7 Tips on how to lose weight at restaurants!

7 Tips on how to lose weight at restaurants!

Eating out at restaurants can be an absolute disaster when you are trying to watch your weight. It is easy to get caught out on the hidden ingredients the chefs like to add to every dish such as oils, salts and sugars.

Here are some great strategies I have learnt along the way to make better choices and stay on a healthy eating plan;

Tip 1. Have a high quality protein shake before you head out to the restaurant. The protein from the shake will help fill you and prevent you from over indulging.

Tip 2. Choose steamed vegetables instead of fries. All good restaurants will happily substitute these for no additional costs.

Tip 3. If your meal comes with vegetables and a potato, politely ask the waiter if he can hold the potato and go for a double serving of vegetables instead.

Tip 4. When you order a burger, lose half the bun or better still ask for a bun less burger. You will leave the restaurant feeling lighter, less bloated from the bread, and your fingers will be clean (as you have used a knife and fork). There are quite a few restaurants that do fantastic breadless burgers these days so there really is no excuse.

Tip 5. If you are in a restaurant where they bring bread to the table, politely turn the offer down or tell the waiter in advance you will be skipping the bread. There is nothing worse than having the bread stare at you when your trying to eat healthy.

Tip 6. If you want a dessert, either split it with your partner or even better still, take a bite and give it to him. Research has shown that the first bite we take of our food is the most enjoyed and then each bite we take from there; the less enjoyment we get. So savour that one bite and really enjoy it. Your hips will thank you later. A good choice if you are looking to eat something after your meal, is ordering a quality cheese platter, just avoid the crackers. This will help you avoid the slump after your meal as you will not be experiencing any sugary highs then lows as you would from a sweet dessert.

Tip 7. Drinking calories is all too easy when you are trying to watch your weight. Water is the best option; just ask your waiter for a fresh slice of lemon or lime or even a sprig of rosemary (one of my favourites) to put in the glass to add a little flavour and freshness. If you are to drink alcohol, a glass or two of red wine is the better choice as this contains resveratrol – a great cancer fighter and has been shown to encourage weight loss.

Try these simple strategies and see how easy it is to still maintain your social life and enjoy some of your favourite restaurants, while maintaining or losing weight.