Tuesday, March 20, 2018

Tips for Eating Out

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Here are a few of my favorite quick tips for making healthy choices when eating out.

1. Know the menu ahead of time & have a plan. (For example, at a Mexican restaurant, you can get sopa de pollo, or the fajita veggies with no wrap or chips, extra salsa!)
2. Don’t be afraid to ask for your meal to be specially prepared, sauces on the side, leave off butter, etc. (FYI- Grassfed butter is actually a great healthy fat choice in the correct portion size, but because most restaurants are using a cheap grade of butter, I would avoid extra butter when eating out.)
3. Ask the waiter not to bring the rolls. (I know, boo!)
4. Choose either an appetizer, dessert, drink, or bread, but only one as a treat- not all. And I wouldn’t recommend this every time you eat out- just if it is a treat.
5. Fill up on salad & veggies first.
6. Drink plenty of water before you go so you don’t mistake thirst for hunger.
7. Ask for a to go box if it’s large portions and box up half to have for lunch the next day.
8. Keep taking your products correctly. Don’t forget carb ease & fibotrim.
9. Share a meal with someone.
10. My personal go to is a salad & some grilled protein, or some type of grilled protein with veggies & a sweet potato. (When ordering a salad, i typically ask for no cheese, bacon, or croutons and a vinaigrette on the side. You CAN ruin a salad.)
11. Listen to your body, and stop before you’re totally full. Take your time to slow down, enjoy, and really chew your food.

I like to eat local, farm-to-table type restaurants when possible because they usually have healthier options and more high quality ingredients. If we are eating a chain restaurant, you can usually find some safe bets at Panera or Chipotle. You can still enjoy going out with friends & family without getting totally off track, but you have to be intentional about making wise choices!