Wk 5/Day 30- "I'm on a diet!"

You don't know how many times I have talked to a client about healthy options when eating out.  I am certain nearly every time, I have told them to "make your waitress work for you.  Drill her on what comes with each dish and what changes you can make to fit within your meal plan." 

I am only realizing now what I was asking them to do.  "Go into a restaurant, sit down with a group of friends or family and make a total ninny of yourself."

I consider myself fairly restaurant conscious and don't consider it a big deal to ask what low calorie salad dressings they have, but I start to feel like an idiot when that branches into questions like "is your mozzarella cheese, part skim?"  "Is your whole wheat dinner roll, really whole wheat?  Could you check for me?"

I feel like I have to end each question with the explanation "I'm on a diet".  Which I have a hard time keeping a straight face for, because this is not like me.  Then I feel like I have to further explain what it is I am doing as a dietitian on a diet and give them a business card that refers them to this blog.  (Though maybe I should do it for some marketing- Hmmm!)

I just want to say to anyone who has sat with me as a dietitian, I am sorry I made it sound like drilling your waitress wasn't a big deal.  Some of my waitresses have been wonderful and can confidently answer any question I throw at them.  Others have been a little overwhelmed, when they are struggling to answer the questions.  And others are just flat out annoyed, that I am questioning their menu. 

Not that we don't have a right to ask questions and receive answers, to make choices (we are paying them for their service), but I recognize now, that it's a bigger deal from the perspective of the dieter than I thought.  Thank goodness for the internet, where you can research some choices before you go.