Eating Out

5-31-2011

Restaurants are everywhere. And eating out is fun. So, here are some strategies to make eating out healthier.
But first, some context:
What’s a Calorie? A Calorie is just a unit of measurement for the energy contained in the food we eat. That energy is necessary for humans to function. But those calories are also responsible for making us lose weight, gain weight or neither.
Restaurants typically serve food with a lot of calories, which means the food is “caloric.” A calorie itself isn’t a good thing or a bad thing. But often foods with a lot of calories also have a lot of other things that aren’t healthy.
Fast food can be the biggest culprit. So, consider this typical meal from McDonalds. 

• Ex) First Option:
• Premium Chicken Club Sandwich (crispy) – 630 Cal
• Large French Fries – 500 Cal
• Large Coke – 310 Cal
• Total – 1440 Cal

Now, consider this alternative meal.

• Ex) Alternative:
• Premium Chicken Club Sandwich (grilled) – 530 Cal
• Medium French Fries – 380 Cal
• Medium Coke – 210 Cal
• Total – 1120 Cal

Between the two meals, substituting the large for medium soda and fries, and the crispy for grilled chicken, there’s a difference of 320 Calories
…And?

Well, consider how many times a month you might eat fast food, and then consider how many calories a month you could save just by making those slight adjustments.
…So?

Think about it like this: There are 3500 Calories in a pound of fat. And, to run a mile, we use 100 Calories. The difference in that meal , or another meal like it–fast food or otherwise—, means that, in terms of pounds or miles, you will save yourself more than a pound of fat or more than 38 miles of running if you make that substitution 12 times.

Take away message: small, easy changes go a long way.

So, here are a few more easy changes to make that will keep eating out healthier, but that won’t make it any less fun:

• Ask for dressings and sauces on the side, and then use them sparingly.
• Split your meal in half, and take one portion home
• Use salsa or mustard instead of salad dressing or mayonnaise
• Skip fried foods and instead choose baked, broiled or grilled
• Ask for a side salad instead of fries
• Don’t supersize meals at fast food restaurants. Opt for smaller portions, like from our example above