Questions I get asked Daily: Going Out to Eat

Believe it or not you can have success in your goals and not have to meal prep EVERY meal. Is it more exact to meal prep and track each macro/micro/calorie? Yes. But is it realistic for 95% of the population? Obviously not.

So what do we do? I have clients who are busy mums, high end execs who have consistent outings with clients, and others with busy lives who need the convenience. While plan A would be "optimum", if plan B works better for the person, then plan B is more optimal.

As far as eating out there are a five things we can do to start!

1. Look at the menu before. It is hard for people to look at the menu and just know the healthiest choice right off the bat. Plus if we're especially hungry or distracted we can go back to the same old choices that don't yield results. Look at what is the most nutrient dense option: protein, a good fat, and a strong carb choice. Or look at options to make meals that way. Know what you're going to get before you go in. It takes out the guess work. I many time have had clients send me the menu and we go over what they'll have and why. You can still enjoy, just premeditate impulse or distracted decisions.

2. 2. portions. If you know you are going to get calorie dense food, just eat 3/4. Or eat the protein and nutrient dense foods first, and half of the rest. Set your portion amount before you start eating.

3. Limit calorie dense drinks. It's easy to get caught up on sugary, delicious drinks. Pick drinks that are in line with your goals, and set a limit.

4. Mindful Eating. Eat slowly. Enjoy and savor the food. Take pauses between bites. Notice the hints of herbs and spices. Think about how the food makes you feel. We often get caught up in our surroundings and people (which is all great, don't ignore them!) and just mindlessly eat, completely oblivious to what and how much we are eating and how it makes us feel.

5. Streamline the rest of your day up to it. If you know you're going to a dinner, event, etc. and want the freedom, streamline up to it and after. Hit your protein goal. If you track, have nutrient dense but lower carb/fat foods. This is NOT suggesting to starve before! It is saying, make the streamline choices before so having freedom of choice that night isn't a hindrance. You can have some wiggle room to not stress on your meal.

The intention is to align our habits to our goals, whether that is asking for double protein, drinking water, sharing dessert, tracking your meal ahead of time, etc. We don't have to be perfect, we just have to progress! And find what works best for you. Some people, not drinking and mindful eating is enough. Some people pre build their night so they have a plan of action. It's all about YOUR success!