If you’re anything like me, you love to eat out! For some reason, even the simplest meals seem to taste better when someone else does all the work in preparing them (maybe that’s an indicator of my cooking ability). The problem is, when you’re trying to live a healthy lifestyle and avoid high fat high calorie foods, dining out can turn into a stressful event.
Don’t worry though, I’m here to help you get through a night out without falling off the healthy eating train altogether. Below are just a few suggestions about how you can eat out, enjoy yourself and still maintain healthy eating habits. Happy dining!
Leave your appetite at home
What? I know what you’re thinking, “that’s the dumbest thing I’ve ever heard – the reason I’m going out is to eat!” Am I right? Perhaps I should word that a little more carefully – don’t arrive at the restaurant starving.
If you have a small healthy snack before you leave for your dinner date, you’ll be less inclined to order everything on the menu when you get there. It’s the same philosophy behind the “don’t grocery shop on an empty stomach” advice. The hungrier you are, the less control you’ll have.
Be Familiar With the Menu
If you can, look at an online menu or a takeout menu from the restaurant you’re planning to dine at. Have an idea of what they offer and what you’d like to order before arriving to eat. That way, you can avoid looking at the menu altogether, minimizing the temptation to order every greasy dish offered.
Save Your Cheat Meal
If you want to eat healthy for life, you have to cut yourself some slack. You can’t expect to deprive yourself of all he foods you love and stick to it for any significant amount of time.
So, since in your infinite wisdom, you allow yourself a cheat meal or two a week, save that meal for a night that you have dinner plans. By doing this, you’ll be able to eat what you want (within reason) and you won’t have to beat yourself up for it later.
Of course, I did say within reason. A quick clarification on a cheat meal…when you hear fitness professionals talk about allowing yourself a cheat meal, they don’t mean that you should eat a 5 course meal of fried food and dessert to make up for all of your week’s cravings.
A cheat meal is still a fairly healthy meal with an unhealthy option added in. For example, have a smothered chicken breast instead of a plain one or eat a plain chicken breast but have a piece of cake for dessert. The point is to avoid totally pigging out during your cheat meals.
The Old Stand byes
When all else fails, if you’re eating out and your stomach is rumbling and every high calorie dish on the menu is calling your name, break out the old stand byes – chew some sugarless gum, drink a lot of calorie free beverages and eat a big serving of salad. Hopefully these tricks will help you through the temptations unscathed.
Finally, if all of these tips and tricks don’t work and you find yourself binging on cheese fries and chocolate cake – don’t dwell on it. One bad day doesn’t have to mark the end of your healthy living efforts. So, get over it quickly and resume your healthy eating habits after that meal is done.
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