When you are trying to lose weight by following a diet plan, dining out can be an extremely difficult task because whether it’s the menu, your friends, or your fellow diners, you’re surrounded by unhealthy foods. This can lead some to give in to cravings and order beer and hot wings instead of chicken salad.
You Can Still Dine Out Without Cheating On Your Diet
My first suggestion is to do your research before going to a restaurant. These days, most places have their menus listed on their website, so go online beforehand and look up the food choices that can fit into your daily diet. It is a lot easier to make a smart choice when you’re outside of the sights and smells of a restaurant, so try to do this as often as possible.
If you cannot look up the menu before going to the restaurant, it is still a good idea to talk to your waiter or even one of the chefs about healthier menu options. A really helpful trend that I’ve noticed in restaurants is that the menus have a special low-calorie section that has healthy and low-fat options. If you find yourself looking through a menu, search for this section first. Also, talk to your waiter about healthier food preparation methods such as using olive oil instead of fat and grease, margarine instead of butter, etc.
When ordering drinks, it is always better to ask for water, unsweetened tea or coffee, lemonade, or diet soda. Stay away from regular soft drinks and alcoholic beverages because they are loaded with empty calories. During appetizer time, stick to either broth-based soup or salad with no croutons and dressing on the side.
The entree is typically where you will find the most calories of a meal, so this is where attention to detail is important. For example, if you want to order chicken, fish, or seafood, remember to request that they steam, broil, grill, bake, sautee, or poach the food instead of frying it. If it’s meat that you want, order leaner alternatives such as turkey burgers, beef sirloin, skinless chicken breasts, or pork loin.
