I don't eat out often since I prefer to save it for special occasions. You may have noticed calorie-cutting recommendations from restaurants, but are you willing to spend high restaurant prices on raw salads and plain steamed vegetables? If you don't, how will you deal with the problem of eating too many calories while dining out?
If you want to handle your weight problem, start with where you eat, then what you eat, and finally, how much you consume. What do you require, where do you need it, and how much do you require? One step at a time, one piece of advice, try these steps and see how they work.
Here are seven ideas for lowering the calorie content of restaurant meals while still enjoying your favorite dishes.
No.1. Stop ordering oversized servings.
You should never, ever order a size that is already too large. Stop supersizing, and you'll save money. Even better, order one entrée and an extra plate on the side. Many places will do this for a dollar or two, and it's well worth it. Then you can split the bill evenly by sharing the meal with a friend. Another alternative is to order from the so-called "appetizer" menu. Even if two people order three dinners and one dessert and split the price, it's still a lot of food!
No.2. Bread and buns are not necessary.
Skip the bread and buns. Many family restaurants still serve bread baskets with their meals. Unless it's a newly made loaf or anything truly unusual, skip it. You don't need to eat standard bread when you pay a reasonable price for dinner. If you can't stand it any longer, simply ask for it to be taken away, but, honestly, you're an adult, and you can resist. If you don't want to eat a roll, that's fine. Try it once and see if you don't leave the restaurant feeling strangely empowered.
If you can't skip the rolls altogether, at least stay away from the butter. Yes, it is correct. Just eat it plain. On its own, whole grain bread is delicious.
No.3. No more beverages will be ordered.
Do not place any additional drink orders. Soft drinks bring a pretty substantial income for restaurants. They offer you a squirt of syrup and carbonated water for cents, then charge you only $1.29 for a huge 64-ounce drink, as if they're doing you a favor. Start saving money now. If you're ordering "to go," skip the drink. Request water or, at the very least, diet drinks if you're eating them there. Fat pop should never be consumed.
No.4. It is not advisable to consume too quickly.
Take it easy on yourself. You're eating way too fast! What exactly is the big deal? Take your time, relish the flavours, and take it all in. Getting in touch with your hunger signals and learning to eat what satisfies requires learning to notice tiny symptoms of hunger. You won't know when you're close to being satiated if you eat everything in five minutes. Count how many times you chew before you feel forced to swallow after taking a bite. Is it a one-time or a two-time thing? Your body will reward you if you take the time to chew your food fully. Because a large portion of digestion occurs in the mouth, you'll have a lot more fun if you let the meal remain there.
No.5. Exclude the fat or the skin.
Trim away any excess fat or skin. You love the skin, right? It tastes fantastic, and it should, given that it's comprised completely of fat. Do you want to slim down or consume a lot of fat? It is up to you to make the choice. Regardless of how good it tastes, I never eat chicken skin or the visible fat that hangs off a steak. You must pick between a fleeting taste sensation and a lifetime of carrying an extra 40 pounds. I understand that this goes against the low-carb crowd's belief that fat is good and carbs are bad, but I've maintained an 80-pound weight loss for 18 years without dieting and don't eat visible fat or skin. It's as simple as that.
No.6. Take some extra meal to home.
Request a Brown Paper bag at the start of the meal. Take some of the meal home to eat the next day after it's been served. In the United States, most restaurants provide far too much food. You don't need to swallow anything. If you do this often enough, you'll soon realize that each meal is giving you an extra lunch.
No.7. Begin to keep a calorie diary.
Start to keep track of your calories. Make a note in a book every time you go out for dining. If you are overweight and frequently dine out, this is most likely the cause of your problem. Even though you appear to eat in moderation, you cannot lose weight; this short book can help you understand why. A burger with just under 1200 calories on its alone! That is highly alarming.
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