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The bigger the better?
That seems to be the new motto for restaurants in the 21st century. These days burgers are served the size of your head and all-you-can-eat specials are all the rage. As the portion sizes keep getting bigger, so does our society. One of the biggest contributors to obesity has been overeating and the lack of control when it comes to portion sizes. It is difficult to try and live a healthier lifestyle with the constant temptations and bad influences that surround dining out. Since this topic is a current personal struggle, I found the American Cancer Society’s information on “Restaurant Eating Tips” very enlightening.
In our culture, going out to eat is not only a way to easily be served food, but it has also evolved into a social affair. Many use it as an excuse to get together every now and then to spend time with each other or to celebrate a special occasion. Avoiding going out would feel as if I would be cutting off social interaction. At the same time, I do not want all of my hard work to go down the drain. Regular restaurant portion sizes are distorting the image of what a proper single serving amount is and misleading the public. The restaurant industry does not make it any easier with the endless amount of breadsticks on the table and the waiters promoting ordering more in efforts to raise the check averages, thus raising the tips.
Additionally, many people rely on them for their primary source of nutrition given various factors such as lack of resources or skill to make their own food, convenience, or simply preference. Since they are impossible to dodge, knowing how to make smart choices at the eatery is important in maintaining the lifestyle you want and will be proud of.
ergo-plus.com
Smarter choices
The American Cancer Society’s tips promote taking control of your weight by still enjoying the foods you love, simply without all of the calories. The two most important pieces of advice they provide are 1) Plan ahead and budget the calories throughout the day beforehand 2) Do not be afraid to order to your specifications. Furthermore, doing ideas such as ordering a la carte, having the waiter wrap up half the entree before serving, or merely educating yourself more on spotting lower calorie cooking menu options can lessen the caloric, guilt ridden blow.
I found this advice very helpful and applicable to use in everyday life. Not only is this a good resource for myself, but one that I can take and share with others. As a nutrition educator, many of the clients will seek help on what to choose when it comes to dining out. There will also be outside factors affecting why the person is not getting suitable nutrition that causes the educator to have to mold a plan to their specific needs. These tips will also be useful when promoting portion control and learning the proper serving amounts for each body. I found it interesting how they supported occasionally eating your favorite fatty foods, only done so in moderation. The article stresses that it is fine to go out on occasions, but to just remember to maintain and never stray from a solid plan.
Whenever I get invited to go out to eat with a group of friends, my first instinct is fear of wrecking all of the sacrifices I have made to follow through on smarter eating habits and backtracking from the recent physical activity progress accomplished. Putting these tips into practice can dramatically change the typical outcome of eating until I feel sick. Take charge of your eating habits and no longer have live with food babies and regrets!
Link: http://www.cancer.org/healthy/eathealthygetactive/takecontrolofyourweight/restaurant-eating-tips