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Imagine you’re sitting at a local Chinese restaurant close to work when panic sets in. The waiter hands you the menu and you open it anxiously, searching for the healthiest option.
Chicken fried rice. Barbeque ribs with rice. Egg rolls. Pot Stickers…You start to sweat. You’ve recently committed to eating healthier and you want to stay on track, but right now you have no idea what to order. You think, “Fuck it, this is waayyy toooo hard. There is no way I can eat healthy going out for lunch all the time.”
The truth is you do not have to throw in the towel. There is a strategy that works. One that you can use to stay on track and that is supportive of your fitness goals, even in the most dire of situations. By far, the question I get asked the most by one-on-one coaching clients is, “What do I eat when I go out to a restaurant?”
Here are two simple solutions you can use when in almost any crunch:
1) Choose salad with a protein
Almost all restaurants (even Chinese) offer some sort of salad either as an appetizer or a main dish. Pick a salad that comes with a protein like steak, chicken, or fish. If there isn’t a protein listed with the salad, ask your waiter if you can add one. Salads that are mostly veggies, greens, and protein will be your most nutrient dense, waistline friendly choices. Think chicken cobb, barbecue chicken, or kale with wild salmon.
Further, try to avoid salads with loads of fruit, nuts, and lettuce only. Always ask for dressing on the side so you can add to your liking.
2) Choose protein With a veggie
Choose any of the main entrees that are grilled, broiled, or sautéed chicken, fish or beef. Sub out whatever sides come with the entree for veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, zucchini, or carrots. If veggies and a mashed potato come with the entree, order double veggies and ditch the starchy potato.
You should be able to use at least one of these two solutions in 95% of dining out situations. In that rare 5% chance you can’t, you still aren’t doomed.
First, do your best and choose what entree you believe is the best option then apply these three rules while eating.
-Eat Slowly (spend 15-20 minutes eating your food)
-Eat until you feel satisfied, not full or stuffed. Like to an 8 out of 10.
-Eat protein first, veggies second, and then see how you feel before eating your carbs.
Now, if what you’re consuming isn’t the healthiest of meals you can moderate and limit how much you eat in a way that still fills you up.
By the way, the above three eating rules are the ideal way to eat all your meals, regardless of what you’ve ordered. This will help you tune into the signals from your body, a superpower that all fit people seem to have. So remember, you never have to throw in the towel. There is always something you can do no matter what eating situation you are in.
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