Healthy Choices When Eating Out

Let’s face it! We all love to go out and eat at bistros. Those, whom are dieting, are inclined to feel like they should not go out to restaurants. It can be a huge stumbling block when dieting. Everybody eats out occasionally. We eat out for a number of causes such as, work, holidays, birthdays, pleasure, and convenience. It is a big part of our lives. This can be a frightening thing for someone attempting to diet! It is one reason lots of folks flop in their dieting efforts. It’s a shame, because that is not how it should be. You can make healthier selections when dining out, and still have a great time.

Many great diet plans are available to help you. I have found that Fat Loss 4 Idiots is the easiest one to follow. You can have your menus planned for you, and you even get to “cheat” for three days. So, you can go out and enjoy a treat at a restaurant of your choice!

Menu Plans Done for You

Follow the guidelines below to assist you when eating out at restaurants:

3 things to stay away from are:
*deep fried foods (anything battered and that goes into a bath of Trans fat oil)
*refined starchy foods (potatoes, rice, etc.)
*any juices, soda, or other sugary foods (whole fruit is great)

Don’t even allow your server bring that basket of bread to your table. Instead, while waiting for your order, sip on water with some lemon wedges in it. You will find that the majority of the time, French fries, pasta or rice is included with your meal. Ask the waiter to exchange with fruit or veggies. Substitutions are usual at most restaurants these days, due to health issues, and restaurants are typically very obliging. If not, go somewhere else.

Don’t expect support from many of the people you dine with. They are usually your friends, family, or business associates. They may not mean to, but they will sabotage your dieting efforts, if you let them. They may kiddingly say things such as “Oh, have some, it won’t kill you just this once”, or “That’s not living if you can’t enjoy that piece of cheesecake”, etc. These are typically the very people who declare to have “tried everything”, and “nothing works”. They have given up, and they need you to keep them company! They need a new hobby if they think that consuming foods that are unhealthy for you is “living’. Ask them if they have ever seen the movie “Super Size Me”.

Here are some very easy exchanges that will make a huge difference in making a smart choice:

Most folks will eat this:
Burger or sandwich
Chips or fries
Soda or other sweetened drink

A better alternative would be:
Burger or sandwich (you can even ask for no bun, and have it wrapped in lettuce)
Salad or veggies
Ice tea or water.

This will spare you a minimum of 400-900 calories each time you eat out. These nutritious choices also cut out the damaging foods many people will select (Trans fat and high fructose corn syrup).

So, you can still dine out, and enjoy all the fun! You won’t feel deprived, so you will continue to lose weight. So, go out and enjoy your favorite restaurant without feeling remorseful!