Diet = No Life… Right? WRONG!!!

You tell your friends who are having a nice meal that you can’t eat out because you are trying to lose weight

You might not even do that; I’ve heard all manner of reasons for avoiding situations like this from

‘I’m on antibiotics’ to ‘the dog is ill’ … yep it’s true! BUT IT DOESN’T HAVE TO BE LIKE THIS!!!

 

While it can be tough socialising while you’re trying to drop some excess body fat there are some things you can do which means you can get lean and still have a life I LOVE eating out but we all have times when our weekends are crammed with plans when you’ll be out all day and will have to eat out for several meals over the weekend which can completely ruin any healthy eating plan unless you are prepared!

A great rule to live by is ‘strategic cheat meals’ stick to the diet and eat healthily for the whole week and have one cheat meal a week where you can eat what you like (missed meals count as cheat meals so don’t miss a meal!) So, for your weekend out you’ve got one meal sorted as you can eat what you like for your ‘cheat’ meal. Now, for the rest of the weekend follow my tips below and make sure you pack nuts, fruit and other healthy foods to snack on so you don’t get tempted by the Krispy Kreme Dozen Donuts!!!

So, assuming you REALLY want results before the summer hits us and you suddenly have to put your summer clothes on, here are my top tips on being prepared & staying on track when eating out when it’s NOT a cheat meal

      1. Choose your restaurant carefully. I recommend going Italian. Italian restaurants ALWAYS have a healthy option without even knowing it (more on that later on)

 
      2. Check out the menu in advance. This is easy; most restaurants have websites now. If not, ask to look at the menu a few days in advance or even better, call them and ask if they can post one to you.

      3. Remind yourself of your end goal before you leave the house. Want to look incredible on the beach? Want 6 pack abs? Want to be a jean size smaller? Sorry but a blow out on the dessert menu / huge pizza just isn’t going to cut it. Use this for ammo: “Every single decision I make, every tiny decision, takes me either closer or further away from the body I desire. Therefore, EVERYTHING I CHOOSE to eat and drink will either make me fatter or leaner” Sure a few chips with your steak won’t kill you, but it’s hardly taking you closer to your beach body is it?
 

      4. Drink a BIG glass of water before you leave the house. This will not only hydrate you but will also make you feel fuller so you don’t go too wild on…

 

      5. Avoid the bread. AT ALL COSTS! Bread makes you fat – simple as that. No explanation required. Eat bread – stay the same. Yes that includes brown and wholemeal unless you’re an athlete
 

      6. You booze, you lose. Another easy one; Alcohol is a useless nutrient – a liquid sugar that your body has no use for other than to store it as fat (oh and give you beer goggles) Choose water or sparkling water if you prefer something fizzy.
 

      7. To start or not to start? If available choose a salad without a high calorie dressing; oil and balsamic vinegar are great, lemon juice is even better. Most restaurants do a tomato 7 red onion salad or a Greek salad. You could also go for something like asparagus tips. If you can;t find a suitable starter you could always stock up on:
 

      8. Side Orders. A side order isn’t always for the greedy among us – use it sneakily! Order extra veg: asparagus, red onion salad, garlic sautéed spinach or something similar (oh and not all of them!)
 

      9. Choose a ‘meat and veg’ meal. You know to stay away from pasta and pizza right? Both are guaranteed to make you gain body fat especially in the love handle area – muffin top? That’s down to your carbohydrate intake FULL STOP. Instead, check out the steak (the leaner the better of course) check out the chicken options or cod/salmon/tuna steak options. Choose the veg and salad over chips!

 
      10.  Skip dessert. Dessert is not a necessity, it’s a bad habit (one that is my biggest downfall) Break it! If you must choose something to ‘finish off’ your meal, choose a black coffee.

 
      11.  Oh and one last tip as you will ALWAYS have a friend that will say… “go on, live a little” or “just have one” If you have ‘friends’ like this then read your ‘Are your friends making you fat’ article (if you don’t have that article let me know and I’ll get it for you – you have to read it!)

So there you have it… you can have your social life back now!