Eating out frequently is associated with obesity and overweight—it’s hard to curb your calories when eating out. But you can enjoy a max of two restaurant meals per week and here is the healthy eating plan for dining out.
Researchers from Cornell Food and Brand Lab have developed a 10-point Restaurant Scorecard to help diners choose those restaurants that are the least likely to “blow” your diet. They do things like list healthier items higher up in the menu; don’t automatically bring chips and dip or a bread basket without diners asking first for it. You also want to find those restaurants that offer better-for-you subs like a side salad and fruit-based desserts.
Here are some tips to avoid overeating when dining out:
- Don’t drink alcohol before eating. Research shows that you’ll eat up to 30% more calories at your meal when you drink alcohol.
- Eat a piece of fruit before eating out. Eating a piece of fruit (which has about 60-75 calories) helps you eat significantly fewer calories at mealtime.
- Order first. Studies also show that diners are influenced by what others order. Don’t let your dining companions sabotage your diet.
- Order items that are baked, grilled, poached instead of fries with a couple veggie sides like a side salad and roasted veggies.
- If you order dessert, share it.
See full story on appforhealth.com
Image courtesy of appforhealth.com