Going Out To Eat Health Tips
Going out to eat is meant to be an enjoyable experience with friends and loved ones. A break from cooking and preparing and a time to sit back, relax and enjoy the ambiance of where you are at with people you enjoy being around.
For many health conscious people, going out to eat can also be triggering or stressful. Maybe you just started a health-kick and are back and forth on canceling dinner plans for fear of "falling off track." Others may have experienced disordered eating in the past and things like going out to eat can be, or sometimes be, a trigger.
Whatever may be the case, below are some helpful and simple tips that I hope bring you ease and confidence on your next social outing, whether that be a meal out, wedding or special event. Food is meant to be nourishing, healing and enjoyable! I hope you find that these tips help to bring the joy back into enjoying a meal out of your home.
Going Out To Eat Tips:
1.) GO HYDRATED.
Our brain will always confuse thirst for hunger. Aim on drinking half your body weight in fluid ounces of non-carbonated water daily to ensure you are properly hydrated.
2.) EAT THE PROTEIN FIRST.
Eating the protein on your plate first (and carbs second) will help to fill you up faster + keep cravings and willpower in check.
3.) DAIRY SWAP.
For those that don't eat dairy, swap cheese for: avocado, hummus or aioli! Ask your waiter for your meal to be cooked in oil instead of butter. These requests are becoming more and more common in restaurants, so never feel bad asking for things you need and make you feel good while out to eat!
4.) ENJOY THE MOMENT.
Most of the time eating out is with friends, family or loved ones. Sink into the moment, chew your food SLOWLY and enjoy quality time with loved ones. Time with loved ones should always be cherished. As a general rule of thumb, you want to aim on at least 20 chews per bite of food. Properly chewing your food from solids to liquids helps to turn solid food into liquid, which is essential for proper digestion, metabolism and satiation.
5.) LIVE A LITTLE.
Diets plain and simple do not work and are not sustainable for the long haul. What you eat on a daily and weekly basis should be nourishing to your mind and body and also have room for the "fun stuff" in moderation. Allow yourself 1-4 "Fun Meals" a week (not cheat meals.. words are powerful). If nothing is "forbidden," then you can more easily enjoy the fun stuff in moderation and not go overboard/deal with "guilt" of "messing up" because the fun meals are part of your weekly routine - if you even want it! B A L A N C E is key.
6.) WORK WITH THE MENU.
If you are reviewing a menu and not seeing anything you love or that fits your health needs, you can always "work the menu." If you do not love the choices being offered in the meal, ask for one of the proteins in a menu item and add two sides of your choice. Example: a menu item lists steak tips with broccoli and mash potatoes. Let's say you want steak tips but nothing else listed in that meal. Kindly ask the waiter for steak tips plus two sides you prefer better such as brussel sprouts and rice or a sweet potato. Waiters are almost always willing to help assist their customers, so ask for what you prefer! If you are gluten free and do not see gluten free items listed on the menu, you can always call ahead and ask if they have gluten free options or ask your waiter. Sometimes gluten free items are not listed on the menu but are available.
7.) PRE-PLAN.
Have an idea of where you are going out to eat and check out the menu prior to arriving. This will give you time to look over the menu and already have an idea of what you will be ordering before you get there so you are not making a quick or rash meal decision. Another suggestion is to google "healthy food near me" and suggest a restaurant to go to that meets your health and taste bud needs!
I hope this helps on your future dining out experiences, and remember to enjoy the experience as much as you can!
Courtney :)
