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10 Tips for Eating Healthy in Restaurants
In an ideal world, everyone would have the time to cook all of their meals using farm-fresh organic ingredients. When you prepare your meals at home, it is much easier to eat healthy because you have better control over how your food is prepared, the quality of the ingredients and the amount of food on your plate. However, the reality is that many people do not take the time to prepare their own meals at home. Instead, many people eat a majority of their meals at restaurants where eating healthy is much more difficult. However, there are steps that you can take to ensure that you are making the healthiest choices when dining out. Learning to eat healthy is a process that eventually becomes routine; and, ultimately, a way of life. Use the following tips so you can enjoy delicious healthy meals.
Tip #1: Ask for what you want!
Next time you eat out, remember that you are the customer, so ask for your meal to be prepared exactly the way you want it! It is your body and your health that are on the line. If you want the dressing or sauce on the side, then order it that way.
Tip #2: Fill up on nutrient-dense, low calorie foods.
Eating foods such as fresh vegetables and non-cream-based soups will provide your body with plenty of healthy nutrients and vitamins, but with a minimal amount of calories. On the other hand, if you reach for the bread basket or the chips, both of which are devoid of any nutrients, you will have eaten a large number of calories that will not satisfy your hunger. So, order the salad (with the dressing on the side) or the chicken vegetable soup.
Tip #3: Be aware of portion sizes!
One of the primary reasons why people are overweight is that they eat too much food at each meal. Most people are unaware that they are eating too much food thanks to a major health-sabotaging trend called “Portion Distortion!” Research has shown that the more food that is put in front of you, as well as the size of the plate or bowl it is served on, the more food and calories you will consume. Nowadays, all-you-can-eat buffets, “value-packs” and “super-sized” servings result in people consuming more food than they need at each meal. The size of just about everything today, including bagels, muffins, sandwiches, subs, steaks, pasta, rice, movie theater popcorn, soda and typical restaurant entrees contain more calories than your body requires at a meal. The additional calories that cannot be utilized by your body are then stored as fat. So, share a meal, get half of it wrapped in advance to go or order two appetizers such as shrimp cocktail and a Greek salad, instead of a full meal. You need to learn how much food you need in order to feel your best. You are all biochemically unique and your personal nutritional requirements are dependent upon many factors such as your lifestyle, age, gender, stress level and activity levels, all of which can change daily.
Tip #4: Slow down and chew your food!
It seems like everyone is either stressed-out, in a hurry or complaining that they “don’t have enough time.” Unfortunately, taking the time to eat is no longer a top priority. How often do you find yourself eating on-the-run, in your car or while you are multitasking? How long does it take you to eat a meal? Research has consistently shown that the faster you eat, the more you eat! There is a reason you have thousands of taste buds on your tongue. However, when eating too quickly, you never really get a chance to taste your food. Additionally, when you eat too fast, the amount of food consumed does not have enough time to register with your brain. This causes you to over-eat. Rather than swallow your food whole, experts recommend that you chew your food until it is liquefied. Gulping bites and swallowing without proper chewing can also lead to various digestive problems such as indigestion, acid reflux, gas, belching or bloating. By slowing down and properly chewing each bite, the digestive enzymes in your mouth can start to break down the food before it reaches your stomach resulting in an increased absorption of nutrients by your body. The next time you eat, take a deep breath, slow down and enjoy your meal.
Tip #5: Make substitutions.
An easy way to increase the nutrient density of a meal is to substitute vegetables for those foods that are calorie-dense but are lacking in nutrients. A few examples of these foods are pasta, breads, rice or potatoes. Ask for a double helping of green vegetables such as spinach, asparagus or broccoli instead of the rice, pasta or potatoes. Your body, health and peace of mind are worth it!
Tip #6: Avoid damaged fats!
Do not eat fried food. Have your protein (turkey, chicken, seafood or steak) baked, broiled or grilled.
Tip #7: When possible, know what you want before you go to the restaurant.
Most restaurants list their menu and the nutritional facts about each item on their website. It is much easier to choose a healthy meal if you have reviewed the menu in advance.
Tip #8: Don’t let your friends influence your choice in meals.
Just because your friends are not concerned with their health does not mean that you need to let them sabotage yours. Stick to what you planned to eat by utilizing tip #7.
Tip #9: Avoid drinking your calories.
The average person’s beverage consumption equals approximately 20 percent of their total caloric intake on a daily basis. In other words, many people are drinking their calories. Water is the only beverage that helps regulate body temperature, keeps you regular, flushes out toxins and boosts your metabolism without any calories. If you have trouble drinking adequate amounts of plain water then add a little lemon juice, cranberry juice or cucumber slices to give it a little flavor.
Tip #10: If you chose to drink alcohol, consume it with protein and fat.
The first thing you are asked by your server is “What would you like to drink?” All other issues concerning alcohol aside, consuming it on an empty stomach is a recipe for diet disaster. Alcohol is the simplest form of all simple sugars. Alcohol gets into your blood stream faster than pretty much any other food or drink, which is why it is added to certain medications. In other words, alcohol spikes your blood sugar level. Since there is nothing else in your system to absorb it, or at least slow it down like protein and fat, your body gets a surge of sugar that is soon followed by a blood-sugar crash! This fast drop in blood sugar causes an increase in your appetite. Even worse, both the alcohol and the blood-sugar crash decrease your ability to make healthy choices. So, if you must have an alcoholic beverage, consume it with a meal that consists of mostly protein and fat, like a steak salad, so that your hormonal system can control the blood sugar response.
Always check with your physician before starting any exercise regimen or change in diet.
This column is intended to provide only general information that may be of interest to the public and is not intended to provide and should not be relied on for specific medical advice. Any questions regarding your personal health and medical issues should be directed to your physician.
 About Cara L. Zaller, CNC
Cara L. Zaller is a CA team member, certified nutrition consultant, group fitness instructor and personal trainer. For the past seven years, she has been coaching clients to improve their health through exercise, diet and lifestyle modifications. She has also worked with private schools to help them improve their choices of food for snack time, enhancing children’s ability to learn and behave better during the school day, as well as eat nutritional snacks.
Cara earned an MBA from The George Washington University and a BA from Emory University. She is certified through the American Fitness Professionals & Associates, as well as through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. Additionally, she has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years and has competed in both aerobics and figure competitions. During the past two years, she has competed in many triathlons.
Have a question for a fitness professional? E-mail your fitness questions to CAmonthly@ColumbiaAssociation.com. Please include your full name, village of residence, phone number and e-mail.
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