MY TOP 10 TIPS TO TRACKING AT A RESTAURANT
Today’s article is dedicated to the most asked question in my inbox:
HOW DO I STAY ON TRACK WHEN EATING OUT?
Eating out is a normal part of being a human and while I don’t recommend eating out multiple times per week, I do encourage you to be social in moderation. You will need to be very conscious about your food choices if you have a certain goal in mind but that doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the experience.
First things first: Accept that you will not be able to control your food environment completely. You will never be able to determine with 100% precision just how many calories are in a restaurant meal. Even if you choose a restaurant that displays the nutritional value it is grossly inaccurate – but again, that is a variable you cannot control.
Tracking something is better than tracking nothing at all.
Here are my top 10 tips to keep you on track:
TIP #1
Plan ahead, you should know that this meal is coming and you have a solid game plan to tackle it. Check the menu before leaving home so you know what to expect.
TIP #2
Don’t get to the restaurant feeling ravenous – your hunger will cause you to overeat. Opt for a small protein snack before getting to the restaurant.
TIP #3
Look for lean sources of protein where possible: Chicken breast, turkey, white fish, tuna, prawns, egg whites etc
TIP #4
Ask for your protein to be grilled not fried.
TIP #5
Split your carbohydrates and fats e.g. do not choose a meal that is high in both carbohydrate and fat. Instead choose either a High- Carb, Low Fat meal or a Low-Carb, High Fat meal.
TIP #6
Stick to low Calorie drinks e.g. sparkling water or diet soda.
TIP #7
Avoid alcohol as this will increase calorie intake and also reduces willpower. If you must drink, aim to drink spirits with diet mixers.
TIP #8
Ask for oil to be removed where possible but expect that you will have some oil in your meal. It is best to account for 1-2 tablespoons of oil to avoid underestimating the caloric value of the meal.
TIP #9
Practice calorie cycling by increasing the amount of calories you have on the day you will be eating out and decrease your calorie intake Monday-Friday.
TIP #10
Try and avoid dishes like pizzas, chips, deep fried food, and creamy pasta dishes (go tomato-based instead).
BONUS TIP:
Okay, I just needed to include this tip even though there’s technically 11 tips in this blog (I clearly don’t like uneven numbers LOL) – ALWAYS overestimate the amount of calories in the meal. I like to add a ‘tax’ of 15-20% of what I estimate. It’s better to be over than under :).
Signing off with a few of my favourite quotes that are very relevant to this situation:
“All or nothing, get’s you all or nothing”.
“It matters what you do most than what you do sometimes”
And Mark’s favourite: “WIN THE DAY”.
Yours in health,
Sheridan Skye
Head of Nutrition
