Eating Out On A Diet

Can you eat in restaurants and still respect yourself in the morning?

What's the problem with restaurants? The biggest problem with eating in restaurants is the portion sizes.

The second biggest problem is the food is very dense in calories.

The third problem? The food is very low in nutritional value.

Thats like the triple fat slap -- too huge, too heavy, too much junk.

Bad food tastes good

Ever notice that when you go out and eat you don't feel as well as when you have a home cooked meal? That's because restaurant food is not as good for you and your body knows it.

You're eating food that has too much saturated fat. Too much sugar. Overcooked. Deep fried.

And you're eating too much of it.

Calorie nightmare

How many calories in restaurant food? The worst examples are American fast food.

How about Wendy's triple cheese -- 970 calories.

Throw in an extra large French fries -- 570 calories.

Maybe just a salad?

So why don't you have a Taco Supremo Salad instead of the fries? It's a salad, right? Must be good for you. Well...no, it's not. That's got 670 calories.

How about just lettuce with a little dressing? A packet of honey mustard dressing is 310 calories!

I can feel the fat cells swelling up just thinking about it.

Are any of them better?

Now this isn't just to pick on Wendy's. All the other fast-food drive-through places are just as bad. And the sit-down restaurants are almost as bad.

They are packed with excess fat and hidden calories and huge portions that are guaranteed to make you lose at losing weight.

The best solution? Don't eat in restaurants. Pack your lunch.

Yes, I know, "It's too hard." "I don't have time." "I'm in a hurry." Well, what's the alternative? You've got to do something, or you'll just stay like you are.

So what should you do?

You know, you (yes, I mean YOU) can actually do any of the things I am recommending, including avoiding restaurants, getting some exercise, drinking some water, all of it.

None of the things I recommend are too difficult for you. Even doing a few of them will change your weight and your health and your life.

Doing them all would create a truly dramatic transformation in you. You would hardly be the same person.

Not too hard

And I know -- I know absolutely for sure -- that these things aren't too difficult for you to do. Not one of them is too hard. You can do it.

So, when you find yourself saying "I don't have time" or "It's too hard" you are really selling yourself short. You are missing out. And you will be stuck, overweight and miserable.

It is time to stop saying why you can't do something. You can do it. I know you can. It won't kill you.

Can't I ever eat out?

Now, if you really have to eat out you have to think it through. A good choice is the old "diet plate" you used to see on restaurant menus 40 years ago. They had the right idea.

A hamburger patty with some cottage cheese or a small green salad and a couple of peach slices. That was what they called the diet plate. Now that wouldn't be too bad.

See, that's actually a meal. A normal size meal. That's enough food. It might not look like it -- you are used to looking at such huge portions -- but it is.

Avoid the worst diet disasters

If you are going to eat something more exotic (like the Spaghetti & Meatballs at Romano's Macaroni Grill, 2,430 calories -- holy cow!!!) pay attention to the portion sizes.

You can assume that restaurant meals will be at least twice as big as you need (or 4 times as big.) So ask for a box when you order and take half of it home. You will be way ahead of the game.

Having a treat

Even when it's time for you to have a treat you shouldn't ruin your whole week's effort with a 3,000 or 4,000 calorie meal. Why work so hard just to ruin everything so quickly?

You should have some fun food once or twice a week, but don't go overboard.

And don't think you can get the body you want if you eat in restaurants. It just won't happen.