Making Wise Restaurant Choices

Being on a diet should never mean that we have to deny ourselves the pleasure of eating out with our family or friends. Especially these days, when restaurants have become places for lunch meetings, catching up with loved ones, and celebrating special times. With a few basic tips and a little bit of thought, a restaurant meal can be greatly enjoyable without sabotaging healthy eating habits. ·Portion Control: This is key when dealing with almost any restaurant meal. Very few restaurants are interested in modesty when it comes to the amount of food in an entrée. The trick is to order wisely, and then eat only half of the food on your plate. This will prevent you from overindulging, with the added bonus of taking home the leftovers to enjoy the next day. ·Be aware of cocktails: A drink with dinner is okay, but at a restaurant, it is very easy for one drink to turn into two or three. Not only are these additional calories (especially many of the fancy mixed drinks that restaurants offer), but you are also less likely to eat wisely if you drink too much. ·Don’t assume that salads are better: There are still those among us who think that if we order a salad for dinner that we are being healthy. This is frequently untrue. Many salads at restaurants are oversize, and when you combine all of the various toppings and salad dressing, they can be extremely high in calories and fat. ·Have an appetizer for dinner: If you don’t trust yourself to order an entrée and eat only half, try an appetizer instead. Now, this does not mean choosing a giant plate of nachos and polishing it off by yourself. Try to find something that sounds delicious but will be a smaller portion. Additionally, many restaurants are now offering small plate options and/or a section on the menu dedicated to healthier or lower calorie options. ·If you can’t skip dessert, share it: A huge caramel covered dessert can undo even the healthiest of restaurant meals. If you must, I recommend ordering one dessert and sharing it. This way everyone gets to indulge their sweet tooth, but can stop after a bite or two.

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