Do You Worry When Eating Out on a Whim?

Don't let eating out on a whim get you down

Are you worried about gaining weight when you’re eating out on a whim? You don’t need to at all! With the right tips and tools, you can make the right choices, enjoy yourself and see a loss at the scales.

These are the tips I followed and still do to make sure there’s no weight gain after eating out.

Use the App or Eat Out Guide

If you’re on Weight Watchers, I highly recommend both of these. I’ve always preferred the app, but it doesn’t have absolutely everything. The Eat Out Guide is sometimes quicker and easier, so it’s worth having it in your bag or pocket.

Pull it out when you decide where you’re eating and take a look at your best options. You can even use it to decide where you’re going to eat if you’re not too sure.

Think About Your Food Choices

If you’re not on Weight Watchers or don’t have the Eat Out Guide or App, think about the food choices. Many menus now have the calorie listings on them, but you can also use common sense. A burger is usually worse than a wrap or pitta. A cheesy pasta is going to be worse than a tomato based one.

It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy yourself or choose your favourites. It’s just a case of thinking about it.

Ask for Dressings on the Side

Most things, even salads, come with dressings or sauces. You don’t have to have them the way the chef makes them. There’s no problem asking for the dressing to be placed on the side or just foregoing it completely.

This is a great way to cut out the calories. You’ll be surprised by the amount of dressing you actually get when you ask for it on the side.

One, Two or Three Courses?

How many courses should you have? You really want to enjoy yourself and have all three, but you know it’s going to cause a weight gain. This is where you have to make the difficult decision of which course to cut out.

Instead of doing that, talk to the person you’re with into sharing either the starter or the dessert, or even both!

Ask for Smaller Portions

There is nothing wrong with asking for the portions to be made smaller. Most places do offer half-portions for those with smaller stomachs, and chefs understand. You may find that the menus state that there are some meals available in half measures for your convenience.

If the menu doesn’t state anything, politely ask the waitress. It doesn’t hurt to ask. The worst that can happen is you’re told no and you have to control yourself not to eat everything on the plate.

Take Control Afterwards

Don’t worry too much about making a mistake. It’s not the end of the world or your diet. Draw a line under the decisions and get straight back on track. Don’t use it as an excuse to be bad for the rest of the day or even the week!

You can also claw the damage back. Do extra exercise or think carefully about your meal later in the day or the next day to try and minimise the damage.

Think you can deal with eating out on a whim now? It really is possible and you can still lose weight!

Do you have other tips for eating out on a whim? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Image credit: Ambro/Freedigitalphotos.net