It used to be that almost all meals were eaten at home. The only exceptions were if you happened to travel for business, were a truck driver, or happened to be on vacation. People simply cooked and ate at home. But over the years that has changed, and now it is estimated that people in the United States may eat more than half of all their meals outside the home. One of the big problems with this is that you don’t have control over what goes into the food you’re eating. This adds up to big trouble if you’re trying to lose weight.

However, there are some things you can do to eat healthier when eating out. Here are some tips to help you eat better, and keep your weight under control at the same time.

Skip the bread and butter. Sure, it’s nice to have something to nibble on while waiting for your food to arrive, but a slice of bread, with butter can add up to 300 calories. Have two slices and you’re already up to 600 calories, and none of your food is even at the table yet.

Choose your appetizers wisely. It’s a good idea to get an appetizer because it will keep you from overeating when the main dish arrives. Don’t order anything deep fried or that’s has cheese on it. Anything made with fresh vegetables is a good choice, as is a clear soup or seafood cocktail.

If you get a salad, have them put the dressing on the side. Otherwise there is a good chance the kitchen will pour too much dressing on the salad, and that adds up. You control how much you add when you have it on the side. (This goes for all sauces whenever possible)

Generally speaking, chicken and fish are better choices than pork and beef. However, you also have to pay attention to how it’s prepared. Fried chicken and fish, covered with cheese or a heavy sauce will have more calories than a lean cut of beef that is prepared the right way. Better methods of preparation include roasted, baked or grilled.

Share the entree. One thing most restaurants are known for are their large portion sizes, and they keep getting bigger. So, see if you can split the entree with someone at your table (some restaurants will charge a nominal fee for this, but it’s worth it). If no one wants to share, then eat half and take the other half home. You can always ask for a container before you start eating to make sure you’re not tempted to eat everything on your plate.

Fruit for dessert. If you still have room for dessert, then opt for one that contains fresh fruit. Remember, you can always split a dessert, too.

The main thing to keep in mind is that you don’t have to put your diet on hold just because you’re eating out. Learning to make better choices is all it takes to dine out without having to worry about an expanding waistline.

Tags: Appetizer, Appetizers, Big Trouble, Bread And Butter, Calories, Cheese, Choices, Cut Of Beef, Dish, Eating Habits, Exceptions, Fried Chicken, Fruits And Vegetables, Good Chance, Healthy Diet, Large Portion, Losing Weight, Nibble, One Thing, Pork And Beef, Portion Sizes, Sauces, Seafood Cocktail, Vegetables —

Weight Loss And Better Clothing Options Go Hand In Hand

Anyone who has ever been overweight, whether it’s a few extra pounds post pregnancy or injury or morbidly obese, knows the challenge associated with trying to find flattering clothing styles for their body type and size. To get the most choices in the styles you can wear well, never underestimate weight loss and better clothing options.

I have a friend who was overweight, about 100lbs overweight. She had a great marriage to a loving guy and when she finally got serious about losing weight she asked him a very loaded question (she knew it was a loaded question but was curious about how he would respond).

She asked her husband if he would still find her attractive physically when she lost her weight. I mean he obviously found her attractive when she was heavy but would he still when she was thinner? Of course, he said yes so she questioned him further: “how can you find me attractive when I’m thin and when I’m fat, it should be one or the other, shouldn’t it”?

I thought his answer was perfect. He said “honey, I love the way you look now, but weight loss and better clothing options go hand in hand so you will be able to wear some styles that may be a little sexier, and I will like that too” Wow, the guy got himself out of a pickle with that answer!

But it is true, when you are overweight and you have rolls no clothes fit you the way they are supposed to. You don’t have to be a stick figure but whenever you have excess fat and skin it just throws off the line of your clothes.

I’m not even talking about some of the ‘fashions’ that people will wear in a misguided attempt to camouflage their rolls. I’m just talking about the way clothes were made to fit and hang on the body can get completely distorted when that body has a lot of excess rolls and skin.

Until you get to the point where you have lost all your weight, there are some choices you can make that will help you look better during the process. Gone are the days of the muumuu and stretch pants, thank goodness. Today there are fashionable styles for anyone who has extra body fat.

The biggest rule to follow is to find clothes that are well fitted without being too baggy or too tight. A good fit is the most important thing to strive for. Don’t try to camouflage your rolls, you really won’t be fooling anyone. If you wear clothes that are too tight it will be like shining a spotlight on your least desirable features.

So, you know that the better shape you’re in the better you will look (not only in clothes but out of them as well) and that weight loss and better clothing options go hand in hand, but make sure that you also find clothes that are as flattering as possible to your shape while you are in the process of losing weight.

Tags: Attempt, Choices, Clothes, Clothing Options, Clothing Styles, Excess Skin, Fit, Losing Weight, Lost, Loving Guy, Marriage, Overweight, People, Pickle, Pregnancy, Sexier, Stick Figure, Weight Loss —