Healthy Restaurant Eating
Joe Serpico

Here’s food for thought….did you know the average restaurant meal has over 1,000 calories? That’s enough to blow any healthy eating plan. Fortunately, by following a few simple guidelines, you can dine out without having to sacrifice good taste and nutrition.

1. Avoid ordering an appetizer. It’s not widely known that some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course. Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans fats and calories. It’s not a healthy way to start your meal.

2. Say “yes” to salad. Salad is a healthy eater’s best friend. Not only will it fill you up so you’ll consume fewer calories overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.

3. Make the right entree selection. Go for broiled and grilled rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat grams, you’ll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the 7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you’ll be reducing your caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based sauces rather than cream based and you’ll enjoy a considerable calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

4. Think about what you’re drinking with your meal. By not ordering an alcoholic beverage, you’ve saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet soft drink, or water with lemon. You’ll be glad you did when you consider the calorie savings.

5. Indulge your sweet tooth wisely. Many of the chain restaurants now offer a low fat or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a healthy dessert option isn’t available, try a cup of coffee with skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

6. Learn to control your portions. Many restaurants are serving larger quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you start eating, you’ll be less tempted to overindulge.

By following these steps, you can make your dining experiences not only healthy, but enjoyable. Your heart will thank you!

About the Author

Joe Serpico is webmaster at aa-fitness-guide.com. For much more information regarding exercise, health, nutrition, and fitness, visit http://www.aa-fitness-guide.com

Tags: Alcoholic Beverage, Appetizer, Appetizers, Author, Calories And Fat Grams, Croutons, Dressings, Entree Selection, Food For Thought, food;, Fried Foods, Fruits And Vegetables, Good Taste, Healthy Eating Plan, Hefty Dose, Joe Serpico, olive oil;, Optimal Health, Saturated Fat, Serpico, Starch, Sweetener, Trans Fats, Vinegar, Waitress, webmaster —

6 Tips For A Healthy Dinner Out
George Williams

Ever wonder how you can possibly lose weight when the average
dinner out contains over 1,000 calories? Well, don’t fret!
Keeping yourself in shape when dining out is simply a matter of
ordering the right menu.

Below are 6 tips for having a healthy dinner out (while still
enjoying your meal like normal!):

– Watch Your Drinks – By not ordering an alcoholic beverage,
you’ve saved yourself a considerable number of calories. Try
sipping iced tea sweetened with a noncaloric sweetener, a diet
soft drink, or water with lemon. You’ll be glad you did when you
consider the calorie savings.

– Have A Salad – One of the best menus to have is salad. Not
only will it fill you up so you’ll consume fewer calories
overall, but it will also give you a hefty dose of antioxidants
which are heart healthy. Be sure to ask your waitress to hold
the croutons and cheese which will further reduce your caloric
load. Also, choose your dressing wisely. Avoid cream based
dressings and go for the vinegar based ones. You also have the
option of using vinegar and olive oil which is heart healthy.

– Don’t Order An Appetizer Unless Necessary – Do you know that
some appetizers have more calories and fat than the main course?
Plus, many appetizers are fried and served with heavy sauces
which will add to your intake of saturated fat as well as trans
fats and calories. It’s not a healthy way to start your meal.

– Choose The Right Kind Of Foods – Go for broiled and grilled
rather than fried. Not only will you save calories and fat
grams, you’ll also avoid trans fats which are so prevalent in
fried foods. Instead, consider asking for a doubles order of
vegetables with your entree. Very few Americans are getting the
7-9 servings of fruits and vegetables recommended for optimal
health. Plus, by avoiding the starch, you’ll be reducing your
caloric and carbohydrate load. Also, stick to tomato based
sauces rather than cream based and you’ll enjoy a considerable
calorie savings. Lastly, ask for the sauce to be served in a
separate dish on the side so you can control the amount you eat.

– Don’t Overeat – Today, many restaurants are serving larger
quantities of food than in the past. If this is the case, put
aside a portion of your entree at the beginning of the meal to
take home with you. If you remove it from your plate before you
start eating, you’ll be less tempted to overeat.

– Say “No” To Sugary, Fatty Desserts – Instead, go for a low fat
or low carbohydrate dessert selection such as a low carb
cheesecake. These are wise choices for the health conscious
eater and still allow you to end the meal on a sweet note. If a
healthy dessert option isn’t available, try a cup of coffee with
skim milk to help satiate your desire for something sweet.

The next time you go out for dinner, keep the above tips in
mind. You will be surprised how many calories you are able to
slash out of your meal just by ordering the right menus! Happy
healthy eating!

About the author:

George Williams is a wine and food enthusiast. He owns Wine Online
Secrets, Wine Rack
Secrets and Free
Wine Storage Info, sites providing free wine information.

Tags: Alcoholic Beverage, Appetizer, Appetizers, Author, Calories And Fat Grams, Carbohydrate, Croutons, Dressings, Fewer Calories, food enthusiast, food;, Fried Foods, Fruits And Vegetables, George Williams, Hefty Dose, olive oil;, Online Secrets, Optimal Health, Saturated Fat, Sauces, Soft Drink, Starch, Sweetener, Trans Fats, Vinegar, Waitress —

You may be wondering how you are going to lose your belly fat. One of the surest ways to have a smaller belly is to diet and exercise. That’s right good old fashion hard work. And consistency is the key.

Think about it, if you want to direct your daily life and your life in the future, you must take control of your consistent actions. It’s what we do consistently that shapes our lives. Have you ever heard that saying “Daily decisions determine destiny”? It’s so true.

Have you dieted more times than you care to count? Or spent a fortune on exercise equipment, only to let it collect dust. If so, you are not alone. Familiar with yo-yo dieting or are you convinced there is a quick fix? No, unfortunately not.

Making daily healthy lifestyle changes is key. It is better to lose weight slowly. Or start exercise regimens you can build upon rather than putting yourself through major deprivation that you know you want be able to sustain for a lifetime.

To lose belly fat or any fat cut back on calories and fat grams. Calorie intake needs to be less than calories burned. It is very easy to over eat. Most people are unaware of what a true serving size is. Be sure to look at the nutritional labels. And keep a food diary.

One way to cut back on calories is to cut out sodas. Can’t live without soda? Try to switch to diet soda at least. But plain fact is your body needs water. Drink at least 64 oz of water a day. Your body needs this for hydration and to flush out toxins.

Not a morning person? Find it hard to make yourself eat breakfast? A cup of coffee will do? It is a fact that those who start their day with a low fat high protein breakfast, their metabolism burns faster. That’s what you want, a faster metabolism.

Help your body work for you. Give it the right fuel it needs. And that is low fat, high protein foods. Your body will thank you. It is true that high protein foods create more of a sense of satiety than other foods.

Let’s not forget the exercise. Are you really out of shape at this point? Not quite sure how you are going to be able to start an exercise regimen, much less stick to it? Well, you got to start somewhere. Get moving, even if it is 10 minutes here or there. It is a start.

Walking is always a safe way to get started. Going to buy groceries? Park at the end of the lot instead of circling around and around trying to find a spot close to the front. Those extra steps are a starter. Use the stairs instead of the elevator. Climbing stairs is an excellent cardio workout.

Once you get a good cardio workout established. Try adding some weight lifting to your regimen. This will help you tighten up. Whereas the cardio will help raise your metabolism and burn fat.

This whole process is a journey, its a long winding road that can go all the way to the top. That way when you look down at where you came from; you can sit back and smile

Tags: burn, Burns, Calorie Intake, Calories, Calories And Fat Grams, Cup Of Coffee, Diet Soda, exercise equipment;, Exercise Regimens, Food Diary, Healthy Diet, Healthy Lifestyle, High Protein Foods, How To Lose Your Belly Fat, Life In The Future, Lifestyle Changes, Losing Weight, Low Fat High Protein Foods, Morning Person, Nutritional Labels, Old Fashion, Plain Fact, Right Fuel, Satiety, Sodas —