For someone who is trying to incorporate a new lifestyle into their lives, having to go to business dinners and luncheons can be at the very least difficult and disconcerting. It can also completely derail you, especially if such dinners or luncheons are frequent.
Your best bet is to call ahead and ask the chef to prepare your meal in the manner you require, or to eat first, and then when you meet up with the others, order a plain salad or one with lemon. If you must offer an explanation, tell your fellow diners you had a late breakfast or lunch. If at all possible, try to eat out at fish restaurants that grill their fish, steak houses where you can get a very lean cut of meat, or Japanese restaurants where you can eat rice, raw fish, and not much else. Stay away from the miso soup, the teriyaki, and the rolls, especially when they use avocado and mayo.