Family & FIT | Debbie Hatch
In his “defense”, it WAS Christmas. <3
“I’ve been doing well on my nutrition but I’m going out to eat with my family on Saturday. I’m worried about it. How can I stay on track?”
First.
*** Enjoy time with your family. ***
Talk. Laugh. Don’t worry too much about the food. Now, that doesn’t mean every time you eat outside your home, it has to be a free-for-all, stuff yourself to the point of being uncomfortable, see how many calories you can eat, event.
A few days ago I stopped at The Barn Door Restaurant in San Antonio, Texas. I was not with family or 
friends. It was just me – but I eat the same way regardless. This is not advice. It’s also not preaching. It’s merely an example of what I do 95% of the time.
1. I started with a glass of water, and I also ordered one of unsweetened tea.
2. I got a salad to start. I try to take in multiple servings of veggies every day. A salad is a quick and easy way for me to do that. I go light on the dressing, if I use any at all. Lucky for me I love the taste of fresh veggies!!! Here their house was a “Green Goddess” dressing which was a Cucumber Garlic. It was delicious. 
3. They brought rolls to the table. While not as much as I used to, I do still love fresh (warm) bread so I ate half a roll, with butter, along with my salad. Eating the rest – or more than one would not have made it taste any better.
4. I ordered the bacon wrapped filet (the smallest they offer is 8 ounces – that’s actually two servings of meat) so I cut it in half as soon as it was delivered to the table. I substituted zucchini for the potato. Not because “potatoes are bad”. Not because “carbs are bad”. It had been a travel day for me and I’d spent most of the day sitting on the plane or in the car. I didn’t want or need the additional carbs (veggies are carbs, the 1/2 roll I ate is carbs, the croutons, etc) for that level of activity. The meal also came with a vegetable – I picked green beans. I split the veggies in half too and brought 4 oz of steak, zucchini and green beans with me for the next day’s lunch.
5. The steak was served on top of half a slice of bread – which absorbs the grease and drippings. I did not eat that. See #4 above. Just because the restaurant chooses to serve something doesn’t mean I have to eat it. 
I left satiated and happy. I wasn’t stuffed. I didn’t eat more than my body wanted just because it was sat in front of me. I also didn’t starve myself or leave feeling, “I wish I had just ordered this or that.”
Let me know if you have any questions or need suggestions.