Eating Out Without Packing On The Pounds

(StatePoint) Eating out at restaurants without growing your waistline can be challenging, as you’re often faced with fattening choices and have little control over what goes into your meals.

Luckily, there are many ways to navigate a restaurant menu without packing on the pounds, say experts.

“Over the past twenty years there has been a dramatic increase in serving sizes at restaurants and an abundance of food that is high in fat or that has a high glycemic index rating, meaning it contains certain carbohydrates that break down quickly and flood the body with sugar,“ says Rick Gallop, bestselling author of the new book, “The G.I. Diet Clinic.“ 

“The wrong food choices are fattening and only leave us feeling hungry so that we eat more,“ he adds.

But you can enjoy evenings out, simply by making smarter food choices and following basic tips from Gallop and his new book:

* Never go out hungry or you’re likely to overindulge. Have a small high-fiber snack or meal, such as a bowl of high-fiber cereal with skim milk or non-fat yogurt.

* Once seated in a restaurant, drink a glass of water. It will help you feel fuller.

* Once the bread basket has been passed around, with you ignoring it, ask the server to remove it. The longer it stays, the more tempted you’ll be to dig in.

* Order a soup or salad first and tell the server to bring it as soon as possible. This will keep you from sitting hungry while others fill up on bread. Go for vegetable- or bean-based soups, the chunkier the better. Avoid cream-based soups. Keep salad dressing on the side. Then you can use a fraction of what the restaurant would normally apply. Avoid Caesar salads which come pre-dressed.

* Ask for double vegetables instead of a starchy side dish.

* Stick with low-fat cuts of meat or poultry. If necessary, remove the skin before eating. Fish and shellfish are excellent choices but shouldn’t be breaded or battered. Servings tend to be generous in restaurants, so eat only four to six ounces (the size of a pack of cards).

* Ask for any sauces for your meat to be served on the side.

* Eat slowly to allow your brain to realize you’re full. Put your fork down between mouthfuls.

* Use moderation and common sense. Don’t feel guilty about leaving food on your plate. 

* If you really want an alcoholic beverage, bypass beer and fancy cocktails and choose a white wine spritzer or a glass of dry red wine. Limit yourself to one drink and then switch to club soda. Consume alcohol with food to slow the rate at which you metabolize it.

* For dessert, fresh fruit and berries without ice cream are your best choice. If a birthday cake is being passed around, share your piece with someone. A couple of forkfuls with your coffee should get you off the hook.

* Order only decaffeinated coffee.

For more tips on how to achieve permanent and healthy weight, read Gallop’s new book, The G.I. Diet Clinic” or visit http://www.gidiet.com.

“Don’t be too hard on yourself if you fall off the wagon. It’s bound to happen sometime, so just get back on,“ he stresses.