Healthy tips for Eating Out
Patio season is BACK baby!
If you are in Ontario, Canada then you know what I mean. This patio season has been a long time coming.
Who doesn’t love to get together and catch up with family and friends over a delicious meal and refreshing drinks? I myself have already sat at a couple of patios with my family to enjoy the weather while eating something delicious. And best of all, I didn’t have to cook it or clean up afterwards. I’m living the dream!
But, can you make healthy choices while eating out?
Absolutely!
You can make better choices at every single meal.
But let’s be clear: Eating out on a regular basis is not ideal for your pocket or your wellbeing.
Most restaurant cooks will be more concerned about making the food taste amazing than your health! And all that fat, salt and sugar go a long way to achieving their goals. Unfortunately they don’t do as well in helping you achieve yours.
Add in some alcohol and you are in rocky territory. Especially if you are trying to lose weight or improve your health. Calories from alcohol can add up really quickly. Not to mention that we tend to make poor food choices after a few alcoholic drinks. (By the way, I shared a post last week about low calorie drinks and goodness me, it’s been the most popular blog post ever! The struggle is real, isn’t it? If you missed it, here it is: Are there any alcoholic drinks that are healthier than others?
Eating out is not generally supportive of weight loss or health goals but if it is part of your lifestyle, and you love it, then here are some recommendations to help you make some better choices.
Choose options that include lots of fresh vegetables, lean protein (fish, eggs, chicken, beans, lean beef) and good sources of fat (avocados, extra virgin olive oil, nuts and seeds).
Choose grilled, broiled or steamed options over fried or deep fried. They will have been cooked with less or no fat. I am not mad at fat but restaurants will likely be using a lot of it and you have no control over the amount or quality.
Avoid creamy sauces and order salad dressing on the side.
Portion control. It is very likely that restaurants are serving you a larger portion than you really need. You can either share that meal with someone or have the half packed to be your lunch the next day.
Take your time and eat your meal slowly. It is as much about enjoying the company and conversation as it is about enjoying the food.
And stay hydrated. Always, always drink water :)
Pro tip: Have a high protein snack before heading out so looking at the menu won’t make you feel overwhelmingly hungry. Yogurt with nuts or seeds, a protein bar or a protein shake are some examples.
Gretchen Rubin said it best “What you do every day matters more than what you do once in a while."
Enjoy in moderation.
If making better food choices seems overwhelming, feel free to reach out.