Staying on Track While Eating Out
By Donna Kostiew
You’ve committed to improving your health and the biggest contributor to that is your diet. You know this. You also know how much time, effort, and discipline it is going to take to have any amount of success with sticking to this commitment. Like many others, it may not be that difficult for you. After all, you know what types of food to buy, you have read up on how to prepare things differently, and wouldn’t you know it, pigs are flying as you contemplate packing your lunches for work. But all of those choices are made at home, where it’s easy. What happens when you eat out?
Plan Ahead to Stay on Track
Eating at a restaurant doesn’t have to sabotage your healthy diet if you continue to use smart-eating strategies and plan ahead. Here are some tips to keep in mind.
- Be the leader - We’ve all been in the group scenario that includes these two sentences repeated over and over: “What do you want to eat?” and “I don’t care, where do you want to go?” So, when making plans with friends or colleagues, be the one who breaks out of that mold and choose the restaurant yourself. It’s an easy way to make sure that it has healthy options.
- Review the menu beforehand - If the restaurant has already been selected, go online and look at the menu before you get there. This will give you plenty of time to review all of the options and to carefully consider substitution possibilities without the added pressure of picking something quickly because there is a table full of people staring at you.
- Have a healthy snack before you go - Having a healthy snack (hummus, hard-boiled egg, or some nuts) an hour or so before you leave will take away that "starving” feeling when you sit down at the restaurant and you will be less likely to order everything off of the menu.
- Skip the bread and chip basket - The bread and chip baskets are an excellent way to fill up on empty-calorie, nutrient-lacking food before your meal even arrives. As tempting as they are, try to pass on them, and if you can’t, limit the amount you eat.
- Make healthy swaps - Are you being asked to choose between a loaded potato skin or a salad? Choose the smart option and load up on your veggies when you can!
- Don’t forget the calories in your beverage - And the amount of sugar, and the level of alcohol … Your first choice should be water, so skip the sugary drinks, the caffeinated sodas, and the fancy cocktails. Just a few drinks before your dinner can equal an entire meal’s worth of calories … and you haven’t even taken a bite of food yet.
Eating healthy at restaurants has its own unique challenges, but it is possible with a little planning and some strategic choices.
To learn more about your health, wellness, and fitness, see your local chiropractor at The Joint Chiropractic in Renton, Wash.