This is what I learned today- leave without having a planned snack and I will do something stupid.

Today I had a brunch planned with a bunch of friends. We went to a Greek place that is very nice and has healthy options. The problem was that what was intended as a brunch ended up as a lunch and I skipped a snack. As a result I was ravenous by the time we ordered. Instead of just getting the grilled fish, I also split some eggplant and hummus dip with my friends. I didn't eat a lot but I have no idea how many calories were in the dip. It was on white pita bread at that!

Not knowing what I'm eating makes going out to eat with friends a nightmare. Australia hasn't really gotten into listing calories, carbs, etc. on restaurant websites yet. To be honest, compared to US portion sizes and dining options, Australia seems to be a little more healthy but they refuse to be flexible. A good example is when I asked for my salad to be dressing free. You would have thought the world had ended by the uproar it caused. I also have a diabetic friend and she says finding sugar-free replacements for things can be a nightmare.

At least I now know better, even if I anticipate eating soon. I'll carry something with me from now on.

MN.

Oooo, Greek food is my weakness... You did FAR better than I would have.

If your plan is simply calorie counting, then you really shouldn't be beating yourself up over this. Hummus and pita is a good snack to have, and probably wasn't any higher than the snack you would have had at home, especially shared with friends.

Part of learning to view this as a lifestyle change, and not a temporary "diet" is cutting yourself some slack when it comes to this kind of thing. You made a great choice given the situation, it's not like you ordered french fries and chocolate cake! It's one small shared appetizer at one meal, just take it as a learning experience and move on. I make "mistakes" like this (actually much worse than this) several times a week... yesterday it was eating 1.5 pounds of grapes (oops), today it was surprise chinese food at work. I do what I can, walk and run to give myself a "buffer" against these challenges, and move on. I'm not going to let it get to me; I'm in this for the long haul.

ouch!!

bring along a calorie book when you go out and jot down estimates of various ethnic foods on a piece of paper to figure out your caloric limits for that given mealtime.

You did as good as you could!

~ tea