Restaurants & EDs

     If you have an ED, you know that restaurants can be hell. Walk in, and all of a sudden, panic attack. This weekend my boyfriend is staying with me, and all he wants to do is go out to eat! It's fattening AND expensive. [I don't make him always pay because my job is better ;p] So some advice:

1. If you can, eat at home. Offer to cook something! Then you at least know what is going into it and you can control your portion.
2. If you have no choice but to go out, say for a friends birthday, look up the menu and nutrition before hand. Pick out a couple options, just in case you can't get your first pick. 
3. Picked this up from dieting family members: When you First get your food, divide it in half. Eat one half and bring the other half home where you can do what you please with it (eat it the next day, give it to your mom, throw it away)
4. Order an appetizer as your meal. Appetizers are usually much smaller portions
5. Don't eat the sides. If your meal comes with 2 sides, don't feel like you have to eat them. If it's salad, go ahead. If it's fries, then you can pass.
6. Ask for a kids menu. My friend is 21 and orders a beer and then gets a kids meal! Much smaller sizes and cheaper!
7. Split a meal with someone! 

     Always remember that it's just one meal! You're life isn't over because you had a cheeseburger! I also wouldn't recommend purging in restaurants. I've been there and done that. I always freak out that someone is going to come in that knows me. And then you're all sweaty and smell bad. Just avoid it at all costs.