Eating Out during Medical Weight Loss

Posted: Sep 05 in Weight loss by Dr. Lazarus

When you’re trying to lose weight, finding a healthy meal at a restaurant can seem difficult, but it’s possible to find something that will fulfill your needs at nearly any eatery. By learning a few strategies that help you make smart, nutritious choices when eating out, you can help yourself keep every meal worry-free during medical weight loss.

Ready to eat a healthy meal at any restaurant? You can dine out diligently by paying attention to:

Online Menus

Many restaurants give you the opportunity to browse the menu before you even arrive. Checking menus online can help you decide whether or not a restaurant will be the right choice for you. It also makes it possible to choose something healthy to eat before you leave your home, which will give you more time to arrive at a good decision.

You can often find menus on a restaurant’s website. It’s also often possible to find full menus and information about what a restaurant offers on websites like Yelp and Urbanspoon.

Cooking Methods

Even if the ingredients in an entrée sound healthy, cooking methods that add fat to food can make them less healthy than they seem. When you see these terms on a menu, it usually means that fat has been added, and the item is best avoided:

• Au gratin
• Breaded
• Cheesy
• Creamy
• Crispy
• Fried
• Smothered
• Cooked with Alfredo, batter, butter, cream sauce, gravy or oil.

Instead, it’s best to look for items cooked with methods that don’t require added fat, like:

• Baking
• Boiling
• Broiling
• Grilling
• Poaching
• Roasting

If you have any questions or requests regarding the preparation of your food, most servers will be happy to help you.

Portion Sizes

Even a highly nutritious meal can become unhealthy if we eat too much. Restaurant portion sizes are often twice as much or more than we need in one sitting, and because of this, you’ll need to be cautious about clearing your plate regardless of where you eat and what you order.

Keep portion sizes under control by:

• Sharing your meal. Ask another diner if he or she would like to split a meal with you, which will cut portion sizes in half for both of you.
• Saving leftovers. Ask your server for a to-go box as soon as your food arrives and immediately pack up half the meal to prevent overeating.
• Skipping the entrée. Consider ordering a salad or appetizer instead of a full entrée. These options may be smaller and healthier than a regular meal, but you’ll need to remember to pay attention to cooking methods and toppings. Always ask for sauce and dressing to be served on the side so you can decide how much to add. If you order a salad, go with a lighter dressing like a vinaigrette and avoid fatty toppings like cheese and bacon.

It’s possible to eat well at any restaurant during medical weight loss. All you need to do is make well-informed decisions and remember your commitment to a healthy lifestyle.