Eating Out

Anyone who has ever been overweight knows the feeling of eyes staring at you while you eat. When I was at my heaviest, I used to hate, and love, eating out. I liked the social aspect of eating out with my friends and family, but I hated that I felt like I was being watched while I ate by the other patrons. I felt like everyone was staring at what I was putting into my mouth and wondering to themselves why I was eating a cheeseburger and not a salad instead. I hated it, and it often made me feel like the insecure little girl I was inside. I would eat my food, without saying much at all. In the end, I didn’t have fun, and I spent big bucks on very unhealthy food that had enough calories in it for a week in just one sitting.

Today, I still have a love/hate relationship with eating out. I hate that I’m tempted by all the really delicious looking food on the menu, but I love being social. I love that I’m strong enough to say “no” to that food! I know some of you are asking “so, what do you eat then?”, and I’ll answer that! It depends on where I am, honestly. My family likes Ruby Tuesdays, and it’s a place where I feel like I can eat and not be too tempted. I love their salad bar, and honestly who doesn’t like those croutons at the end? I fill up on a big salad, and then order the vegetarian pasta for my dinner (and I’ve never been able to eat the entire thing!). Ruby Tuesdays, along with many other restaurants, have healthier menu options if you look hard enough. Sometimes they have little symbols by then, or some places even have calorie counts on them beside the dish. My husband is a big appetizer lover, which is where I would often blow my entire week of “dieting”. He loves everything from stuffed peppers to mozzarella sticks (my personal favorite). For a while we would not order them, but now he can order them and I’ll treat myself to ONE. I won’t have the entire thing or split a whole order with him; I’ll have just one, shove them away, and color on the placemat with my son. I often order grilled chicken salads when I go out to eat or light dishes and eat just half of the order. Save yourself the calories, and money, by bringing half the order home for the next day!

Red Robin's Apple Harvest Salad, my personal favorite right now!

Here is my biggest tip for eating out; decide what you are going to order BEFORE you leave your home. If you don’t know what they have, look it up online! Most places have the menu online, along with nutritional information. You will instantly know how many calories you are going to eat, or save yourself, by looking it up ahead of time. At Olive Garden, I know I can have the endless soup and salad, along with JUST ONE breadstick. Be strong, and tell yourself NO, even if you think you want something. You can say no! You are strong enough, even with a food addiction, to control what you are going to eat. You are the only one in control of your life and your eating habits. Take control of your life today! Go out, be social, but HAVE A PLAN.