Dieting is tough, losing weight dinning out can be tougher…
Finding ways to continue to live a normal life while losing weight can be extremely difficult. Stopping a normal routine in order to lose weight can often set you up for failure when the diet ends. For many 61Five patients a normal life includes eating out and is unavoidable. Here are some excellent tips for sticking to healthy eating while eating out.
Plan Ahead When Dinning Out
Of course, there are going to be plenty of situations where impromptu restaurant trips are unavoidable. When you know in advance where you will be going, you can look before hand at their nutrition facts online. There are almost ALWAYS options on every menu to cater to any diet. By studying the menu’s nutritional facts, you can plan in advance what you will order and stick within the specific calories calorie zone you feel comfortable with. Also, planning ahead will allow you to notice aspects of menu items you generally wouldn’t, like sodium levels and percentage of daily fat intake. Planning ahead may help you determine if you should only eat half of the meal. If you go in with that mindset you’d be surprised how motivated you can get yourself to only eat half, whereas sometimes myself included, don’t have the self-control to not overindulge when eating those delicious restaurant meals. If you didn’t have the opportunity to look up nutrition facts beforehand, a smartphone can often be a simple way to look them up quickly on the go as well. Lastly, every restaurant is required by law to provide nutritional facts, so ask and review before you order. Losing weight and reviewing nutritional information go hand and hand.
Think Simple and Ask Questions
If you are unable to check nutrition facts online beforehand, or in the rare instances that the restaurant doesn’t offer the nutrition facts online, there are ways to take your best guess as to what’s a good choice. When you are left to figure this out on your own try to choose foods with fewer ingredients. Ingredients often get thrown into restaurant meals and create hidden calories. For example, a lot of people always go with a salad selection when trying to eat healthy which can often backfire. Salads can often be filled with ingredients such as bacon, high fat dressings, candied nuts, fried chicken, fried won tons, etc… Before you know it your salad is one of the worst things you could have chosen off the menu! Something like a grilled piece of chicken or fish with a side of veggies may end up being a much healthier option. And don’t be afraid to ask questions like, “Is there butter on that? Can I have mine without butter?” Restaurants often make healthy foods like veggies higher in calories by adding things that make them taste better, but not always align with your dieting strategy.
Watch Out for Extra Calories
You’ve now planned everything ahead of time before you arrived at the restaurant and then they sit a piping hot basket of soft delicious rolls with butter or a basket of chips and salsa in front of you! Either decide you are going to say no to these temptations or have them in moderation. Maybe the calories of one piece of bread are worth it to you, but just make sure you stick with your plan of only one roll or one handful of chips instead sharing the entire basket with whoever you are eating with. It can be all too easy to sneak in as many, if not more, calories than what is in your entire healthy meal on just the “extras” that restaurants tend to tempt us with! Make sure your family and friends know you are trying to keep the meal healthy. Not ordering those appetizers can be a healthy option for both you and your company, be less inexpensive, and may even help you enjoy that main dish even more – Because isn’t that what we are there for anyway? Watch out for soft drinks and juices too, try growing a custom to ordering water or unsweetened tea instead.
There will be times that you dine out and plan ahead and do things perfectly. There will also be times when you have two hot fresh rolls instead of the one or zero rolls you had intended. And there will also be times when you go out and totally splurge on your favorite things. Even if it’s a total splurge night, just get back to your healthy eating plan at the next meal and move forward keeping these splurge meals in moderation. Remember that living your normal life while losing weight is possible and key to keeping your weight off long term. Losing weight dinning out is possible!
61Five Health & Wellness is a Nashville weight loss clinic located in midtown. We specialize in long-term weight loss strategy. Visit our weight loss clinic today or set an appointment and learn how to lose weight and keep it off for good!
