Dining Out on a Diet

Posted: Sep 05 in Post-Bariatric Diet by Staff

There are a number of fantastic restaurants in and around Bonita Springs, but without a bit of advice and weight loss help, dining out on a diet can be nearly impossible. Here are a few tips to help you stay on track with your weight loss, especially after weight loss surgery.

Eating out on a regular basis can create a major barrier against reaching your weight loss goals. Many dieters wish that restaurants offered more healthy options, but the truth is that a majority of diners do not order the healthy meals that are available to them. For patients that have had weight loss surgery in the past, eating out on a regular basis could cause you to regain the weight that you fought so hard to lose, which could lead to the need for the Rose procedure.

You can still enjoy your restaurant experience without sabotaging your weight loss progress by following these simple weight loss help tips for dining out:

1. Limit alcohol consumption. Alcohol is high in carbohydrates and empty calories. Restrain from drinking more than one or two drinks at most. If possible, select red wine, which contains antioxidants and is not as calorie dense as other alcoholic beverages.
2. Ask for substitutions. While some restaurants won’t allow substitutions, most will. For example, instead of eating the side of potatoes that comes with a meal, ask if you can substitute a vegetable for the potato.
3. Split meals. Today’s restaurants portions are huge. Often they are enough for two people, and then some. If your dining partner is okay with it, ask to split a meal.
4. Skip the calorie-laden appetizer and desserts. It’s best to skip the chicken wings, fried mozzarella sticks, or chocolate fudge cake altogether. But if you must have a something sweet to cleanse your palate after your meal, split your desert with your dining partner. Better yet, ask the waiter if they have “mini” dessert items. Many restaurants do these days.
5. Ask about ingredients and dish preparations. While steamed broccoli sounds like a healthy menu choice, it may not be if it is saturated in butter. Ask your server if menu items are fried or sautéed in butter.