Dining out or ordering in from a restaurant can help save time and energy on a busy night, but it can also make it hard to find the right dish that fits into your weight loss plan. It can be difficult to navigate a menu full of sauces, pastas, cheeses, breads, and fried foods. But you still have a choice. Don’t think a meal is out of your control because you’re picking from a menu that wasn’t make with your fitness in mind. Here are some tips for eating outside your home.
If you are ordering from an Asian menu, edamame is a great appetizer. Avoid anything fried like egg rolls or dumplings. Lettuce wraps with steamed or grilled chicken and/or vegetables is also a great option. For dinner look for steamed chicken or fish, no sauce, or stick to vegetables throughout your meal. Asian dishes may seem lighter than other types of cuisine but sauces can contain lots of calories, fat, sodium and/or sugar.
When it comes to sauces, Italian food is probably the most notorious. It will be tough to find something that isn’t covered in creamy, cheesy or meaty sauces. And something to watch out for even before your plates reach you is that basket of bread. It looks great and tastes even better, but is not a great option when trying to lose weight. Since bread has no nutritional value the only reason you will be eating it is to expand your waist. Instead, start with a salad. Something simple and traditional with a lemon and red vinegar dressing and plenty of vegetables. For an entrée, look for grilled chicken or fish, without any sauce, or just stick with vegetables.
Like a basket of bread, a bowl of chips at a Mexican restaurant can tempt you into eating meaningless calories. Don’t snack! If you wouldn’t eat it at home, don’t eat it in a restaurant or off their menu. Luckily, grilled chicken and vegetables will be abundant. Look for a burrito bowl (the ingredients of a burrito or taco but without the shell) or fajitas (without the tortilla). As always, vegetables are a good idea.
If you’re going with something American, such as a diner, deli, sandwich shop, or a local or chain restaurant, your options are along the same line. It’s always safe to go with salad or vegetables with light dressing and no sauce. Again, skip the bread or bread sticks that may end up on your table – if you didn’t order it, don’t eat it. Grilled chicken, fish and turkey are great options. Or have breakfast for dinner with an egg white veggie omelet.
No matter where you eat, always keep it clean and simple. And always ask yourself, is this a meal you would prepare for yourself and eat at home? Or are you using a meal out or ordered in as an excuse to stray from your weight loss foods? In the end, it doesn’t matter if you eat it at your dining room table or a table at your family’s favorite restaurant, it’s still a meal that counts.
~Love to Live Healthy with Josephine Fitzpatrick
Innovation Weight Loss and Fitness
8031 Jericho Tpke Woodbury, NY
469 7th Ave Manhattan, NY
