What's a working girl to do?

With clients in town this week (and preparing to head to more client meetings at the end of the week), I knew I needed to be prepared for fancy meals out and the wining and dining that comes with business meals. But as I sat at the first of many dinners tonight, I was reminded of how difficult it is to stay on track when you have a menu of fabulous options in front of you.  So, I decided I would make a list of the top 10 tips and reminders that were running through my head earlier:

1. Remember the make up of a balanced meal: lean protein paired with a healthy carb or fat. Tonight, I found a lean filet.

2. Don't be afraid to customize! Ask for sauce on the side (or even better - without!).  Ask for substitutions for unhealthy sides.  Make sure veggies are steamed and not sauteed in butter.

3. "Fish" does not translate to "healthy!"  It is often cooked in large amounts of butter or in a sauce. Be careful like any other entree - watch for fatty or sugary sauces and creams.

4. Potatoes are okay, but veggies are even better.  Remember that good mashed potatoes are usually loaded with butter and cream!

5. "Salad" also does not translate to "healthy!"  Many entree salads come with cheese, croutons, more cheese, fatty dressings, etc.  In the end, you could be better off getting a steak with a better balance of nutrients. Pay attention to extras in the salad and the dressing before assuming it's the best choice.

6. Avoid anything fried. (duh!)

7. Eating the bread and butter calling your name in the table while you patiently wait for your order to come is not a pre-requisite for a restaurant meal. Skip it. (which I did NOT...although I did avoid butter and only ate one ginormous piece).

8. Desserts and alcohol - skip them unless you will kill people if you don't.  Drink wine instead of beer (red wine is basically fruit for your heart....kidding of course!!). I so do not take my own advice on this usually, but I'm still including it!

9. Most appetizers seem to be fried these days....avoid them if you can. Most entrees are plenty of food.

10. Which brings me to my last....portion control!  An appropriate amount of lean protein is 4oz (about the size of a deck of cards).  I doubled that tonight when I cleared every bite of my 8 oz filet, but I was starving (which is like one of my first rules to never let yourself get so hungry!!)

Besides my work dinners this week, I also had a visit to my husband's family last weekend.  They are a ranch family out in the middle of nowhere eastern Montana.  Knowing how much my stomach hated me after my last Thanksgiving with them, I decided to bring my own food this time around to help me on my challenge.  I have to say, I'm quite proud of myself!  I had a broccoli egg white omelet with a yogurt for breakfast while they had eggs, bacon, sausauge (yes...both bacon and sausage), and hashbrowns cooked in the bacon grease... (excuse me...I almost just threw up).  I had lots of fruit and cut up veggies to last through the day, and I had salad with foil-packed tuna for dinner both nights (with a teensy bit of cottage cheese intead of dressing...not awesome, but I've ate worse!).  So it can be done peeps!

Do you have any other tips?  I sure needed them the last few days!  Good luck!