Alcohol & eating out

[Thinker]

OK - so I lost 100+ lbs on Atkins. I put 10lbs back on - but held for years. Now I have an uncomfortable 5lbs since last thanksgiving. Plus, My goal was to actually be 20 lbs lighter than I am.

I've had trouble getting back into induction. I've been livign Atkins for years - but Phase 1 feels like such a set back.

one thing I've noticed that is messign me up is dining out. I go out to dinner 3 or more times per week - either for work or fun or some other quasi-social obligation. Someone usually orders a bottle of wine. I have a glass - and next thing I know a bread crust is in my hand and the middle part is in my mouth.

Anyone have any suggestions as to how to avoid this trap?

- Thinker

[Perry]

Re: Alcohol & eating out

Don't go out?

Seriously, there are *always* going to be situations like these. You either want to live a healthy life or you don't.

[atkinsagain]

Re: Alcohol & eating out

If you have to go out, don't drink alcohol?

Initially, I would tell the waiter/waitress not to even bring the bread/tortilla chips, etc., to the table. Good friends and family understood and didn't have a problem skipping those things. After a few times out doing this made me realize I could go out, not eat those things and still have a very enjoyable, satisfying meal. In fact, I found that I felt better not having it because for me, it was just mindless eating and I was always miserably stuffed and bloated when I did that in the past. So now it doesn't bother me at all when other people order such things and eat it in front of me. I want to be thinner and healthier more than I want a few minutes with a plate of bread. Those foods and temptations aren't going anywhere any time soon, so you need to make the decision about what is more important to you. Do you want to be thinner and healthier, or do you want to feel like you do right now?

[Thinker]

Re: Alcohol & eating out

If you have to go out, don't drink alcohol?

Initially, I would tell the waiter/waitress not to even bring the bread/tortilla chips, etc., to the table. Good friends and family understood and didn't have a problem skipping those things. After a few times out doing this made me realize I could go out, not eat those things and still have a very enjoyable, satisfying meal. In fact, I found that I felt better not having it because for me, it was just mindless eating and I was always miserably stuffed and bloated when I did that in the past. So now it doesn't bother me at all when other people order such things and eat it in front of me. I want to be thinner and healthier more than I want a few minutes with a plate of bread. Those foods and temptations aren't going anywhere any time soon, so you need to make the decision about what is more important to you. Do you want to be thinner and healthier, or do you want to feel like you do right now?

No big drinker am I - the problem seems to be that even having a single scotch to sip (limited insulin effect) it becomes very easy to lost track of what's on the table. I'm one of those people where small amounts of carb have a BIG IMPACT.

Thanks for the tips.