How can we eat in restaurants without violating the things that I have been trying to teach you in the previous articles? Well, there is a way. In the days we live in, restaurants offer optional food options when ordering. You can still eat healthy if you know what to order and what foods to substitute. Here are some tips and guidelines for eating in restaurants:
1. Instead of pasta, you can order a salad. If ordering salad, it is best to order Italian dressing, light Italian dressing or oil/vinaigrette, or no dressing. Also, ask about the walk-in closet next door. This way you can determine how much dressing to put on your salad. You don’t need to drown your salad in dressing. A little spread will be enough for taste.
2. Watch out for hidden carbs (sugar)! They are in sauces, soft drinks and even spices. A little sauce and spices are fine for flavor, but keep it limited.
3. If you keep your carbs low during the meal, you can splurge on a small amount for dessert. I call this “earning the right to splurge.” However, if you’re already full, there’s no need to eat dessert. You don’t want to be “full” just full (satisfied).
4. Use the “eyeball method”. If you have a chicken breast (or other protein source) on your plate, your fruit and vegetable meal can take up twice the space of your chicken breast (or other protein source).
If you have a chicken breast (or other protein source) on your plate, your whole grain meal, rice, or potatoes may take up as much space as your chicken breast (or other protein source).
If you have a chicken breast (or other protein source) on your plate, get your meal from a less healthy carbohydrate source like pasta, chips, tortillas, sauces, etc. it should take up less space than chicken breast (or other protein source).
5. Be careful what you drink! Many times people will try to eat healthy, rather than counteract what they eat by drinking sodas, sugar-laden beverages, or other high-sugar beverages with their meal. The best beverage choices when eating out are water, iced tea (low or no sugar), or light lemonade.
Note: Sugar sweeteners are bad for you!
Note: Diet soda is very bad for you!
6. You don’t have to finish everything on your plate! You can and should take some home in a container if your plate is too full. You can eat the leftovers later or give them to someone else. Our bodies can only use and digest a certain number of nutrients (proteins, carbohydrates, and fats) at a time. When we eat too much, even if it is a healthy choice, it will go to waste or become fat.
7. When eating at fast food restaurants, you need to be even more careful about what you eat. Be careful with soft drinks, chips, sauces, tortillas, pasta and excess bread. At Jack in the Box you can get pretty full with an Ultimate Cheeseburger and iced tea (without the fries). At Carl’s Jr. you can eat a six-dollar low-carb hamburger wrapped in lettuce instead of bun; again, no chips or soda. At McDonalds, you can order a chicken sandwich of some sort with iced tea or lemonade and maybe throw out half of your bun. These are just some examples. You can “make it work” for yourself.
A great challenge arises when eating in Mexican restaurants, but you can still do it well. For example, if you order a large burrito, order it without sour cream, make sure it has beef, carne asada, or chicken, and by no means think you have to eat the entire “fattening” tortilla it’s wrapped in. . However, if you have another option, ask for a whole wheat or whole wheat tortilla. Some Mexican restaurants have more health-friendly options these days…
8. The biggest challenge of all is eating at buffets or all-you-can-eat restaurants! However, you can still “make it work” for yourself. Remember, you control the food; food does not control you. Think “protein” when you fill your plate. It seems that carbohydrates are “everywhere”. Instead of hoarding a few items you crave, it’s better to get just a little bit of various items, just enough to satisfy your taste buds. For example, instead of lots of fries, just order 2 or 3 fries. Instead of buying a lot of pasta, just buy a little pasta, a little rice, and a little bread. Who cares what people think? Always remember the “eyeball method”.
9. Of course, you can reserve a cheat meal or two for eating out, but don’t overdo it. You want to be able to walk out of the restaurant, not crawl, roll or be carried! If you cheat too much, you could set yourself back several days and counteract all of your discipline from the previous days. Your cheat meal is only allowed as a reward, not as a punishment!