Eating out is like gambling with your health. Only God knows what they are putting into our food; salt, fat, and calories are jam packed into even the healthiest of options. Ignorance is not bliss, it’s completely sabotaging your weight loss efforts.
Face it, if you want to lose weight and transform your body you have to learn to cook. You don’t have to become Gordon Ramsay and become a contestant on Hell’s Kitchen. You need to be in control of your food intake and learn the basics of cooking. Click here for group and/or private cooking lessons
Click here to register for Healthy Weeknight Cooking Lesson in 20 Minutes or Less by personal chef Christina Dimacali on Tues. April 6th 7:15PM – 8:15PM.
I live in the real world and I know sometimes it’s just not possible to cook everything yourself and to be perfectly honest I love eating out, Christina has converted me into a complete foodie (Yes I watch the Food Network on a regular basis).
Must Read Book: Eat This, Not That by David Zinczenko
I created a Eating Out Survival Guide, to help keep you on track when you eat out.
1. Be a pain in the Butt. Don’t be a menu wimp, order your food the way you want it. If an item is fried, ask for it grilled. If it comes with french fries, ask for a side of veggies or baked potato instead. Ask for a smaller portion of the meat and a larger portion of the salad. Ask how the food is prepared, you’d be surprised how much butter and salt they add to kill all the healthy benefits of any food. Fried, au gratin, crispy, escalloped, pan-fried, sautéed or stuffed foods are high in fat and calories. Instead, look for steamed, broiled, baked, grilled, poached or roasted foods.
2. Order from the “healthy, light, low fat” entrées on the menu. Most chains will even list the calories and nutritional content of such foods. Applebee’s, for instance, offers approved Weight Watchers options, Bennigan’s has its Health Club entrées (which it will serve in half portions), and Ruby Tuesday lists the nutritional information for its entire menu.
3. Hold the Salt: High-sodium foods include those that are pickled, in cocktail sauce, smoked, in broth or au jus or in soy or teriyaki sauce. Limit these items. Ask that your food be prepared without added salt or MSG
4. Try double appetizers. If there is a nice selection of seafood- and vegetable-based appetizers, consider skipping the entrée and having two appetizers for your meal. Often, that is more than enough food to fill you up. If the appetizers aren’t lightin’ your fancy skip it, and just order your entree. Throw tradition to wind, why waste the calories.
5. Doggie bag anyone? When your entree arrives split your meal in half and put half into a doggie bag or share it with someone. Entrees can easily pack in over 1000 calories and 1000 mg of salt. Buyer Beware!!
6. Go Green First. Scientists at Pennsylvania State University found that volunteers who ate a big veggie salad before the main course ate fewer calories overall than those who didn’t have a first-course salad. Not all salads are created equally – choose a veggie salad avoid Caesar Salads. Keep it tasty but healthy. That means avoiding anything in a creamy sauce (coleslaw, pasta salads, and potato salads), and skipping the bacon bits, cheese, and fried noodles. Instead, load up on the raw vegetables, treat yourself to a few well-drained marinated vegetables (artichoke hearts, red peppers, or mushrooms), and for a change, add in some fruit or nuts.
7. On the side Please! Get your salad dressing and sauces on the side. Dip your empty fork into the dressing, then skewer a forkful of salad. You’ll be surprised at how this tastes just right, and how little dressing you’ll use. Plus, your lettuce won’t wilt and drown in a sea of crap.
8. Do your research. Most chains post their menus and nutritional info on their Web sites. Do a little research before you get there. You’d be surpised how many calories you can save yourself with a little research. If you don’t see anything that’s healthy, pick another restaurant.
9. Read between the lines. Any menu description that uses the words creamy, breaded, crisp, sauced, or stuffed is likely loaded with hidden fats — much of it saturated or even trans fats. Other “beware of” words include: buttery, sautéed, pan-fried, au gratin, Thermidor, Newburg, Parmesan, cheese sauce, scalloped, and au lait, à la mode, or au fromage (with milk, ice cream, or cheese).
10. Ask the waiter to skip the bread basket.
11. I’m thirsty. If you must order an alcoholic drink, forget the margaritas, piña coladas, and other exotic mixed drinks. They include sugary additions that only add calories. Opt instead for a glass of wine, a light beer – I’m a big fan of Sam Adams Light & Amstel Light, a vodka and tonic or a simple martini (without the chocolate liquor, sour green apple schnapps, or triple sec).
12. Order fish. Just make sure it’s not fried. When evaluated food served at seafood chains and independent restaurants, researchers found low-fat and low-sodium options abounded. Plus, you can order seafood so many different ways — steamed, baked, broiled, sautéed, blackened, or grilled. Nix any sauces, or ask for them on the side.
13. Slow Down Flash Gordon! Drink a few glasses of water throughout the meal. It will slow you down, help you enjoy the food more, and let the message get to your brain that you’re full — before your plate is empty.
14. What’s for dessert. Don’t blow it now you’ve almost made it to the end. You can always have some sorbet or gelato. Better yet share it with a friend. Always avoid the Triple Chocolate Meltdown or a mountain of ice cream topped by a second mountain of whipped cream.
15. Don’t Go Hungry! If you go to any restaurant hungry guess what you’re going to overeat. So have a small snack before you head out so your aren’t tempted to go hog wild when you place your order. And don’t skip any meals in preparation for a night of gluttony at your favorite restaurant. Slightly cut back on some of your other meals but never skip any meals.
16. Sweat it Out! Burn off those extra calories by adding a strength and cardio workout. Cardio will burn the fat and strength exercises will build lean muscle and speed up your metabolism.
