Day 53: Making Smarter Choices When Eating Out

Since recording my meals for almost 8 weeks now, I've really noticed how much I eat out.  I would dare to say that I purchase a meal out (either lunch or dinner) at least once a week.  That is quite often and could add some major pounds if I'm not careful about what I order. 

At first I felt like a tool going to happy hour and while everybody is eating wings and drinking beer, I'm eating a Cobb Salad with no cheese and drinking water with lemon.  But now I've mastered the art of smart ordering and remembering that all the sweat and tears I've done in the gym doesn't mean squat if I don't eat a proper diet.

If I know I'm going to eat a meal out beforehand I will go to the restaurant's website where I can review the menu.  I immediately eliminate anything that is deep fried, has a bun, or is a dish you simply cannot have without cheese (mozzarella sticks).  Usually that leaves me with some salad options and a few entrees that fit the paleo diet. 

I've learned that ordering a salad without cheese, or substituting rice for a side salad is typically not a problem.  It's best to order the dish with the substitutions rather than having the dish come out with the cheese or rice and tempting you through out the meal.

When I ate at salad works I would always accept the bread with the salad but now I simply ask them to hold the bread so its not even in sight



No Roll Please!

  If the menu isn't available online, don't be afraid to spend that extra time looking through the options and asking the waitstaff any questions you may have about a dish.  It may sound like a lot of work, but the alternative to not spending the time reviewing the dishes is ordering meals that are considered a cheat or having to decline any dinning out invitation you get. 

If the portion seems too big only eat half and have the rest tomorrow for lunch.  That saves you calories and stretched your money over two meals instead of one. 

Don't cheat on your diet on a day you haven't worked out!  As a person that weighs themself every day, my weight would always spike higher if I had a cheat meal on a day that I didn't do a WOD.

With all this said I'm going to Thai Thai House tonight and I already know what I am ordering.  I am happy to say they have noodle free dishes that keep me within the parameters of Paelo! 


WOD:
15 Minute AMRAP
5 Dead Lifts (95)
13 Push Ups
9 Box Jumps


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