Lose weight while dining out

Tuesday 01, Sep 2009 - See that matchbox in the photo iluustration? That’s about the amount of salad dressing you should be tossing on to your salad when you’re dining out.

Even if you ask for your dressing on the side, restaurants will often send far more out than the two-tablespoon serving you should be eating, because, let’s face it, two tablespoons looks pretty skimpy.

Fitness magazine has tips in the September issue on how not to blow your diet when dining.

Well hellloooo. Been doing this for close to eleven years now, so I thought I’d weigh in on their tips, and add a few of my own.

First, cocktails can really add to your calorie count (and the bill). Save money and calories by ordering a glass of red wine (those antioxidants will keep you looking and feeling younger, too). If you’ve really just got to have that mojito — and sometimes you do, I know — limit it to one. If you’re really trying to lose weight and are sticking to a plan like glue, order virgin cocktails and stay away from the sweet stuff: that Cosmo you’re sipping could have as many as 600 calories in it. All empty.

One of the things Fitness suggests that I rarely do is to pay in cash. Knowing that you’re really going to have to pay up will limit your caloric intake — “people who paid for their food with a credit card spent up to 30% more than those who paid with cash.” Curb your credit card, and save on calories and cash.

Make reservations so that you don’t have to wait to eat. Smells, sounds and just watching others eat will make you ravenous, plus you may end up ordering more cocktails to wile away the time. Call first, eat less later.

I can’t limit myself to certain menu items — I need to taste a good sample of everything a restaurant’s menu has to offer. Friends who dine regularly with me will tell you that the one rule I always stick to is moderation and portion control — take a taste, then move on. You don’t need to be a member of the clean plate club.

Source:http://blogs.ajc.com/table-talk-blog/2009/08/31/lose-weight-while-dining-out/