Home | Health & Fitness | Nutrition

Eat Healthy on the Town

By: Kenneth Surr

It used to be a treat to go out and have dinner on the town. Once a month, the family would jump in the car and drive to a local restaurant to "give mom a break". Times have changed, and these days, restaurant food is an everyday fact of life for many of us. We stop for a burger or sandwich at lunchtime, and grab a pizza or bucket of chicken on the way home from work. Our drive-thru lifestyles demand instant meal gratification.

There's no doubt that fast food can be a real boon to our busy schedules. Still, we need to wonder if all of this convenience is taking a toll on our health. Is it possible to eat restaurant food, and stay on a healthy course?

Greens Means Go

Do you think you're doing your body a favor by ordering a salad at lunch or dinner? That rich dressing can really pack a calorie wallop. Ask for your salad dressing on the side, and then you can use as little or as much as you like. You can use this same rule when ordering other sauces, too. If you can't have fries without gravy, at least you can have some control over your calorie intake.

Go for Grilled Goodness

Fried foods are laden with nasty fats, so why settle for fried foods when you can have your meats and veggies grilled, baked, broiled, poached or steamed. These cooking methods use little or no fat, and are much lower in calories. When foods are grilled, the natural flavors are greatly enhanced, and there is little need for rich butters, gravies and sauces. You can whittle away even more fats and calories by having the chef grill your foods without additional oil or butter. The food will be delicious and only your hips will know the difference.

It Is Pastable to Eat Healthy

Think you can't incorporate your love of pasta with your healthy diet? Think again. You can eat pasta, so long as you stay away from those rich, cream-based sauces. Try a zesty fresh tomato-based sauce, instead of a rich alfredo sauce that will wreak havoc on your waistline. Tomato sauces are light, low-fat ways to bring your pastas to life, and will add a vegetable count to your food wheel. Add a sprinkling of cheese and spices for a truly delicious meal.

Drink To Your Health

Alcoholic beverages are not your best choice as meal accompaniments. Instead, order a glass of water, milk or juice, or a cup of tea. Soft drinks are also bad choices. Your value meal may come with a cup of pop, but you aren't obligated to accept it. Ask for an alternative beverage, and be willing to pay the extra quarter for a glass of milk. Your bones will thank you for it.

Start Smart

A little meal before your meal can be a great idea. Soups are sensational appetizers, as most are low in calories and take the edge off of your hunger before the main course arrives. Watch out for cream soups and chowders that are loaded with fat and calories. You can even eat two appetizers, a soup and salad perhaps, instead of one large main-course meal. You'll eat less and save money.

Sensible Sides

If you have the option of choosing your sides, ask for fresh vegetables or a baked potato instead of french fries. Choose a healthy baked potato, and don't weigh it down butter, cheese or sour cream. If you want to give your spud a little extra kick, try it with a spoonful of salsa.

High Fiber, Low Fat

Base your meal choice on dishes that use fruits and vegetables as key ingredients. These are essential sources of dietary fiber that your body just can't do without. Ask for whole wheat bread and pasta, and brown rice instead of white. Speaking of bread, feel free to have a slice, but skip the butter and oils.

Take it to Go

When you are full, stop eating. This may seem obvious, but many people insist on getting their 'money's worth' out of a restaurant meal. Listen to your body and know when you've had enough. You can always ask to take the remainder home. After all, half of tonight's pasta will make a great lunch tomorrow.

Dessert, with Two Spoons

What's better than a devastatingly delicious dessert? Half of one! Go ahead and give in to your dessert craving, and then give half of it to your companion. That caramel pecan cheesecake will be every bit as delicious when you share it with a friend, and you'll only be getting half the calories. If sweet and sensible is more your style, order a fruit salad, yogurt, or sorbet for dessert.

You should make healthy choices when you're on the run, but it's also OK to treat yourself now and then. If you're celebrating a special event and you want melted butter with your lobster, go right ahead. All types of foods can find a place in a well-balanced diet. Don't deprive yourself of the foods you really love. Your time is precious, after all, so enjoy every minute of it.

Article Source: Main Articles

Freelancer Kenneth Surr enjoys writing articles for several web magazines, on health discovery and healthy habit topics.

This article may be reproduced wholly or in part without written permission provided the byline, resource area, and any hyperlinks remain in order to give proper credit to the author.

Internet search engines and directory listings are imperative to your sites existence and success. Submit Your Website to the Searchen Networks directory and search engine to achieve authoritive inbound links.

Please Rate this Article

Click the XML Icon Above to Receive Nutrition Articles Via RSS!

Additional Articles From - Home | Health & Fitness | Nutrition

	Print This Article
	Post Comment
	Add To Favorites
	Email to Friends
	Ezine Ready

	Submit Articles
	Member Login
	Top Authors
	Most Popular Articles
	Submission Guidelines
	Ezine Notifications
	Article RSS Feeds

	New Stuff
	About Us
	Link to Us
	Contact Us
	Privacy Policy
	Terms of Service

:: Top Author Businesses:

Try your luck, Play BlackJack

:: Our Supporters: