I love birthdays.
I love getting together with friends, eating dinner and celebrating. Of course, there is always the cake, one of my favorite parts of the celebration.
However, the entire birthday package doesn’t really fit into a diet.
But tonight, I plan on celebrating my friend’s birthday.
Just because I’m eating healthy doesn’t mean I have to hide out in my apartment and only eat home-cooked meals. You can eat healthy and still be social.
Yes, it will be hard to resist the sweet potato fries tonight, but I will stick to a side of vegetables. I don’t want my entire workout today to go to waste. I know my meal won’t be as healthy as something I would cook at home, but I can make healthier choices on the menu.
Whenever I eat out, I stay away from anything that says it is fried or breaded. And if something appeals to me that is fried, I ask if I can have my meat grilled or baked.
If I’m in the mood for a salad, I always ask for the dressing on the side and stick to vinegar-based dressings. Creamy dressings, such as ranch, are packed with calories and can be just as fattening as a hamburger. Personally, I don’t like my salad drenched with dressing, so I control the amount I put on my salad.
Restaurant portions are usually huge, and I used to have a problem overeating when I went out. I would stuff myself to maximum capacity just because the food was in front of me. Now, the first thing I do when I get my meal is cut it in half. I feel satisfied but not full, and the leftovers are delicious.
But a birthday wouldn’t be a birthday without cake. And just because I eat healthy doesn’t mean I’m going to pass up the cake. I ask for a small piece, which is just enough to satisfy my sweet tooth. A small piece of cake isn’t going to kill me, and I will enjoy every last bite.
How do you stay trim when you eat out?