Top 7 Restaurant Dining Slimming Tips

Dining out is one of life’s most pleasurable experiences.  However it can be a little too pleasurable for some! A martini here, a few bites of chocolate mousse there, fresh bread dipped in olive oil … soon enough your belly will be bulging out of your pants. The good news is that with a little planning and discipline, you can still eat out and maintain your waistline. (pic is of my coworkers and I dining out at Le Rouge Tomate)

Here are some common problems areas and tips on how to deal with them:
1.  Portion sizes. Portion sizes in most restaurants tend to be oversized. Cut down on the portion sizes by:
– Splitting an entree with a friend
– Ordering a half order of pasta for your entree, along with an appetizer
– Ordering two appetizers instead of an entree
– Taking some food home in a doggie bag
– Avoiding those restaurants known to serve large portions
– As soon as the food comes, portion off an “appropriate” amount to eat
– Ask the waiter to bring you only 1/2 of your entree and wrap the rest up for you to take home

2. Excessive fat.   Restaurant foods are often high in fat. Your meal probably contains  
more fat than you realize, whether it is the olive oil drizzled over your salad, the oil used to sauté the portebella mushrooms, or the butter added to the marsala sauce. For example, butter is often added as part of  a roux to thicken a sauce. This is rarely stated on a menu.  Also many chefs “top off” the supposedly plain grilled fish, meat or poultry with butter. Here are some tips to cut down on fat intake:
– Avoid fried foods
– Avoid sauces containing butter, cream or cheese. Keep in mind that oil, although low in saturated fat and cholesterol, has the same total fat and caloric content as butter.
– Request that salad dressings and sauces be served on the side
– Ask questions – don’t assume what ingredients are used.
– Request foods be prepared your way.

3.  “All-inclusive meals” These meals include appetizers, entree and dessert. We may feel compelled to eat each course because it is included in the price. It is generally recommended that “all-inclusive” meals be avoided. Avoid these meals! Order a la carte instead. It’s better to pay an few extra dollars by ordering  a la carte than to deal with the cost and embarrassment of having to buy new clothes!  (Pic is of me being “force fed” dessert)

4. Alcohol. Aside from being high in calories, alcohol tends to weaken willpower and  may impede the body’s ability to burn fat. Therefore, it is best to limit your intake of  alcoholic beverages. (This man seemed to be enjoying his vodka and tonic … wonder if he overindulged later on?)

5. Too hungry by the time food arrives
   – Make dinner reservations earlier
– Plan an afternoon snack between lunch and dinner. This will help get your blood sugar up so you won’t be so hungry at dinner.
– Fill up on water or a club soda, rather than rolls and high calorie appetizers. The club soda is good because it will make you feel bloated and less likely to want to eat.

6. Little willpower.   Try to plan your meal in advance. It is much easier to think about
what you are going to order before you get to the restaurant than to make wise choices once the menu arrives. Check out the menu online ahead of time so you can plan in your mind what you’ll eat. Push the bread basket away from you.

7. Extra’s  (i.e. bread and butter on table) For some people trying to lose weight, bread can be a  major problem. There is nothing wrong with eating a piece of bread, but when one piece leads to four, this can be trouble!  Stay tuned for my tips on how to avoid eating the bread on the table…