I believe that an overwhelming majority of people enjoy eating out at restaurants for the following reasons:
- You can often get foods that we don’t normally prepare at home
- The ambiance of dining with servers, music, décor etc. all add up to a fun experience
- We do not need to clean up after eating
- Although debatable by some, foods tend to taste better when prepared by professional chefs as opposed to us amateur home cooks
However, when people are on a mission to shed weight, eating out as opposed to home presents various challenges. The type of restaurants we choose also play a large role as to whether eating out will derail our weight loss efforts vs. being compatible with our goal to shed weight. Here are some examples of “derailing” choices in restaurants:
- “ALL YOU CAN EAT” buffets: Yep, dining at a Golden Coral and similar restaurants will provided a bunch of carb dishes, fried foods and of course, the large dessert section at no extra charge. Human nature is such that if we are paying for an “ALL YOU CAN EAT” experience, we will, in fact, strive to get our monies’ worth
- Fast food burger/fries places: No further explanation needed!
- Mexican-themed restaurants: The chips and salsa come to the table for free before the meals, most of the dishes involve carb-laden tortillas, burritos, tacos and other weight-derailing ingredients. And let us not forget those tasty Margueritas on sale
- Italian restaurants (my favorite): The warm bread basket brought to the table , pasta dishes and cannolis and other enticing desserts are not exactly focusing on proteins and vegetables.
Probably the best “dietary compatible” restaurants are the steak/seafood places. LOTS of protein choices for the main course, salads for the appetizer and vegetables as side dishes. Yes, wine, mixed drinks, bread and desserts are also offered but the local Lonestar restaurant will produce less “dietary damage” than the local Olive Garden with the “all you can eat” breadsticks.
When you are in the mode of shedding weight, you can still go out and enjoy meals out. BUT, make wise choices as to what type of restaurants you choose.
About 14 years ago we went to a steak/seafood restaurant at the Wynn Hotel in Las Vegas and the restaurant’s name was “Sinatra’s”. Guess what music was played constantly?
