The first few weeks on the Weight Watchers program can be a real test of your ability to track, calculate and control the point values of the foods you eat. After all, if you've spent your life looking at food in terms of calories and super-size portions, the concept of measuring out one cup of cereal and using your Points Tracker to evaluate its place in your daily food intake is definitely a new approach to the eating ritual. Now throw in a trip to your favorite restaurant and your whole game plan can get thrown to the wind.

It doesn't have to be that way. After all, Weight Watchers is about real people living real lives. And those lives often include meals at restaurants, parties and vacation getaways. So, if you want to maintain your well earned success on the Weight Watchers program when dining out, there are a few important considerations to keep in mind.

* Plan ahead

If you know you're going out to dinner on Friday night, start saving a couple points each day in anticipation of a little over-indulgence at the restaurant. No one expects you to live a Spartan life just because you're trying to lose weight.

* Check the menu online before you get to the restaurant

Evaluate the healthiest choices and make up your mind what you should eat before you get there. This will help keep you from getting carried away by all the sights and smells in the restaurant.

* Snack before you go

That's right! Eat something, an apple, some carrots, anything with a low point value that will help curb your appetite. A ravenous appetite can override common sense, so don't let that happen.

* Consider appetizers

Often, one or two appetizers served as your main entre can be enough to fill you up. Most of the time you will save a ton of calories (and points) this way.

* Share your meal or ask for a doggy bag

Decide upfront that you will eat only half of the food in your meal. Share with a healthy-minded friend or ask for a doggy bag when you order your meal and put half of it away as soon as it arrives at the table.

* Talk to the waiter

Ask for grilled, baked or broiled instead of fried, creamed or batter-dipped. Ask for your fat free salad dressing to be served on the side and then dip your fork into the dressing before spearing a cucumber or tomato in your salad. Ask the waiter to remove the bread basket from the table after anyone choosing bread has taken their slice; or simply request the bread basket not be served at all if your dinner companions are in agreement.

* Skip the alcohol

Choose water, coffee or tea as your beverage. If you're celebrating a special occasion or are otherwise inclined to have an alcoholic beverage, limit your drinking to one glass of wine instead of a mixed drink or a frothy, novelty drink.

* Just desserts

As you build up your skills in manipulating the Weight Watchers program to meet your needs, you'll start to find fruit to be a great way to satisfy your sweet tooth for dessert. If you're determined to indulge in a piece of cake or a slice of pie, enjoy the first two or three bites. Then put down your fork and enjoy the conversation at the table. After a few minutes you may discover that your sweet tooth has been satisfied. A little sweetness can go a long way.

Success on Weight Watchers doesn't have to come at the price of limiting or restricting your social life. You can build up your skills at determining the point values of restaurant meals with practice.

Learn more about this author, Leann Zotis.
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