Some tips to dining out and keeping it healthy

Are you all feeling focused this week...have you banked some decent exercise this week? There’s still plenty of time to get up and get moving this weekend. There’s still a chance to concentrate on eating a bit better and drinking a bit more water too...you know you can always do a bit better. Today’s Topic There are times during your healthy lifestyle journey that you will have to eat food that you haven’t prepared yourself. Going out for dinner in a restaurant for example. And if you are someone that does this quite often then the foods you chose can have quite an impact on your progress. I often recommend in the early stages of your lifestyle improvements that you should adjust your food choices when dining out to suit the new goals. Throwing caution to the wind in the early days can undo a lot of work. Here are some tips to dining out and keeping it healthy.

It doesn’t have to be a cheat meal: Just because you are dining out doesn’t mean you have to make bad or unhealthy choices. Chose a dish that you would typically make for yourself at that time of the day. So if you’re meeting a friend for breakfast order eggs or porridge with fruit for example or if it’s lunch or dinner some lean meat with plenty of vegetables and salad. But if you don’t dine out that often and see it as a special occasion then you may want to enjoy foods you don’t typically eat that often, This is perfectly fine and it’s all about finding the balance. You could consider some intermittent fasting perhaps – skipping breakfast if you know you’re having a big lunch out for example.

Choose your restaurant wisely: If you’re planning a meal out that isn’t a cheat meal then chose your restaurant wisely. The menu at the pub is likely to be food that is fried, crumbed and covered in salt so perhaps chose a fish, Mediterranean or Asian style restaurant that would give you more options with fresh ingredients. The choice can sometimes be out of your control so what I suggest is asking for the fried food to be grilled or the pizza topping to be lean proteins and fresh vegetables. One simple change of ingredients could have an impact.

Choose the right sauce: Keep sauces to a minimum and select the healthier option when possible. Chose a red sauce over a white sauce as the white ones tend to be creamier and higher in oils and fat. Yes fats are all good but restaurants can give us far too much. Ask for the sauce to be served on the side so you have control.

Fill up on the good stuff: Try and chose something lighter than a bowl of wedges or white bread smothered in butter. Soup or a side of salad or steamed vegetables. This keeps the vitamins/minerals and fiber up and can allow us to feel genuinely full. Practice portion control: Be mindful of your portions and understand when you should stop eating. Restaurant portions are usually bigger than what you’d normally eat so just because it’s in front of you and you’ve paid for it doesn’t mean you have to eat it all. Ask for a doggy bag and take some home for the following day’s lunch. Eat slowly and recognise when you are full.

Fitness Fact of the week Walking increases muscle tone, endurance and bone density. Your ligaments and tendons in your legs get stronger which means less chance of injuries. You are more productive in a work environment, it improves your quality of life and increases your self esteem. Quote of the week “Being fit and healthy long term requires a permanent lifestyle change, which includes a healthy balance of good nutrition and training” Keep active & see you soon Rosie