So, you’ve decided to upgrade your eating habits, ditch the junk food and clean things up.
You do a great job…
You make some very positive changes…
Your body starts to change for the better…
You are in full control and everything is going super well, until…
Someone invites you out for a meal!!!
You spin off into a world of panic…
‘What will I eat?’
‘There will be nothing I can have!’
‘I’d better turn down the invite! I can’t possibly go!’
Is eating out healthily, possible?!
Although it may seem like everything will be taken from your control when you eat out, and you’ll undo all of your hard work. The reality is, that simply isn’t the case.
You have to be able to have a life, socialise and do ‘normal’ things. You can’t live your life eating every single meal in the house. Food shouldn’t dominate your life and spoil your fun!
So, with this in mind, here are my top tips to eating out healthily and keeping it clean and lean…
- Plan Ahead: In exactly the same way you do with your meals at home and prep for work. Check the menu out online or better still, have a look at a few different restaurants online first, before you make you final choice, then plan which selection you’re gonna go for.
- If You Don’t Ask, You Don’t Get: Just because something isn’t on the menu doesn’t mean you can’t have it. Most restaurant are extremely accommodating and will be happy to make tweaks to their existing dishes, such as swapping pasta for vegetables in a Bolognese for example.
- Don’t Turn Up Starving: It’s so much easier to make bad choices when you’re hungry, so have a small snack before the meal.
- Portion Size: It can be so tempting to eat everything you’re served in a restaurant as it’s so tasty, but pay attention to what your body is telling you…when you are satisfied/full…then it’s time to stop. The same goes of number of courses. Rather than go for all 3 courses why not just choose two.
I also get asked a lot…
‘What is the best style of restaurant to go to to eat healthy?’
The answer is, you really can eat anywhere. It’s just all about making the best choices possible.
For example, at an Italian restaurant you can get a chicken/fish/steak dish with a tomato based sauce and vegetables. At a Thai/Asian-Fusion restaurant you can opt for stir fry, rice noodle dishes and soups, and at an Indian restaurant you can choose things like tomato-based curries, dry tikka dishes and just ditch the breads.
Oh and don’t forget the alcohol. If you are going to have some alcohol, it’s a good idea to alternate an alcoholic drink with a glass of water as a means of damage limitation.
The bottom line is, living a healthy life should also be a happy life, and happiness comes from socialising, trying new things and having fun experiences with those you love.
Enjoy your next meal out!
