Eating Out

I have eaten out several times in the past two weeks. However, eating out doesn't have to equate to eating poorly. Here are some tips for making good choices when you're at a restaurant.
1. If they list nutrition facts, use them! Along with this, if you are trying to stick to a certain number of calories per day, you can most often find the nutrition facts and menu online for larger restaurants. A benefit to choosing your meal before you show up is that you don't have to open the menu and be tempted by all of the not-so-healthy items.
2. If your dish comes with rice, ask if they have brown rice instead if white. Make sure to remember when eating rice that a serving size is about the size of a golf ball.
3. If your dish comes with a choice of sauces, a red, tomatoe-based sauce will be healthier than a white cream sauce or a butter sauce.
4. Watch out for those salads! Ask for your dressing on the side so you get to control how much to put on. Also beware of salads that include anything fried or have a side of something like a quesadilla as these salads often are very high in calories.
5. Savor every bite. This will prolong the amount of time it takes you to eat your meal. This means that you will be chewing your food completely before swallowing (important for digestion) and you are giving your brain the proper amount if time necessary to register that you are full (which most likely means you will eat less).