Healthy Dining Out - It IS possible!
“Take care of your body. It’s the only place you have to live.”
– Jim Rohn
DOES IT SEEM LIKE ENJOYING LIFE, GATHERING WITH FRIENDS AND FAMILY IS NOT CONGRUENT WITH YOUR HEALTH GOALS?
TOO many temptations, too many choices and it just doesn't seem to fit with what you are trying to do?
FEAR NOT! IT CAN BE DONE
As I've mentioned previously, your MINDSET on this will make all the difference!
Ready to dive in? Let's go! 👊
I want to start with my personal experience as a fast food addict and how I flip the script on that in my first months on my health journey.
My car almost automatically turned into McDonalds every time I was out. I am not proud of this, but at the time, convenience was my #1 priority - and I did NOT see how that was impacting my health or my family's health.
During my first months on my health journey, I still turned into McDonalds, but I substituted my usual with their Southwest Salad. (I think they no longer make this, but Chick-fil-A has a similar one).
And I only allowed myself to get a Diet Coke if I had already had a bottle of water.
I made that choice BEFORE I even got in the car. You need to PLAN for your success and CREATE a "No excuses" scenario so that you are set up for a WIN.
On your road to weight loss and health creation, do you PROCLAIM and identify as the person you want to become?
“I am a healthy person”
That is the first step, what does the HEALTHY you do?
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Eating out DOES look different for a healthy person.
Are you ready to become that healthy person?
What we've always done is what got us to where we are. If you're not ok with that and you want to move your 'health needle', let's get going on that.
Life is about choices, and the choices you make on a daily basis will lead you on a path toward a healthier version or unhealthier version of yourself.
One of my tools in my toolbox when it comes to food choices is a series of healthy food swaps. I covered this in a recent blog post, you can find that here if you want to check it out:
Healthy Food Swaps 101
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Remember it's all about your mindset, you are not depriving yourself (of unhealthy things), you are creating the future healthy you!
The standard no-brainer go-to at a restaurant is GRILLED Chicken Caesar Salad (sans the croutons) with Dressing on the side. Get used to saying "dressing on the side".
Make sure the chicken is grilled.
Dip your fork into the "dressing on the side" and stab as much of the salad as you can with your fork. You will still get the great flavor of the dressing, but you'll be surprised at how much LESS dressing you actually you.
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Mix it up at your Italian Restaurant
One of my great discoveries was Caprese Salad. That was NOT my norm at Italian restaurants, there wasn't an easy healthy swap available, so I looked thru the menu like I was looking at a treasure map, I wanted to find something that I could enjoy yet was 'different' and supported my goals. Don't get me wrong, I loved my standard Italian Restaurant meal, but I had goals! And the Caprese Salad was so refreshing!
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Tex Mex. I love me some Tex Mex.
Most Tex Mex restaurants will have a Fajita salad and you can choose what goes on it. If it comes in a fried tortilla shell, ask them to just put it on a plate instead, that shell will be so hard to not pick at and then POOF! It's all in your belly!
Rice and Beans, just say no.
Get the Fajita meat, put it on a salad (if they don't have a Fajita salad, just get a salad and put the meat on it) a little salsa for dressing and you're good to go.
(Chips addressed next)
You may even have the option of Fajita vegetables, LOOK for what what serves your goals when you look at the menu.
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Chips and Bread
Choosing your Future
Here we go with deprivation again.
Chips and Bread/Rolls/Breadsticks - hard to pass up?
You will know yourself, and what you are able/willing to do.
Declare ahead of time what you will do - declare to yourself out loud and then also to your dinner companions, ask them to keep you accountable.
You have a couple options:
1 - How many chips you'll have or if you'll just have one roll/breadstick. HONOR WHAT YOU SAID you were going to do.
2 - Completely pass them up. You will feel so good about yourself for having said no, get them as far away from you at the table as possible. This is especially important if you know that one will never be enough. Will that taste spiral you out of control and lead to regret and frustration afterward?
Sometimes abstinence is easier than moderation.
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Check out the online Menu before you go!
This will help and you won't buckle under pressure to just pick what you always get!
Is there a specific restaurant situation that you'd like advice on? Let me know below (My first answer will be Mindset and the importance of CHOICES, but I WILL give you some concrete order assistance as well!)
Message me at My Messenger with a situation you'd like to conquer
I have a free DINING OUT GUIDE that give you actual meals at actual Restaurants, even fast food restaurants, as well as "Healthy Ideas" and "What to Avoid" for a variety of Cuisines.
This is such a treasure, it includes mindset tips for in the heat of the moment, when you are hosting a celebration or when you are a guest.
This helps you to set yourself up for success, have a "no excuses" attitude and REMOVE DECISION FATIGUE!
You can check out my FREE Dining Out GUIDE to get the full scoop HERE
It's good to surround yourself with others who have the same goals. Do you have someone who would like to do this too? Making a change with a buddy or "running partner" makes it so much easier!
You may want to be part of my FREE online health community of others desiring to up their health game. You'll find recipes, tips and inspiration JOIN MY FREE HEALTH COMMUNITY HERE
Looking for more?
