I love to eat at restaurants. But being a nutrition writer, I know that what typically makes restaurant food taste so good is lots of fat (and bloat-inducing salt). Even that healthy-looking grilled fish is likely topped with a good-sized smear of butter. But who wants to cook every night? We all deserve to dine out once in a while. I’m at a healthy weight even though my family eats out a lot — so here are my tips for dining out without gaining weight.

Share. There’s a dessert at Longhorn that’s delicious — but it consists of two full-sized pieces of chocolate cake surrounded by several scoops of vanilla ice cream. (Oh yes, and whipped cream.) While we rarely order dessert, if we do we always split it among three or even four people. Another way to use this tactic: Order one fewer dishes than there are people at the table and share. For example, if there are four of you at a Chinese restaurant, you can order three (healthy!) dishes so you each get to taste everything without going overboard.

Watch out for watch words. No matter what the cuisine, words like crispy, smothered, fried and golden brown signal lots of fat and should make you head the other way.

Order sides. At one restaurant we frequent, I used to order the salmon — which included a salmon fillet and a salad anda baked potato and rice. I would eat until I was stuffed, and there would still be food left over. Then, one day, a friend said to me, “Why don’t you just order side dishes?” So now I typically order a salad and a baked potato and that’s plenty to fill me up. (When I’m feeling especially virtuous, I get the baked potato dry instead of with sour cream.)

Instead of sides, you could also order two appetizers; many restaurants now offer boiled pot-stickers with a dipping sauce, shrimp skewers, or other healthier apps.

By the way, this tip is perfect for vegetarians who go out to eat with non-veg friends. So many restaurants have a sorry selection of meat-free meals, but you can almost always put together a nice meal out of sides and appetizers.

Box it up. I mentioned this tip in my post Sneaking Health Into Your Day : When you order a meal, ask the server to box up half of it before bringing it to you. That way you’re not tempted by the mounds of food on your overflowing plate even after you feel full. Bring home the other half and you’ll have dinner tomorrow too!

Skip the soda. There are 155 calories in one 12-ounce serving of Coke, and something like 12 teaspoons of sugar. If you’re eating out, why not treat yourself to some wine, which has heart-healthy benefits, plus fewer calories and less sugar than soda? One serving of Sauvignon Blanc has 119 calories .

Just ask. I once went out to a restaurant with a fitness model-slash-personal trainer. Even though it wasn’t on the menu, she asked the server for grilled chicken breast with no added fat, plain steamed broccoli, and a dry baked potato. The chef was happy to oblige. You’ll never know if you can get healthy options unless you ask — and if enough people ask, more restaurants will start to offer them. Try asking for meats cooked without added fats, salads served with dressing on the side, crudité plates with fresh veggies, smaller servings (even if you have to pay full price), and veggies that are steamed instead of fried.

Okay, now you have the tools to get a healthy restaurant meal that won’t wreck your weight-loss efforts. Try them the next time you go out!

Stay healthy,

Linda

I hope this finds you well.

One more pound off. I was trying to figure out why my weight loss slowed whey down. The only thing I can think of was I was trying to get my protein in by adding more powders and that added more calories. I have to make adjustments to get enough protein but not the extra calories. I will cut out the cheese for snack. 2 pounds to my below 270 mark… I can do it!

Got to watch the live finally tomorrow on the Biggest Loser! I will write more after the show.

I’ll talk again soon.
 

Camille

I hope this finds you well. I am on day five on my detox diet. I am doing pretty good, had food today! Beef and tomatoes. I like tomatoes in salad just not by themselves so I opt for 100% tomato juice.  ½ cup is about the same as a whole tomato. I did cheat a little and had a very small no-bake cookie (size of a half dollar) from a batch I made for a neighbor whose husband died. I made spaghetti and no bake cookies for her family and let me tell you, those no bakes were talking to me. I caved a little to stop the annoying “eat me…eat me, eat just one…one won’t hurt. No one will know…” nagging.  Did I fail? Maybe. But normally I would have eaten 5 by then. So in my eyes I did well to limit the amount and size.

One thing I am learning with the plan is that I can be in control. And that my friends, is priceless. Today my kids had an ice cream social and I can proudly say that I did not have any ice cream. Instead, I had flavored coffee with a dash of cream, no sugar!

Did you watch “The Biggest Loser” show this week? We did not see the first half because of the Presidential speech. Part of me had a hard time watching because most of the contestants weigh less than me after starting out much heavier than me. The other part says they worked for it and deserve the loss. Several contests are at 100+ pounds loss in 12 weeks! I know its not my reality but it CAN happen if I want it bad enough. I sure wish I had the same opportunities as the contestants do. I’ve got to hand it to Tara. She pulled through a difficult time wanting to give up and in the end she soared. I wonder why the contestants kept their shirts on this week. All other times the men took their shirts off and women wore the sports bras.

I hope your week is going well and remember Designer Whey Products are swell…lol!

Take Care,

Camille

 The challenge is in 2 parts. The first part is all of the contestants are put in front of blocks of cement that equal the amount of weight they have lost. They can distribute the weight to other members. Kathy and Tara are the main targets with Tara receiving 257 pounds and Kathy receiving 215 pounds. They all want to know how this plays in the second part of the challenge. Allison will not say. Next, they are at the race track and they are cars with each team color and weighing 2 tons each. In addition to the 2 tons, is the weight each contestant ended up with from the 1^st part of the challenge. NASCAR Driver Clint Bowyer drives up. The winner of the challenge receives immunity at weigh in and gets to go the NASCAR event on October 11^th.   They have to pull the car ½ mile. Mike and Felipe are out front, but Tara who has an extra 257 pounds pulls ahead, and wins the challenge!

 Weigh In…Tara and Kristen are just a few pounds away from losing 100 pounds as the first  women ever on the show. Tara gets up first. She has to lose 4 pounds to make her 100 pound loss. She only loses 3 pounds. She is very disappointed and then Kristen gets up on the scale. She loses 8 pounds and is congratulated being the first women ever on TBL  to lose 100 pounds. She gave such an eloquent speech. Everyone was in tears. In the end below the yellow line are Mike and Aubrey. The members send Aubrey home.

 I tell ya, Designer Whey Products rock! These products really help when you are on a weight loss journey. When you contact Designer Whey they are prompt to help answer any questions you have. So not only are they dedicated to a great product but the stand by it, they are happy to assist you. Best of all they want you to succeed in your goals. Whether it is to lose weight, live healthier, or body build they are there for you. They even give you a free diet plan to follow. That just shows you how much confidence they have in their company and products.

 Last month I lost 8 pounds. I still have a few to go to catch up to where I left off before all the holiday festivities. I contribute the loss to following my plan which includes drinking my whey. Tonight I really wanted something sweet and so I got out my blender, tossed in a good and ripe banana, added 1 cup of skim milk, a dash a cinnamon, 1 scoop of French Vanilla Weight Control Powder then about 6 ice cubes…turned on that baby and whirled it for a minute or two, poured the mixture in a nice glass….It was soooooo good and satisfying. I almost always have a shake before bed and I swear it helps me sleep better. Guess I am like a baby…lol. I used to suffer really bad from acid reflux now I only have a bout here and there and those bouts are the nights I forget to have my shake!

 We are back to the cold here in Michigan…ugh… and I am sure when it gets hot I will complain then too!

 Well, friends, night for now. I hope this finds you well and thank you Designer Whey…you’re the best.

 Camille

I have been putting off this question. Not sure exactly why but my thought is that I did not want to make ‘goals’ to fail them…but here I go…

What are your specific health goals for 2009 and what hurdles are you concerned about for each goal?

Goals for 2009                                                            

Goal #1 Lose 50 Pounds         

Hurdles- I am my worst hurdle. Not following my eating plan, not sticking to my routines, not exercising, not believing in myself, giving up too easily, giving in to my ‘cravings’, eating mindlessly, no accountability.

Goal #2 Exercise Daily (min. 20 minutes)

Hurdles- Not taking the time, not making it a priority, not figuring out what I physically can do, not having the mindset of ’just do it’, no family support to get moving, not pushing myself, not wanting to sweat or have someone see me sweat, not wanting to be short of breath or have someone hear me out of breath, no accountability.

Goal #3 Take Time for Me

Hurdles- Kids and hubby not seeing that I need time for me and allowing it, not voicing that my family needs to know that mom counts too, not wanting to disappoint by saying, sorry I can’t do that, not demanding that time, not planning ahead that time, not setting aside that time, not even knowing what ‘taking time for me’ means.

Goal #4 Eat Healthy

Hurdles- once again…ME. I do the shopping and the meal preparing, buying ‘treats’ because the kids would want them, buying foods I know I should not have, not taking the time to read the labels, hiding ‘treats’ so kids do not eat them so I can, not being honest about how many calories I really eat, not taking the time to figure out how many calories I am eating during the day. Eating even when I am not hungry, focusing on food, worry about the next thing I will eat before I finish what I am eating at the moment, worrying about the kids being hungry, no consistent menu planning, just eating what I want when I want it, not preparing to eat healthy.

Goal #5 Get my Smart and Healthy Weight Loss Site Done

Hurdles- afraid to fail those who visit my site, not organizing all the information I have learned over the years, not sure of the direction I want to take the site, not wanting to be accountable that what I do works, not wanting to fail my own weight loss goals and having it be known, making sure I have an exact plan for those suffering like I have to follow.

Whoa… I read this like I am reading about another person. But the fact is it’s me. Why do I hold myself back? I know what to do, I know how to do it, and simply I just have to do the opposite of the hurdles.

I need to start declaring my success!

I will lose 50 pounds this year. I will follow my eating plan. I will stick to my routines. I will exercise. I believe in myself. I will not give up. I will not give in to ‘cravings’. I will be aware of what I eat. I will find some one to be accountable to. I will exercise for at least 20 minutes a day. I will take the time. I will make exercising a priority. I will challenge myself to figure out what my limits are NOT. I will get my family’s help. I will push myself, its OK to sweat, its OK to breath hard. I will find an accountability partner. I will make my needs for time to me known to my family. I do count, its OK to say no. I will plan time for me. I will figure out what ‘taking time for me’ means to me. I will shop to buy healthy foods. I will pass up the treat isle. I will read labels. I will not hide treats. I will keep track of the calories I consume. I will only eat when I am hungry. I will not focus on food.  I will let my kids tell me when they are hungry. I will learn to menu plan and stick to it. I will not just eat, I will prepare to eat healthy. I will get my website done. I will not fail those seeking help with weight loss. I will organize the information I have learned by trial and error to what works to be healthy. I will reach my weight loss goals. I will have a plan that works for people just like me. I will succeed with all my goals for 2009. I will do it!

I have to print this and tape it up and declare every day. What are your goals and hurdles for 2009?

Someone said if you want to feel whole eat whole foods. If you want to feel crappy eat crappy foods. I want to feel whole. How about you?

Camille from Michigan