It's tough when all that lovely food is being paraded directly under your nose, isn't it? And usually presented to some total whippet who looks as if a stiff breeze would blow them over!
I just tend to avoid restaurants on a daily basis and keep them as a weekly treat, like you, and indulge myself then. I think, though, that with any craving, you really have to dig deep and ask yourself what it is exactly that you want and try to figure out exactly why you want it. A lot of time you'll just feel the craving, try to ignore it, brush it aside, and it'll keep coming back to bite you on the rear. What is it that you usually crave? For me, it's often chocolate. If I'm in the supermarket and I see the Bounty Bars I'll even go so far as to go up and stroke a packet of them masochistically.
If you have a particular food in restaurants that you crave - maybe those big fat delicious steakhouse chips? Ask yourself why exactly you want it. Maybe because it's fatty and crispy and savoury and all that jazz. Then think of other stuff you can have that hit at least a couple of those points. Home baked oven chips with low cal spray. A juicy baked spud with a nice filling. Some low fat crisps. Maybe if you keep a few of your favourite healthy nibbles in your handbag, and graze on them before you go out to the restaurant, or even while you're scanning the menu, if you feel your willpower is low! Never go into a restaurant in a ravenous state. Don't let yourself ever get that hungry or the cravings can be uncontrollable.
I think it can be counterproductive to tell yourself you can't have something. That just makes you want it more. If you say to yourself 'I can have that food, but if I don't have it right now I can have several other foods instead and save myself some calories,' or 'I'll have that food I'm craving on my next treat day,' then the cravings may not be as bad.
Only other tip I can think of for restaurants is to wear something snug. Not circulation-threatening or anything, but just form-fitting, maybe with a nice big belt. If you're more conscious of your shape, and the tightening belt as you eat, you may be less likely to give into temptation. It might also help to think about the health aspect while you're reading the menu. Think about the effects on your arteries of stuffing them full of high fat food - then you can make a healthy choice and think of it as rewarding your body with good food, rather than denying it treats that are really usually junk.
