How to Eat Healthy While Dining Out!
Author: Josh Spencer
If you’re on a strict diet and workout regimen and are actually committed to it, you dread going out to eat at restaurants. Why? You can’t trust the food that is offered at restaurants anymore! For one, there are many restaurants that won’t release their nutritional info, which is pretty scary, and two, you can easily take in a days’ worth of calories in one sitting. Sit down dining restaurants have become just as bad, if not worse, than fast food restaurants! However, since I’ve been committed to a completely healthy lifestyle for the past 3 years, I have learned some tricks on how to make dining out a more pleasurable and healthy experience. Here are 7 tips on how to eat healthy while dining out.
(1) Watch the salads. Just because a salad is an option doesn’t mean it’s healthy. Anymore, salads have become just as unhealthy as a greasy cheeseburger and fries. Most restaurants now load their salads with bacon, cheese, croutons and fatty dressings. If you are going to get a salad, there are a few things that you can do to make sure it’s healthy: (1) Make sure the chicken is grilled, not fried or breaded; (2) Ask for no cheese; (3) Ask for no croutons; (4) Stick with a light or fat-free dressing. Doing these things can make that not so healthy salad into a healthy one.
(2) Stick with chicken and veggies. Just about every restaurant has an option for grilled chicken and vegetables. However, even though this might seem like a healthy option, restaurants will soak these in butter and oil for better flavoring. To make sure you stay true to your diet, ask for no butter on everything.
(3) Look for the healthy section. Usually at the end of many menus you will find a healthy section. Some restaurants have even gone as far as displaying the nutritional value of these meals! Whoa! I know, pretty cool. Be careful, though, because some “healthy” options may not be all that healthy. It might say something like “low carb,” but it still may have 80 grams of fat. Some restaurants that I have found with healthy sections on their menus include iHop, Applebee’s, Panera, and Bob Evans.
(4) Split your meals. Most meals are large enough to feed an entire family, so splitting them with someone will help you stay on track with your calorie intake. If you don’t split a large meal, you are more inclined to eat it since it is right in front of you.
(5) Go for the fish. Most restaurants have fish available, and fish is a very healthy food loaded with omega-3 fats. Again, make sure you ask for no butter!
(6) Limit the bread intake. Most of you know that before the main meal comes out, the waiter or waitress always strolls by and drops a huge basket of butter soaked bread that smells like heaven. Even though is smells great, it can easily cause you to get off track with your diet. To make it worse, the bread that they offer is not whole grain, but rather white bread, which is a simple carbohydrate. Simple carbohydrates are digested into the system very quickly, spiking the insulin levels causing fat storage. Even if there is a whole grain option, limit the amount you take in.
(7) No dessert. Waiters and waitresses are trained to ask if you want dessert at the end of the meal. Instead of giving in, kindly refuse. From the studies that I have done on restaurant desserts, they can easily pack anywhere from 600-1,000 calories, not to mention the high amount of sugar and fat.
So now when you dine out, you know what you need to do in order to stay on track with your healthy diet. There are ways to eat healthy while dining out, but you have to take initiative and ask for what you want.
Article Source: http://www.articlesbase.com/wellness-articles/how-to-eat-healthy-while-dining-out-3055084.html
About the Author
Ever since I was young, I have been fascinated with fitness and always wanted a job where I could help others. When I discovered the Beachbody Coaching Opportunity, I was able to combine the two and have my dream job! Now I have become one of the top Beachbody Coaches in the country and have helped thousands of people make the transition from a unhealthy lifestyle to a healthy one. I’m very passionate about what I do, and not only enjoy sharing fitness tips, but also tips on positive thinking and staying motivated.
Learn more about me, find excellent fitness and motivation tips, and see my complete body transformation on my site www.iwanttogetripped.com.
