Eating Out Without Going Overboard

Losing weight is hard work. It takes dedication, patience and planning.

Planning is what’s made me successful so far. Knowing what I have in the fridge and having a rough idea of what meals I’m going to make during the week is what keeps me on track.

But, sometimes, life throws you curveballs that you just don’t anticipate and part of this journey is making better choices in all situations that arise whether planned or unplanned. Not perfect choices just better ones.

Last night, we lost power. It was brutally cold and dark by the time the husband got home from work and cooking was out of the question. We had to eat but our options were grim. We had zero left-overs in the fridge and all our other food needed cooking – so, we decided to eat out.

Technically, I could have used that as an excuse to overeat junk food. The situation was perfect for this type of excuse. There was no power, we were hungry and it was getting late. A perfect fit for a junk food binge fest right?

Instead, I chose to make a mindful splurge. When we realized that half the city had lost power, including most restaurants, we were forced to pick between a handful that were lucky enough to be still in operation last night.

We settled on a small smoked meat joint close by. Probably not the best choice but I made it work. I ordered a smoked meat sandwich plate which included the sandwich, a bunch of curly fries and a small serving of coleslaw. On the side I sipped on a diet soda.

When my meal arrived, I took a moment to scan over my plate. I knew I wanted to eat the smoked meat but wasn’t crazy about the number of points that added up to with the bread. So, I nixed three quarters of the bread. As for the fries, they weren’t all that good and after a few bites I realized it wasn’t worth the point values involved so I chose not to eat them. I focused instead on eating the protein and coleslaw. Once home, I snacked on some fresh fruit and called it a night.

Restaurant eating doesn’t have to be your lifestyle’s worst enemy. Careful consideration and mindful choices can make even an unplanned dinner out a successful one.