10 Dynamite Tips for Making Healthy Eating Choices at Restaurants

Eating out doesn’t have to spell disaster for your health & fitness goals. It’s still entirely possible to enjoy a hearty & great tasting meal without creating a calorie bomb. Here are 10 dynamite tip for making healthy eating choices while dining out.

1. Check the menu online beforehand

Many times, lack of planning beforehand can make it more likely that a less than ideal food choice will be picked. If you can commit to knowing what food will be selected ahead of time. If you can commit to knowing what food you will select ahead of time, then you will be much more likely to make a good choice.

2. Look out for certain words on menus

Words like loaded, stuffed, sauteed, etc. almost always imply that there are plenty of calories contained within that meal. If you eat out frequently, you can still consume these foods in moderation, but try to avoid going overboard.

 

3. Order a high protein & high fiber appetizer

This works very well if you have this type of meal shortly before going out to eat. Doing this will help to satiate you, and make it much less likely for you to overeat. The reason being is that fiber is a type of complex carbohydrate that digests slowly into the bloodstream, and combining casein rich proteins will further help in this.

 

 

4. Drink a tall glass of water before ordering your food

Like above, doing this will help to better satiate you, thus making smart & conscientious food choices easier.

5. Know the difference between cuts of meat!

For example, a porterhouse steak is much calorically dense than a sirloin steak, and you can have a greater amount of sirloin for the same or similar amount of calories. This, of course, also gives you more total protein.

 

 

6. Ask for butter, sauce, or dressing to be put on the side.

Restaurants often drench foods in butter and sauces for better flavoring as a marketing tactic. Potatoes and salads are great examples of this. By asking for these to be put on the side, you can manage how much or how little is put on.

 

7. Ask for double the vegetables on the side

Vegetables are very nutrient dense, and are usually low in calories. This will again make it easier to help fill you up without creating a calorie bomb.

 

8. Look for foods that are labeled baked, grilled, or boiled.

These methods of cooking are the healthiest, making it less likely that secret high calorie additives will be contained.

 

9. Immediately ask for a takeout box when receiving your meal.

A study from the Center for Science in the Public Interest found that many restaurants serve portions that are triple or even quadruple that of a recommended portion size. Avoid overeating by immediately putting half of your entree into a to-go box to eat as home leftovers.

 

10. Put down the fork between each bite.

This is a psychological trick to help signal to your body to be more mindful, making it more likely that you will be able to better assess your hunger levels before continuing to eat.

 

Conclusion

There are countless tips and tricks to make healthy eating choices feasible while dining out, but these are 10 of the top methods. Next time you are asked to go out to eat, don’t be a recluse and turn down the offer out of fear of cheating on your diet. It is entirely possible to eat a hearty and healthy meal at restraunts by following these ten methods.