After a year and a half many of us are now able to get out
and start living again.

You know, going to museums, visiting elderly family members
and going to restaurants.

And if you’re planning on going out to a restaurant
and you’re also trying to lose weight from being stuck indoors
these past 12 months, proceed with caution.

Proceed with caution?
Yes, going to a restaurant can sabotage your diet plans.
So, if you want to eat out and stay on track (diet-wise)
here are some simple tips.

1) Avoid The Temptations!
a) Drink Up-
If you been dieting for a few months or even years, then you’re
probably aware of the “drink water” before you eat tip.
Some say a glass of water, some say make it two, but today,
researchers say make it one or two glasses of Ice water.
Why Ice water?
It (the water) helps you eat 20% less, come meal time.
b) An Apple Before Dinner-
Dieting experts say an apple (or two) 30 mins. or an hour
before a meal, will help you eat considerably less.
Apples contain a special type of fiber that takes a long
time to digest, curbing your hunger pangs and stabilizing
your blood sugar. And since the apple fills you up,
you’ll be able to resist the bread and butter (before the meal)
and make better choices when it comes to ordering.
Another tip: Green apples (especially the peel) are less
sweeter and more filling.
c) A Bowl of Fruit-
Like the last tip, a bowl of grapes, apple slices, berries
and bananas will also fill you up. Again, it’s the fiber
in the fruit, that’ll help you eat less, come meal time.
d) Eat This Bread-
A number of people pass on the bread when dieting,
but if you feel that a slice every now and then is okay,
make sure to choose Pumpernickel.
Yes, Italian or French bread is the bread most often offered,
but if you plan on sticking to your diet, choose pumpernickel.
The whole grain in this type of bread fills you faster than any other
bread. Plus, pumpernickel contains a special fiber that swells in your
stomach and slows digestion- and this helps you to eat about
200 fewer calories.
e) Exercise-
Before a meal? Yes. Doing some type of activity,
whether it’s 15 mins. of walking (to the restaurant)
or stretching, floods your body with
feel-good endorphins and serotonin.
The better you feel, the more motivated you’ll be to resist
all of the tempting foods on the menu.

2) Beware of The Fat Traps!
You may think that salad dressing or glazed chicken breast is
healthy, but they may actually be “Fat-bombs.”
So, if you want to enjoy your night out and minimize the damage to
your waistline, here are some tips to help you…
a) Cook It My Way-
If you see the words “crispy,” “glazed,” and “crusted” they’re warning signs
you should really pay attention to.
Crispy means the food is fried, crusted means coated with high calorie
foods like breadcrumbs, peanuts or even chips, and glazed means
coated with sugar.
Instead, choose foods that are grilled, spice-rubbed, roasted or poached.
b) Watch The Mustard and Ketchup-
Mustard is low in fat and sugar, but if it’s added to honey, and spread on
your chicken, it’s a high calorie dish, and the mayo and ketchup:
they stimulate your body’s production of the hunger hormone
ghrelin. Researchers say eating condiments on food can
increase appetites by 40%.
So, what do you do?
You can ask for a sandwich without any condiments.
You can ask for a packet (only 1) of mustard, a packet
of ketchup or mayo.
Or you can ask if they have plain yogurt and mustard
for your sandwich, or ask them for seasonings-
i.e. garlic powder, onion powder, basil, chives, paprika,
cayenne pepper or dried parsley.
c) Hold The Dressing-
You probably avoid the ranch and blue cheese dressing,
because of the calorie count, but wait, a little oil and
vinegar adds 200 calories and 25 grams of fat to that salad.
So, what do you do?
Avoid the salad, (make your own at home) and have a
broth-based soup like minestrone or vegetable.
These low cal soups contain 150 calories.
d) Look at The Calorie Counts-
A few years ago, the government made restaurants put the
calorie count of each dish on the menu.
And if you want to eat fewer calories wile dining out,
please make sure to use this information.
Researchers say that people who go out to eat who look at
calorie counts are reminding themselves of their goals (weight-loss)
and are more apt to stay on track.
And one more tip: If you don’t see calorie counts on the menu,
just ask for the food you want, to be cooked in a way that’s
beneficial to your new and improved way of eating.
e) For More Success-
On your diet. Move healthy food to the left.
Your brain is trained to read numbers from left to right,
(as in 1, 2, 3). Putting the healthy choice to the left of the
less healthy choice will push your subconscious to favor it
and reach for it first.


3) Steak or Chicken!
If you enjoy a great steak or a piece of chicken,
just make sure you’re making the right choices.
Listed below, are tips to help make that
chicken or steak less fattening.
a) Chicken-
You decided on the breast because it’s “healthier”
or so you thought, according to a chef, many
restaurants cover the breasts in butter and sauces
to make it more flavorful and less dry.
The better option:
You can ask for your chicken breast to be cooked
(or poached) in broth and some seasonings,
or ask for thighs and legs, (with the skin removed)
which are more tender and cooked without
the sauces and creams.
b) Steak-
You really want to splurge and you really want to
stay on track (diet-wise), so what do you?
To continue on your weight loss journey, you order
the steak that ends in round or loin an avoid the short ribs.
Options like sirloin, tenderloin, bottom and top round have
fewer calories and saturated fats than other cuts.
A six ounce sirloin has 310 calories and 8 grams of fat
and a six ounce order of short ribs has 560 calories and
22 grams of fat.

4) Get Help-Online-
If you don’t have the time (or energy) to track calories
or fat grams, but still want to eat out, get help
from an outside source.
The Source: HealthyDiningFinder.com
Head to this site and look up the foods you plan
on ordering and find out the information you’ll need about that
appetizer, entree or dessert.
—————————————————————————————————
Sources:
* J.J. Virgin, C.N.S. Nutrition and Fitness Expert
* Connie Guttersen, R.D. Ph. D.
* Mitzi Dulan, R.D. Author
* International Journal of Obesity