There comes a time in the weight loss journey where a party invite or dinner plans put you on edge. You’ve been eating clean, exercising, and don’t want to reverse your progress with a juicy burger or bite of chocolate cake. An article by Lauren Powell delves into practical tips for dining out and enjoying the food, all without jeopardizing your progress.
Preparation
The first tip is simple but impactful. Don’t starve your body before, or do a heavy workout just to earn your meal. Powell notes to keep your meals lighter during the day, making sure to eat enough protein. Starving yourself before might cause you to overindulge when you finally get to the meal. Some ideas for a light meal include a handful of almonds with lunch meat, a small chicken salad, or a snack plate with cheese, veggies, and sliced chicken breast.
Hydrate
The second tip Powell provides is even easier than the first: Water, water, water! Don’t forget to stay hydrated throughout the day (and every day). Water not only helps with hydration, but it helps you feel fuller longer. Powell recommends drinking water during the meal and using it as a palate cleanser. You can order other drinks alongside it, but drinking some water after finishing a bite of food helps you better appreciate the drink’s taste.
Practice control
Powell also urges readers to escape the “see-food” diet. Having food in front of you doesn’t require you to eat it. It’s easy to snack on chips and salsa or mozzarella sticks before your main dish arrives, yet this makes it hard to keep your consumption in check. Maybe take one piece of bread, or choose a number of chips and stick to it.
The Main Meal
Dips, sauces, and dressings make or break a meal. Instead of completely forgoing the dips because c’mon, that’s insane, Powell recommends dabbing instead of drenching your food. This helps you escape loaded calories that come with honey mustard sauce or blue cheese dressing.
Prioritize protein
When scanning the menu, focus on the options that center on protein. Protein helps with satiety because it takes longer for your body to digest. Also, protein-centered entrees are usually surrounded with veggies, which are full of complex carbs and are a key source of micronutrients and fiber. Fill up on what your body needs first. For example, if ordering a dish with fries on the side, either eat them intermittently or save them until the end. This helps you save room for the “nutrient-rich” parts of your meal, leaving the other stuff for if you’re still hungry at the end.
Eat mindfully
It takes around 20 minutes for your brain to realize that your stomach is full, which makes it simple to eat more than our bodies need. It’s easy to eat fast when watching a captivating game on screen or listening to your friend’s juicy story, but slow it down. Eat mindfully, Powell writes. This allows you to savor your food and for your brain to catchup to your stomach. This tip is also helpful when deciding about seconds. Take around 10 minutes after finishing your food before getting up for seconds.
Dessert
When you reach the dessert section of the meal, don’t fret! This doesn’t have to be off-limits. Powell recommends splitting dessert with a friend or having some and saving the rest for later. That way, you can have your cake and eat it too! Feel free to take leftovers for your food as well. The see-food tip above goes for dessert too. Just because it’s on the menu doesn’t mean it needs to be on your plate.
Practice these tips the next time you’re watching a game at a friend’s house or having a date night. Even accomplishing one is beneficial, making it easier to stay healthy over the long run.
