How to Eat Out on a Diet
How to Eat Out on a Diet
Being a former fitness competitor, I know all too well about the dreaded dinner outing that would derail all of my fitness goals.
At the beginning of my competing days, I would pack my measured and weighed food into plastic containers and eat in the car on the way to the restaurant. I would go into the restaurant with my family and friends, smelling all the delicious food they would soon be ordering. My temptations would be on overload! I would fight the urge not to pick at the appetizers, careful not to stare at their plates or I'd pick at a couple of french fries. It was brutal.
The comments would start. The endless “just eat a couple chips, it won’t hurt you.” The eye rolling “why do you do this to yourself?” My little girls would feel bad for me, and I would reassure them that I was fine, that I didn’t want anything. In my mind, I was showing them how to be strong, how to stick to your goals, how not to quit. But instead, I was showing them a real-life lousy relationship with food.
I did this for many years while prepping for competitions. I thought this was the way it was supposed to be. It wasn’t supposed to be easy. Instead, all I did was isolate myself from normalcy. I look back at these days and regret every minute of it. It didn’t need to be this way, nor should it!
From isolation to binge eating, I finally learned the life of macro tracking. This literally saved me from the endless road of nutrition insanity! Macro tracking gives me the freedom to eat out at whatever restaurant I want. It gives me the freedom to eat with my family while staying completely on track with my goals.
After years of struggling to be perfect with my nutrition, I've learned simple ways to eat out without destroying my goals. Let me show you how!
Know the menu before you go!
Being a “macro tracker" and "calorie counter", I prepare my meals ahead of time so that I am able to meet my daily macro goals. Almost all restaurants are listed in macro tracking apps. Restaurants also list their menus on their websites. If you’re going to dinner, look up the website right after your lunch. You won’t be in starvation mode, and you'll make wiser decisions on what to eat. I do this sometimes for the simple fact that I will already know what I want as not to be tempted to stray once I’m sitting there “grazing” through the menu! So make your decision beforehand and stick to it!
Be your own advocate.
You work on your fitness and nutrition but yet you still want to enjoy a meal, not prepped by you! You want to be able to go out with family and friends and not feel guilty. You don’t want one outing to derail all you've worked for. You just need to speak up for yourself. What do I mean? When you place your order, tell the server how you want your food.
Ordering grilled chicken? Ask for it “dry” or “clean.” Most likely, the server will look at you like you are from another planet. That’s ok! Just simply explain that you don’t want any butter or oils put on your chicken. Most menus now offer “gluten-free” options. I usually go with that, but I am sure to point out “gluten-free” by preference. If I order broccoli, I request the same thing. No butter or oils. If you really want cheese, ask for it on the side and just sprinkle a tad on. If a potato or fries are offered as a second side, I just ask them to double up on my broccoli.
Ask for water right away!
As soon as the server arrives at your table, ask for a large glass of water and lemons. If you are starving, this is a must. Most of the time you feel super hungry, it’s actually just a sign that you are dehydrated. Start drinking that water right away, so you're not tempted to order all the high carb items. It’s just like going to the grocery store on an empty stomach! Total disaster!
Peer pressure is real, even as an adult.
So many of my clients struggle with the constant pressure of family members making comments when they go out to eat. I too have fallen victim to this kind of banter. You know what it’s like with others when you’re going to pick something healthy to eat. You’ve worked hard, so you’re sticking to it. You tell everyone at the table what your ordering and the ridicule begins! The eye rolling, the “oh just order what you want” and so on and so on! They get in your head, your stomach starts to growl! You start thinking “just forget it” and order what they're having.
I totally know this scenario. I’ll tell you, just like I say to my clients, DON’T DO IT! The pride you will have for sticking to your guns will far outweigh the regret you will have for caving! Trust me! Of course, you'll have unplanned “goodies” here and there. That’s ok! But you cannot allow yourself to let others quickly pull you from your fitness path! You have to learn to stand tall and proud of your healthy achievements! The long-term benefits will far outlast a hasty choice just to go with the crowd. You have different goals than they do! You have to allow yourself to grow into the person that is in for the long haul, no matter what is thrown at you.
Slow down!
I have to admit, I'm known for woofing my food down in a matter of two minutes. I literally have to remind myself to calm down, this is not my last meal! Your brain needs to catch up to you so that signals can be sent, letting you know when you're full. Not only that, you need to chew your food thoroughly, so it's easy to digest.
My main reason, don’t laugh, is I need to finish after everyone else is done eating so I am not tempted to pick at other plates or be tempted to order dessert. If I still feel hungry, before I pick at anyone’s fries, I fix another lemon water. It’s incredible how much water makes you feel satisfied!
Don’t fixate on ordering a dessert. Remind yourself that you’re changing your body, and your body will reward you but that chocolate cake won’t! Stay in the moment of your goals not the taste of dessert. Just keep drinking that lemon water!
Be sure to pin this to your Pinterest board so you can revert back to it when it’s time to eat out. No way should eating out blow your entire weight loss plan!
Who says you can't go out to eat when you're dieting? You shouldn't feel isolated from loved ones because of your weight loss goals. Grab these simple tips to get yourself educated on how to enjoy restaurants and not blow your diet.
“This is your journey. They don’t need to understand it.”
These are straightforward steps to follow. It just takes a lot of conscious effort. A lot of people put so much thought into their workout then just wing it on nutrition. When you go out to eat, you have to have a plan and determination to stick to your goals. No one is immune to this. We're all human and desire tasty foods. Have the courage to stick to your plan! Mind over matter! YOU CAN DO THIS!
If you need some fun, simple ways to keep you on track and inspired, please sign up below to be on the inside loop of tricks and tools to fast track you to all of your goals. I'd love to be a guiding light on your path to greatness.
Hugs & Love,
Aimee
Aimee Schwinabart is the founder of The Purely Fit—online workouts, nutrition, and fitness coaching that actually work! She specializes in short (super effective) daily workouts combined with customized nutrition plans to help real people shed excess fat and reveal toned, lean muscles. The Purely Fit approach to looking and feeling great prioritizes small, steady, super efficient workouts and nutrition upgrades to help you stay with it once and for all!
