Don’t Let Dining Out Derail Your Commitments

It is not realistic to assume that you will never eat out again just because you’ve decided on a healthier lifestyle. Whether you are faced with a fancy menu or standing in the buffet line, there are always healthy food choices. When you explain you have a need to eat healthy, ordering appetizer-sized entrees and entrée-sized veggie portions will help, and you likely will not be charged extra for avoiding unwanted fat and calories.

During the holidays, every week seems to present its own agenda for reasons to dine out. Without a conscious effort, it can be a surefire way to derail your plans for healthy eating, so be prepared to make good food choices. Whether you only eat out on a rare occasion or have to dine out frequently as a way of life, making smarter food choices and consuming proper sized portions will allow restaurant options to fit into your overall plan for healthy eating.

It is not that hard to eat well even when you are dining out. The good news is you don’t have to be perfect ever time. Listed below are tips for healthy eating regardless of the meal:

• Eating Breakfast Out – Breakfast buffets have become a popular option for today’s “eat-n-run” crowd. Avoid that healthy looking glass of fruit juice as it may contain added sugar and eat fresh berries.
• Eating Out at Lunch – Salads have become a mainstay of many lunchtime menus and rightfully so. The right ingredients of water-filled vegetables, fresh berries, leafy greens, and nuts can satisfy your taste buds and keep you satiated.
• Eating Out at Dinner – When eating out at dinner, consider ordering from the appetizer menu, add a side salad or side of fresh vegetables. You can fill your tummy without sacrifice to your commitment for eating healthy and living well.

The good news is that it is possible to dine out at most restaurants without derailing your efforts to eat healthy and live well. Just keep a few tricks up your sleeve and you will always be prepared to make healthier choices for living well. A side of vegetables in a restaurant is often more of a garnish than it is a real serving. When ordering, ask for double or triple the normal serving size and offer to pay extra for them to be grilled in a little olive oil instead of butter.

You might have heard that calories don't count during the holidays. Unfortunately, most people use such logic to get them off the hook for weeks. At MRC online, you can learn more about making smart choices when dining out. Visit Metabolic Research Center to discover what makes your body different and learn more about what to do when you eat out over the holiday season.