A HOW TO GUIDE TO AVOID FEELING GUILTY
Picture yourself dining-out; tasty food, good atmosphere, and no dishes to wash! Dining-out is meant to be pleasurable. However, combine dining-out with chronic disease, and it can be frustrating. Either you feel you can’t have anything good, or you eat what you want and blame it on cheating and feel guilty later. There is an alternative, and it isn’t staying home. You have options!

BASIC TRAINING

• Enjoy the people you are with; make them your focus.
• Eat lightly at other times that day.
• Drink plenty of water all day.
• Don’t go hungry; have a snack.
• Exercise for 15 minutes longer than usual before going out; take a walk afterward.
• Wear clothes that fit snugly and are comfortable.
• Get a menu in advance, and decide your meal before you go.
• Control portions.
• Call ahead and ask questions. Any light-fare foods? What are portion sizes? Do they honor special requests?

SURVIVAL STRATEGIES YOU MAY NOT KNOW

• Drink an 8 ounce glass of water 20 minutes before the meal.
• Place your bread on your napkin for a few minutes. Eat the bread only if there is no grease mark on the napkin.
• Have an appetizer as your entrée.
• Ask for dressing and sauces on the side. Dip your fork in the dressing or sauce, then in food, then eat.
• If you order a full-size entrée, ask them to take half and place it in a “doggie bag” before they bring it to the table.
• Stop eating when you feel full.

OLD STANDBY STRATEGIES

• Order water when you arrive (or if you are stuck waiting in the lounge for a table), and drink water all evening long.
• Eat the bread plain; don’t butter it or dip it in olive oil.
• Decide on the number of courses you will have and stick to your plan.
• Choose foods with these words in the description – pickled, tomato sauce, steamed, poached, in broth, in its own juice, garden fresh, roasted, broiled, blackened, dry broiled with lemon or wine, stir fried or cocktail sauce.
• If you are having an appetizer with an entrée, choose light and simple – fruit, veggies (look for the word “crudités”), clear soup or consommé, salad with vinegar/lemon dressing, shrimp cocktail with no-fat sauce (chili sauce/ketchup with horseradish.)
• Keep the salt shaker on the table, not in your hand!
  
• Skip the salt shaker; instead make use of the pepper and any other herbs/spices and vinegar that may be available.
• Ask that the kitchen not add fat (usually butter, but could be oil, shortening, or lard) to foods during and after cooking.
• Accompany your entrée with plain rice (not pilaf or mixes) or baked potato, veggies and salad.
• Take breaks while eating – put your fork down!
• If you are going to have a real drink, choose a glass of red wine, a wine spritzer or straight drink mixed with water/tonic.
• Choose a sweet tasting, low-fat dessert such as a fruit cup.

Jennifer Giffune, R.D., LDN, is a freelance author and professional speaker. Mrs. Giffune also works at Noble Hospital in Westfield, Massachusetts. She is the nutritionist on their Diabetes Education Team, and is also a dietician counseling women about cholesterol and other heart health issues for The Women’s Health Network of Noble Hospital.

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