So I've had two very carby days, one I anticipated (a big work event with very carb heavy foods) and then an unexpected outing with a thin friend whose favorite restaurant in the whole world is a noodle house with a gourmet ice cream place right next door.

Here's my issue--I do not want to discuss how I eat with other people. That's not a conversation I wish to have except for a few core friends. Of course I food issues, but I don't want to be that person discussing her food issues because I honestly find that conversation tedious. And unless you are going through it, nobody cares.

I guess I'm trying to figure out ways to minimize my carbs without making it obvious. At the noodle place I only ate a few mouthfuls, but of course that was too much in terms of carbs. I tried to focus on conversation, but people notice if you aren't eating.

And the ice cream was a shared experience (I actually don't regret the ice cream--it was unusually good and a proper treat and well worth every carb). My friend will remember being the first person to bring me there and introducing me to the place.

I'm back on track today. Following LC is very easy when I'm alone. It's when I'm in a social situation it becomes tricky.

I gave up worrying about eating in public and what others will say long ago. Maybe its because I'm older and my peers are older and know better, but no one says a word. Most people are happy to ignore you to feed themselves and if they do ask, tell this that you don't want to eat this or that. Stop them in their tracks, they will move on to another conversation. Just because they are your friends, doesn't meen they need to know things or they can push you into eating something or they can't make you upset about eating the way you want.

Even those noodle places have meat options, look through the menu to see what you can eat, not what you can't. When I read a menu, I kinda glaze over what I cant eat and will stop dead in my tracts when I see something I can eat.

They probably won't notice if you order something different. If its mentioned, just say "this is what I want to eat." and let it go. They will too, most people aren't rude.

The longer you stick to your guns on this, the easier it is and they will get used to it.

This, eating around others without eating things that are not on your plan, is something you ARE going to have to find a way to face. Soon. No, you don't have to do it by discussing how your diet has changed, you don't have to face it the way the rest of us did, but you ARE going to have to face it. You are going to have to figure out who is uncomfortable in the situation you describe; the other people, or you, and why.

I'm not suggesting you HAVE to tell anyone anything. You CAN find a solution that works for you. For instance, if you want to go the expensive route, when others want to eat out with you, you can bring them somewhere you can eat on-plan and offer to treat them, that way they're more inclined towards your suggestion of location. Or, make sure you know of several different places where you can eat on-plan, and talk one up for awhile until, the next time you and that friend go out, that one place seems the obvious suggestion.

when you've lost a lot of weight by this way of eating, it actually becomes more of a pride thing to be picky when eating out. I love it when I order lots of so called "high fat" food, but no bread, pasta, rice, etc and the others who moan about their weight and diets eat lettuce leaves and stare longlingly at what I have and eventually cheat and have a huge desert!!!

I love eating out and showing off my way of eating!!!

Jo xxx

I've tried eating out and attempting to resist, but its a bit hit and miss for me. A few times its been the cause of me falling totally off plan for a week or so. So now I'm trying to avoid eating anything that I haven't prepared at home until I reach maintenance.

I remember falling off plan in the beginning, when we went out to eat. BUt I descided that it was silly and theres lots that I can eat and learned to ignore the crap around me. Hence the "glazed over what I can't eat." I find I am proud of my food choices also. I can go to a pizza place and eat the toppings, and do it happily! Burger, steak, ribs, lamb, taco salad, fahita salad, plus more, there is so much you can eat if you look for what you can eat and enjoy good food.

I wouldn't sit there and pout over a salad and go hungry. Heck no, I like a good salad, but theres going to be something big and meaty along with it.

I go out to eat every few weeks ($$$$) but when I make sure its good and on plan. Love the pizza buffets!

Truer words have never been spoken (or written)!

I may be one of the few who thinks this, but I think a large part of the "obesity epidemic" has to do with the fact that eating out is a regular thing for most people now, not something to do for a special occasion. When I was a kid in the seventies even going to McDonald's was a major treat, something we did maybe three times a year. We all know about processed food, but places like Applebee's and Olive Garden and the Cheesecake Factory? The majority of their food is microwaved, not made fresh. And you would positively shudder if you saw the ingredients.

When was that ? Ok I'm not much younger, and yes, eating out in the 80's wasn't much different. On the occasion that we did go, it was to Sirloin Stockade, great prices, all you can eat, and Mom would cover my chest with me hair to try to make me look younger, cheaper food.

I don't get why everything has to revolve around food? Why do we meet up with our friends and eat? WHy do family reunions have to involve food? How about a big family hike? Or friends going to the skating rink? Walking through the park? Why does everything involve food?

Every time my mother and i go shopping, we have to leave early enough so she can get lunch out. I'd rather stay home, but, can't. I always go with the bacon cheese burger sans bun and a salad. Its easy, its tastey and its LC. She got all excited the other day because I was going to town, she suddenly wanted ot meet me for lunch. She was going to drive 30min out of her way to meet me for lunch and I didn't even want to eat!

I tell my friends I can go anywhere. Though they are wonderful and actually care if there is something I can eat.

As sexym2 points out, there are low carb options everywhere, if we handle it right. It's a skill like any other; even if there isn't a low carb dish on the menu, can we take the carbs out of something?

Dana Carpender, the low carb cookbook author, related a time she sat in front of a plate of ravioli and shucked them like clams, only eating the insides.

She was hungry, it was a catered dinner, and that was the only choice.

^^
haha- sometimes i order a calzone just to eat the insides

I never thought of that! I thought peeling the tops off of pizza was doing good. On that thought, meet stuffed with god knows what, just scrape the stuffing out. I've heard of people picking the meet out of pasta dinners. I wouldn't go that far (unless I had to), I'd just order what I want,

"Um, could I have the srimp pasta salad, double up the shrimp, keep the pasta and ooh, could I have a romaine lettuce salad on the side with ranch dressing, oh and hold the crackers, I choke on them." I've practiced

You do what you have to do to be successful. If it were me, I'd suggest a different restaurant. You can say you're just not into noodles. Or if your friend insisted, eat beforehand and have a diet soda.

I've found almost all menus, with few exceptions, have something low carb on it.

I find that in most cases nobody really cares what you order, as noted above you can almost always find *something* to eat on the menu (even at a vegetarian restaurant I was dragged to). If not I eat something before or after - this is where checking out the menu in advance is really helpful. And most places will be happy to substitute salad for fries or extra veggies for rice/potatoes. If someone I'm eating with does comment or ask I just say something like "I don't eat xxxx" in a matter of fact way and that's usually the end of it unless they are really interested. But then, I'm past giving a *bleep* about what people think.

We have been invited to dinner this Saturday. I decided I would tell the hostess - who is a good friend - that I was eating low carb, just so she doesn't make a pasta main dish. Last time I went out to dinner at someone's house it worked out OK because the pasta with homemade pesto was the starter and I did eat a bit because the pesto was so good. But this time I prefer to take no chances. If I have to eat something full of carbs out of politeness I'll be unhappy but if she cooks something and I can't eat it she'll be unhappy. So let's see how it goes.

My sister inlaw knows I eat lC, yet every time she invites us over for dinner she makes something I can't/won't eat. I've started bringing my own dish, lC of course and everyone digs in. She doesn't eat what I bring, so I don't think she's thrilled, but this is the way we eat, no exception and I want to feel good about my choices later.

Before we go to their house, I try to get my brother to sweet talk her into serving meat with the extras. Maybe she serves other stuff on perpouse? She is a nurse, she probably thinks LC is not healthy

Seriousely, were not 12 any more. We eat what we want, we don't care what other people think, and if they get pushy, we put them in their place. What you eat is totally up to you, not your friends.