In today's on-the-move society, many of us dine out - more so for convenience than for luxury.  But this can present a problem when you're trying to adapt to a new eating program and trying to stay on it when you go out to eat. 

Whether it's going to a restaurant or a friend's house, it takes a little thought, at first, to maneuver around these eating decisions.

And even though staying on your Genesis Nutrition Plan can be a challenge when you are eating away from home, you can eat in most restaurants if you know how. 

The first thing we recommend, particularly when your starting out, is to check out all of your favorite ones.  Chances are you have five or six places that you frequent the most. The following guidelines will help you eat as close to your Genesis Nutrition Plan as possible... any time, anywhere.

Be aware that most restaurant portions are too large. Plan on eating only about 1/2 of your entrée and taking the leftovers home for another meal.

When your meal arrives, use the following "measures" as your guide for eating out:

• A reasonable portion of lean meat, chicken, or fish is about the same size as the palm of your hand.
• A portion of steamed vegetables will be about the size of a large coffee mug.
• A small dinner roll, about the size of a plum, is 1 portion of starch.
• A large salad provides 1 portion of a "best choice" vegetable.

Consider these "Magic 8" rules for successful dining:

1. Order salad dressing on the side and use it sparingly.
   
   
2. If you choose pasta, rice, or potato, eat only a very small amount (about the size of your clenched fist), and leave the rest behind. Treat these items more like condiments.
   
   
3. Try fresh fruit, berries, melon, etc. for dessert. A cup is a reasonable portion of "good" fruits.
   
   
4. Never eat the rolls. If you're going to eat starches like these, save them for dessert.
   
   
5. Always choose your low-fat protein entree from the menu first. This sets the stage for selecting the rest of your meal.
   
   
6. Always ask the server to replace the rice, potatoes, or pasta with vegetables. You will be amazed how gracious the restaurant will be.
   
   
7. While you're waiting for dinner, have a glass of red wine or a glass of bottled water while everyone else is munching on rolls. Try conversation instead of eating to pass the time. 
   
   
8. If you intend to eat dessert, then don't eat any starchy carbohydrates (like potatoes or pasta) at your meal. When the server comes back with a dessert menu, order whatever you want, but plan to eat only half of it (remember, you have saved up your carbohydrate allotment, so now it's time to cash in). The rest of the dessert? Offer it to your dinner companions. I'm sure they will be delighted to help out.