Dr. William McCarthy: Hi! I'm Dr. William McCarthy from the Northern Virginia Area Bariatric Consultants Weight Loss Centre, and today I'm telling you how to overcome weight loss challenges.

Now I'll discuss how to overcome weight loss challenges while at a social event while dining out and during the holidays. Every social event that we have in our culture seems to revolve around food, so what do we do?

We get invited out, plan ahead, don't go hungry, have a snack before you go, maybe even eat before you go; and if possible maybe you could even bring a snack along, and when you there eat healthier foods, just go ahead and eat what you see that you know is on your diet and avoid those sugary tempting desserts, and don't linger in front of the food tables.

When I was younger years ago dining out was a big treat, it was something that happened less than once a month, but today we eat out perhaps two, three or four times a week, but we still treat ourselves because it is a treat.

So what do we do when we go out? Many times we'll eat bread, we'll eat the appetizer, we'll have a large entre, then we always have to have that dessert and maybe even some wine. So what can we do? Let's plan ahead, first of all don't go hungry; secondly, if you know where you're going get an advanced look at the menu. Be prepared, you really need all that bread, and watch the volume, maybe even just order the appetizer.

Now most restaurants will overfeed you, they give a large portion, you may even ask the waiter or waitress to put part of it in a doggy-bag before you start to eat, and remember you don't have to clean your plate. Now if you want a dessert and you have to have it, try a fruit dish.

Another obstacle is fast food eating, this is really dangerous especially if you go frequently. Now if do frequent a place, look at the nutrition levels and understand what you're eating, go for something healthy.

What about holidays? Again in our culture every holiday revolves around food whether it's gift giving ay Halloween or overstuffing at Thanksgiving. We really need to eat all these snacks. Are there alternatives that we could do if we have the family over for a Thanksgiving dinner or a holiday meal? Do we have to eat to the point of filling overstuff. Use good judgment, try to eat a smaller portion, try to eat your vegetables, try to drink lots of liquids.

Now those are some of the weight loss challenges, while at social events, dinning out, and during the holidays.