78 | HEALTH & FITNESS
My doctor has ordered me to eat healthily and I find I can do it at home, but it is difficult when eating out. How do I make healthy choices without eating boring green salads all the time? Vijay P.
Eating at a restaurant does not have to sabotage a healthy diet! It just takes the use of smart-eating strategies. The first strategy would be to plan ahead. I would consider the menu and choose foods carefully to keep you on your plan. Eat a light dinner if you ate a big lunch that day. Or if you know ahead of time that you’re going to a restaurant, cut back on calories during other meals that day. Many restaurants have websites with the full menu and may give you the nutritional breakdown of items. Consider meal options at different restaurants and look for places with a wide range of menu items that fit into your nutrition goals. When ordering at a restaurant, it is helpful to know menu terms and cooking basics which will make ordering easier, especially if you need to control calories and fat. Look for foods that are steamed, broiled, baked or grilled, and limit fried and sautéed
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items or foods described as “crispy,” “rich” or “au gratin.” Balance your meal by including foods from all the different food groups: meat, dairy, fruits, vegetables, and grains. Many restaurants honor requests, so don’t be afraid to be assertive, ask menu questions and make special requests. For sandwich toppings, go with low-fat options like lettuce, tomato and onion; use condiments like ketchup, mustard or relish; and low-fat or fat-free dressings. Don’t be afraid to ask your server to round out your meal by ordering healthy side dishes, such as a side salad with low-fat or fat-free dressing, baked potato or fruit instead of options such as fries. Don’t just eat what is put in front of you either; many restaurants serve huge portions, sometimes enough for two or three people. Bring leftovers home for another meal or split the meal with a friend or two.
Finally remember to eat slowly. It takes about 20 minutes for your brain to get the message from your stomach that you are no longer hungry. Fast eaters often are overeaters, while slow eaters tend to eat less and are still satisfied. n
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