Tips on How to Avoid Bringing Up Your Diet When Dining in Restaurants with Friends

Who we socialize with can have a tremendous impact upon how large our waistlines grow over the course of a lifetime. Because we tend to take on the habits of our peers, dining with them can have a direct influence on our ability to lose weight. However, bringing up a diet in a restaurant setting can quickly become an embarrassing interlude. Not wishing to discuss their weight or to bring down the atmosphere, many dieters simply have what their fellow diners are having and throw caution to the wind. Instead of giving in, next time consider the following tips on how to avoid bringing up your diet when dining in restaurants with friends.

Tip #1: Suggest an appetizer. Not eating a particular course while your friends dive in will leave you feeling deprived. Instead of partaking in whatever fate might through your way, however, be the first to suggest an appetizer that is both enjoyable and easy on your daily calorie count (even if it's only the lesser of several "evil" choices). You'll appear to have a hearty appetite from the start, and no one will have to know that you were merely trying to avoid the fried onion strips.

Tip #2: Tea and coffee are great alternatives to diet drinks and water. If you are dining out socially, chances are the other members of your group aren't selecting beverages based on calories. Rather than blatantly bringing up your need for control by ordering a diet drink, consider choosing an unsweetened tea or coffee instead. Your guests will be none the wiser. If alcohol is being served, consider being the designated driver for the night if possible.

Tip #3: Ask for a to-go box because you are full, not because you are cutting down your portion size. Sometimes keeping a diet a private affair is merely a matter of wording. In casual restaurants, ask for a to-go box when you have reached your calorie limit and blame being full rather than having a weight loss goal to meet.

Tip #4: Share a dessert, and take large bites. Again, in more casual restaurants it isn't uncommon to see guests splitting decadent, large desserts after more than sufficient meals. Another trick to this calorie-cutting option is to take large bites and enjoy them slowly. Some studies suggest that overwhelming the tongue with very rich foods can trick the brain into feeling satisfied more quickly than if small bites are taken.

Tip #5: Eat slowly, talk more, laugh loud. Indulge in the conversation rather than the food. Being highly engaged in the table-talk takes the attention away from your slow eating and smaller portions. Not only that, but you'll distract yourself enough to keep nagging temptations at bay.

Tip #6: Always have something on your fork. There's no greater giveaway of a struggling dieter than a restaurant guest who sits idly while his/her friends enjoy a sumptuous meal. Have your next bite on your fork and rest it comfortably low enough to allow it to stay on the plate while you speak. This gives the illusion of uninterrupted eating.

Tip #7: Sample everything. From salad to bread to dessert, have a few bites of everything served. You will trick your brain into feeling full and more satisfied faster, and you'll show your fellow dining companions that deprivation is not what you're after.

Tip #8: Choose the venue, and know your calorie counts ahead of time. A quick Internet search will show you the calorie counts of menu offerings at most chain restaurants. Memorize the fat and calorie contents of your favorites, and try to have a bit of control over where you and your friends dine.

While there's certainly no shame in paying attention to calories, many dieters wish to enjoy themselves in restaurants without discussing their weight loss plans. Keep the above tips in mind the next time you find yourself in a social eating frenzy.