Many people look forwards to eating out because it gives them a chance to have their favourite foods! The only problem is that when dinning out there is a very good chance of destroying your weight loss efforts! (Been there, done that!) Especially if you are forced to dine out on a more regular basis.
Any great diet out there will allow for some sort of weekly cheat meal, where you can have anything your heart desires like French fries, a cheesy burger or even a big pizza! The benefits of a cheat meal are quite clear however remember that it is a cheat meal, not a cheat day.
I do understand though that sometimes life can be hectic and we are forced to eat out more than once a week for whatever reason. That’s why it so important to learn how to make the healthier choice at a restaurant if we want to lose weight in the long-term. Here is a couple of tips on doing just that:
• Eat only half the amount of food on your plate and save the rest for the next day. This way you are consuming only half the calories and get to enjoy the meal more than once! And on the plus side, you end up saving money as well!
• Share your dish with a dinning partner. This is a great way to save on calories especially if you have someone who is on a weight loss goal with you for support. And by the way, sharing a dish means only half the price, so you save money again!
• When eating out try limiting your intake of calories. You can do this by not having any of the appetisers, bread, side dishes or ‘high calories beverages’. After all, these can be a great source of unnecessary unwanted calories!
• Make your favourite dishes healthier! If you ask your waiter to keep the extra sauces on the side you will have greater control of how much you eat and therefore how many calories you consume.
• If you know your calorie intake is going to be greater in the next couple of days, try getting extra exercise. Weight loss is all about balance, not necessary how much you eat, so if you know that your calorie intake is going to higher than usual counter-act it with an extra hour of exercise!
Eating out isn’t necessarily just about delicious food, it’s about enjoying the experience as well like the atmosphere, the social scene and the pleasure of being waited on. Challenge yourself to enjoy healthier meals while dinning out. And remember that healthy meals can be a real treat too!