If your dinner mates are eager to start off with carbs, then order a glass of water and take a sip each time you are tempted to break bread. Besides, you’ll want time you would have wasted buttering and dipping to spend reading menu for smart, sensible choices.

Don’t assume that you’ll be able to hold out on temptations throughout entire meal. Set yourself up for success when you order by requesting they leave off oils and sauces. Request that your meat and vegetables be steamed, not fried. Order a salad (with light or no dressing, on side) or side of veggies instead of fries or mashed potatoes.

Tip 4: Fill up on good stuff

Drink plenty of water before you leave for restaurant, and while you wait for food to arrive. This will help fill you up and prevent hunger-inspired indulgences.

Request your salad (and/or soup, if it’s not creamy) be brought out first, and dig in. By time your food arrives, you should be able to more rationally determine what portion sizes are appropriate, and if anything needs to be avoided.

Tip 5: Dreaded desserts

First of all, do not order dessert until you are completely finished with your meal. You may be full and not want anything. And that’s certainly not a crime! After meal, if everyone is splurging on dessert menu, keep in mind that you don’t have to join in just to be part of “gang.” Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea to end your meal. Or ask someone to split a dessert with you. Hint: Doggie bags can also be used for desserts! So split it in half and take part home for another day or your neighbor. You have to be left out of choosing a neat dessert, either. See if kitchen can put together a fruit bowl or a sorbet dish to satisfy your cravings without putting all your conscientious work at dinner to waste. This might be something to call ahead about..hint!

With right approach, eating out can be a pleasurable experience. Remember, a successful diet is a lifelong lifestyle modification. You need to be able to incorporate healthful eating out activities into your routine.

What happens if you DO stress? Add extra activities to your schedule. Swim some laps. Walk or jog. Leave your wallet in trunk and go to a mall for a shop-walk. Take a tour. Visit a museum. Enjoy a park and feed ducks. Just get out, focus on something else and enjoy life.

Weight Watchers – Online at www.weightwatchers.com , Weight Watchers offers a few choices. They have a couple different food plans; monitor points or simply go with food choices. Then opt for a real-world membership with weekly meetings where you learn about healthy food choices and activities, hear inspirational leaders/ speakers, pick up tips and program information, recipes and menus and have confidential weigh-ins. How meetings work is that you attend once a week for about an hour from a huge list hosted all over. You pay a small fee when you attend (beginning around $9 - $10 per week with special packages / plans available, depending upon area). Find a meeting place online by entering your zip code or call 800-282-8908 (24/7).

Or opt for cyber-planning with Weight Watchers online tools. For a little less money per month, around $5 per week, you get recipe and meal ideas in a click, a points tracker and calendar, progress charts, restaurant guide and other resources. And connect with their online community 24/7 instead of driving around town juggling meetings in your schedule. Jenny Craig – Available online at www.jennycraig.com for around $11 a month (or choose package deals). Online they feature eTools, a new product that is tailored to go hand-in-hand with original real-world Jenny Craig Program. You can purchase foods from them or use their recipes / cookbooks. With eTools, member also receive an online journal, they can track and mark off meals from daily menus, monitor exercies / activities, calculate number of calories burned, include your feelings about your weight loss. These eTools also offer access to plan and print an unlimited number of Menu Plans.

There is also a Recipe Box with additional Jenny Craig recipes from their quarterly cookbooks. There are free message boards available for all members (eTools or not). Some may offer “member-only sections” in future. For programs in your area and pricing information, call: 800-597-JENNY.

The Weight Down Workshop – Gwen Shamblin’s Bible-based weight loss program is online at www.wdworkshop.com . Not a diet plan, Weigh Down Workshop does not incur costs for consultants, foods or exercise plans. One program, “Exodus Out of Egypt” costs around $118 in fees (plus $7 for shipping and handling) that include your attendance at 12 weeks of class lessons, plus a set of 12 audiocassettes with workbook, access to toll-free advice, encouragement and help. The program teaches you to spend and eat less of regular foods you find about anywhere. Find a real-world workshop by completing an online form or by calling their toll-free number: 888-829-7500. For online support, information, packages and payment information, call them toll-free: (888) 751-5767. They have several plans available and people have to call to get descriptions and pricing.