So tonight I was the designated driver because I didn't want to waist calories on beer when I wont enjoy it so I drove my drunk boyfriend around. I'm ok with that. But at dinner we went out with friends and I ordered a salad, picked out most of the almonds, didn't eat the parts with the heavy dressing on it and didn't eat the mandarins all because I was paranoid I would go over my calories. I have looked online to see if I could find the nutrition facts but to no avail. Kinda freaking out that I went over and didn't even exercise today.

Also, to make things worse, I was once again the fat chick. My friends have two very slim girlfriends, one who is "naturally" thin and the other who runs 26 miles for fun. So... I was very self conscious. And when I get self conscious/ nervous I pick the nail polish off my nails and these two girls have perfect nails and are talking about coach bags. I don't get why you would spend thousands of dollars on a purse. So I had that huge inadequacy feeling.

Unfortunately, I know this feeling all too well. But you just have to tell yourself that one day really won't make that much of a difference. It's only if that one day turns into 5 or 7 or 10 or 20, etc. days. Just breath, and start fresh tomorrow.

Plus, it was a salad, and it sounds like you avoided the "fattier" ingredients, so you should be a-ok!

I hated eating out when I first started counting calories. I still don't do it often. But now when I do eat out I try to get close and maybe it is guess work up to a certain point but its just one meal. Sometimes you have to make the best choice you can and move on.

Many restaurants have calorie counts listed online. Thant might help yoiu. Depending on the restaurant I have found a menu that works, Salmon and steamed vegies. Low calorie, fortunately I like salmon. When you order salad order dressing on the side , dip your fork in the dressing and then the salad you get many less calories. Tell them to hold the almonds. I just let people think I have allergies or that I am a picky eater, I don't care and neither do they. If you have a problem with nail polish don't wear any. Problem solved ! PS I can't afford a Coach Bag , either and don't think I would buy one if I could.

My husband and I love to eat out. I'm trying to cook at home more, mainly for economy's sake.

I just restarted calorie counting. This is going to be one of my biggest challenges, and I need to learn some reliable strategies to deal with this.

Oh, and the inadequacy feeling? Yeah, I've got that. Every time I look in the mirror. Ugh. I wish I had some tips or advice for you... but I have only understanding.

Almonds are a great sourse of protein and good fats......its the dressing you need to worry about. As other posters mentioned order on the side.

I have two schools of thought about dining out. One is to eat what you want for one meal and schedule your caleries for the week around your one sludge meal. If the food nutrition is not listed estimate something similar from another similar establishment. Know ahead of time what you plan to order if you can. The other idea is to modify your meal to suit your day.chicken breasts with side salad ( dressing on the side and stick with one TBS. Etc.)

It takes a while to figure out how to dine out.

Other thing is, do not ever compare yourself to others. You are unique and special. Everyone has their insecurities. You did well and there is always tomorrow to improve. And kudos to you for being the designated driver.

Oh and P.S. Coach is cool. I have managed to buy and trade for a very lovely collection. All vintage and gently used bags....for a very low cost.

This is supposed to be a lifestyle and not a diet, right? You want to lose the weight and keep it off with a -lifestyle- you can maintain -forever-. Isn't eating out part of a lifestyle?

Just make conscious decisions about the menu? Hmm..I know deep fried chicken is bad for me, what about that tilapia? Salmon? Steamed veggies and not the loaded potato and fries.

It's supposed to be fun, not stressful. So why let it become an issue?

And I bought a $900 Chloe bag ten years ago. I use it every day. Why did I buy it? Because a bag like that is an investment. The leather wears and ages well, it will never go out of style and I can fit anything I ever need into it.

I'm really strict about logging whether I'm off-plan or not. Where I live, we don't have many chain restaurants that Western calorie databases recognize so sometimes I have to guestimate. For example, if I have pizza, we might not have Papa John's but I'll use the Papa John's estimate of a thin crust mushroom pizza for my no-name thin crust mushroom pizza or some other restaurant version of cream of chicken soup for whatever cream of chicken soup, I had at my local restaurant.

I also try to eat simple foods out which will be easy to log later. Usually meat/fish and potatotes or veggies. I realized early on that some of those entree (full meal) salads have more calories than french fries especially when they've put in cheese, nuts and dressing. I usually have a small steak or chicken or fish or shrimp with a side of steamed or roasted veggies or a green salad or if I have the room, I might have french fries and count my fries. If it's an asian restaurant, steamed rice and a beef and mushroom or beef and broccoli or something with chicken is usually my go too. If I'm feeling like a splurge, I will have my favourite house special fried rice.

I use google or my calorie counting app (Tap n Track) later to estimate the calories. If it was a steakhouse, I'll look up steakhouse type restaurants; if it was pizza or italian or chinese, I'll look up that category of restaurant and use those counts to match what I ate. Obviously, it won't be exact but it's worked for me and it satisfies that McPicky part of me.

I also struggle with comparing myself to others who are my peers and who I feel seem to be "more" than me in some way. My mom always reminds me that "comparison is the thief of joy." And I think this world is big enough for us all to be unique and successful and special in our own ways. There's room for us all to like the things we like without what one likes being better than the other. The world would be a very boring place if we all lusted after Coach bags. I'm a "bag" person myself, although Coach is not my poison, but even I recognize how not everyone would be into bags.

There's an app (or there used to be) called Eat this not that, and it helped me out quite a bit last summer when I started my diet. By generalizing restaurants by which kind you're at, you can pick the best thing on the menu.

Like..Chinese! Not kung pao, eat moo goo gai pan!

Another trick I do is ask for no butter, no oils to be used when they cook my dish and for even bbq sauce to be brought on the side.