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 —

Lose weight before it’s too late! Health issues arising from obesity is already known to vast majority of people. Unfortunately, due to changes is the phase of the modern day lifestyle, statistics show that 15 % of children aging 6 to 19 years of age are overweight (children and teens). What caused the change compared to the last generation? It is hard to determine the real culprit behind child obesity today.

More synthetic diets and fast living contributed a lot in the degradation of quality eating habits of children. Harsh economic conditions push women to enter in the working world. They are no longer fully in charge of the diet of the family unlike in the 60’s. Actually this has nothing to do with a woman preparing the meal, but it is all about how much a mother would put extra effort in keeping the health of the family at best.

Children today live a sedentary lifestyle facing the TV, computer and video games without the guiding busy parents. A busy family with no time to do domestic task would let money feed their stomach. There is enough money to spend for the services of restaurants that pay no special concern other than getting their menus consumed. The way of making recipes tasty are either achieved by adding more oil and other harsh additives, which are not supposedly a big part of the daily diet. The influx of easy meals available around every corner are either fried or dredged with rich dressings. There is no more time to give it a second look.

With the situation, there is no doubt the picture of obese teens marks the proof of the reality. Before it’s too late, something has to be done. In close to impossible situations, weight loss programs specifically for teens have to be sought. It starts by a comprehensive visit to a professional who will determine the factors affecting the teen’s weight problem. It will be easy for a doctor to diagnose how much weight has to be shed off by doing calculations of the mass body index ration.

Actually anybody who has an understanding of this can easily determine his or her weight versus height. This has nothing to do whether you only appear thin or fat by other’s opinion, the doctor will make sure to know how long the program has to be followed. The major ailments accompanying obesity will be given priority like rise and fall of blood sugar, blood pressure, heart condition and blood circulation.

Weight loss program for teen will also deal with the psychological aspects on how the teen can cope with its process. In this case, families are encouraged not to inflict discriminating attitude towards the plight of an obese teen. After all, it’s partly the family’s concern and lifestyle, which contributed to the weight problem itself. A program has to be followed to develop the habit of eating properly that goes along with healthy activities and daily routines. There has to be exercise and movements instead of continuous confinement at home during non-school days.

Formal and expensive weight loss program for teen may be an option for a family, but it may not be needed if the child’s excess weight is manageable. Well-informed families can take do their own way of diet program approved and consulted to a doctor.

Tags: 19 Years, Additives, ailments accompanying obesity, Busy Parents, Child Obesity, Culprit, Diets, Dressings, Easy Meals, Eating Habits, Harsh Economic Conditions, Health Issues, Healthy Diet, Impossible Situations, Influx, Last Generation, Losing Weight, Mass Body Index, No Doubt, obesity;, oil;, Overweight Children, Preparing The Meal, Sedentary Lifestyle, Tv Computer —