Eating out? No worries!

Going out for a meal doesn’t mean you have to undo a great week of eating. It just means you have to make a few changes to how you approach things to stay on track no matter where you are eating. You don’t have quite as much control as you do when preparing meals at home, but you CAN eat out without messing with your routine.

It’s about making the best of every situation, every time.

1. Choose wisely.
If you can, try to always chose where you eat! You won’t always have that power, but take it whenever you can. Some good choices are:
Steakhouses – get yourself a good quality piece of steak/protein with lots of cooked vegetables on the side.
Seafood – there’s many great options at seafood restaurants, go for grilled, lots of salad or veg, and skip the chips!
Pub/bistro – here you’ll be faced with some terrible options for dinner, but also some great ones – stir fries, steak/chicken with veg, grilled fish/salmon options, salad varieties.

2. Check the menu first!
I ALWAYS try to check out the menu before I arrive at a restaurant – most places have menus online these days so there’s no excuse! If you turn up with your fantastic decision already made, it’ll remove the need for any willpower once your friends start ordering their meals. You may also be a sucker for the smell of hot chips (for example) so pre-planning can help here too. It’s also a good idea to order first before your fellow diners, so you don’t change your mind when they order themselves a pizza. And as a bonus, you could even influence your friends to make better choices!!?

3. Ask for what you want!
You may find a meal that’s close to what you want, but not quite there. So, ask your waiter if you can make a few changes so you get what you’re after. Most places will be flexible, their goal is to make you happy, so don’t be afraid to ask. If you want a chicken and veg meal, just ask, no harm done! Ask for no chips, more salad, stuff like that!

4. Skip dessert
It’s always a shame to order a fantastic meal, to then end up ordering dessert just out of peer pressure or lack of will power. If everyone else is going there and you don’t want to feel left out, just order yourself a coffee.

5. Water all the way!
As always, be very careful not to drink your calories. Adding up calories from a few drinks can easily be worth an extra meal – ouch!

Hopefully these tips will help you stay on track next time you’re eating out. This time of year can make for many social outings which usually revolve around food – so stay strong and keep your eye on the prize!

Have a great day

Paula