Motivation Tips

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One of my biggest hurdles is going out to eat.  At home, I cook, eat healthy, don't keep junk food around, drink a lot of water, etc. etc. etc.  However, when I'm out to eat, some tiny brain elf I have stored up there always takes control of my brain and tummy when it's time to order.  Get the salad!  Is what I'm thinking when I walk in.  Then, out of nowhere, these fairytale visions of cheeseburgers and nachos and creme brulee fill my mind and all of the sudden I'm ordering all wrong.  A buffet?  Forget about it.  No, seriously, it's like I black out and wake up feeling crappy after a plate of fried mystery things.  Now- I believe in moderation, so I know that if I'm really craving a burger, I should have one at some point, otherwise I might fall off the wagon while driving past a McDonalds.  But is that craving REALLY there, or am I just not prepared?

I had dinner with some girlfriends last week at a Mexican restaurant.  Before I went, I realized and acknowledged that Mexican food is a downfall for me, but why should it be this time?  I had it last week, and it turned out as a blow to my progress, so why should I let it affect me again?  I did some research on the best things you can eat at Mexican restaurants, and the results came back -pretty much nothing.  There is VERY little on a Mexican restaurant menu that is good for you.  So, before I went, I ate a big salad at home.  Just lettuce, kale, tomatoes, carrots and mushrooms, and a touch of dressing.  I ate this huge bowl of veggies, and by the time I got to dinner and downed a glass of water, I wasn't really hungry.  Is that rude?  I decided I'd make this dinner about friends, and not about food.  When we ordered, I got a cup of black bean soup.  It was tasty and I didn't miss out on the conversation that I went there for, and I didn't blow my calorie budget.

If you're going out to a restaurant that you've been dying to try, or it's known for something special that you've made a special trip for, eat what you want.  But prepare before hand by getting in a good workout and eating sensibly for the day.  If you're going to see friends or celebrate something, make it about that- not about the food.  Don't view going out to eat as an obstacle, just make it about something other than the food.  Value your company instead of stuffing your face.  If they have bread/chips on the table, just put them out of reach.

What are your best tips for eating in moderation?