Binge Eating Disorder – Symptoms and Causes

Binge eating also occurs in another eating disorder called bulimia nervosa. Persons with bulimia nervosa, however, usually purge, fast, or do strenuous exercise after they binge eat. Purging means vomiting or using a lot of diuretics (water pills) or laxatives to keep from gaining weight. Fasting is not eating for at least 24 hours. Strenuous exercise, in this case, means exercising for more than an hour just to keep from gaining weight after binge eating. Purging, fasting, and overexercising are dangerous ways to try to control your weight.

Binge eating disorder is a newly recognized condition that probably affects millions of Americans. People with binge eating disorder frequently eat large amounts of food while feeling a loss of control over their eating. This disorder is different from binge-purge syndrome (bulimia nervosa) because people with binge eating disorder usually do not purge afterward by vomiting or using laxatives.

Symptoms of Binge Eating Disorder

When you have binge-eating disorder, sometimes called compulsive overeating, you regularly eat excessive amounts of food (binge). A binge is considered eating a larger amount of food than most people would eat under similar situations. For instance, you may eat 10,000 to 20,000 calories worth of food during a binge, while someone following a normal diet may eat 1,500 to 3,000 calories in a day.

Children and teens who sometimes eat a lot don’t necessarily have binge eating disorder. Kids can have huge appetites, especially during growth spurts, when they need more nutrients to fuel their growing bodies. So it can be difficult to determine whether a child has binge eating disorder. But several signs distinguish someone who binge eats from someone with a “healthy appetite.”

Binge eating symptoms are also present in bulimia nervosa. The formal diagnosis criteria are similar in that subjects must binge at least twice per week for a minimum period of three months. Unlike in bulimia, those with BED do not purge, fast or engage in strenuous exercise after binge eating. Additionally, bulimics are typically of normal weight, are underweight but have been overweight before, or slightly overweight, whereas those with binge eating disorder are typically overweight or obese.

Causes of Binge Eating Disorder

There is no single cause for eating disorders. Although concerns about weight and body shape play a role in all eating disorders, the actual cause of these disorders appear to result from many factors, including cultural and family pressures and emotional and personality disorders. Genetics and biologic factors may also play a role.

The causes of binge eating disorder are still unknown. Up to half of all people with binge eating disorder have a history of depression. Whether depression is a cause or effect of binge eating disorder is unclear. It may be unrelated. Many people report that anger, sadness, boredom, anxiety or other negative emotions can trigger a binge episode.
Impulsive behavior and certain other psychological problems may be more common in people with binge eating disorder.

Biological vulnerability may play a role in developing binge-eating disorder. Both genes and brain chemicals may be involved. In addition, researchers are studying appetite regulation of the central nervous system for clues, along with gastrointestinal changes that might shed light on causes.

Certain behaviors and emotional problems are more common in people with binge eating disorder. These include abusing alcohol, acting quickly without thinking (impulsive behavior), not feeling in charge of themselves, not feeling a part of their communities, and not noticing and talking about their feelings.

The slow food movement explained

Slow Food: The answer to a fast life

Contrary to what the name implies, the Slow Food Movement is not wholly about eating snails and turtles, nor is it about having lousy service at a restaurant. Instead, it is an anti-fast food movement, a grassroots international campaign to slow down and preserve the pleasure of enjoying food.

The concept of eco-gastronomy, or the relationship between what we eat and our environment, is the driving force behind the movement, founded in 1986 by Carlo Petrini. The Slow Food Movement simply strives to keep food good, clean, and fair:

GOOD: Slow Food should taste good. Supporters of the movement believe that we must learn how to taste food again by awakening our senses to what we are eating: the textures, flavors, and scents. We can learn this from various food experts and from sharing with one another. The Slow Food Movement has several venues for food appreciation education. The most basic is a convivium, or a local chapter of the movement. These groups meet together and participate in various activities to enhance understanding and knowledge in the community. Taste Workshops are held at larger events, and feature experts who teach tasting and pairing of food and drink. The Slow Food Movement even has its own university: The University of Gastronomic Science, to unite the study of science and food.

Good food also comes from our cultural heritage, and a major focus of the movement is preserving these food traditions. Enjoying food in all its varieties and styles-from organic vegetables to artisan bread, heirloom tomatoes to handmade cheese, Southern dishes to Northwest wines-is an important aspect of the Slow Life. Taking the time to savor and share these traditions increases the sense of pleasure in life for families and communities.

CLEAN: Slow Food should be clean inside and out. This means that it should be healthy for us and for animals, and that it should be healthy for the environment. The Slow Food Movement seeks to promote methods of food production that are eco-friendly and sustainable. The goal is a network of sustainable food on local, national, and international levels. The Slow Life also includes taking steps to preserve and appreciate our surroundings.

FAIR: Slow Food is fair to the producer. Slow Food believes that the industrialization and mass-production methods of today corrupt what is good and pure about food. The movement encourages and supports producers and methods that create quality food. Events and networks are organized on the local, national, and international level to help connect those who produce excellent products with consumers. We as consumers are referred to as co-producers, because our informed choices can benefit and affect the direction of food production and consumption.

The Slow Food Movement is indeed a revolution on a world-wide scale, with a presence in 50 countries on five continents. Hundreds of thousands of producers and co-producers attend their international events, while over 80,000 members make up the many convivia around the world. The Slow Food Movement and its Slow Life have a unique perspective on making the world a better place to live. It is a movement that is coming-slowly-to a table near you.

Types of therapy for eating disorders

Size zero is the new hot and trendy fashion for today and if you’re one of the girls who wear this type of size, you have to take concern from an eating disorder called anorexia and bulimia, really? Are all girls wearing a size triple zero are suffering from this? Well,just models and actress, they liked it. Not to mention the Binge-eating disorder, this is a (non-stop) rather uncontrolled eating habits.

There are various therapy for eating disorder. One should put in mind that eating can be define as a good habit and a bad one. Mostly, girls who wanted to be a super dooper sexy afraid to eat, but little did they know that a body who look like a stick, is just like a stick and a post. It’s too terrible to look at.

Anorexia Nervosa.

This type of disorder can be sometimes fatal. It triggers to more complications in some vital parts of our body, it can lead to cardiac arrest or imbalance of electrolytes and oftentimes suicide. Anorexic people are those who refrain from food gatherings,their problem is more than just a food,they starve themselves to the point of nothing to eat. The fear of getting fat overwhelms them. They said that there is no main reason that cause anorexia but in biology, it may genes, a hormones, factors that leads to this type of disorder. This can be treated through counseling and frequent visit to doctors, nutritionist and expert. Family members too, should play a main motivator to the person who suffering from this. If this will diagnose early, it’s better. Mostly, they are treated as outpatient but some needs hospitalization to watched out their weight. Psychotherapy which dealing with emotional issues is one way to help them;group therapy session, but what more important is the nutritionist, to advice the patient about the proper diet and eating habits.

Bulimia Nervosa.

Another kind of eating dis-order where a person eats a lot of food in a short span of time, and take something, a pills or thrown up the food she/he eat to prevent from gaining weight. This person will do every possible ways, like she eat but exercise a lot to think that what she/he may eat may reduced by exercising or take a pills to prevent from gaining weight. Sometimes, they eat little or nothing at all. Mostly, this happen to a Caucasian female who’s affected by their culture, families, lifestyle changes. If your family suffer from bulimia, there’s a hint that youngsters will feel the same. This can be treated by a therapist, cognitive-behavioral therapy, interpersonal psychotherapy,family therapy, supportive-expressive psychotherapy and physician is needed to treat this type of disorder.

Binge Eating Disorder.

This type resembles from bulimia but unlike bulimia, they eat a lot but do not purge their bodies of excess food. Uncontrolled eating or binging characterized as an eating disorder, they feel that when they start eating they can’t refrain themselves from the food, they won’t stop unless they are comfortably full. Sufferers from this disorder has a history of weight fluctuation and they are often obese, it is said that 30 percent of this people, shows that those who participate in medical supervised weight control programs suffer from this type of disorder. This can be treated if diagnosed early. Family and friends who supported them plays an important role in assessing this kind of problem. Nutritionist and physician might be needed to solved this type of problem.

Eating disorder can be solved. There are many therapist and other help self method to treat with this kind of disorder. If this will diagnosed early, the better. Our body is important, so we need to take care of it.

Teen advice: How to tell if you have an eating disorder

You might be surprised to find out that weight and eating disorders don’t always go hand in hand.

First of all, as a teen your weight will naturally fluctuate as you grow.

Eating disorders fall under a category of diagnosis’s that can affect your health and well being.

Adults and teens can be over or under weight and still not have an eating disorder. Or, they can be of normal weight and have all the characteristics of an eating disorder.

If you suspect that your eating habits are interfering with your life, then your instincts are talking to you.

These are early warnings only you will know about:

1)You start eating in solitude.

You might feel that people are watching or judging the way you eat or how much you eat.

Eventually, you excuse yourself from the dinner table only to eat later in your room alone, or sneak downstairs for a midnight meal.

2)You start hiding food.

This is called hording. You might find that you are buying or stealing food then tucking it away for later consumption when you’re alone.

The main thing is that you will feel sneaky or guilty, but don’t think it’s a big deal because you think you are in control while the food piles up.

3)You eat to extremes.

There are three extremes when it comes to eating disorders.

You can be really hungry and refuse to eat, at least until you can control the situation, like being alone in your car.

Or, you could be really nervous, upset, or just had a bad day, so you binge. This means you eat a lot of food in a short period. People usually binge on the food they’ve horded because they know what they’re doing is wrong and they don’t want anybody to find out.

Then, there are people who binge until they are so full they vomit. There are also people who binge and force themselves to vomit. Either way, people who do this describe the feeling of getting rid of the food as a release of tension.

4)You find yourself lying about your eating habits.

It’s only a matter of time before people notice you’re not eating, or not eating in front of them.

At first you might try to show them that you’re eating, but eventually the anxiety of eating for show will drive you to start lying.

“I ate before” , ” I’ll eat later”, and “I’m not hungry right now” may not feel like lying, but in your heart you know you are losing control, and no matter what your method of extreme eating is, it’s getting harder to satisfy the control.

Most eating disorders are about control. It may be that you’re controlling feelings of anger, or sadness. You could be trying to control the people around you by controlling your body and what you put into it.

But for what ever reason, know that by taking action and getting help you are taking control and fighting for your body and your health.

Talk to your parents. If they are in denial (which sometimes happens) go to a trusted adult such as a school or camp nurse, counselor, or you can call your pediatrician or doctor.

There are many treatment options available, especially if you are ready and willing to participate in your care.

For more information and support:

http://www.anad.org (the association of anorexia nervosa and associated disorders)

http://www.aedweb.org (the academy of eating disorders)

Get in touch with someone today. It will change your life and put you back in charge.

Proper dining etiquette in India

Dining in India is a communal event.One rarely encounters a person dining alone.While there are no written rules of etiquette for dining, everyone seems to know what rules to follow.

Traditionally,people always sat on the floor while eating. The western concept of the “Dining Table” was introduced only when the British came on the scene. Even then , it was viewed as a foreign concept, and most Indians sat on the floor. Today, with space limitations, convenience and modernization, the Dining Table is a standard fixture in a majority of the India homes. There are still some rural areas though, who still practice the old system. Modern or not, during ceremonial events, weddings, etc, one may briefly revert to the system of sitting on the floor to eat, just to keep the tradition.Sitting on the floor should not be thought of as sitting on the bare floor. Far from it. Depending on the status of the family, the diner may sit on a mat, a small wooden decorative plank , or even a silver plank.

In earlier days, food was served on a Banana leaf. Now a days it has been replaced by plates for everyday meals.The plates are usually made of stainless steel. China or porcelain plates are rare. One eats with their hands. At the best, spoons are given while serving sweet puddings in cups. Forks and knife are unheard of, since the common meal of Roti and curry or rice and lentil soup does not need the use of them. For this reason, rule number one is, always wash your hands before sitting down for a meal.

Water is always served with any meal. It is usually served in a stainless steel glass placed to the left of the plate.

There is a reason for the position of the glass of water. This is to indicate that the diner uses his left hand to grab the glass of water and eats with his right hand. Only the right hand is used for eating. It is considered very demeaning to eat with the left hand.

In a lot of households, even today , an elder person will serve the food to the diners. Courtesy and respect is shown to this person. Food is served in moderate portions. The server does not mind returning to serve a second portion. Serving a lot at one time is discouraged because it may lead to wastage, which is much frowned upon.This rule applies when seated at the dining table and serving themselves.

Offering food from one’s plate, even if the item is untouched, is a great offense and never done.Probably this originated in ancient times to discourage the free exchange of germs between people sharing their food.The theory behind this custom,is lost, but the practice continues.

Chatting while dining is okay, but speaking with one’s mouth full is not tolerated.

Everyone waits for one another to finish up. Considering the fact that food is served, this usually means that all are proceeding at the same pace through the various courses of the meal.

Unless it is a very special event, each diner picks up his own plate and glass and takes them away to be washed.

The meal finishes with everyone washing their hands with a generous amount of water.

Small children are free to leave at his point, but the older ones have the task of cleaning up the floor. The floor is well cleaned, washed and mopped after every meal.

Fast food restaurants serving the unhealthiest food

Fast food serving the unhealthiest food. There’s a lot more than just serving greasy, fatty foods. Does anyone ever wonder, exactly what happens in the kitchen where no one can see? Or wonder where the frozen food came from, how it was prepared?

Working in a fast food restaurant taught me a lot. I worked in one for a little over 3 years. Throughout that time, I’ve found that some of my co-workers, supervisors and managers don’t always follow food safety guidelines. Sometimes, do things to food that isn’t right, and definitely not healthy for the consumer.

While we all know that fast food is unhealthy, when we don’t have much time to eat, it’s the easiest places to go. Late nights, after clubbing, bar hopping, or just a late night at work, fast food restaurants seem to be the only places open.

I worked the graveyard shifts during my time at that restaurant. After midnight was when all the people were coming from the clubs, bars, parties, and some from work. That’s when I realized that the unhealthy food, could become even more unhealthy.

Dealing with drunk people is difficult enough, but when they come to order food, it becomes even harder. In a large group, they can get really loud, obnoxious, and just plain rude. With most of them, getting their food out is easy enough and they’ll be on their way. With the rude ones, drunk or not, it became war.

I’ve seen co-workers and supervisors do the nastiest things to these people’s food and drinks. Dropping food on the ground, on purpose, but using it anyways rather than throwing it in the waste basket. While having their drinks being poured into the cups, sometimes they’d wash their hands in it, other times spitting in the cup. Salads, sometimes spitting in that too, as well as chili.

Every type of food that’s been cooked, has a time limit. If someone was obnoxious or rude, they’d get the expired food, sometimes the food that expired hours ago, but the workers were too busy to throw it out. French fries, that had been sitting in the basket for more than the time limit, were sometimes just re-dipped into the hot oil for a few moments before being served again to the customer.

So, we all know that fast food is not good for you. Fast food, being an easy way to eat and go when we don’t have time, even though we know it’s just going to go to our thighs, I hope everyone that reads this article, remembers what I’ve said. That everyone will think twice about what they eat, and where they eat it.

I also hope that people will learn to be polite to fast food employees, knowing that you shouldn’t mess around especially when it comes to someone handling your food. If I have no choice but to eat at a fast food restaurant, I always ask politely, to have my food made fresh. I don’t mind the 5 minute wait. I suggest you all do the same.

Toronto Restaurants – a Variety of Cuisines in One City

Toronto is a big city with millions of inhabitants. It is the place where you can find everything you need. You can get all the necessary information about all the restaurants you want online. The schedule and the information about the restaurants are posted online. You can book some places if you want, you can rent the entire restaurant for an event if you want, and all the services became accessible and easy to manage due to online address of all Toronto restaurants. The prices for the dishes are available for all the budgets. You can choose the cuisine specialization of the restaurants if you have some preferences for it. There are a lot of possibilities to have a nice meal in Toronto all you have to do is to decide what you want.

There are a lot of specialization restaurants, with certain cuisine among Toronto restaurants. For example you can find Russian restaurant, with traditional Russian, Ukrainian, Moldovan, Kazakh, Turkmen, Belarus and other cuisines of the former USSR countries. Russian restaurants are designed in typical Russian manner. There is always life music in Russian restaurants there are always Russian folk dances at certain events. The Russian restaurants are suitable for any kind of event.

The Amulet restaurant is one of the Restaurants Toronto which is very famous with the local Russian emigrants. Its banquet hall is perfect for weddings, celebration of anniversaries, corporate events, community gala evenings, birthday parties and other events which take place in Toronto. The restaurant big hall can seat up to 170 clients. In the menu, you will find traditional Russian Pelimeni meat wrapped in pasta, of round shape and boiled in salt water. Moldavian Mamaliga boiled think corn porridge served with fried ham and garlic. Ukrainian Vareniki special type of cheese or boiled mashed potatoes wrapped in pasta and boiled in salt water.

There is also African cuisine present among restaurants Toronto. The Addis Ababa restaurant impress with its Ethiopian cuisine, tasty roasted coffee and affable service. A dinner in this restaurant is a nice experience for those who are not afraid to discover new tastes. You will savor the soft and piquant crêpe, the brand of the cuisine to dig up pieces of spiced split peas, puréed black beans and collard greens. This all is carefully flavored with spices, garlic and ginger.

Blue Bay Café is another African food based restaurant. It offers fiery food of Mauritius, which is represented by a mixture of African, French and Indian cuisine. This is a comfortable place where you can sit on bentwood chairs; the tables are cover with white tablecloths and many traditional African art objects. The prices are pathetically low, with a respectable quality. The dishes contain a lot of vegetables and fish. The traditional dishes are more or less light.

There are Toronto restaurants that represent European cuisine. The Mediterranean cuisine has also its representatives in Toronto. Auberge du Pommier is a French restaurant. Its rustic atmosphere will remind of the French regions’ country charm. Its menu consists of many country dishes which are popular in France. The Hungary is represented by Country Style Hungarian restaurant. There you will find schnitzel and paprika, half-sausage top pleasingly chewy pierogies with deeply caramelized onions and with sour cream. The restaurant offers the best European beer and its best service.

Just how safe are food establishments

Out of the Mouths of Babes.

I was telling my grand daughter about helium.

“It’s a gas granddad. They told us that at school”.

Yes but it is also a community of people, a community of forward thinking people who talk to each other , write articles and read each other’s articles.

“So- could we write an article granddad?”.

We could try.

“Right let’s do it. What should we write about ?”

Well what do you suggest ?

“What about food ? I like food”.

“When I go to the supermarket with Mum, she is always going on about Organic Food. What’s that granddad”?

Well Organic Food is produced so that it has no pesticides or harmful food additives.

And that the soil and the animals are looked after carefully.

“Is there a lot of Organic Food then?”

Oh yes.

“Facts granddad we need facts”.

Right. Well, sales of organic food in the UK have increased dramatically in recent years. According to the latest figures by the Soil Association , in their 2006 Organic Market Report :

– sales of organic food in the UK were up 30% on 2005 figures.

– supermarkets are expanding their organic food ranges.

– but a growing number of consumers are buying directly from the farmers, through farmers’ markets, box schemes, and farm shops.

The market is worth 125 million per year.

“Is organic food better then granddad?”

Many people turn to organic food because of concern about pesticides.

There are government rules about the use of pesticides but they still end up in our food, and they are known to have harmful long term effects on our heath.

” So that’s good then granddad”.

Yes, but organic food costs more. Organic production is slower, more labor intensive and the crop yields are generally lower. Organic food can be up to 63% more expensive, according to a report by the consultants Morgan Stanley.

“What about America, do they have organic food there?”.

Oh Yes. All organic food sold in the USA carries the USDA Organic Food Label. The National Organic Standards were introduced in Consumer spending on organic food in the USA had reached $9 billion by 2001, the year after the standards were introduced. And the sales have increased 20% every year since then. That’s progress for you.

My granddaughter was concentrating hard. She had a firm intense look on her face.

But then I made my mistake.

I told her that in the old days, we all ate organic food. We didn’t call it organic food them, because all food was produced naturally. It was only when some wise man decided that it didn’t last long enough that additives were used to help keep the food fresher for longer.

“And was it more expensive?” she asked.

Yes I replied.

There then followed a long silence. You could almost see the Grey cells working.

“So now we are going back to the old ways and they are charging us more for it. They take all the pesticides and additives out, so we actually get less, and they charge more. We are going backwards, and you tell me it’s progress”.

” Suppose in 30 years time, when we are all organic, someone else decides that the food isn’t lasting long enough it needs preservatives. And they will charge more for it.”

“So – what we’re doing is paying more to go back to how it was when we had to pay more for getting less”.

“are we absolutely sure that’s progress ?”

Can somebody out there in helium help me out here?

Binge Eating Disorder – Causes, Symptoms And Treatment

Binge eating involves more than just eating a lot. With binge eating, a person feels out of control and powerless to stop eating while he or she is doing it.

That’s why binge eating is also called compulsive overeating.
People with a binge eating problem may overeat when they feel stressed, upset, hurt, or angry. Many find it comforting and soothing to eat, but after a binge they are likely to feel guilty and sad about the out-of-control eating. Binge eating is often a mixed-up way of dealing with or avoiding difficult emotions.

Food is important for growth and development, but we do not always eat to satisfy our hunger. Most of us overeat from time to time, and we may feel bloated or excessively full as a result. Occasional over-indulgence does not constitute an eating disorder, and binge eating has only recently been recognized as an eating disorder in its own right.
Causes of Binge Eating Disorder
· Depression. As many as half of all people with binge eating disorder are depressed or have been depressed in the past.

· Dieting. Some people binge after skipping meals, not eating enough food each day, or avoiding certain kinds of food.
· Coping skills. Studies suggest that people with binge eating may have trouble handling some of their emotions. Many people who are binge eaters say that being angry, sad, bored, worried, or stressed can cause them to binge eat.

Complications

People with binge eating disorder can get sick due to a lack of proper nutrition. Binging episodes usually include foods that are high in sugar and/or salt, but low in healthier nutrients.
People with binge eating disorder are usually very upset by their binge eating and may become very depressed.

People who are obese and also have binge eating disorder are at risk for type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol levels, gallbladder disease, heart disease, and certain types of cancer.
On the other hand, people with binge-eating disorder often have numerous behavioral and emotional signs and symptoms. These include:
· Eating until the point of discomfort or pain
· Eating much more food during a binge episode than during a normal meal or snack
· Eating faster during binge episodes
· Feeling that their eating behavior is out of control
· Frequent dieting without weight loss
· Recurrent episodes of binge eating
· Frequently eating alone
Treatment
Cognitive behavior therapy – Focuses on the thoughts that envelop food and eating. One of the main goals is for you to become more self-aware of your relationship to food. Your therapist may ask you to keep a food diary or a journal of your thought processes about food.

Psychotherapy can involve a significant time and financial commitment. You are worth it! Particularly if you are struggling with other issues (sexual abuse, depression, substance use, relationship problems) psychotherapy can be very helpful in addressing not only your disordered eating, but also your overall emotional health and happiness.

Behavior therapy – Uses rewards and repercussions to change the behaviors of bingeing, compulsive overeating, and emotional eating. The behavior therapist teaches you to recognize triggers for bingeing and to interrupt emotional eating episodes by substituting relaxation and other coping strategies.

Business dining etiquette

Etiquette is said to be an example of ones ethics in action. In a business setting for dining your behavior or etiquette is a loud and clear message as to your personal ethics or business ethics. Many a client will size up your behavior as a precursor to how they will be treated during business transactions. Staff will asses even it subconsciously your leadership skills during the dining experience. So will your boss.

Being gracious, polite and kind are always a good place to start. This applies towards the business participants with whom you are dining and to the staff that is serving you. If you mistakenly make a cultural error the act of being gracious, kind and polite will certainly help to smooth things over.

Try to be aware when possible about the dining needs or preferences when you are in charge of picking the dining establishment. You don’t want to take that potential new vegetarian client to the local steak house.

Try to learn a little about the cultural habits of your dining companion. Some cultures make a lot of noise with the meal, others eat in silence. Pay attention and go with the flow.

Use conversational continuance phrases like how so or and how. This helps to keep the conversation moving. It is always best to keep the others talking. Sports, food and scenic vistas are good light topics. Stay away from politics and religion. They are not subjects that enhance digestion or business usually.

If your boss or a client has taken you out take time to send a hand written thank you. Make sure to include the name of the spouse if they were present. This will set you on a good path for invites to future meals and to increased business.

If you drink, do so in moderation, and only if the others dining with you imbibe. Never order a drink if the boss or client doesn’t. You can always have a couple later. Familiarize yourself with how to order wine even it you don’t drink just in case the need arises.

Turn the cell phone off. Give your dining partners your full attention. No matter how important you are, the world will not end if you don’t answer the phone during the meal.

If the food arrives for others before yours arrives encourage them to eat now and not wait for you. Do not make a scene with the service staff as it will often make you not the server look bad. Graciously accept your meal when it does arrive. Quietly have it packed to go or politely canceled if you are pressed for time as in a luncheon situation.

Never argue about who is paying the bill. If you organized the meal you should be prepared to pay. If it is all colleagues graciously pay your part, or pick up the tab and have some one else pick it up next time.

Genuinely enjoy the experience and do your best to lead the other diners in that direction. Dining is a time for bonding and fellowship and can serve to create lasting business relationships that benefit all parties. Thank everyone for coming even if you are the one paying. Thank the staff for their attentiveness to your dining experience. Tip properly to insure proper service in the future.