Healthy Eating: 8 Tips To Stay Healthy While Eating Outside

Healthy Eating: While you are on a particular diet regime, eating healthy outside can be a real challenge. Most of the meals and dishes are either full of sugar, oils and unnecessary sauces that build up calories or lack nutrients.

Healthy eating habits while eating outside

Try to find food that has been poached, steamed, grilled, or roasted. These cooking techniques often result in less fat and hence fewer calories. Foods that are fried, crispy, crunchy, sautéed, or pan-fried on the menu typically have higher fat and calories.

Here are 8 tips on how you can stay healthy and keep your stomach full while eating outside.

1. Eat clean
2. Drink fresh water or unsweetened tea
3. Skip the dessert
4. Skip the dressing & bread
5. Eat only fresh salads
6. Share your meals
7. Eat appetizers
8. Drink a lot of water

1. Eat Clean

If you are eating outside and trying to stay healthy, always choose clean dishes. That means using clean-cut meats that are either grilled, baked or slow-cooked with a side dish of fresh salad or steamed vegetables. Never choose fried meat or vegetables that are full of unnecessary fats. Always ask the waiter if your food can be prepared the way you want.

2. Drink Fresh Water or Unsweetened Tea

Drinks like sodas and fruit juices usually contain the most calories and sugars. Try to cut the calories by choosing fresh water and unsweetened tea or lemonade without sugar. If you want to drink something alcoholic, choose white or red wine instead of sugary cocktails like margaritas.

3. Skip the Dessert

If you are not eating in a specifically healthy restaurant, chances are the desserts will be full of calories and sugars. If you love to eat dessert choose something light like fruit salad or Greek yogurt with berries.

Also Read: Clean Eating: Myths and Truths

4. Skip the dressings & bread

Salad and meat dressing usually contain the most calories. Use only apple cider vinegar, sea salt and olive oil for your salads and skip the bread and other pastries especially if you are having some as a side dish to your main meal. If you want to eat bread, ask for gluten-free, whole wheat or multi-grain bread.

5. Eat only fresh salads

When you eat outside, always choose fresh salads. There are too many salad options like pasta salad, potato salads and creamy salads with mayonnaise and sour creams. These can contain as many calories as a whole healthy dinner.

6. Share your meals

Ask your dining partner to share your meal with you. A lot of the time we eat too much even if we are not hungry. This way you will split the calories without being hungry.

7. Eat appetizers

Healthy appetizers that contain protein can keep you full and even make you skip the whole main meal. Always choose appetizers with goat or mozzarella cheese, seafood like smoked salmon and grilled calamari or smashed avocado on whole-grain toast.

8. Drink a Lot of Water

Drinking water before your meals can lower your appetite. It is proven that a lot of the time when we think we are hungry we are actually just dehydrated. Drink water before your meals and a little bit between them to keep yourself from overeating.

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