Healthy Tip, Eating Out

I am a big believer in the 80/20 diet. That is to say I don't believe that you should ever deprive yourself of anything.

So you have a big sweet tooth? Then allow yourself a little bit of what you fancy, just offset it with exercise and a balanced diet.

It sounds simple enough but in a time of quick fixes & crash diets it can be far more tempting to embark on something like a 'Drop 7lbs in 7 Days' juice diet which offers immediate  results. The truth is this will do absolutely nothing for getting you your dream body. It will place your body in starvation mode, meaning when you start eating again your body will cling on to everything that crosses your lips assuming that you might suddenly starve it again. This means that you body fat % will go up, even if you are slim, you will most likely end up with the 'skinny fat' syndrome so many women complain of. The thing I hear most often when talking to women about their fitness/health goals, is the request to 'tone up'! The worst thing you can do in terms of getting that toned firm body is to crash diet & starve yourself. Your body is like a furnace & needs fuel to work at its maximum, burn calories & turn into a fat torching machine!

So in the spirit of 80/20 I don't feel that you have to avoid eating out by any means. You just have to be clever about it.

If you are absolutely longing for a 'bad' rich, creamy pasta dish. Then order it. (Even better if your dinner partner will share it with you, then you can each order a side salad to have with it). By allowing your body to have what it is craving, your craving will go away, and you won't find yourself trying to satisfy it with other foods that probably add up to the calories of the original dish anyway.

This isn't to say you should eat whatever you want, whenever you want. But by exercising control over your diet 80% of the time, a weekly treat of something delicious won't affect your ability to pull on your skinny jeans the next morning. The other benefit you get from limiting your intake of 'bad' foods, is that when you do indulge you will enjoy them SO much more!

All this said, let me get on to my top tips for dining out whilst staying on track with your diet & fitness.

1. Order just 2 things off the menu! 

This means 2 things out of the combination of 'alcoholic drink, starter, main course, dessert'

This is my most self-practiced rule! I normally order a small glass of wine & a main course, or a main course & a light dessert. Skip ordering all four elements unless its a big blowout meal and you will be able dine out far more often & avoid the groggy feeling the next day.

2. Pick your restaurant wisely!

Try to go for a non-chain restaurant, the ingredients have a much higher chance of being better quality, less processed and freshly cooked!

3. Check the menu ahead of time!

When picking a location for a meal out have a browse through the restaurant's websites, most will have menus online. This will allow you to pick the restaurant with the cleanest sounding food. 

4. Don't feel guilty!

If you do find yourself going all out and having a bottle of wine, a plate of creamy pasta & a tiramisu don't beat yourself up about it. Enjoy it. Recognise that you are eating something that is a TREAT (not a regular) & make the most of it. One bad day won't instantly make you gain weight. Start the next day with lots of water, a big mug of green tea, put your trainers on & go for a long walk. It won't be long before you're feeling back on track!

all images courtesy of weheartit.com

Harriet x