Do You Know What to Do When Eating Out?

It's much easier to control portions and ingredients when you cook meals at home. For people who are counting calories, eating out is anxiety-provoking. How many diets are derailed when someone has to eat out on a regular basis, or goes on vacation? It doesn't have to be that way.

First, it's important to realize that counting calories isn't always necessary — provided you are eating the right foods. Calorie counting can be a temporary tool when trying to achieve a specific goal, but it shouldn't become a way of life, it's simply not sustainable. The goal is to eat a balanced, nutritious diet of real, whole foods that don't consist of empty calories. The problem is that restaurant meals are over-proportioned and consist of a lot of fillers. Let's break down a standard restaurant meal, then discuss ways to make it a healthier choice.

The average restaurant meal consists of bread as an appetizer, a soup or a salad, a main course with one or two sides, and possibly dessert. Add a beverage. The potential here is a whole lot of calories, especially when you consider that much of the meal consists of simple carbs and starch.

How To Make Your Restaurant Meal Healthier

• One of the first and best decisions you can make is to skip the bread. This is often brought to the table before anything else, when you're at your hungriest. Avoid it. Cutting out the bread is a great first step.
• If you are actively trying to lose weight, skipping wine or beer is a must. Avoid sugary beverages — just stick with the water. Drink a full glass while you wait for your meal, it'll help fill you up a bit so you don't overeat.
• When it comes to soup or salad, make smart choices. Be sure to get your dressing on the side, and if you choose soup, skip the cream-based variety, as well as soups that contain pasta.
• Ask for a takeout box with your meal. Put half of it in the box so you don't eat the whole thing. Restaurant meals are far too large.
• Finally, skip the potatoes and pasta. Choose a lean entree and order more vegetables. If you choose dessert, ask for fruit.

Eating healthy at restaurants is possible, just make good choices. If you can manage it, try not to be too hungry when you go, it will help you avoid gorging on bread or appetizers!

At Metabolic Research Center, we show people how to create a healthy lifestyle based around real food. This doesn't just help you lose weight and look your best, it creates a healthy, sustainable lifestyle.