Laura, I'd recommend you revise your goal and aim to lose 5 lbs in 5 months. I know that's not as gratifying but it's more likely you'll lose real fat and not just water, and the pounds will stay off.
Of course, first you have to ask yourself, "Do I *really* need to lose these last 5 lbs?" ... originally my goal was to get down to 103, which is the weight I was in high school when I graduated. I had read somewhere that people should aim for their high school graduation weight. But the thing is, I grew a whole inch in college, and at five pounds heavier I have a chest - at 103 I don't. And at 103 I will be shopping in the kids' department. Also, and most importantly, I feel sickly and weak at anything below 105.
Nope, my ideal is above 107 but no more than 112. And that's the other thing: it's good not to have a single number as your goal; you should have a 5 lb range, to accomodate fluctuations. I start watching my diet more closely and moving more whenever the scale creeps up over 110, but I'm comfortable (and my blood sugar numbers are happiest) anywhere within 107-112.
How I handle eating out: this was key for me. We eat out constantly and it's like a hobby for us to go to new restaurants. There was no way I could stop eating out. I had to learn how to eat out and still lose weight (and now maintain it).
My tricks:
1) Don't eat the bread.... unless a) it's served warm and b) they serve it with real olive oil... then it's worth the extra calories (my big rule is that every calorie should be worth the taste)... but just one piece!
2) Drink water, no sodas. If you want wine, that's okay. I won't give up my wine so it's worked into my diet - 2 glass maximum. But it has to be GOOD wine. If that first glass sucks, and that's all they have on the menu, I won't have another one.
3) I find it helps to order a salad as an appetizer. Esp because my DH often orders an appetizer. I will get too tempted if I don't have something to eat while he's eating his appetizer. So I order a simple green salad, dressing on the side. Then I dip my fork in the dressing to get flavor in every bite. Or I just dole out a TB of dressing, so it's not drenched. (I can't stand drenched salads anyway). Vegetable-based or broth-based soups (such as miso) can also be a good option. Watch out for cream-based soups.
4) For entree I tend to choose the entree that has the most veggies. I often order fish because I don't cook it at home. I ask them to double the veggies and skip the starch (especially if I've had some of the bread!). I steer clear of anything crispy or fried or cream-based. I rarely order pasta dishes. At chinese restaurants I look for the steamed vegetable dishes with tofu and then eat only 1/2 cup of rice with it. In other words, I fill up on veggies!!! It's a joke in our house, when DH asks where I want to eat, I reply, "Someplace with lots of veggies." This is no small feat; a lot of chain restaurants and typical american fare has very few veggies. (No, french fries are NOT a vegetable).
Also sometimes I will order a side order of veggies, if it's a veggie I really like. Basically my number 1 diet rule is to aim for at least 9 servings of fruits/veggies per day, which works out to about 3 per meal. You cannot get enough fruits and veggies. I find if you can manage to hit 9 or even more, then the rest of your diet takes care of itself. You won't have room for anything else. You will also live long and prosper healthfully.
5) Most important rule: I practice portion control. Especially if I order something that I thought was a safe bet but arrives smothered in a rich sauce. Restaurant portions tend to be huge, especially at chains. (That's actually rule #6 - we stay away from chains, even if they publish their calorie counts, I find they have less veggies, less quality ingredients, and enormous portion sizes.... it's too easy to undo a diet at a chain restaurant). At most restaurants, unless the portion size is tiny, I eat only 1/2. If the portion is enormous, I may eat only 1/3. Then I take the rest home and I eat the leftovers the next day (I never waste leftovers!!)
6) Bring gum. When you are done eating a reasonable portion, I find it helps to pop gum in my mouth to signal that I'm done eating.
7) If you want dessert, split it. Or just have 3 mouthfuls. I have learned that the first three bites taste the best. And I personally steer clear of anything chocolate because once I eat chocolate, I go on a binge and eat it every day for weeks on end. I just have to stay away from it!!
8) If none of the entrees look "safe" or if you can't trust yourself to push your plate away and only eat 1/2, then order two appetizers. A salad and something that has protein in it. This strategy will help you naturally practice portion control.
One of the hardest for me to figure out was how to eat at our favorite neighborhood pub, the kind of place everyone knows your name. Never going there again was out of the question; my DH has been going there since he was a kid, and it's our favorite place. The menu is chicken wings and fried food and hamburgers. I have worked out a strategy and the waitress already knows what I'm going to order when I walk in now: I get a garden salad, dressing on the side, and their boneless buffalo tenders (I eat only 3 of them, which I have determined with my scale is about 3 oz); I ask them to substitute green beans for the french fries. Then I douse the green beans in salt, and eat them with my fingers ... they are BETTER than fries!! So most of my meal is veggies; I assume the breading on the tenders counts towards my carb allotment for the meal.
But mostly I prefer to eat at places that have high quality, tasteful ingredients and lots and lots of veggies.
I lost all my weight eating out at least twice a week, sometimes 3x's a week... so if I can do it, you can too.
