Say you get a call from your friends asking you to eat out at one of their favorite restaurants. Even though you want to visit with them, you are secretly concerned about overeating after a successful week of a healthy diet. In social settings, it is nearly impossible to avoid fattening, high calorie meals completely. It is important to enjoy time with friends and to even treat yourself every once in a while. However, there are techniques that can allow you to eat the foods you would normally avoid without much consequence. So go ahead, eat out with your friends, but be considering these techniques before, during and after your visit to your favorite local eatery.
1) Think Before You Choose
Many times restaurants post their menu items online which often include the nutrient information like the number of calories. To make a healthier choice you can look at the menu ahead of time and decide which meal is the best option. This way, you don't feel overwhelmed when making the rushed decision of what you want to eat.
2) Eat A Small Snack Before You Go
If you eat a snack before you get to the restaurant you may not be as tempted to overeat if you were to arrive without eating.
3) Remind Yourself Beforehand What A Real Portion Size Looks Like
When our food is set in front of us with such big portion sizes it is easy to forget the real amount our body needs. Quickly review how much those portion sizes are and this will help in making more health conscious decisions.
4) Remember To Eat To Enjoy And Not To Get Too Full
Consider your meal out as a treat and remind yourself to enjoy it. Eat a healthy amount but don't overeat. Stick with appropriate portion sizes in order to reduce the amount of calories.
5) Slow Down
Make sure that while eating you slow down and chew your food well. Slowing down allows you to remember to enjoy flavor and to make sure you are not just eating to eat. When eating slowly, many people tend to eat less as well. Chewing your food thoroughly also aids in digestion and generally helps you slow down.
6) Before Eating, Portion Out Your Food
When your food arrives, take your fork and separate the correct portion sizes. Stick to the portion size you determined. You will be amazed at how many portions that are served in one meal.
7) Ask For A "To Go Box" Before Or When Your Meal Arrives
Some people find it effective to portion out their meal and put the rest in a to go box before eating. This strategy assures that you will not overindulge but will only eat what is left on your plate. Try this technique and see if it works for you. Just remember, for some taking the left overs may be an unnecessary temptation to have at home. Get to know what works for you.
8) Don't Take Home Leftovers
There are those who put everything in the to go box before the meal while others don't want to take anything home. Leftovers may be too much of a temptation to have at home that it may be a better idea not to take anything back with you. Try both techniques and see which you prefer.
9) Avoid Dessert OR Share Amongst Friends
After a delicious and most likely high calorie meal it is not always the best idea to order a dessert. However, if you are in a casual setting and do want a dessert suggest to split one between your table. This way everyone gets a sweet treat, but it won't be the same calorie content of a second meal.
10) Leave Without Guilt
When leaving acknowledge that you did a good job and that you are satisfied. Saying this to yourself seems trivial but it helps when working on behavior modification. Understand that you made healthy, reasonable choices while still being satisfied with the experience as well as the amount you ate.