Can it be done? Is there anything on that menu that isn't going to ruin the hard work you've been doing? Do you have to choose between celebrating your friends' birthday with her and sticking to your goals? Well, those are great questions that I hope I can shed some light on in this blog. Please know, these are just my own experiences. I will share links to articles I've read, but I am not a dietician, nutritionist, or trainer. I'm just a girl trying to live a healthy life and sharing my thoughts and observations.
Can it be done?
Yes, at most restautants it can! The bigger question I find that I'm asking myself is Can I do it? I can know the information, know what's healthy and what's not, know what the best thing to order is, but if I get there and don't make the right choices in the moment, it doesn't matter how much I know. One thing I really like to do is look up the restaurant online and see if they have nutrition facts. This usually helps me steer clear of the things with the most calories, and guides me towards healthier choices. However, caloric values are not available for all restaurants, so it helps to know what to look for on a menu. You might not know the exact caloric value, but you can see healthy meals and avoid the ones loaded with calories.
Is there anything on the menu that isn't going to ruin the hard work you've been doing?
Yes! More than likely there is! You just need to know how to spot it! Look for grilled or baked meats, avoid the fried stuff as well as entree that come with heavy sauces like cream sauce or gravy or ranch (my personal kryptonite). Get the veggies! They are basically free calories! You guys have no idea how hard it's going to be for me tonight to ask for veggies instead of fries when we go to Buffalo Wild Wings, but this is the will power I was talking about before. If you don't think it's hard, teach me your ways! Because I struggle daily! Some restaurants have healthy choice sections to their menu, which can make ordering easy as well. The other thing to keep in mind when eating out is serving size. I LOVE Chicken Carbonera at Olive Garden! It is literally the worst thing on the menu. I don't have the exact numbers, but one meal could easily be over 2500 calories when you add breadsticks and salad (or soup, like I prefer! Zuppa Toscana, anyone?). It's crazy! But if I don't eat EVERYTHING IN SIGHT, I can still enjoy my most indulgent meals and not break the bank. I'll try to post some serving size articles later if you're interested in learning more. A K-State nutritionist did a study to show that you can eat bad food, but still lose weight, if you stay unset your daily caloric needs. Now while a whole diet like this is not advised, it just goes to show that you can have not-so-good stuff as long as you don't overindulge. This is super hard for me to stick to. So it's easier for me to stick to grilled chicken and veggies and eat a lot than limit myself on my favorite things, that I want to devour in their entirety.
Do you have to choose between your people and your goals?
No way! Tell your friends about your goals! They can help encourage you to make good choices! The more accountable you are, the more likely you are to stick to things and make good choices. Case and point: I have had several opportunities to cheat this month, but because of my challenges to myself, a DietBet, and blogging to you all about it, I am sticking to it! I hope to make good choices at dinner tonight because you guys inspire me by reading and I want to live up to your expectations. :) So thank you for keeping me accountable! Another reason not to ditch your friends is opportunities to practice looking for healthy choices on the menu. The salad is a great choice if you don't drown it in dressing. Don't worry, I'll post articles later. ;)
Well, I hope I haven't confused you too much. Sorry I don't have the links ready yet. But I will do more research and get you the research that is the basis for my opinions. :) Don't take my word for it! *Cue the Reading Rainbow music*
Wish me luck at B-Dubs tonight! Time to practice what I preach... :\
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