At this time of year, we tend to eat out a lot. It can be difficult to stay on track with your healthy diet when this happens. However, eating
out does not have to derail your weight loss (or weight maintenance) efforts. Being prepared and having a strategic plan
will allow you to eat out at almost any restaurant and still stay on
track.
TIP 1 - Plan ahead: Most restaurants have their menus online and
some even have the nutritional info posted (chains mostly). Go online, search for the nutrition
information of the restaurant you want to go to, and plan out your choices.
Popular restaurants that have all their nutrition facts posted online include
Starbucks, Panera Bread, Au Bon Pain, Cosi,
Hale and Hearty, Pizza Hut, Chipotle, The Keg, Milestones, Montana's,
Boston Pizza, and more. Try this
website (click here) for a pretty broad listing of restaurants and their menu item
nutrition facts. Also, if
you want the low-down on nutrition information for menu items, The Economist
ran a great commentary on the issue as it pertains to New York when in first
hit the fan in 2011.
As you can see, getting the nutritional information before you go has become relatively easy; it just requires a little homework.
Once you arrive:
TIP 3- Drink please!
Try ordering a warm drink first thing such as hot water with some fresh
lemon slices. You’ll be surprised how
this warm calming drink can fill you up and soothe the craving/hunger
beast. Herbal tea is also a great option
while coffee tends to throw off blood sugar levels and may lead to cravings and
bad decisions later on.
TIP 4 - Be an assertive orderer: Don’t be afraid to modify the menu. Trust me, in this age of “nutritionism”,
waiters are used to it. Ask questions and know the terminology. Grilled, steamed, broiled, boiled, and baked
are fine, but beware of terms such as creamy, smothered, lightly breaded, deep
fried. Ask for sauces on the side and
leave out the fries/rice/pasta/potatoes that usually come with the main entree and ask
for extra veggies instead (most restaurants are happy to do this).
TIP 5 - Start with soup or salad: Both can be filling and satisfying. Order the dressing on the side and dip your
fork lightly in the dressing before every bite. Stay with non-creamy soups. Ask the server if dairy is added so you will know if they add cream or cheese or even butter (extra tip: you can tell your
server that you are lactose intolerant to make sure they don’t add cream,
butter, or cheese)
TIP 6 - Appetizers as the main course: Try ordering from the
appetizer menu if you don’t find anything you want on the main menu such as
grilled calamari ,caprese salad, or shrimp cocktail. Smaller portions save calories and are
less expensive.
TIP 7 - Liquor Control: Alcohol can stimulate hunger so never drink
on an empty stomach (This really throws off blood sugar) and try to follow the 1:1
rule; follow a glass of wine with a full glass of water. Even try to cut the wine with ½ club soda or
Perrier in a wine Spritzer or mix vodka with soda water.
TIP 8 - Portion Control/Leftovers for the next day: Most restaurants provide huge portions--take a
look at the size of the plate or bowl!
Eyeball your serving size (palm of your hand) and divide your portion
accordingly. Make a mental note to have
the rest packed-up for home, or, better yet, ask the waiter for a to-go
container and box it up right away. Added bonus: you have less to cook the next day.
The
smart phone world is still trying to stay on top of restaurant nutrition. There
are a few good apps out there, but they need constant updating. Here are a few
free ones that are worth trying, just to get a sense of what your waistline is
up against:
Restaurant Nutrition by
Unified Lifestyle
Calorie Count Nutrition Search by Calorie
Count
No comments:
Post a Comment