When you’re on a special diet, whether for weight loss reasons or you just want to get enough nutrition to ensure your wellbeing, it’s difficult to stick to it when you go out to eat. With so many choices on the menu, but little labelling about nutritional or caloric content, it can seem like it would just be easier to stay in and cook for yourself instead. However, whether you have a friend’s birthday or a dinner meeting, staying in isn’t always an option, and nor should it have to be!
The good news is, there are certain tools you can utilise, and tips you can follow, so that in spite of eating out, you can still maintain your wellness and a great figure. The first one can be a little bit difficult for us polite Brits but, if you want something changed, ask! If something takes your fancy, but has too much butter or sugar for your diet to accommodate, one of the smartest things you can do is to get the restaurant to change it. If you are polite about the modifications you need when you make your order, chances are that the restaurant staff will be happy to make them. After all, they want you to come back!
When it comes to sauces and dressings, most of them have large quantities of sugar, butter, sour cream and cream, which greatly increase your calorie consumption. If you use teaspoons to measure the amount you wish to consume, you won’t over do it. Size also matters with your portions, and though the restaurant may serve a large portion, you don’t have to eat it all. Eat as much of the vegetable portion of your plate as you like, limit your intake of carbohydrates, and, if you’re worried about wastage, get the rest to take home in a doggy bag for lunch tomorrow.
Finally, with your international cuisine, go for Chinese, French and East Indian restaurants. Though there are a lot of deep fried meats and sugary sauces in Chinese food, they also have tasty and satisfying dishes like steamed veggies and broth-based soups, and even Indian food isn’t that unhealthy if you reduce the ghee, oil and coconut milk as much as possible.
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