ADVICE PLEASE OUT TO LONDON FOR MEAL 2MRW!

Answering the meal-out part of your question.......

OK Aimee you can do this with just a bit of adjustment.

I eat out all the time for work – last night had to take out 2 important partners for a smart meal. Here are my simple rules – you could try and follow the ones that might work for you. Remember in a meal like this you are aiming for low fat and low calorie.

1.I phoned the restaurant a few days before and said I needed to eat low fat, and could they think ahead and advise me on the night how they could help me – OK this won’t work if you are going to the Hard Rock, but if it is a smallish restaurant with a proper chef they can be very helpful. When I got there (early) last night the MD’ suggested I order one of 2 particular starters and one of 4 mains that they could cook without fat and that they would deliver to me without sauces/dressings . It was all done without my guests being aware.

2.Don’t skip lunch on the day but keep it low cal.

3.Don’t take the bread roll and butter when offered at the start of the meal.

4.Choose fish if you can, and choose the fish dish that sounds least fatted up.

5.Ask for vegetables.salad without dressings – that’s fine to ask for in front of people even if you can’t achieve point 1 - lots of people don’t like buttered up/oiled vegetables.

6.Order the plain fruit pudding – even if it isn’t on the menu, they will always do a fruit salads. Don’t add anything at all to it – no cream, custard, coulis etc.

7.If you have coffee, do not add anything to it unless you are convinced it is skimmed milk – fat milk or cream will get you later.

8.At the end of the meal, go to the loo, and think if you have stuck to these rules mostly. If you have, then take a pill then. If you have mostly then take a pill. You have gone wild and are away from home, then maybe don’t take that pill.

Remember, the treat is the company, the occasion, the venue, someone else cooking and presenting tasty food – it doesn’t mean you have to go mad or act as though it is the only meal you will ever eat again. In 5 years time looking back, you won’t still be grieving over a bread roll of choccy pud you didn’t eat on 31/5/09, but you might still be grieving that you are an unhealthy and unattractive weight and didn’t do anything about it.

Good luck, and tell us about it after?

I should have said under the CHOOSE FISH point - don't choose salmon when as it is very very high in fat and will catch you out.

RR where would i be without you? i will defo take those points in to consideration.

Just to let you know I had salmon last night (its my fav fish) i cooked it in the oven and sooo far no side effects!!!!

I will let you know what happens 2mrw, we are going to the chicago rib shack in knightsbridge ( its American obviously) and i know what they are likely to serve, but will either go for the chicken or fish dish.

fingers crossed!

have a great weekend x

Ok so its the morning i'm off soon have had a slight accident in the garden this morning, so have decided to leave the tabs alone today! we are having lunch in london not a good mix I think!.

I'm going to be a very good girl and stick to lower fat choices! and just not take tabs!

will fill you in later.

aimee

I hope you had a good eveing anyway. A shame about the accident, but good about the garden - an interesting life needs to be full of near misses!

Well typically we went to an american style resturant! so i went for ribs and wings that were cooked in the smoker and had no extra sauces, and had no wedges or fries! just stuck with the corn on the cob and touch wood was ok!

Again rather stuck on plateau now and haven't lost anything for 4-5 days, Glad the kids are back to school today so i can now get a bit more exercise walking to and from school.