It’s tough to stick to your diet, especially when eating out. You have no control over the ingredients used or the portions, unlike when eating home-cooked meals.
Restaurants serve food that is appealing to their customers. Sadly, most of their foods tend to be unhealthy. They are often high in fat, salt, and sugar, thus making them addictive.
You probably eat out a lot due to your work schedule. Furthermore, eating out is a social occasion for friends and families, thus we cannot rule it out. You just have to control it.
Is it possible to maintain your health plan when you eat out a lot? Talk of having your cake and eating it, too! Here are five tricks to help stay on course.
Check the menu online
The sight and aroma of food may make it difficult for you to stick to your diet plan. Therefore, consider pre-selecting your options online so that you won’t need to make the decision at the table.
Avoid looking at the menu when you get there, lest you decide to change the order. Another trick is to make sure that you’re the first to order to prevent being influenced by what your peers order. You never know, your friends may decide to follow your choice.
Modify your meal
Don’t be afraid to ask for slight changes in your order since most restaurants can modify food if a customer requests. Their menus always have varieties of each of the food groups.
Don’t hesitate to order fried chicken and vegetables if you want to avoid the fries that are on the menu. Or a chicken burger without the bun, if you’re on a low carb diet. The customer is king, and for most restaurants, their goal is to make you happy.
Select the right restaurant
If you have the chance to choose the restaurant beforehand, do your research before settling on one. Check the menu online and familiarize yourself with it. Pick a restaurant that offers healthy meal plans and skip fast food joints.
In addition, ensure that the restaurant has enough food options to choose from. You can select restaurants that either serve steak, seafood, vegetables, or breakfast food to ensure healthy options are available.
Adjust your portions
Restaurants servings tend to be huge. Don’t be afraid to reduce your portions or ask for smaller portions. Plus, you don’t have to eat the whole portion. Well, since you’ve paid for it, consider requesting for half of the portion to be packed for you.
If it’s self-service, it is even better. Fill your plate with half vegetables, and the rest protein and starches. Select whole grain rice or pasta instead of white rice or pasta. For the starters, choose a vegetable option rather than the steak or potatoes.
Skip dessert, especially if you have already overindulged. It is okay to say no to dessert, because once it’s there you may feel guilty not eating it. You can satisfy your sweet tooth by eating fresh fruits and vegetables.
Play it cool
Be calm when your friends criticize your choices and compel you to do as they do. You can take a bite of what they are eating, if you’re sure taking a bite of cake won’t make you want a whole plate. If you can’t, decline politely.
Don’t criticize your friends for their choices, either. Instead, explain to them how healthy eating has improved the quality of your life if they express interest in your food choices.
Sometimes you will be strong and other times your willpower will fail you. Don’t be hard on yourself. Remember that you’re human. If you cheat today, tomorrow is still another opportunity to start again.
The truth is that you can go to eat out with your friends and maintain your diet without just eating salads. Try these tricks today and share your views in the comments section below.
References
- https://www.nerdfitness.com/blog/eat-out-level-up/
- https://health.usnews.com/health-news/blogs/on-fitness/2011/02/17/8-ways-to-stick-to-your-diet-while-friends-indulge
- https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/20-healthy-tips-for-eating-out
