Often when someone is trying to diet or eat healthy they assume they have to give up fast food eating. This isn’t entirely true. Yes, you should limit your intake of fatty foods. However, if you are conscious of what you eat and only do so occasionally it’s perfectly fine to eat out. When you do go out there are a few tips that you should use as guidelines to make sure you don’t ruin your diet.
1. Watch your portion size. Most restaurants serve portions of food that could easily be enough for two people to eat. In order to prevent overeating, you can ask for a take-home box and place half your meal in it before you begin eating. You can also split your meal with someone else. Splitting dessert is also a good idea as it allows you to indulge your sweet tooth without ruining your waistline.
2. Order your food undressed. Most places add mayonnaise, salad dressings, and cheese to the food before it arrives. Often the amount is far more then is necessary. Instead, ask that they put these things to be put on the side or eliminated altogether. You will save countless calories by doing this.
3. Stay away from buffets. Even healthy buffets such as salad bars can be a diet disaster. Consider the fact that they load them with unhealthy options like bacon bits and fatty dressings. This will lull you into a sense of security and you’ll end up eating far more calories then you realize. Some of us also have a tendency to try to eat our money’s worth rather than just enough to be full. If you do go to a buffet avoid creamy dressings and only eat until full.
4. See fast food eating as a big picture. If you know that you are planning a night out try to adjust your meals as necessary. For example, if you going out to eat with friends for dinner make sure that you cut back on calories for breakfast and lunch. You should also make sure that you eat more healthy foods as often fast food eating is lacking in nutrition.