Eating out is both fun and sociable. However, dining out can lead to overeating or eating unhealthy food choices. Restaurant portions are often over-sized and loaded with salt and unhealthy fats. These clever tips will help you stick to your health goals without having to give up your social life. Follow these guidelines to stay on track:
- Drink a full glass of water before arriving to make you feel fuller and less likely to splurge.
- Select restaurants carefully. Some restaurants only have unhealthy options. Some only have fried foods!
- View a menu in advance if possible (online) to decide what healthy dish you will eat.
- Be the first person to order at your table so that you are not persuaded by other people’s selections.
- Request no butter or oil and ask that meat and vegetables are steamed, baked or broiled.
- Ask for healthy swaps such as a salad or steamed vegetables instead of fries. You’ll boost your vegetable intake and cut your calories.
- Choose meals with tomato-based sauces over creamy or cheese-based ones to help cut the calories and fat from your meal. They’ll also add more healthy vegetables to your diet.
- Always start your meal with a house salad or broth-based soup instead of appetizers which are often fried or cheesy. Studies looking at the effects of eating soup before a meal have shown that it can reduce your total calorie intake by 20%.
- Ask for dressings and sauces on the side. For example, two tablespoons of ranch salad dressing will add an extra 140 calories and 16 fat grams to your meal. Keeping it separate will make it much easier to control the amount you eat.
- Skip the basket of breads and rolls.
- Drink water with lemon or unsweet Tea.
- If you order an alcoholic drink, order a small one. Alcohol can add a significant number of calories to your meal. A large glass of red wine, which is about 1 cup and 13% alcohol by volume, can add around 280 calories to your meal. That’s the same as a Snickers chocolate bar.
- Keep it small. Portion sizes at restaurants are often 1 1/2 to two servings. Maintain portion control by eating only half of your meal and saving the rest to take home. If you don't like taking home leftovers, split a meal with someone. If you have nobody to share with, you can ask the waiter to wrap up half your meal for you to take home.
- Skip sweet drinks such as raspberry or peach teas. They often have a syrup or a lot of sugar in them.
- If you're at a fast food restaurant, avoid super-sizing.
- Avoid high-sodium foods.
- Slow down and chew thoroughly. Chewing your food thoroughly and eating slower could help you eat less. It can also make you feel full more quickly.
- Skip dessert and order a coffee instead.
