A few weeks ago, my husband and I celebrated our 12th wedding anniversary over an exquisite meal at Martyrs Steakhouse in Taos, New Mexico.
There is often great temptation to overeat when dining out – and it’s easy to give ourselves permission to do so. Any number of sabotaging thoughts can come into play:
- This is a once in a lifetime experience.
- Lobster Mac ‘N Cheese! I’ll never get the opportunity to try this again. (yes, it was on the menu – OMG).
- It’s our anniversary.
- We’re celebrating!
- I’ll get back on track tomorrow.
I’ve got good news and bad news for you my sweet Chickadee.
The bad news first – our bodies don’t give a hoot what day it is – extra calories are still going to be stored as fat, even if it’s our anniversary (or 50th birthday or Thanksgiving).
The good news – you can absolutely savor the experience and not walk out the door with a doggie bag full of regret.
Here are five of my favorite tips for not overdoing it when dining out:
1. Decide In Advance
Most restaurants post their menus online. I highly encourage you to take a look ahead of time. This allows for plenty of time to review the options and make a good decision without feeling rushed or pressured by Aunt Mary to order the Six Cheese Lasagna. Our empty bellies and the smells wafting from the kitchen can make it easy to give into temptation. Walking through the front door knowing what you’re going to order will set you up for success.
2. The Finish Last Game
We stop eating when we’re either satisfied or our food is gone. Portion sizes at restaurants can be enormous – and if you eat too quickly, you might blow right past your point of satisfaction. When eating out with others, slow down your pace and try to be the last one to finish. Slowing down makes it easier to notice your level of contentment – which often arrives well before your plate is clean. This leads us to #3.
3. Don’t Eat Until You’re Stuffed
Hara Hachi Bu is Japanese for eat until you are 80% full. Stopping at 80% is a great strategy to avoid overdoing it. Of course, we can’t know when we’re exactly at 80%, but since our brain usually lags behind our stomach at recognizing fullness, this strategy can help us avoid needing to discreetly unbutton our jeans (we’ve all done it).
4. Don’t Pick Once You’re Done
You’ve successfully slowed down and stopped at 80%. Hooray! Now it’s time to get rid of that plate so you’re not tempted to pick on the rest of the potatoes. When you see the waiter, wave him or her down and ask them to take your plate away or pack up the leftovers. No waiter in sight? Cover your plate with your napkin and place the knife and fork on top. Out of sight, out of mouth.
5. On the Side Please
I ordered a gorgeous Petite Filet at my anniversary dinner and had a choice of sauces to accompany it. One of the options was a creamy wild mushroom sauce – which sounded divine, but was likely loaded with calories and fat. So I asked for it on the side and simply dipped my fork in before each bite. I used less than 1/4 of the sauce and still got to enjoy the heavenly flavor. Always ask for dressings and sauces on the side. Always.
Robyn Spurr is a Certified Health Coach, Weight Loss Coach, Personal Trainer and founder of Chickadee Weight Loss. She helps women reach their healthy, natural weight and stay there without all the diet craziness.
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