Eat Healthy! Eat Well! Enjoy the Night Out!
So often I meet with patients who tell me that they have a hard time eating well because they eat out frequently.
I also eat out frequently, and you would be amazed at how some simple rules help you eat fantastic and yet very healthy.
Often I give these “Rules To Restaurant Survival” to patients in the form of a small laminated card which they can carry in their wallet or their purse.
Eat Healthy! Eat Well! Enjoy the Night Out!
1. Don’t go in Hungry!
Drink a large glass of water (or two) or have a few (6-8) almonds 20 minutes before entering restaurant
2. “No Bread!”
Don’t let them put the bread basket on the table
3. “Bottled San Pellegrino”
Share at the table with lime twists!
4. “Green Salad Please!”
Hold the cheese and croutons. Lemon with salt – an EXCELLENT dressing or olive oil drizzled onto salad with some apple cider vinegar
5. “White Meat please!”
Main course – Skinless fowl or fish, always grilled, baked, broiled or steamed. Hold the sauce!!
6. “Red Wine please!”
A glass of red wine is acceptable, but only one!
7. “Colored Vegetables please!”
Two Side dishes of grilled, baked, broiled or steamed vegetable. Avoid vegetables which are white in the middle, the more color the better!
8. “Brown Starch please”
Ask for whole wheat pasta. Ask for brown or wild rice
9. “Half to go!”
Ask the waiter to wrap ½ of your meal to be taken home
10. “Yes to Dessert”
Finish your meal with a cup of Green Tea and Fresh Fruit. You may consider sharing a sorbet with friends
Eat Healthy! Eat Well! Enjoy the Night Out!
So what does this type of dining out add up to?
House Green Salad with lemon/salt dressing 16oz
10 carbs, 3 fats, 0 proteins, 67 calories
Grilled Chicken/Fish 8oz
0 carbs, 8 fats, 17 proteins, 140 calories
Red Wine 5oz
3 carbs, 0 fats, 0 proteins, 100 calories
Broccoli/Spinach/Asparagus 8oz
6 carbs, 0 fats, 2 proteins, 32 calories
Whole wheat pasta/Brown Rice 2oz
41 carbs, 1 fats, 7 proteins, 201 calories
Fresh Fruit Cup/Sorbet 6oz
18 carbs, 0 fats, 1 protein, 72 calories
TOTAL 78 carbs, 12 fats, 27 proteins, 612 calories
And half to go makes it only 300 calories for a great night out!
If hungry – Double up on the salad and the vegetables!
