Diet and Nutrition –Social Eating and Traveling Tips
Fill up on the good stuff
Drink plenty of water before you leave for the restaurant, and while you wait for the food to arrive. This will help fill you up and prevent hunger-inspired indulgences.
Request your salad (and/or soup, if it’s not creamy) be brought out first, and dig in. By the time your food arrives, you should be able to more rationally determine what portion sizes are appropriate, and if anything needs to be avoided.
Dreaded desserts
First of all, do not order dessert until you are completely finished with your meal. You may be full and not want anything. And that’s certainly not a crime!
After the meal, if everyone is splurging on the dessert menu, keep in mind that you don’t have to join in just to be part of the “gang.” Enjoy a cup of coffee or tea to end your meal.
Or ask someone to split a dessert with you. Hint: Doggie bags can also be used for desserts! So split it in half and take part home for another day or your neighbor. You have to be left out of choosing a neat dessert, either.
See if the kitchen can put together a fruit bowl or a sorbet dish to satisfy your cravings without putting all your conscientious work at dinner to waste. This might be something to call ahead about. Hint!
Distract yourself
Vacations should be a luxurious time to indulge oneself and have fun. Though it does lead to eating out more often, it also removes many of the day’s temptations: you won’t be wandering over to the kitchen when you’re bored, or overindulging at the grocery store and then feeling “obligated” to eat what you’ve bought.
Spend time in the pool, on the sand, and at the shops, not at the restaurants. Most vacation hot spots are ideal for eating on the go; you can pick up a small meal from a roadside vendor and eat it while walking the boardwalk and enjoying the sights and sounds.
Don’t make food about suffering. If the smell of saltwater taffy engulfs you, treat yourself—to one. Having a small amount will indulge your craving without compromising your diet. Better yet, after you buy your taffy, don’t begin eating it until you’ve walked far enough away to avoid being tempted by the smell.
Try making a rule like, “If I eat, I need to enjoy a fun activity, too: a walk, bike ride, swim, tennis, putt-putt, etc.” Then coordinate daily “pairings” or events with meal planning. Life, including vacations, does not have to be all about food. Nor does it have to focus on food.
Don’t stress
Vacations and meals out are intended to be enjoyment, not torture. If you do go a little overboard, it’s important not to beat yourself up over it. Forgive yourself and get on with life. Simply use that experience to learn where you can improve the next times you are in that situation.
With the right approach, eating out can be a pleasurable experience. Remember, a successful diet is a lifelong lifestyle modification. You need to be able to incorporate healthful eating out activities into your routine.
What happens if you DO stress? Add extra activities to your schedule. Swim some laps. Walk or jog. Leave your wallet in the trunk and go to a mall for a shop-walk. Take a tour. Visit a museum. Enjoy a park and feed the ducks. Just get out, focus on something else and enjoy life.
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