The big push in our Freestyle program is to be able to live life fully and be "free" to be more flexible with our choices. This includes eating out. The problem with eating out, however, is that we get the wrong idea about appropriate portion size, calorie count, points values--not to mention permission to overeat.
Instead of giving up, we can be in the driver's seat by planning ahead. We already know the places we frequent. We already know the meals we prefer. We already know the foods we can't resist. This knowledge is power, because we can easily pretrack these items on any given day so that when we do eat out, we are prepared.
The food supply where we happen to live is full of calories, saturated fat, sugar and salt. That means high points. Loud music in restaurants is designed to make us eat faster and hopefully more. Servers are tasked with upselling every beverage and course on the menu. We can be smarter than all of this. We can special order, ask questions about preparation, get boxes, split entrees, eat soup or salad first and order an appetizer instead of an entrée or drink a lot of water throughout the meal. We can actually beat the restaurant industry at its own game if we get our head in the game.
Ah--yes, it all comes back to what we are thinking. Let's be thinking we can get what we really want by asking for it. Let's be thinking that servers are going to help us instead of sabotage us. Let's be thinking that the way to really enjoy eating out is to have zero regrets when we are done. Let's be thinking that we are worth it.
It's work to stay on top of our game, but that's how we get better at it. That's how we get stronger. That's how we reach our goals.
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