Sensible Eating Tips When Dining Out

Dining out has become something that people take advantage of and most do not consider it to be luxury but rather a necessity. On average people will eat out 4 to 5 times a week and spend over $ 350 billion a year on this pastime. The high demand for fast food is growing which means that the portion size are also growing and have become 2 to 3 times larger than what you would normally eat at home. There are super size options and extra side portions that have contributed to the population becoming fatter and prone to various health risks.

Even though the population is indulging the fitness and weight loss industries are thriving as people search for healthier lifestyles and smaller waistlines. It has also become compulsory for fat foods and restaurants to list their menu's nutritional facts and calories. Most fast food restaurants have also tried to help by introducing healthier food options and low calorie meals. This does not however make for healthier lifestyle, as we only need to eat a small amount of food to keep going throughout the day. When you are dining out there are things that you can do to lessen the amounts of food you eat in one sitting.

One thing is to not super size your meal, no matter how much they say you can save. You will save far more money in the long run, by not having to spend fortunes on hospital bills, diet programs and exercise equipments. You can also cut down the size of the meal by ordering appetizers or start dishes instead of the main meals. You can also share a main dish with a friend, or take half of it home in a doggy bag for another meal. Listen to your body and stop eating when you are full. It is not necessary for you to clean you plate. Try to get out of this habit that was forced onto you when you were a child.

It can take 20 minutes for the brain to realize that you are full so eat slowly, and stop every so often to rest and drink something. Drinking water or fruit juices will also make you fuller quicker. According to dietitian the best way to eat sensibly when dining out is to be defensive. Do not take the items on the menu as they are. Special order by asking for grilled chicken instead of fried, get the bread basket taken away, and ask for any fatty sauces to be separate.

Trim off the fat on meats and dab the excess oil off a pizza. This can go a long way to reducing the amounts of calories and saturated fats that are consumed. Also remember that certain juices, beers, sodas, and other drinks can add more than 100 calories to your meal, so resist the temptation and order fat free drinks and water.