Hostage Taking Saved My Diet

My husband came up with the idea for this blog and the title because of a salad I ordered last Saturday. We went to Gordon Biersch, who has many salads on their menu. I love salad; I’m just too lazy to cut, clean, and put them together the way I want. When I go to restaurants that have a smorgasbord of salad toppings, I frequently order a salad for my meal. The problem for me is that they usually don’t have a composed salad just the way I want. Therefore, I have to “make” a customized salad, or as my husband put it, give my list of demands. This particular trip I ordered a well-chopped salad with mixed greens, tomatoes, pears, craisins, artichoke hearts, gorgonzola cheese, spiced pecans, and light balsamic Italian dressing on the side. 

I’ll admit, I do this quite a lot when I go out to eat as I figure it’s my waistline and my money so I should have it my way. Restaurant establishments can turn me down or not give in to my hostage demands, but they’ll also not get my money as I can go elsewhere. I’ve been ordering tailored food for years now and have not come across any problems (knock on wood). There are times when I order vegetables with no oil and the waitperson comes back to tell me their vegetables are pre-seasoned and oiled when they arrive to the location. It is not that they do not want to compile with my wishes, they just can’t. In this case, the staff might recommend I get the vegetables but they can request no additional oil be used (sad but true; many restaurants have oil already on the vegetables, then put more oil on to reheat, roast or whatever for preparation). Sometimes I’ll move forward as suggested, other times I’ll opt for a salad or something without oil. 

I don’t just do this with salads or vegetables. I’ve become very good at picking a menu apart. Many ingredients are served with one dish but I want them with another. For example, if salsa is served with the nachos, I know they have salsa. I might want my fish prepared without the buttery sauce described on the menu, so I’ll ask for grilled fish with little to no oil and salsa on the side. Or, if they use apple slices for a drink on the bar menu and I want lightly grilled apple slices with my pork chop instead of the gravy it comes with, I’ll ask for it. Most things can be done and modified, they just might cost a bit more or take more time to cook but it can be done. 

Another thing I pay careful attention to is the kids menu. There are usually smaller portions and simpler offerings for these little tikes. Sometimes the waitperson will alert me that they have to charge me a higher amount than what is listed on the child’s menu, to which I respond, “that’s fine, I just want to get the kid size meal and not waste or be tempted by the food.” I’m always courteous and open to suggestions so the servers are genuinely helpful and typically want to accommodate my requests. 

While you might not be dining at Burger King, keep in mind you can still have it your way. Take charge of the menu and caloric intake. Be polite in the request and be ready to offer solutions for any problems that arise. You might want grilled fish but they only have utensils to bake their fish or so they tell you. If they have a grill and some foil or even a heavy pan/skillet, it can be done; just some out-of-the-box thinking needed. Before exchanging your calories and money be sure you’re getting what you want and need for continued success in your weight-loss or maintenance journey.