Did you know that 92 percent of restaurant meals have twice as many calories as doctors recommend? If you’re on a diet, ordering the wrong thing can wreak havoc on your weight loss goals. The good news is that we’ve got some tips that’ll help you eat out and still stay slim.
- Avoid the Appetizers!
Typically appetizers have the highest calorie count on the menu. For example that Blooming Onion from Texas Road House has a total of 3,150 calories and 33 g of carbs per serving. YIKES! Might as well get that Blooming Onion with a side of diabetes and wash it down with a heart attack.
And those Jalapeno Poppers are poppin’ with calories jalapeno yo’ face (we couldn’t help ourselves). One plateful tallies over 1,900 calories, 135 g of fat, and over 6,000 mg of sodium! You heard that right, 6,000 mg of sodium, that’s three times the recommended DAILY sodium intake for an adult in one appetizer.
Calorie Saving Tip: If you do end up ordering an appetizer, instead of fried veggies, ask for some fresh raw veggies. You’ll skip all the calories and avoid that heart attack.
- Stay Away From These Red Flag Words on The Menu
When looking at the menu keep an eye out for words that are red flags. Dishes with these words tend to have a lot of hidden calories and salt. Here are 8 to steer clear of:
Pan-fried- Fried
- crispy
- dipped
- scalloped
- breaded
- creamy
- alfredo
Looking for something healthy? Meals with the following words tend to be lower in carbs and calories:
- grilled
- steamed
- baked
- roasted
- braised
- broiled
- Seared
Calorie Saving Tip: If you don’t see any healthy options on the menu, ask the waiter if they can modify the entree for you! Most chefs will be happy to oblige.
- Enjoy What You’re Eating
Slow down. Take your sweet time. Enjoy every bite. Make room for conversation between bites.
Research shows that it takes your brain about 20 minutes to get the message that your stomach is full and you are no longer hungry. If you eat slow, you’ll eat less and still be satisfied.
Calorie Saving Tip: Since you’re eating slowly, you’ll often find yourself feeling full before you’ve finished everything on your plate. Make sure to balance your bites between all options on the plate so that you don’t finish just the potatoes and rice and leave your protein and vegetables untouched.