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Bodytalk

By Stephenie Karony

Wednesday, November 1, 2000

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Be discerning
when dining out

QUESTION: My husband and I eat out often. Can you make some recommendations on how we can eat out and still eat healthy?

ANSWER: People are eating out more than ever before. By following the guidelines shown below, and with some effort on your part, you and your husband should be able to eat as healthy in a restaurant as if you were buying and preparing your meals at home.

Order all condiments, gravies, spreads, dressings, toppings, sauces and seasonings on the side. These items are usually full of empty calories, and they often contain loads of sodium. Apply these extras yourself, using about a quarter of what the restaurant serves you.

By using such portion control, you save yourself hundreds of calories per meal.

Most of the time order meat, fish, and chicken dishes grilled, and instruct the chef not to baste your order with high-fat sauces.

Eat fried and deep fried food sparingly, if at all. These foods are very high in fat, and the oil used in their preparation may also be rancid.

Ask your server questions that may help you make healthier food choices, and ask until you're satisfied.

You may want to question the ingredients of a dish, how it's prepared, how large or small the portions are, and whether the restaurant allows substitutions. If substitutions aren't allowed , find out if you can pay extra for that salad with your sandwich, in place of potato chips.

Don't settle for less than what you want. Restaurants are in the business of service and it's up to the establishment to see that you're satisfied.

It helps, but it's not necessary, to frequent the same establishments, if you're a special-order customer. Get to know the staff. If you do, your special requests are likely to be taken more seriously.

Be sure to reciprocate by always tipping generously.

Another portion-control hint is to order your meal cut in half. Have your server put half of your meal in a take-out bag and serve you the other half. Or eat only your salad and main course and take any side dishes home. You and your husband can order two salads, and share a main course. Be creative, just don't eat your entire meal.

Practice saying no to the dessert tray. Once you've done it a few times, it actually gets easy.

I, for one, have never understood the custom of topping off a perfectly healthy meal with a high-fat and sugar-laden dessert.

If you must eat dessert, order something as close to healthy as possible. Maybe just have dessert once or twice a week instead of every night. Better yet, wait until you get home and indulge in a piece of fresh fruit.

Just say no to appetizers as well. They're almost always high in calories and fat, with little or no nutritive value.

Of course, if there are salads, low-fat soups, crudités, fresh fruits or other healthy items , eat up and enjoy.

When eating at a buffet, have very small portions of everything you like; there's no need to skip those special items you can only get at a buffet.

Eat slowly, put your utensil down between bites, savor the flavors and avoid going back for seconds.

It's possible to gain a pound or two after overindulging in an all -you-can-eat buffet. Remember, to lose those couple of pounds you'll have to burn off between 3,500 and 7,000 calories with exercise.

Know when to stop eating. When you first feel full, have your server remove all the plates from the table. You are not obligated to clean your plate. The unconscious food picking that occurs after you've had enough can add up in calories awfully fast.

Investigate the restaurants in your area. Find out which establishments are user friendly, which ones have the best selection of healthy menu items, and which ones will special order without making you feel like an oddball.

Dining, whether at home or in a restaurant, should be a healthy as well as satisfying experience.

Health Events

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Stephenie Karony is a certified health
and fitness instructor, a personal trainer and the author of
"Body Shaping with Free Weights." Send questions to her at
P.O. Box 262, Wailuku Hi. Her column appears on Wednesdays.