There's a big misconception that in order to be healthy, you have to skip all the fun stuff. That's just not true! In the next few blog posts we'll tackle several scenarios and how to make good choices while still having a good time and not feeling like a weirdo!
Since we are in the middle of a holiday week, let's discuss the challenges of staying on track with a healthy lifestyle while attending special events, enjoying your weekends with friends and family, and dining out. When you get on a good path with your nutrition and you are preparing your meals at home, it is pretty easy to stay on track. As soon as you start eating at the mercy of others, you can lose your way quickly. It's important not to destroy relationships, come off as aloof, or even offend those whom you love. So how do you find the perfect balance? I find the trick is in knowing what to expect and not falling for the usual stuff.
Scenario #1: Eating out at a restaurant
I spent 10 years working in restaurants and I will be the first one to tell you that eating a nice meal out with friends is one of the best things ever! It can be challenging because restaurant portions tend to be extra large and the chefs put extra fat and sugar in everything because they want it to be as delicious as possible.
So, let's start at the beginning. When you sit down at most restaurants they offer you either a bread basket or a basket of chips and salsa. They do this for two reasons. One is to satisfy you immediately so that you're not impatiently waiting because you are likely hungry already. The other is to begin to fill you up a with all the happy feelings of enjoying comfort food. Eating foods full of carbohydrates actually makes you happier because they release a quick shot of energy to your system. So as you munch away on those happy feeling foods, you start to think about all the other delicious things you might want to order.
The next step is your drink order, be very careful here. Be very deliberate in what you choose to consume that is liquid. Liquid calories go down much easier than solid. Whether it's a fancy soda drink or a cocktail, they are loaded with sugar, sometimes cream and will ratchet up your calorie count faster than you can blink. They also ratchet up your final bill rather quickly. So if you have planned on having a drink or two, be careful with the refills. Otherwise stick to water with lemon or maybe some tea.
When it comes to ordering your main dish don't just stick to the entrees. Don't be afraid to look at the appetizers as a main dish. If you choose to have an appetizer with your dining companions, be mindful of how much you are consuming and order your entree, or another appetizer as your entree, accordingly. Most restaurant entrees are double the calorie count of something you would make at home that would be similar. They want to make it extra delicious remember?
Back when I was working in that industry, I had the opportunity to work in a couple of fast casual restaurants. I won't name names but I will tell you that one of the most popular restaurants that you probably have frequented, microwaves everything. They pull everything out of a cryovac bag and warm it up. After seeing this first hand, I was never able to justify paying anyone to cook it for me again, especially considering the service was usually pretty crappy too. Honestly, our family chooses to go out to eat very seldomly and when we do, we go to nice restaurants. Our philosophy is to dine on things that we couldn't prepare at home. It costs more per plate but the experience is always worth it, and we don't over eat. The other bonus to eating at a fine dining restaurant is that the portions are not out of control. I used to laugh, when I worked in fancy restaurants, at the people who would complain about how small the portion was, not understanding the high quality ingredients and the amount of time and preparation that went into the meal. Remember this, if they give you a huge quantity, it's to make up for lack of quality. So even if you can't afford fine dining, be very selective of where you eat. Choose restaurants that offer fresh ingredients, choose whole foods, opt for meals prepared with lots of spices and vegetables that are unique or special and don't fall for the ones that come with two sides especially if they are both starch, like potatoes and corn.
As I mentioned before it's a good idea to choose to order the appetizer instead of the main entree. Many times restaurants offer an appetizer that is a smaller version of one of the entrees. You can eat this and perhaps a side salad for less than the actual entree, and without the excess food and side items that you don't need to eat. Make dining out a "dining" experience, not an "eating" experience. Take the time to savor your food, enjoy good service and good company, and please don't forget to tip! 20% is standard, no matter where you are (even takeout). If anything was less than perfect, let the manager know, it's not the server's fault...unless it is, then still give them 10%. Their base wage is ridiculously low and they are likely doing their best. Happy dining!!!
