Select Restaurant Options That Match Your Menu Plan

If you made a commitment to living well, you should have already made the decision to eat healthy on meals you cook from scratch. However, never eating out again is not sustainable so it is important to learn how to make healthy choices. Eating out can be a special treat when it is not convenient to prepare your meal at home. However, it should not be considered a free-ticket to abandon your new eating habits or endanger your commitment to living well.

Check out the restaurant’s menu online and try to focus on the process of ordering once you are at the table. Select the best options that match your menu plan, ask about healthy substitutions, and order first to avoid feeling pressured. Just because you are not preparing the food in your kitchen does not mean that you do not have control over what you eat when dining out. Restaurants are more health-conscious than ever and allow diners to exercise more control.

Whether you are trying to lose a few pounds or make dramatic changes to your lifestyle, much of the difficulty of dining out can be avoid by following a few tips:

• Plan in Advance – Do your due diligence before you go to the restaurant. Online menus can give you a head start on making good food choices when dining out. That way you can make the same realistic selections that you would have made at home.
• Stay Hydrated – A bona fide effect of drinking water before eating is that it temporarily takes up space in your stomach and can contribute to feelings of fullness while you are consuming a meal.
• Ask for Substitutions – Eating out should be an enjoyable experience, however for those who have made a commitment to eating healthy, it can sabotage your efforts for living well. Fortunately, by asking for substitutions, you can enjoy a guilt-free meal at any quality restaurant.
• Order Colorful Foods – Many restaurants today feature eating with the seasons. When dining out, selecting a variety of colors throughout the year is a smart solution for healthy dining. For example, root vegetables like squash are a mainstay for fall.

Eating away from home should be an enjoyable experience and not something you should fear. If you do your homework, ask the right questions, and make good food decisions, it will work out just fine. Most restaurants today honor portion downsizing. Moreover, when you ask for smaller portions of the bad food items, you may end up getting a larger helping of good food on your plate.

Metabolic Research Center provides personalized menus that work for almost everyone, including individuals with certain medical restrictions and food allergies. Plus, we show you how to use what you’ve learn to enjoy a delicious guilt-free meal when dining out. Preparing a holiday meal. Check out healthy recipes at Metabolic Research Center online. We've been helping clients develop successful strategies for a healthy eating out or dining in for more than three decades.