My girlfriend and I like to go out to eat on the weekends. Since being with her I have grown to appreciate the art of “fine dining.” I’m from a rather rural area in upstate New York where fine dining entails “all you can eat breadstick night” at The Olive Garden. Needless to say there has been a slight learning curve for me; I still don’t quite understand the rationale of having three different forks for one meal.
Anyways, we went to a rather fancy restaurant this past weekend and while waiting for our food to arrive we couldn’t help but notice some of the desserts that other tables were getting. One person ordered a piece of chocolate cake and when it came I couldn’t tell if it was a piece of cake or an anchor of a cruise ship. I’ve never seen a piece that ginormous.
Which brings me to my general rules for eating out. I deal with a lot of clients who due to their work schedule and social life, tend to eat out a lot (upwards of 3-5 times per week). I’m not going to sugarcoat anything. If you’re trying to lose body fat, eating out is going to be one of your worst enemies. Limiting these days will bode in your favor.
However, I do realize that many people can’t help it and get stuck in unplanned client lunches or company events where there are no other options. If that is the case, here are some rules to follow that may help you in the long run.
1. No bread. Just tell the waiter/waitress not to bring the bread basket.
2. No alcohol (deal with it).
3. When in doubt order a lean protein (yes you can have the filet mignon) and substitute extra veggies for the mashed potatoes.
4. Pass on dessert
5. For crying out loud, no one is impressed that you can make an airplane out of your napkin. I can’t take you anywhere!
