Eventful Days

I am still working on how to manage days where I have special activities or dine out opportunities. I would like to look at these as opportunities to show the world that I am dedicated to my health and living to see my grandchildren. Dining out with my friends is so much fun and it certainly adds a spice to life that I have yearned for. It is so essential to mold your girlfriend bonds through these meetings. But unfortunately as a friend of mine's mentioned a couple of days ago, all of our activities seem to focus around food. And that can be tragic, especially when everyone in our circle is crying fat. So my solution to that is multiple fold. The solution I choose will be depending on the setting of course, but at church, my solution is to eat last; at work my solution is to opt out if possible or to pick items with fewer carbs and less sugar. Those are also the guidelines for public restaurants. Fewer carbs and less sugar. These are two identical items in may foods.

Yesterday's Subsistence

Breakfast - oatmeal with apples and cranberries
Snack 1 - nothing
Lunch - Juice Plus
Snack 2 - pickled squash
Dinner - 1/2 plate of Salad with breaded chicken and Parmesan dressing DESSERT fruit topped cake with ice cream (This totally was richer than I intended. I tried to use rule #4 but it apparently backfired because I smashed that dessert.)
Snack 3 (OPTIONAL IF AFTER 7PM) - nothing (it was after 7pm)

Here are some simple tips to eat healthy at a restaurant:

1) Stay on your food plan. Eat in moderation; a serving or two at a time. Eat a well balanced food; take the basic food group pyramid into consideration when eating out. Make sure to have enough protein, carbohydrate, fruits and vegetables. Avoid eating junk food.

2) Skip the appetizer. Some appetizers are too heavy on the belly; they can be the main dish. So it is a good idea to skip the appetizer. Have a salad instead! Order a main dish with two side vegetables. Limit the bread to two servings or less; only choose whole grain or whole wheat bread.

3) Non-Fried. As much as possible, choose grilled instead of fried if they offer this in their menu. For example an item may be cooked differently; some restaurants already have this in their menu. At Red Lobsters they offer Tilapia baked, grilled, or deep fried. Choose grilled, it is generally healthier to do so.

4) Skip the dessert. If you must have one, pick a fruit, it has excellent nutrients and taste. Avoid the cakes, cookies, ice creams, or anything with added sugar and fat.

5) Eat fresh. Try to find out what is fresh on the menu, not canned or frozen. Anything that is fresh automatically tastes better and is better for you.

6) Limit to one helping. Have only one helping, skip the seconds. If you are getting tempted, go outside for a walk between courses.

7) Limit the food intake by cutting the food in half. When the food arrives and it is a huge amount of helping, ask the waiter to cut it in half and have it put in a take out box or bag. Or if you do not want to do that in advanced, leave the other half aside and not touch it anymore, and then ask for a take out box later on. Even a better idea- most restaurants will allow you to share your food with your companion. If you know it is a big helping, ask the waiter to bring in an extra plate and utensils for the other person to use.

"Just Keep Swimming"