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How to Eat Healthy when You
Eat Out
One of the most difficult
parts of dieting is the issue of eating out. Whether you are on the run and
pressed for time, or you are meeting friends for dinner, a
restaurant menu
can be a challenge for the health- or calorie-conscious diner. But eating
out doesn’t have to mean blowing your diet for the day. With a little
strategy, you can grab a meal at a fast food joint or enjoy a
leisurely
dinner at a high-end eatery without compromising your weight loss
goals.
The Fast-Food Restaurant
When you need something to eat in a hurry, the drive-through is often the
most convenient option. Unfortunately, as we all know,
fast-food chains are
notorious for their calorie-laden, fat-saturated offerings. The good news is
that, due to an increasingly health-conscious public, franchises are now
offering more nutritious choices alongside the old favorites.
When you order from restaurants like McDonalds or Burger King, choose
grilled chicken rather than the fried version, and pass on the hefty
cheeseburgers. Skip the fries and go for a side salad (ask for the low-cal
dressing) or a yogurt cup with fruit.
Whenever possible, ask for your sandwich without mayonnaise, and forget
about the bacon. Don’t be fooled by a fish sandwich – although
fish is
certainly a healthy food in general, the fast-food version is deep fried and
just as fattening for you as an oil-soaked serving of chicken nuggets.
When you stop to order a sub, you have lots of
healthy choices. Avoid things
like tuna or chicken salad, which are loaded with mayonnaise, and pass on
steak or meatball – especially with
cheese. Ham or turkey, or even lean
roast beef – are great choices. Load up with veggies – skip the mayonnaise –
and add mustard or vinegar, salt and pepper for lots of flavor. If you have
a choice of bread, go for the whole-grain offering.
Casual Dining
While many of the menu items at casual dining restaurants are heavy on the
fat and calorie content, there are often
low-cal and heart-healthy choices.
A soup and a salad can be tasty and satisfying without shooting your daily
calorie intake through the roof. Ask for the dressing on the side so that
you can control how much you end up eating.
Vegetarian menu items are generally a good option, as long as they are not
prepared with lots of cheese or cream. Avoid heavy
pasta dishes, and choose
grilled chicken or fish instead of burgers or steaks. Most desserts at
casual dining establishments are loaded with calories. If you can’t pass up
on the sweets, look for a sorbet; otherwise, your best bet is to share with
a friend, instead of shoveling down an entire portion on your own.
High End Restaurants
If you enjoy the occasional meal at a destination restaurant, it can be
difficult to find health-conscious items on the menu. The chefs at this type
of establishment regard food as an art form and use their restaurants to
showcase their work. Their food is carefully prepared to accentuate flavors
and textures with little or no regard to
caloric content – butter, cream,
and other rich ingredients are the norm.
Some high-end chefs are happy to
prepare healthy dishes not listen on the
menu; you can ask for grilled chicken or fish prepared with olive oil rather
than butter, without sauce. If this turns out not to be possible, do your
best with the regular menu items. Order soup or a salad as an appetizer, and
stick to fish or a vegetarian dish. Fill up with steamed
vegetables, and
skip the bread and the cheese course.
For dessert, a sorbet or a light meringue are healthy options; stay away
from anything with the word “crème” in the name.
While you should make every effort to stay with your diet whenever possible,
the occasional indulgence is not going to hurt – in fact, allowing yourself
a treat now and then can help you stay on track the rest of the time. By
making the healthiest choices you can every time you enjoy a meal away from
home, you will eventually reach your weight loss goals, as well as improving
your long-term health and well-being.
Use Portion Size to Cut Calories When
Eating Out
You must seek approval from your doctor
before starting any new diet.
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