1. Eat your calories and drink water. The first question you are always asked upon being seated in a restaurant is what you would like to drink. Choose water and pass on the high-fructose-corn-syrup, sugar, preservatives, caffeine and extra calories found in most beverages.
2. Take half home. We are annoyed when restaurants don't over serve us and restaurants have responded accordingly by over supplying huge portions. Italian restaurants are the worst culprits. Order a regular meal but eat half and get half to go. To resist the temptation to finish everything have the server package the remaining half at the same time the rest of the meal is brought out.
3. Pretend you are the Mercedes Benz of human machines. Top end vehicles require the best fuel and so should you. Pass on the value items and what appears to be a deal. Ever notice that salads and fruit platters are never the daily specials?
4. Look for key terms that describe how the meal was prepared. Good options include grilled, steamed, poached, broiled or roasted but pass on those that that are battered, deep fried and accompanied by sauces and dips.
5. Pass on the grains. You can get all the carbohydrates you need from fruits and vegetables. Just because bread is brought to the table doesn't mean you have to eat it.
6. Pass on the buffets. We are usually full up to 20 minutes before we recognize the feeling of fullness. Having unlimited amounts of food available to you makes it nearly impossible to prevent overeating. No one brings a scale to the restaurant and we eat based on portion size. If the portion size is infinite we are going to overeat.
7. Order local. Food that comes from a particular region will be fresher, have more nutrients and add to the traveling experience by trying something new. When in coastal environments consider ordering fish and seafood. In Mexico try some of the various peppers to add flavor and anti-inflammatory benefits. Find out what is produced locally and then try it.
8. Order off the menu. Don't feel that asking for some grilled chicken and mixed greens is an unreasonable request.
Enjoy your holiday.
Chris
www.okanaganpeakperformance.com
250.212.2972
8 Tips for Eating Out
