Sure enough! Plus so much of socializing seems to revolve around food and drink. Most people I know, what do they do when they want to get together with friends? Go to a bar for cocktails, or go to a resaurant for dinner, and frequently both in the same evening. Nothing wrong with it, but it doesn't seem particularly diet friendly. For me, even if I choose smart foods in a restaurant, the portions are still larger than I would make for myself at home. 
True, true, Jeff, my Friend. It's not diet friendly, unless you want to drink something icky like vodka and diet coke. And I just refuse to compromise in some places. If I'm having a drink or a cocktail, especially paying restaurant prices, then it's not going to be gross. I'd rather have one or two good ones than three or four gross ones.
As for the large portions, I just play it by ear. If something is gargantuan, I immediately put half in a to-go box, and most wait-staff are super-accommodating about this. One problem - fancy South End (read Paul - kinda places
) actually serve normal person portions, so I end up with the full course. But that's really a non-issue. I had pumpkin and/or mushroom soups so many times this fall at a place we like, and although they were creamy and I'm sure not diet-friendly, they were very filling and satisfying so soup and some bread were really all I needed.
About cooking for one (or two) - it's not something I really know how to do well. I grew up watching my mother cook for 12-16 people and I have trouble not doing that. For instance, I made chicken mole last night and it served 3, today it served 2 of us again, and there's still enough for 3-4 servings. It's a difficult thing to calibrate unless you're being super conscientious about it. Don't get me wrong - I love having leftovers for lunch or whenever, as long as I can push myself away from the table when it's appropriate.
So that's what I've been concentrating on - listening to my body, hearing when I'm full, and reassuring myself there is plenty if I change my mind (a psych component for some reason).
So far it's working somewhat...not reporting in until the 1st but so far I think I'm heading in the right direction.
Topic: I Wish I Knew How to LOSE You--The Weight Loss Thread (check first post) (Read 781248 times)