Fitness Nutrition - How to Eat Out at Restaurants

Odds are good that you're going to to find yourself out at a restaurant with friends or family. According to the National Restaurant Association, the average person eats out 4.2 times per week. That's a lot. Eating, unfortunately, is not always "just for fuel". Sometimes, eating is a social activity as well!

So what's a girl to do? You've got to have a strategy. I love to say; failing to plan is planning to fail. You get my point. Anyway, there are a lot of tactics you can employ to ensure that you are not overeating, and that you're still able to get a nutritious meal without overdoing the fat and calories.

Watch out for sauces and dressings. It's hard to control portions when the sauce is already on your food, or your salad is swimming in dressing. If you have to shake the dressing off your lettuce leaves before you can eat them; you should have ordered the dressing on the side! Also, these days, most restaurants have low fat and low calorie options. Just ask. And then, just do it! A broth or tomato based sauce is going to do a lot less damage than a cream sauce. A vinaigrette will be lower calorie than a creamy dressing. It's not really rocket science. Once again, a lot of items have a lower calorie, lower fat option that usually tastes just as good. Plus, knowing you're making a choice that is bringing you closer to your goals is inspiring.

Let's talk about meats for a second. Getting enough protein is essential. We all know that. So, choosing the right forms of protein, prepared in ways that are advantageous to your goals, is critical. Go for meats that are baked, broiled, poached, steamed, or grilled. It's obvious that it's not beneficial to eat foods that are fried. I don't need to tell you that! Also, exercise portion control. The typical serving size at a restaurant is usually much larger than what you need. A "serving" of meat is about 3 oz; roughly the size of a deck of cards. If you want to see a cute chart on portion sizes that clears it all up, you can visit the WebMD Portion Size Plate and check out the comparisons.

Speaking of portion control...learn to share. It's really that easy. If you just have to have something; don't deprive yourself! Just cut the damage in half by splitting it with someone!

And, of course, there are the obvious strategies...stop eating before you're full. It takes about twenty minutes for your stomach to send the "full sensation" signals to the brain. If you eat slowly, you give your brain time to catch up. That way you don't risk overeating as quickly as if you were to scarf down your food. (Which you probably wouldn't do anyway because that just wouldn't be lady-like!) Sometimes, especially if you're having a few cocktails with friends, you may not even be hungry enough anymore for a full entree by the time it arrives. How many calories and fat can you avoid by maybe just ordering an appetizer with your drinks, or once again, splitting the main course with someone? Don't worry, if you do over-order, that doesn't mean you have to over-eat...just take it home.

For more advice on eating out at restaurants, you can visit The National Restaurant Association and check out some great tips.

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