EATING OUT

Following a healthy balanced diet all the time would be somewhat dull and boring.  Very often socialising with friends or family involves food, eating out at restaurants, the local pub or just a simple take away.  An effective eating plan should allow for the occasional treat and luxury.  My advice is to eat out or have a take away no more than once a week.  In my experience doing this more often will be counter productive and lead to either an increase in body fat or a plateau where no progress is made. 

Eating out doesn’t have to spell disaster for your weight loss plans.  If you have a few engagements one week you should either increase your activity levels to compensate or accept that this week will be a bad one and that you might gain some weight. 

When embarking on any programme to change your health and the way you look and feel it is inevitable that there will be times when you cannot eat all the right things all the right times.  The following list will give you some guidance as to the ways you can make these situations as healthy and as hassle free as possible.

• Ask for vegetables that are unglazed with butter
• Order burgers without cheese, special sauces or mayonnaise
• Try a side salad or bread instead of chips
• Choose a vegetable or fish pizza with reduced cheese
• Fish and chips are one of the highest fat foods around – avoid these
• Try boiled rice as opposed to fried
• Avoid foods described as korma, creamy sauce, coconut or fried
• Leave the mayo in the jar, each dollop contains around 100kcals
• At the salad bar choose fresh greens, fruit or veg as opposed to bacon bits, potato salad or coleslaw
• Choose fish, chicken or turkey as opposed to red meat
• Ask for reduced amounts of sauces with your meal
• Choose vegetables or new potatoes as opposed to chips
• Share a sweet, you will consume 50% less calories
• Don’t add salt at the table, chefs are trained to add large amounts when cooking
• Choose fresh fruit or bread starters (not garlic bread)
• Choose ice cream as opposed to double cream

Always remember that as long as the majority of your diet is made up of healthy, nutritious, balanced foods then the odd luxury such as a meal out is not a problem, don’t worry about it.

Always consult your GP before starting an exercise regime if you have any health or injury concerns.