Hallelujah! We can eat at restaurants again, woohoo! Hold on now! What about your goal to lose weight? Some of you still have not lost the "Covid Blamed Weight". Just because you see a green light does not mean you do not look around for other cars. Wouldn't it be great to not blow your whole diet just because you’re at a restaurant.? Well Hallelujah again, you can, and without any guilt.
Now a days we no longer go out to dine on special occasions. We pretty much eat out as much as eating at home. This causes us to eat more calories than we need. When we consume more food than we burn we will get fat. Most of the foods we eat outside are high in fat, sugar, and sodium. So how do we get around this? First thing is to order your meal as if you are making it at home. Of course, if it's a special occasion enjoy. But not every time you go out. Do you usually put a breadbasket with butter and olive oil out at home before your meal? I hope not. Do you make yourself an appetizer and have a dessert after every meal? Don't even tell me if you do. Be disciplined and keep the same habits you have at home at the restaurants. You will be grateful you did.
Planning is the key. You usually frequent the same restaurants and can recite the menu by memory. Plan ahead by knowing what you want so that you can make better choices without getting caught up with what everyone else is ordering. Some restaurants have nutritional information online to help you with your choices. Decide and stick to your plan even before heading into the restaurant.
As I mentioned before, we usually don't have bread, appetizers and dessert at home on a daily basis. If you need an appetizer, order a salad of spinach leaves or mixed greens. Put in some fiber rich vegetables. For a dressing try olive oil and balsamic vinegar. Creamy dressing will add useless calories and fat. Nix the cheese, croutons and dried fruit and add some nuts for good fats.
When ordering your main meal stick with lean protein. Beef, chicken, turkey, and fish can all be cooked lean. Try grilled, baked, poached, and broiled for healthier version. Say no to creams, sauces and butter and try light sauces, lemon, and dry spices. Fried is never a good idea. Choose lean cuts of meats for less fat. And when choosing sides pick sweet potatoes over fries, mashed potatoes without butter and brown rice and jasmine rice instead of white.
Restaurants typically give you more food than you need. Not that you can't eat it, you shouldn't. Practice portion control. You can sometimes share your meal (not my favorite) or you can take half home. A serving size of chicken is about 4-6 ounces, in a restaurant you usually get 8 ounces. If a dessert is needed, then by all means share it with one or two people for less fat and sugar. Portion control is key to losing weight. Know your numbers.
Condiments, gravies, and sauces are usually the reason the meal is calorie dense and loaded with fat, sugar and sodium. If these desired, ask for them on the side. It's better to lightly dip than to have it smothered. If you control how much you eat of these “calorie traps”, you will be training your taste buds to live with less and actually taste the meat.
Make sure that most of your plate is filled with greens sans the cheese. Greens contain fiber and will fill you up, giving you a better chance to not overeat. It’s a fibrous carbohydrate that is best for you. Carbohydrates are not bad for you if eaten throughout the day when you are active. Eat vegetables at night instead of rice, pasta, and potato to avoid the belly bulge.
Beverages may be the one thing that can kill your diet. Sugary sodas, sweetened iced tea, and sweetened coffee can add up in unwanted calories. Try unsweetened iced tea, or water with lemon. Cocktails are also rough to avoid. Just pick a clear liquid like vodka and tequila which are exceptionally low in sugar and avoid adding juice to them. Put lemon or limes for a twist of flavor. Alcohol has a way of having you make bad decisions when picking food.
Lastly, eat slowly. It takes your brain about 20 min to register that you are full. Try not to skip a meal. This will trigger off that you are starving causing you to shovel food down your throat without thinking. Eating every 3-4 hours will keep your hunger at bay so when you get to the restaurant you will not be taking bread off other people's table. Yes, it's been done, lol.
It's been a rough year for many so by all means celebrate with a meal or two at your favorite restaurant. But soon you will be back to your usual 3-4 times a week and there is your next excuse for weight gain. Stop making excuses and stay disciplined with your goals. You can still enjoy "breaking bread" with family and friends without literally breaking bread. Stop losing the 10-20 pounds you keep putting back on. Enjoy your life.
Be happy. Stay healthy. LIVLIFE.
Dr. Livia Valle, Mom/Chiropractor/Health and Wellness Coach.