How to practice mindful eating when dining out – is this something you have wondered?
You can be the most disciplined person in the world when it comes to dieting, but there’s every chance that you are going to completely fall over when it comes to dining out.
Unfortunately, this is where we lose control over what we are eating. We of course make the final decision on what touches our fork, but in terms of understanding the nutritional content of food this is something that we no longer have any control over.
How to practice mindful eating when dining out – top tips
Bearing this in mind, whether you’re out for a high-class three course meal, or just grabbing a quick bite to eat, let’s take a look at some of the best tips you can follow to practice mindful eating when dining out and ultimately keep on top of your waistline.
How to practice mindful eating when dining out – Study the menu beforehand
Quite often, you don’t even need to have arrived at the restaurant to make a difference. Particularly in busy restaurants, some people can feel almost pressured to order and this usually spells a calorie disaster. Rather than thinking through their choices, they instead opt for something that whets their appetite and suffice to say, this is usually the wrong choice.
As such, study the menu beforehand. Restaurants nowadays will list the nutritional values of their meals and it’s up to you to look at these beforehand to see what works for your diet.
Turn to water before and during your meal
Another invaluable tip is to turn to water before and during your meal. As most of us will probably know, drinks tend to rack up the costs of a bill when we dine out so first and foremost, this is a good way to save money. It’s sometimes is seen as a faux-pas, but it’s nothing you should worry about.
Secondly, by filling up on water before your meal, you will soon reduce your appetite. Ultimately, you’ll be less tempted to choose the wrong items from the menu and bloat your waistline.
Slow and steady wins the race
Another excellent tip for eating mindfully while on the move is eat slowly. That’s right, simply taking your time before mouthfuls can work immensely well when it comes to this.
In short, this occurs because it takes time for your brain to register when you are full. As such, if you can take time to eat your food, by the time your plate is empty you will be less likely to order another portion by the end of proceedings.
Be wary how you ask for sauces
Whether it’s on a salad or on your potatoes – most people will have some sauce with their meal. However, what a lot of people don’t realise is that these sauces can make a huge difference to the number of calories which form part of your meal. For example, in the case of ranch sauce, if you were to turn to a couple of tablespoons, it would equate to an extra 146 calories.
The solution? Ask for it on the side, rather than on your plate, so you have a degree of control with your portion sizes.
I hope you have enjoyed this post on how to practice mindful eating when dining out. Is this something that you practice much?
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