We all know that eating out often is bad for our waistline, more so if you are trying to lose weight. However, for many of us, it’s something we can’t resist. For others, they eat out because they have no choice, especially singletons. But you know what, even if you are watching your waistline, if you are eating out once a week, it’s fine. Just go ahead and eat what you want. However, if you are regularly entertaining or being entertained at work or scarf down lunch or dinner at the food court in office, you may as well give up all hope of whittling down that waistline unless you take some care. So here are some tips to eat out wisely.
Skip the alcohol: Drinking once a week is okay but not more than that. And if you like cocktails or even mocktails, remember many come loaded with sugar and sweet juices that just set back the weight loss process.
Say no to bread: All that white bread and soft, oven-fresh dinner rolls may look oh-so appetizing but they are NOT healthy or nutritious. If you must dip into the bread basket, go for the whole wheat offerings.
Select your soup carefully: We believe soup is healthy. Correction: not all soups are healthy. Go for clear soups not the ones with cream. In fact, if you are going for a clear soup loaded with veggies, that’s good. It will fill you up.
Not all salads are healthy: If you’re going to drizzle generous portions of creamy dressings on your salad, well, all that does is add to the calorific content of your meal. And fried croutons are a big no-no too.
Momos versus wontons: Duh! We know which one to choose right? But naturally, the steamed momos win hands down over deep fried wontons.
Go easy on gravies: All that butter chicken masala, chicken tikka masala, etc, are loaded with butter and oil. In fact, in most restaurants, you will see a thick film of oil on any Indian gravies. You know what that does to all your efforts at losing weight!
Kababs are a better option: In good restaurants the kebabs are lightly brushed with oil, so they are a healthier option than curries. However, malai chicken and any other cream marinated kabab is a bad idea.
Pass over the paapad: All those thalis groaning under the weight of so much food, come with chips, appalams or paapads. All deep fried! Just skip eating them.
Put away the pasta and the pizza: It’s sad but true that neither do anything good for the waistline. Pastas invariably come dunked in rich, gooey sauces that are loaded with calories.
Chinese doesn’t mean healthy: Indian Chinese food is certainly not the healthiest offering. There’s loads of deep fried stuff and all those rich sauces. Order steamed rice or the noodles that come with a gravy and steamed vegetables and meat. Opt for stir-fried dishes over dishes with sauces.
Sushi over tempura: Love Japanese? Well, skip the tempura fried prawns and veggies. Deep fried in batter is not a good choice. Instead have sushi – it’s tasty, it’s refreshing and very healthy.
Share: Many restaurants dole out pretty hefty portions. Instead of eating the entire portion, share it with your dinner companion.
Doggy bags haven’t gone out of style: If you find the portion that has been served too large, keep aside half immediately and pack it. Don’t struggle to finish it.
Give dessert a miss: More and more studies are being published on how harmful sugar is. Why load your body with sugar-filled desserts?
Split the sweet offering: If you really need that sweet fix at the end of your meal, share it with your dinner companion. You would have satisfied that sweet craving but would have eaten only half or less (depending on how many people are sharing).