Tips for dining out while on a diet
Tips for Eating Out and Watching your Weight
In todays busy world, all people are confronted with dining out.
Between business lunches and dining out for recreation, you may
find yourself at a restuarant several times a week. Just because
youare eating out, doesn't mean you have to sabotage your diet
plan.
Here are some things that you can do to make the right eating
decisions the next time you are out, for business or pleasure.
* If you plan on drinking alcohol, avoid creamy drinks like
White Russians, since they contain calorie laden ingredients
like heavy cream. If you are planning on having more than one
drink, alternate with a glass of water.
* Ask your server to serve bread with your entree. This will
help avoid seconds of bread.
* Keep in mind that appetizers are packed with calories.
Starting a meal with deep fried mozzarella sticks, potato skins
or boneless buffalo wings will quickly add several hundred extra
calories to your meal. If you must have something before your
entree is served, consider a side salad or cottage cheese (if
available).
* Ask your server to put half of your entree in a "to-go" box
prior to serving it. Restauarant portions have a tendancy
towards being huge, so you have an easy lunch for the following
day.
* Split your entree with your partner. If you have likeminded
tastes you can split the cost of dinner and still walk away
full. Some places may charge a small fee for splitting entrees
(usually anywhere from 2-6 dollars) while others do it for free.
* Ask for toppings and condiments served on the side or plain.
If you are ordering a baked potato, avoid the "loaded" version,
since things like cheese, bacon, sour cream and butter will add
a few hundred calories to your meal.
* Avoid menu items that are described as creamy, rich or deep
fried. Choose steamed, broiled or baked items instead. These
methods of cooking tend to add fewer calories.
* Eat slowly. Make an effort to chew each mouthful of food
15-20 times before swallowing. This is a good rule to follow
when eating out or dining at home.
* Drink a glass of water prior to your meal. This will help to
fill you up and you'll be less likely to overeat. This is
another tactic that you can use to help combat against hunger
any time during the day. A lot of times people mistake thirst
for water for feeling hungry. If you are still feeling hungry
after 10 minutes, eat until you feel full. Don't eat until you
feel uncomfortable.
Making the right choices when dining out will help all of your
weight loss efforts. There are so many different places to eat
out at, you will never run out of dining options. It's up to you
to make the right call. Making sensible decisions at mealtime is
a lot easier if you are armed with knowledge.