Let’s say that you have been having healthy meals both at work and at home for a month now. You stick with foods that are low in fats, calories, and cholesterol and follow your dietician’s healthy eating plans. It is supposed to help you get over your temporary disability faster than ever.
However, a challenge suddenly hits you as your officemates are asking you to join them to dinner in one of the fancy restaurants around the block. What will you do?
We don’t live in a world of black and whites, even when sometimes it feels like we do. —
Be Open About Your Dilemma
The first thing that you should do is remind your friends that you are on a diet, so you need to pick a restaurant that does not only serve oily and fatty meals but also serves healthier choices. Of course, not all restaurants offer to grill their chicken, fish, or other kinds of meat dishes, so you have to be willing to inquire from the staff if they can do such things before you get a table.
Nevertheless, to make your decision-making process faster, go to a restaurant that serves fresh salads or lots of green vegetables as their side dish. This way, you can load your stomach with greens rather than grease in the form of cheeseburgers and pizzas.
Eat Small Servings If You Can’t Avoid It
Eating out is not something to be frightened about for people who are on a diet. You have to remember to have a bit of everything, just like in buffet parties. Eating tiny servings of different dishes can please your taste buds but not make you gain thousands of calories.
For instance, try a salad without mayonnaise. You can also get anything that has sauce in it, but it is better if you keep away from creamy sauces and stick to tomato-based sauces. Water and fruit juices are great to be paired with these meals, too.
Meeting with a nutritionist to design an individual plan based on your personal and cultural preferences and lifestyle can increase your chances of success. — Melanie Greenberg Ph.D.
Opt For Soups
Chowing down soups are great so that your belly will be significantly filled instantly. It will also be possible for you not to eat a lot of other stuff. However, just like with the sauces mentioned above, go for clear or vegetable soups instead of cream-based soups so that you can stay within your diet while eating a delicious soup.
If you are in a burger joint, get a small burger with dry salad and no cheese or mayonnaise. If you are in a pizza place, choose a thin-crust pizza with more vegetables on top over a thick-crust pizza with more cheese and meat. And if you are in a restaurant where the dish servings are big enough for two people, try to eat just half of it and then take out the other half. This way, not only will you save money for your next meal, but you will also get in your diet while eating something tasty.
Many fat activists are trying to reclaim the word “fat” as a neural descriptor – in the same way that we utilize words such as “tall” vs. “short.” The problem is that in our culture the descriptor of “fat” has become synonymous with undesirable traits, such as being lazy, unattractive, and unhealthy. — Jennifer Rollin MSW, LCSW-C
Final Thoughts
When you are on a diet, it does not mean that you will never be allowed to enjoy delicious meals. You can still eat burgers and pizzas, for sure, but remember to order healthier versions of them.
Good luck!
