How To Eat Less at Social Meals

Be it a pot luck, barbecue, birthday party, or just dinner with the family, the easiest way to go over your calorie limit is by having to clear a plate. Here are some tips to get you through eating around other.
1. Serve yourself. Instantly, by making your own food choices, you have control over how much you will have to eat.
2. Don't flat out refuse to eat. This will draw so much more attention than if you made yourself a little plate.
3. Just one. One scoop, one handful, one slice, one serving, don't take a large amount of any one thing. Don't go back for seconds, ever.
4. Skip the condiments. That one spoonful of mayo just cost you an entire cookie.
5. Don't eat your favorites. If there is a particular food item that you really like, don't even get a little, because you will want more later.
6. Always be doing something besides eating. If your cousins are throwing a frisbee around, or the tv is on, or there are people you can talk to, find anything else to be doing. People won't force food on you if you are occupied.
7. If someone offers you something or hands it to you, you can take it without eating it. Trying to deny any food that comes your way is a flashing sign that says you are avoiding food. No matter how clever your excuses are, just take it without arguing, you can toss it or give it to someone else, you don't have to eat it just because you accepted it.
8. Have a drink in your hand as often as possible. You won't look like you are participating in the meal if your sipping a diet soda.
9. If you are at a restaurant, skip the appetizers, eat the salad or the soup, engage in as much conversation as possible during the main course. If you have to order your own dish, instead of ordering a salad and making it obvious you are dieting, order something you don't like and don't want to eat, then you won't want to finish the whole dish. Also, tell people it tastes great and offer as much away as possible. Oh, and don't touch a bread basket with a ten foot pole.
10. If you are sitting at the family dinner table, eat slowly enough that someone else finishes before you before mentioning anything about feeling full. Remember, you don't have to clear your plate, even if you are the one to serve yourself.
11. Cover most of your plate with salad, rice, or potatoes, then add the main dish on top of your base, then it will look like you've taken more of the main dish.
12. Skip dessert. Say you'll take it to go or that you haven't had a sweet tooth lately and sugary things make you nauseous just thinking about how sweet they are.