Do you find that when you eat out, you eat more food than you do at home? Researchers found that many people do, and were curious to find out why. Their questionnaire, completed by 146 people, revealed some common barriers to healthy eating when dining out. You can read the original research here http://www.cdc.gov/pcd/issues/2010/may/09_0130.htm#table1_down
Here are the common barriers to healthy eating out, and some possible solutions for you:
Many people found they ate more when they arrived at the restaurant ravenously hungry. This certainly makes it harder to choose healthier options, especially in the winter when hot food is more appealing. For many people in the survey, it was their busy lifestyle that got in the way; they just "hadn't had time to eat".
When you're busy its easy to overlook meal planning; but this is one of the key skills that will help you stay on top of things when life is going a little crazy. The solution? Spend 20 minutes before you shop each week to plan your meals, and purchase some key snack items that you can keep on hand in your desk drawer so you don't go hungry.
Being presented with a big plate of really delicious food certainly makes it harder to resist eating too much. If your first thought when the plate lands on the table is "wow, that's a lot" then it probably is an overly large portion size. Sometimes you can ask for what's left over to be packaged as a takeaway for you to take home.
Were you brought up to eat everything on your plate so as not to 'waste' food? If so, you're likely to find it even more difficult to refuse an overly large portion size. Try routinely asking for an 'entrée size' serve of a main meal item instead.
If you're hungry, and tuck into your meal with gusto, you're likely to miss your stomach's cues of "I'm full!" – this can cause you to overeat, then leave the restaurant feeling bloated. Your best remedy here is mindful eating; put your cutlery down between mouthfuls, and really savour the wonderful flavours and textures of the meal that someone else has cooked for you.
Effective portion control is one of the hallmarks of successful weight management – so try these strategies next time you eat out. You might leave the restaurant next time feeling well fed but not bloated or over-fed.
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