These 5 Tips Will Keep Your Diet on Track Even When Eating at a Restaurant

You've been mastering your meal planning and sticking to your diet with incredible resolve, and [...]

You've been mastering your meal planning and sticking to your diet with incredible resolve, and then you remember: date night tonight. Or dinner out with the girls. Or that family gathering at your parents' favorite restaurant. Suddenly, staying vigilant about what you're eating feels like an impossible task, a Herculean feat of impulse control. But as it turns out, a few simple tips can help you make the most of your dinner out and keep up the momentum of your healthy diet plan — read on to learn how to navigate even the most tempting menus.
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1. Do some legwork

The best way to resist temptation? Do a little prepping ahead of time. If you look up the restaurant's menu online and scope out a sensible choice before you're in wafting-range of delicious kitchen smells, you're more likely to make a good pick and stick with it when the time comes to order. (This also gives you a chance to scope out Yelp reviewers' favorite dishes — bonus intel.)

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2. Know your ABCDs

As Liz DellaCroce from The Lemon Bowl says, "ABCD: Appetizers, Bread, Cocktails or Dessert: Pick one, not four. It's that simple." While many of us treat eating out at a restaurant as a multi-hour affair that requires all the trimmings, smart eaters will realize that dining out doesn't come with a Bingo scorecard to check off — if you choose just one of these elements, you'll still feel like you're getting a treat, but you won't end up regretting your decision to indulge. (Plus, you might actually finish your entrée... a rarity for restaurant dining!)

3. Drink plenty of water

Your brain has a bad habit of mixing up hunger and thirst, especially when there are so many enticing sights and smells surrounding you. Keep the water refills coming (with lemon, if offered!) and sip throughout the meal so you don't overeat. Lemon water can also help banish belly bloat, so it'll work double-duty to help you feel better the next day, too.

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4. Bring a sweater

Sounds strange, right? But according to a German research study, participants who were cold during their meal ate almost 20 percent more food than those in the control group, even if the difference was as little as 10 degrees. "Apparently the hormones that control your appetite are slower to kick in when the temperature drops," Prevention notes. And it turns out that restaurants are well aware of this little phenomenon — dining establishments are often kept a bit chilly to encourage patrons to order more food.

5. Don't let it derail your day

Many dieters will try to "save up" calories if they know they're headed out for a big meal, but this can be a slippery slope. If you've ever arrived at a restaurant already starving, you'll know that it's nearly impossible to control your impulses to eat half the menu when you're in that state. Instead, eat as you normally would — this should help you keep your portions in control.

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