Dining in restaurants can pose a serious threat to even the most successful diet. There are entirely too many minefields to navigate when eating out, and it’s all too easy to make a mistake without even realizing it. The choice of a salad to promote weight loss wherever you eat may sound like the best idea, but even the salad menu at your favorite restaurant could pose some problems. The best way to enjoy your favorite dining spots is to check out the nutritional information before you visit and choose something from the menu that will fit your needs.
Of course, it’s not always possible to get that nutrition information before you go, so you’ll need to know some other ways to continue on your weight loss path. Watch for things that will be high in sugar and fat, and be very careful with pasta and other starches. Remember that salad dressings can be loaded with calories, sugar, and fat, and that can completely cancel out the good that you’re trying to do by eating leafy greens. Restaurants will often mark the healthy choices on their menus, too, and this can give you an excellent compass to navigate the different selections.
You can Eat Out and Stay on Track!
Eating out is an important way to stay social and connect with your family and friends which is important for your emotional well-being. However, if you do not monitor what you eat or drink, it can be a quick way to gain a lot of weight. Since it is important for your emotional well-being, there are a couple of key things to consider or think about when you are eating out. If you think about these things, you should be able to maintain your diet and not gain extra weight.
Plan Ahead
The first thing to consider would be to plan ahead. Most restaurants have their menus available online which will allow you to see what type of food they offer. While looking at their menu, you should pay close attention to see if they mention calories, or highlight that the item is heart healthy. If they have this, then it should be easy for you to choose. If they do not have this information, then you should look for any items which are grilled, their vegetable options, and their salads. However, as previously mentioned, it is important to note that not all salads are healthy, so you should pay close attention to what is on the salad as well as what type of dressings they offer. If they do not offer any healthy options, it would be a good idea to avoid going there and maybe suggest another restaurant.
Know Your Options
The second thing to consider is only suggesting restaurants that you know offer healthier options. Currently, healthy eating is trendy, so you should not have any problems finding good restaurants who have these options. If your family and friends know that you are on a special diet, they will not care where you go to eat as long as you are all together.
Avoid Sugar-Filled Beverages
The third thing to consider is to avoid ordering sugary beverages including those with alcohol as these are high in calories and you do not want to drink these empty calories. It would be best if you stuck with good old-fashioned water as it is healthier for you as well as can make you feel full if you drink it. If you do want to have a drink, this is okay, but you should ensure you do not overdo it. It would be best if you only had one drink which can be as little as 150 calories. Before you go out, you should look into how many calories each drink has which can help you make your decision ahead of time. Click here to find a handy tool which can help you learn more about the calories in each alcoholic drink.
Avoid the Appetizers (Bread)
The fourth thing to consider would be to avoid eating the bread placed on the table or any appetizers which may be ordered. If you do this, you can save yourself a lot of calories which you can put towards your main entrée. The same goes for dessert after your meal, just say no. If your friends are begging for you to take a bite, it is usually okay to take three and then put your spoon down. When you do this, you will get them off your backs while also satisfying your sweet tooth without consuming a ton of extra calories.
Order Before Others
The fifth thing to consider would be to avoid peer pressure from your family and friends by ordering first. When you do this, you are setting a standard and you do not have to feel bad because some others are ordering heavily fried foods, pasta or other items high in starch that are not good for you.
Be Cautious of Higher Fat Menu Items
The sixth thing to consider would be to be cautious of ordering high-fat items. When you place your order, you should avoid anything which is fried or has butter or heavy cream. It would be in your best interest to stick with items which are grilled, broiled, steamed, and or baked as these typically have fewer calories. You can always ask your server to prepare the foods with less butter or oil to make it a healthier option.