I was thinking about the whole eating out dilemma today, and I had a thought that might help me out, so I thought I'd share.

Eating out is tough enough as it is, because you have so little control over how the food is really fixed, and then there is the social pressure.

So, I thought the next time I eat out, before I decide what to order, I would take a breath and look around at the people around me and what they are eating and how they look.

I'm not trying to be mean and I am empathetic to anyone with a weight issue, but if I stop and see the beer belly munching fries, and the plumbers crack shoveling mashed taters, and the thong dipping onion rings in ranch, well, I might make a better choice.

I do that as well, but I see health problems! I see a person (no matter what size) delving into a double bacon cheeseburger and I see a coronary waiting to happen. I don't want that! No! It helps me a lot Especially at Runza, no?

Our local Runza is tough to get to due to road construction. Thank God! Along with McDonalds, Arby's (yuk), KFC/Taco Bell and my fave, the Chinese buffet.

Given my Mom's heath issues due to lifetime obesity and now working for a veterinarian and seeing the same issues in animals, it's scary.

That is a great strategy. It isnt mean, you are basically suggesting people be mindful of the impact eating will have. I also try to be mindful of the absurdity of the portion sizes.

Or I will pick up my plate and feel how much it weighs. I mean if it feels like 2lbs, helloooooo thats way too much for me to eat in a day much less a meal, hehe.

Or try to remember how I felt last time I overate - physically and emotionally ick.
If you havent read the book The End of Overeating, I highly suggest it. Goes over how the food industrial complex pumps out restaurant chains literally designed for food addiction!

I dunno, most of my heavier friends eat better when we go out than my thinner friends because they're making a conscious effort.

If I'm going to a restaurant that has menus online and I can decide beforehand what I want, eating out isn't really a challenge at all for me. Or if a menu has a "light" category or some key to the lighter meals, I'm set. If they don't, I just choose the healthiest sounding thing (fish or chicken and veggies) and make a special order. I've gotten shameless about asking for no seasonings on veggies, extra veggies, grilled meat, no sauce, no dressing, etc etc and also if they could please bring half the meal already in a to go box. It might be a little annoying to "normal" eaters at the table and to the server, but...they can deal.

I actually get in trouble when I browse the menu or check out what everyone else is so shamelessly eating. I think "if that thin girl can eat bowls of all-you-can-eat-pasta, then dangit, so can I!"

I don't find restaurants all that challenging.

Ones that I've been to previously are especially simple. I know what I like there and I stick with it.

But where ever you go there are almost always healthy options (or I won't be going). Enormous salads, soups, veggie egg white omlettes, grilled fish or chicken.

The best bet for me is to decide what I'm eating before I even stop foot in the place. And that's that.

I have certain rules that I adhere to - no bread, no fried foods, no pasta, etc.

Lots of water or diet soda. I almost always order hot tea and have them keep refilling it. Ta da.

I also plan in advance. I don't even look at the menu once I get there really. I just look for the item I chose online before I left home to make sure that they have it. No other tempting menu browsing required!