Eat Well When Eating Out

One of the biggest problems for dieters can be trying to make healthy choices when dining out away from their own kitchens. This might be due to a dinner at a friend’s house, or at a restaurant, cafe, or similar establishment. There are many different imaginable scenarios where you won’t be cooking your own food, and in these instances it is incredibly helpful for your health and fitness if you know how to make healthy choices!

Eating out is not only sometimes necessary, but is also an enjoyable thing to simply do for pleasure. Many people take joy in cooking, but this of course isn’t true for every person, with some finding it much more exciting to be cooked for!

If you want to be able to eat out, whilst also living a health conscious life, then this is absolutely possible by keeping just a few things in mind.

Plan in Advance

When we feel pressured to make decisions in regards to our food, it can often seem simpler to make less healthy choices. This is certainly easily done when you are presented with a long menu in a restaurant! When everyone else already knows what they want, and you’re still looking through your menu to find a healthy option, you may feel rushed to make a choice.

You can avoid this common pitfall by simply checking the menu on the website in advance to determine what the best option is. This should also give you more of a chance to check out the ingredients in the dishes, and often also the nutritional information of the dish in question, such as the calorie count.

Avoid Added Extras

If you are already hungry when you get to a restaurant then it can be tempting to snack on bread or anything else that is available on your table before your meal. However, not only will this add extra fat and calories to your meal, but it can also ruin your appetite – making the meal to come less enjoyable for you!

Try to wait the extra time to receive your meal, and when you do so, try not to add sauces or oils to the top as this can dramatically increase the calorie count of your meal!

If you feel like you really want to use your favourite condiment, then you can always take small packets or bottles of healthy versions with you and add them to your meal. 

Always Ask Questions

When eating out you should always feel comfortable to ask the person serving you any questions about the dish that you are ordering. When it comes to understanding how healthy your meal is, you can ask how the food is cooked and what has been added. Doing so will better enable you to make an informed decision about what you are going to eat.

You can also simply ask what the healthiest options on the menu are, or request that your meal is prepared in a healthier way. 

Request Alternatives

It is unlikely that you are ever going to be eating out at a place that refuses to be flexible with the food that they have on offer. So, if you see something that you like, but it comes with a side of fries or something else that isn’t in line with your healthy eating ambitions, then don’t be shy to request a salad or portion of vegetables on the side instead.

You can also ask what healthy alternatives your waiter is able to offer you, both as a side dish and within the main meal itself. 

A Word About Dessert

One of the best parts of having a meal out can be the exciting selection of dessert options on the menu. These delicious treats might be things that you wouldn’t usually allow yourself to indulge on at home, and so the temptation becomes even greater! 

It is of course okay to occasionally treat yourself, but if you are eating out regularly and always opting for a high-calorie dessert after your meal, then your waistline will soon be the one paying the price. It is becoming increasingly common to find healthy dessert options when eating out, and you can also simply request a selection of fruit after your meal if you need to satisfy your sweet tooth.

Eating Well When Eating Out

It is much better to consider healthy eating to be an ingrained part of your entire lifestyle, instead of a separate concept that you have to adhere to. It isn’t essential that you always stick to strict guidelines when it comes to your eating habits, and in fact it can be great for your motivation if you have cheat days every now and then. The key is to be kind to yourself and enjoy your food, regardless of the setting in which you are eating it!