I can’t wait until the summertime arrives to lite up those grills and get those hot dogs and hamburgers grilling… right? Eating out can be an easy way to enjoy tasty food, cooking, and clean the kitchen. And enjoying a meal with friends or family at an outdoor gathering or a restaurant is a great way to socialize and relax.
The downside, however, is that when you eat at an event or a restaurant, you are likely to eat more calories than you would at home. This can result in weight gain. In addition, meals you don’t prepare are often high in fat, sugar, and salt. Eating too much of these foods can be unhealthy. And eating on holidays can be tricky too. It’s easy to eat more than you need when you go to events or parties and are faced with lots of food choices. Let the challenge begin.
The good news is that you can eat healthy meals in restaurants, on special occasions and holidays. Let me help you, so you know what foods to choose to keep your weight in check.
Restaurant foods can be less healthy than fresh foods you prepare at home. Three main reasons for this are due to that at restaurants:
- More salt is often added than needed for flavor, making the food’s sodium content high.
- Certain restaurant foods are often high in or cooked with saturated fats, the unhealthy type of fat that is solid at room temperature.
- Large portion sizes are commonly served.
While salt can make food tasty, too much salt is unhealthy. Have your fingers ever felt stiff and swollen after a salty meal? Was it hard for you to take a ring off your finger? If so, you’ve experienced one of the unhealthy effects of too much salt.
This is known as water retention. In addition to water weight gain, too much salt can also increase the risk of high blood pressure.
Therefore, it’s best to limit the amount of salt you eat at home or dining out.
Try these tips to avoid eating too much salt:
• Skip foods that are pickled or smoked
• Limit foods in cocktail sauce, soy sauce, or teriyaki sauce
• Ask for your food to be prepared without added salt
• Choose low-salt or salt-free salad dressing.
• Forego salty appetizers; choose veggies or fruit if you want to munch on something before your meal
Summer weight gain can be linked to the holiday season. Between the parties, special events, gifts of food, and office treats, it’s easy to eat more than usual. However, research shows that the average amount of weight gained over the holiday season is only about a pound. The problem comes when this amount gained, even though small, is not lost. Year after year, this can add up.
And if you eat more than you intended at a party, don’t give up. Just get back on track the next meal or next day.
Here are some strategies to try:
• Eat just one treat per day during the holidays. You can choose when you indulge. It may be at your office, at home, while baking cookies, or at a party. Once you’ve had your treat for the day, turn down all other sweets or higher calorie foods.
• On the day of a party, think through your food plan for the day. Have regular meals but eat primarily fruits and veggies. Plan to eat lower calorie, higher nutrient foods all day. Then allow yourself to eat some high-calorie foods at the party.
• Never arrive hungry. Before you leave home, snack on fruit, veggies, or low-fat yogurt. This will help you resist sampling too many foods from the appetizer plates because you’re too hungry.
• Remember that you can politely say “no” to foods offered to you. Graciously refuse food once you are full. At a sit-down meal,
sample the foods offered. But don’t feel obligated that you must clean your plate.
• You have many choices to help you lower the amount of unhealthy fats you get in a meal. One main source of unhealthy fat used widely is butter. However, you can limit butter and other fats with the kind of food you order.
• Other sources of saturated fats include some salad dressings, the fat on meat, and the skin on poultry. When you choose a salad dressing, ask for a vinaigrette dressing on the side or do like I do and bring my own. When eating meat, trim away any visible fat. Remove the skin from poultry.
• Don’t be shy about asking how items are cooked. Ask about ingredients used in dishes. For example, if a meal comes with French fries, you may want to swap the fries for a baked potato with low-fat sour cream. Likewise, you can ask for poached eggs if breakfast comes with fried eggs.
Remember, you are in charge of your health. You can eat healthy, tasty foods when eating out.
Some types of ethnic foods have become very popular. These foods are heavy on the seasoning when prepared at a restaurant or if someone is selling meals out of their home. However, as with other foods, you can gain weight if you make the less healthy choices.
Trends are showing that more and more healthy recipes and foods are being offered all the time. It’s getting easier to find whole-grain pastas and breads. As well as gluten-free foods.
More fruits and veggies are being added to menus. Chefs (y’all think your chefs, lol) are cutting back on added sugars, excess salt, and saturated fats. Some menus have a section for healthier entrees and Even offer smaller portions for a lower price. A healthier holiday season without weight gain can also be in your reach when you plan your treats and enjoy the season using a few simple strategies. If you know what to look for, you can avoid high-calorie, high-fat dishes and still enjoy a tasty meal.
By Coach Pinky
