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Thursday, January 2, 2014

Healthy Restaurant Eating

Healthy Restaurant Eating
General Tips:
Ø  Don’t arrive starving (don’t skip meals prior, don’t overdo pre-meal foods or SKIP)
Ø  Skip the fried stuff
Ø  Check out websites for healthiest choices in advance
Ø  Cut your meal in half (save for later or split with a friend)
Ø  Don’t drink your calories
Ø  Personalize it (sauce on side, extra vegetable, substitutions)
Ø  Avoid buffets
Ø  Use the Plate Method
















Mexican Restaurant:
Ø  Portion out 15 chips and send the rest back (or skip entirely)
Ø  “On the rocks” vs. frozen margarita (or just drink WATER)
Ø  Choose a veggie burrito
Ø  Fajitas with chicken and veggies (limit to 2 tortillas, skip the extras)
Ø  Chicken soft tacos or Fish tacos (NOT fried)
Ø  Sub corn or wheat tortillas (fewer calories and a good whole grain source) or NAKED J
Ø  Grilled chicken with vegetables
Ø  Use salsa as dressing and skip the cheese and sour cream
Ø  Don’t eat the bowl if choosing taco salad
Italian Restaurant:
Ø  Skip the breadbasket
Ø  Choose soup and Salad
Ø  Stick to plain pastas with red sauce and skip the added cheese
Ø  Grilled chicken or fish and vegetables (Chicken Cacciatore)
Ø  Box at least half your entrée before eating
Pizza:
Ø  Order  thin and crispy crust
Ø  Vegetarian pizza
Ø  Half the cheese
Ø  Stick to 2 slices and a big salad
Asian Restaurant:
Ø  Start with soup instead of egg roll (skip the crunchy noodles)
Ø  Chicken, shrimp or tofu with vegetables in light sauce (NOT fried)
Ø  Choose brown rice when available
Ø  Limit to one cup of rice (NOT fried!)
American Restaurant:
Ø  Start with a broth-based soup or salad with vinaigrette dressing (on side and use lightly)
Ø  Skip the breadbasket
Ø  Choose whole grain bread for sandwiches, or open-faced
Ø  Grilled fish, pork tenderloin or chicken and vegetables
Ø  Make a meal at the salad bar (limit toppings like cheese, bacon, croutons, dressing)
Ø  Top baked potatoes with salsa or steak sauce instead of butter and sour cream
Ø  Watch portion size on steak and choose leanest cuts (sirloin, flank, tenderloin)

Fast Food:
Ø  6” Subway sub with carrots or fruit for side item (skip mayo, ½ cheese)
Ø  Grilled chicken sandwich (skip the mayo)
Ø  Small or Junior hamburger (Happy Meal)
Ø  Turkey or veggie burger with non-fried vegetable side dish
Ø  Salad with low fat salad dressing (skip cheese and croutons)
Ø  Don’t assume something is healthy/low cal—look it up

My Favorite “Best Bites” Restaurant Meals… These meals have 500 calories or less:
·       Chick Fil A – Chargrilled Chicken Sandwich, Fruit Cup and Diet Lemonade (370)
·       Taco Bell - Two Fresco Soft Beef Tacos with Mexican Rice and a bottle of water (470)
·       Subway - 6-inch Roast Beef Sub on 9-Grain (no cheese, oil or mayo) with Veggie Delite Salad with Fat-Free Italian Dressing and Medium Unsweetened Iced Tea (400)
·       Panera – Spinach Power Salad and Unsweetened Tropical Hibiscus Herbal Iced Tea (460)
·       Pizza Hut - Two Slices Thin ‘N Crispy Pizza (12") with Quartered Ham & Pineapple, and Medium Diet Coke (360)
·       McDonalds - Premium Grilled Chicken Classic Sandwich with a Side Salad with Newman's Own Low Fat Balsamic Vinaigrette, and a Medium Unsweetened Iced Tea (480)
·       KFC - 3 Crispy Strips with Green Beans and 3" Corn on the Cob, and a Medium Diet Pepsi (475)
·       Mooyah – Turkey Iceburger with pickles and tomato, Small Fries and water (495)
·       Ruby Tuesday’s  – Top Sirloin steak with Steamed Broccoli (471)
·       Applebee’s – Weight Watchers Jalapeño Lime Shrimp (300)
·       Olive Garden – Herb Grilled Salmon (480)
·       Red Lobster – Oven Broiled Fish, Steamed Broccoli and Side Salad w/ Red Wine Vinaigrette (480)
·       Chilis – Chicken Fajitas w/o tortillas and condiments (330) (or “naked” Fajita Trio for 510)
·       Outback – Outback Special 6 oz. with Grilled Asparagus and Mixed Seasonal Veggies (403)

More Information:

Have a Plan This Holiday Season

Have a plan (before you even walk in the door)– and stick to it! (even if the plan is to indulge). It's much easier to relax, enjoy and get back on track if you plan sensible indulgences into the season...

Step One - Eat before you go.  Focus on some lean protein and lots of veggies so you are satisfied instead of starving when you arrive.

Step Two - Survey the spread.  Don't just dive right in to the buffet.  Make a lap around the table and see what your options are before you fill your plate.  Decide which indulgences are "worth it."

Step Three - Fill a small plate (½ veggies, ¼ protein like shrimp or lean meat, ¼ plate starches and treats).  Enjoy a small amount of treats that you love and can't have any other time.

Step Four - Savor and enjoy every bite! (and if it isn't as awesomely delicious as you thought it would be, don't finish it)

Step Five - Hang out away from the food.  Lingering around the food makes it more likely that you will continue to nibble.  Get outta there!

Step Six - Get back on track.
Hydrate
Exercise
Acknowledge slip-ups and move on

Resume healthy habits