Meeting Topic: Making Restaurant Food "Fit"

Tonight's topic was Making Restaurant Food "Fit." Our leader held up a Subway paper that they put on your tray and she had the number 5.8 on it and she asked it what that number meant. Well ends up the 5.8 is the average number of days most people eat out. So, if eating out is part of our lifestyle, we have to learn to incorporate it in our healthy eating plan.

There are two priorities when eating out. First, plan ahead. There are lots of ways to do this. Ask your favorite restaurant if they have pamphlets on the nutrition facts of the food they serve, many do. Go online to the restaurants website and check there for information. Weight Watchers also offers a Dining Out Companion book that has lots of restaurants information included in it. Check out your weekly books from Weight Watchers many have ideas in them for eating out. Know what you are going to eat before you go out. If you out with others order first because after you hear what everyone else is ordering, you will be more likely to be talked in to getting something else. Second, enjoy yourself when eating out.

Our leader also gave some tips for managing eating out.
1. Study menu/ ask how selections are prepared
I have found that some restaurants are more helpful with answering questions than others. But, I still ask! Sometimes I feel stupid for asking so many questions, but I know my weight loss goals are important. So, I continue to do it!

2. Trim visible fat/ remove skin
I know some people say the skin is the best part, but it is also high in fat and other stuff we don't need.

3. Butter, gravy, dressings, on the side.
I always ask for dry potatoes when I eat out and if it's not there, I won't eat it! I eat fat free ranch on my baked potatoes. You can also put some dressing on your fork and then get some salad and eat it like that. Our salads don't have to be dripping in dressing.

4. Ask for baked potatoes instead of fries, skim milk, salad instead of slaw.

5. Skip the bread.
Tell the server not to bring the bread basket. Personally, I love bread and if I eat out that's one thing I really want so I limit myself to one piece on special occasions.

6. Know how much is too much
Many restaurants serve 3-4 times the serving size so be ready to get a doggie bag. Ask for it up front so you can make it more portion friendly. I like to order a lunch size, that is usually plenty of food.

7. Avoid "All You Can Eat" restaurants
Many people like to eat their money's worth and when you are watching what you are eating, you do not feel like are getting it and there are always desserts too, which bring in more temptation. I like to eat at Ponderosa. This steakhouse has a bar that comes with your entree. We like to go there because our kids eat free or for a very small price. I order a chicken meal and while I wait for that, I fill up on salad. By the time I am done with that, my chicken meal comes. I ask for my baked potato to be dry and then I get some fat free ranch off of the salad bar and put that on there. When the kids are full they hit the dessert bar and I go get some fruit. That usually satisfies my sweet tooth. The kids usually want my fruit. lol! We don't go out a lot but this is where we like to go when we get the money.
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Finally, our leader left us with a quote:
Small Size Portions, Small Size Jeans Tomorrow!
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At weigh in, I lost 0.6 pound. oh well, I did realize that since I gained, I have 6 pounds to lose to get another 10%. That means I will have lost 20% of my body weight since going to weight watchers. Remember I lost 25 pounds on my own online before going to the meetings, but they don't count that. Anyways, 6 more pounds is my goal right now. I really want to see that! A 20% body weight loss is a big deal! I must do good this week!