A night out is ideal when you get tired of cooking at home. Whether it’s trying something new or going to your favorite restaurant, dining out is sometimes necessary. However, a night out when you’re trying to lose weight sounds more like a sticky activity than a snack.
Watching your weight doesn’t mean you can’t go out and enjoy a meal at a restaurant with friends and family. That means we need to pay more attention to what we eat and how much we eat.we talked Lisa Young, PhD, RDNthe author of Full at the end, slim at the end, a dietician in private practice, and a member of our panel of medical professionals, gives us the scoop on how to lose weight while eating out. Read on to see how it goes. Then, for more on eating out, check out the #1 Worst Things to Order at The Cheesecake Factory, According to Nutritionists.
It is possible to go to a restaurant and order pasta while on a diet. However, even though it’s delicious, don’t eat it all at once. Instead, try to separate it out with some other healthier options.
“Restaurant portions are large, so it’s a good idea to split entrees and order extra salads and side veggies to share,” says Young.
Plus, you get leftovers to eat the next day. That’s an extra perk!
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Going out to eat with friends and family can feel like a big reunion or celebration. Generally speaking, this requires alcoholic beverages and toasts the time spent together.
“Watching your alcohol intake really helps if you’re trying to lose weight,” says Young. “And if you drink alcohol, drink it with food.”
Even if you don’t drink alcohol, you want to make sure your drink choices are healthier.
“Limit drinks that contain sodas or sugary syrups,” suggests Young.
Knowing you’ll be eating out and eating big meals, have you ever intentionally eaten less throughout the day? Well, it’s time to put that habit to rest.
“When I get to a restaurant, I’m often hungry,” says Young. “Eating a healthy snack an hour or two before heading out can help.”
Skipping meals is also associated with weight gain, according to a study published in . nutrients journal. Therefore, it is important to eat at every meal and not go hungry.
One of the first things waiters and waitresses put on the table is a bread basket. And while that’s tempting, there are better options when it comes to eating out to lose weight.
“Instead of eating an entire bread basket, which I often do when sitting at a restaurant and waiting for my entree to arrive, I order a healthy appetizer,” says Young.
Young suggests enjoying mixed vegetable salads and vegetable-based soups. Vegetables help you stay fuller longer.
Kayla Garitano
Kayla Garritano is a staff writer for Eat This, Not That! She graduated from Hofstra University where she majored in Journalism and minored in Marketing and Creative Writing.read more
