healthy eating and lifestyle's blog

eating out - can be healthy

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Who doesn't love to eat out?

I know I do. As I've mentioned in other blogs, I love food. I very much enjoy all the different flavors that can be offered.  I was completely excited to find out that Raleigh is becoming more diversified in it's eateries!  There is a Czech restaurant in Cary now, a Cuban/ Argentinian and Lebonese restaurant downtown.  I can't wait to try!

But when you're serious about losing weight, eating out is very dangerous. You can ruin an entire week worth of work in one evening out.

So how do you still enjoy eating out and sticking to your guns?

1) If possible, pre-plan.  Look up the restuarant online and see if they have a menu and their nutritional information listed on their website.  Many chain resturaunts do.  Cheesecake Factory does not, however, The Daily Plate has a listing of many of Cheesecake Factory dishes and their nutritional info.

2)  Many of the more individual resturuants will have menu's but not nutritional information. But that's ok. You can still get an idea of what nutritional information can be. For example, let's say I'm going to Klara's Restaurant in Cary and I look up the menu online and see I might enjoy the "Kureci Smes PRAHA, Bramboracky"  (Chicken Prague). I can just Google that by saying "nutritional information for XXXXXX"

It doesn't always work, but you can get very close to get an idea of what you will be consuming.

3)  If you just want to wing it! Just avoid things that say "Cream Sauce", "deep fried" (pan fried is much better), buttered, etc.  Using Klara's as an example again (because I'm dying to go here - haven't had Russian food since I moved to NC), If you look at the dinner menu , the Sunrise Chicken or Chicken Prague will be much healthier than the Bohemian Roast Beef.  Primarily because Chicken breast is MUCH leaner than Roast Beef (very fatty) plus the Roast Beef has a cream sauce, where the other two chicken dishes have lots of vegetables and no cream sauces.

4) You can also always order your items special.  I have found by personal experience, that most restaurants will alter the item on the menu for nutritional needs.  For example, if you go to Outback, they slather their steaks in butter while grilling.  You can tell them you want it diabetic and they will grill the steak without the butter.

Ask for sauces on the side so you can limit that "cream sauce" instead of having your food drenched with it.

At Vic's - downtown, I LOVE the Lobster Ravioli, but it comes with a pink cream sauce (read LOTS OF FAT and Calories!) so I ask to have mine with the homemade marinara instead.  They are always happy to obligue.

5) Most restaurants give you WAY More food than 1 portion (1 serving).  When you get your plate immediately divide it up so that what you eat is still one serving. The rest, you need to take home. You can immediate ask for a to-go box to get it off your plate so your not tempted to pick later.

EAT SLOW. Enjoy it.  Eating your meal should take 20-30 every time. If your eating faster than that, your eating too fast and not chewing properly. It takes 20 minutes for your brain to catch up with the signals from your stomach to let you know your full.

If it's a restaurant you've been too before and you know they offer a lot of food? (Ex: Cheesecake Factory) then share it. Buy 1 dinner and ask for an extra plate. Most places will charge you anywhere from $1 to $5, but it's still cheaper and it keeps you from overeating.

When I go out with my hubby and a friend and his wife - we often just get 2 dinners, ask for 2 extra plates and then we all share and there is PLENTY. Usually even some still left over. It makes it fun, like Tapas style. 

Eating out doesn't have to be ignored or boring. Dieting itself doesn't have to be boring. Wake up those taste buds! Enjoy food!

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