1st Roadblock – Bread on the Table
Ask the wait-person to not bring a bread or chip basket and instead to bring:
- a small salad with dressing on the side
- raw, steamed or grilled veggies to eat by themselves or to dip in any of the following:
- salsa
- cheese sauce
- olive oil and balsamic vinegar
- browned butter
- cheese and fruit plate sans the bread
- stuffed mushrooms (as long as their not breaded)
- grilled artichoke
- plate of clams or mussels
2nd Roadblock – Ordering
If you’re often walking away from a restaurant feeling guilty about the choices you’ve made then try ordering without even opening the menu. You can avoid temptation by ordering items that any restaurant will have such as steamed, grilled, or roasted veggies, a large green salad, a grilled chicken salad, grilled chicken breast, order a burger without the bun topped with mushrooms and cheese …
If there’s a sauce on the menu that you like but it comes with pasta, ask for it to be served on the side with an order of steamed or grilled veggies and/or chicken or fish.
While a big baked potato isn’t ideal, it can sometimes be the best option on the menu. Order it with a side of salsa or tomato pasta sauce.
Ask to have half your meal brought to you in a to-go container. Now you have a nice meal to eat the next day or if it won’t keep for the next day, save it for a snack later in the day.
If you’re feeling like a cup of creamy thick soup order the Broccoli Cheese Soup rather than the Baked Potato Soup. You’ll save around 200 calories and avoid the high glycemic count of the potatoes.
3rd Roadblock – Dessert
Many restaurants now have sugar-free dessert options.
Order a glass of wine – one glass only to sip while everybody else has dessert.
A cappucino or latte with a sprinkling of cocoa powder gives you something to indulge in while others have dessert.
Order a small fruit plate.
