Eating Out When Eating Healthy

Someone recently suggested that I write about eating out with friends while on a diet/trying to lose weight/living healthier. So I'm going to take a stab at it. :)

I'll start with what I try when I go out to eat:

• I try to eat small portions of something if I just get whatever I want, like a cheeseburger (my stomach just growled!). Restaurant food is generally served in big portions and is actually really bad for you.
  
• You really can order a salad, if you want. Just get a lower fat dressing like a vinaigrette, on the side so you control how much goes on.
• Stick to leaner meats like poultry and fish.
•  I try to eat a bit before I go out so that I'm not very hungry.
• Order water instead of pop. I also get milk sometimes.
• Do you NEED dessert?
  

HERE is a link for ten more really good tips that I found online. I'll summarize them here:

1. Predetermine the healthiest options on the menu, either by going online or somehow getting a copy of the menu.
2. Order an appetizer! (I do this a lot. Smaller portions and still tasty!) You can get a salad too if that doesn't fill you up!
   
3. "Beware these high-fat menu buzz words: Cream sauce, butter, oil, au gratin, breaded, Alfredo, battered or batter-dipped, "with gravy," or smothered. Unless you've spared yourself treats for several days and snacked on salad greens all day, these little "extras" aren't worth the extra calories."
4. Modify your meal! Ask for sauce on the side, ask for something to be taken off, whatever makes the meal better!
5. Exactly what I said above- get leaner meats like poultry. You can also have beef, just eat the leaner cuts such as loin or flank.
   
6. Order things that are portion controlled instead of "endless" or bottomless."
7. Have half of your meal boxed up before it's served so keep from eating it all.
8. Takeout: there's healthy options at a lot of ethnic restaurants. Also, you can just eat smaller portions!
9. AVOID BUFFETS.
10. What I said above- have mini meals throughout the day and don't go out to eat when you're STARVING.

If you're sexy like me and working on sodium intake for your blood pressure, here's the DASH diet tips. The DASH Diet was developed specifically for people working on their blood pressure or reducing sodium.

<3 - CFC