How to Eat in Restaurants When You're On A Diet

Eating in restaurants or hotels, or buying takeaway food needn’t mean the end of your diet. You can eat healthily in restaurants and when you're ordering take outs - you just need to know what to eat and what to miss.

So, What Are The Rules When I'm.......

Dining Out

1. Read the menu well - don't just scan it for the most delicious thing you can see.
Act like a celebrity and don't be afraid to ask how meals are cooked.
2. In general, choose lean meats, fish and poultry and ask for them to be grilled, roasted or baked rather than fried or sautéed. 

3. Opt for steamed, boiled or roasted vegetables and salads. Avoid frying - if your vegetables have been fried, they are no longer much use to you (fries, tempura etc)
4. Always ask for sauces to be served on the side and to ask for a little olive oil or lemon on salads rather than dressings, which can be very fatty.
5. Look for tomato and vegetable based sauces rather than those made with cream or cheese.
6. If rice or noodles are on the menu, pick boiled or steamed rather than fried or pilau varieties. A serving of boiled rice has 0.47g fat. A portion of pilau rice has 7g fat!
7. It’s often very healthy to opt for fish or chicken and salad or vegetables. If you are vegetarian look for bean, nut, chickpea, egg or lentil options (and try not to just have cheese based meals).
8. Hotel breakfasts can be a challenge – but having a poached or boiled egg on whole grain bread is a good option – perhaps with some fruit juice or a piece of fruit. Otherwise, a low sugar cereal or muesli with a natural yogurt is a healthy option.

...Having A Take Out

1.Chinese, choose starters such as the grilled dumplings and opt for vegetable based sauces and vegetarian or low fat main courses e.g. chicken/bean curd in black bean sauce or noodles, bean sprouts and courgettes in a spicy sauce. For desserts try fresh fruit such as lychees. Try to avoid deep fried options such as fried pancake or spring rolls, banana fritters as well as egg-fried rice.
2. Indian it's best to pick tomato and onion sauces or dry cooked dishes e.g. tandoori or opt for vegetarian options with lentils and boiled rice. Try to avoid fried options such as bhajis, samosas and fried rice and rich creamy sauces e.g. kormas.
3.Thai avoid deep fried starters and always choose a vegetable side dish. A fish option is a healthy choice or a chicken and vegetable dish. Coconut milk is a saturated fat – so avoid having multiple dishes with a rich coconut sauce.
4.Italian, choose pasta dishes with vegetable and tomato based sauces or fish with vegetables or salads. If you are having pizza opt for vegetarian pizzas and salads. Generally try to avoid pasta with creamy or cheese sauces or pizzas with lots of cheese or cooked fatty meats. If ordering pizza, it's best to opt for vegetarian pizzas and order a salad.

Photograph by paper or plastic (Flickr)

How to Avoid Holiday Weight Gain

Is it possible to stay fit on the move?

Lots of people finally get into a fitness routine only to then get knocked off course when their routine is interrupted by a holiday or business trip.

This doesn’t need to happen. There’s no need to lose the rhythm with all your good intentions, just because you’re not in your normal environment. All you need to stay on track is a bit of planning. Here are the top 3 complaints I hear, and my suggestions:


1. I travel lots and it’s just not possible to eat healthy airline food.
This may once have been the case but it just isn’t true these days. Airlines have to cater for everyone and most offer vegetarian, kosher, low carb, low salt, low cholesterol, wheat free or dairy free options, as well as covering a variety of special dietary requirements. You just need to book your requested meal in advance, preferably when booking your flights. And remember, you don’t need to be a vegetarian to go for the vegetarian option. (Trust me - they don't check!) If you need to be focused for work at the end of your trip, order the meal that is best suited to either helping you sleep or helping you stay awake on your journey, depending on the distance you’re travelling and the time zones you’ll be crossing. Boring I know, but don't go crazy with the free alcohol on the flight. Water, water, and more water is what you need in the air.

The same principles apply to healthy hotel eating. Just because there’s a buffet at breakfast, it doesn’t mean you need to try to eat it all. Be selective, continue to eat what you know works for you at home and take advantage of the fact that someone else is preparing produce that you wouldn’t think of at home...a whole platter of fruit all ready for you? Don't just go for the cooked breakfast 'just because I'm in a hotel and it's a one off'.

2. Traveling disrupts my routine.
It is true that travelling can be disruptive so make sure that you have a routine that works for you when you’re on the go. Tackling life with just one single routine is a limited approach to life so get flexible. Have different routines and strategies for work and home life, weekdays and weekends. You need to recognise what your weaknesses are (room service hamburger - bloody mary(s) on the plane -McDonald breakfast at the airport) - and avoid them where you can in favour of healthier alternatives. Remember, you are allowed to continue eating as well as you do at home.

3. The hotels I visit don’t have gyms
You might not be able to keep up with your full routine while you’re away so instead see the change of scene as an opportunity to try something new. Go for a swim or a run, or even rent a bike. On a recent holiday I found a local park that had a route to run round the outside, a hill and some steps for interval training and a dedicated exercise area where it was really easy to put together a tough total body workout in surroundings more beautiful than I have access to at home.

Being away from home for a period doesn't have to be an excuse to eat junk and slob out. Instead, think of it as a great excuse to try new stuff. I rarely get to swim but on holiday, you can't get me out of the pool - I turn into the Man from Atlantis! Embrace the change and think of all the new and exciting ways you can try to stay on track.


Photograph by Trinity (Flickr)