When you're going to a restaurant, pull up the menu and plan your meal AHEAD of schedule. When you get to the restaurant, decline a menu. When the waitperson takes orders, give yours first and excuse yourself to the restroom to wash your hands while others are ordering to avoid changing your order.
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When you place your order, make certain to give specific preparation instructions to the waitperson (i.e., no butter, seasoning, extras of any kind, etc.). Have your meal split in half before it comes to you. Half plated to the table and half in a to-go container.
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I always eat half and have them bag the other half. I also have looked up menu's of restaurants ahead of time. I also have my meals modified to include more veggies instead of fries.
CAPECODLIGHT5/3/2010 9:49:00 AM
When I'm eating at a chain, I do pull up the menu ahead of time after learning the hard way that something that would seem lo-cal may not be. However, because so many of the chains have a heavy hand with the salt, I have pretty much switched to eating in locally owned restaurants. I am fortunate to live where there are always great seafood selections, and the restaurants will prepare it the way you want. I feel good about helping local businesses in this tough economy as an added benefit. I'm not one to change my order after ordering; so I don't think I need to leave the table while others order.
MARYMAC453/26/2010 7:17:00 PM
Great idea. Recently I was at a restaurant and decided on a salad & changed my mind when others ordered bad food.
CAMPER963/26/2010 6:49:00 PM
I always eat 1/2 and take the rest for another meal. Cuts down on calories and have another meal ready.
RAIDERMOM22773/26/2010 6:35:00 PM
This is pretty easy to do as alot of restaurnts have their menu's online. It makes ordering for me easier as I'm not as tempted to cheat when I know the calorie content.
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