That is such a good suggestion Allison. I am learning to decide before I get to our local restaurants so there's no room for error and I've politely taken a stand with friends regarding where I refuse to eat. We've definitely met in the middle and they have learned the joy of feeling light and happy after a meal to the point where the concept speaks for itself. If they want to go out, I try my best to keep the options as unlimited as possible and even if I don't especially enjoy my program-friendly meal due to menu limitations, at least I was with people I love and who appreciate my company. Gotta find the silver lining.
Man, I just love you guys! Such a relief and just so good to have the commraderie here 
: Joy dot: that first gulp of shake
: after fasting for blood tests.
: I think you took away some good
: lessons from this. I don't expect
: everyone to understand my eating
: habits, but I do want my needs to
: be respected. A relationship where
: I feel pressure to drink or eat
: foods I didn't want to wouldn't
: work for me.
: You may not find someone who
: understands, but you should find
: someone who is supportive. Taking
: responsibility for your own needs
: will help with that. I am pretty
: flexible about finding a solution
: so my husband can eat what he
: wants and I can have my own
: version. The other day he wanted
: to make quesadillas, and I am
: trying to eliminate gluten. So I
: made the filling and added in some
: cooked brown rice, and he had his
: on a whole wheat tortilla. And we
: were both happy. If I hadn't had
: cooked brown rice, I would have
: cooked up a potato or opened a can
: of black beans. I like to keep
: lots of options around at home.
: It also helps to know what
: restaurants work for me. For
: instance, if my friends want to
: eat Italian, I know of two
: restaurants that have program
: friendly options And I know what
: my other choices are. So it
: doesn't have to be restrictive for
: people I socialize with.
: It sounds like you just had the wrong
: man. Now you can work on your
: skills so when the right one comes
: along, you don't have to be
: tripped up with food issues.
: Allison