutritional plan while eating out!

Be confident, be in charge of what goes in your mouth,and remember, the food you need is in the kitchen!

Always encouraging you,
Letha