Dine Out…without a Pout!
So many people think they can’t go out eat without totally disregarding their commitment to healthy eating. When dining out is automatically viewed as a “cheat meal”, it creates a mindset that makes you feel the need to go cray cray. This concept drives me a little bit bonkers! While dining out is inherently more of a splurge than eating at home, it doesn’t have to be a total diet disaster. Here are a few pointers on how to keep your restaurant meals within reason:
· Please, pretty please, stick with water instead of sugar-sweetened beverages. Y’all know this is one of my soap boxes, but they are particularly dangerous when dining out because refills are too convenient. Yikes!
· If the restaurant offers free bread with your meal, you may want to request that your server doesn’t bring it to the table. There are definitely situations in which it is fine to enjoy these additional carbs (days you’ve worked out, your BIRTHDAY, etc.). But, for the most part, you are likely consuming adequate carbs from your meal and do not need the extra push.
· Aim for your meal to consist primarily of lean meat and veggies. If you were to think of your plate as being divided into fourths, ¼ should be lean protein, ¼ should be complex carbohydrates, and ½ should be fruit & veggies.
· If ordering a salad, request that the dressing be served on the side. Restaurants tend to overdo it on the dressing dosage, so it is best to put yourself in charge of this. As for type of dressing, select one that is vinegar-based.
· In terms of preparation methods, opting for grilled meats and veggies is your safest bet. Sautéed items can sometimes be fine, but other times they are swimming in butter. While blackened meats may seem to be a tastier alternative to those prepared on the grill, the blackening technique involves covering the food with butter and a spice seasoning before frying it over an open flame. Not that this is necessarily terrible, but it is hard to say how much/what type of butter and seasoning are being used. AVOID ANYTHING FRIED!!!
· If your meal provides more than one serving, portion out one properly-sized serving right when you receive your plate. Commit to eating only this amount. I encourage clients to ask for a to-go box upon receiving their meal so that they can box up the portion that they plan to take home before it becomes too much of a temptation (again- out of sight, out of mind!). Not only does this save you on the extra calories, but it’s a money-saver technique as well! #ballinonabudget
· When possible, review the restaurant menu ahead of time and select your meal based on sound nutrition reasoning. This is a much safer approach than waiting until you arrive at the restaurant, as this often leads to a decision based on tempting pictures or your ravenous appetite.
In working with my Individual Meal Plan clients, I offer to review restaurant menus for them ahead of time if they ever know in advance where they plan to dine. I do my best to offer a variety of options, so that you still have the freedom to select a dish that will satisfy your unique taste buds. We all have different food preferences, and I do my best to respect this! Each “Restaurant Review” that I complete for a client gets added to the MBM Meal Manual. This allows all who have purchased access to this document the opportunity to take advantage of these additions. If you feel that such information would be beneficial to you, purchase your access to the MBM Meal Manual today!
