| This page was last modified on April 24, 2006 08:56 PM |
Eating Out and On the Run
Eating well can be easy at home -- but what happens when you go out? Dining in restaurants, on the road, and at parties can be a challenge. But there are ways to make good choices anywhere life takes you.
Restaurants
- Have a snack first. Eat an apple, carrot sticks, or something equally good for you to take the edge off your hunger.
- Be up-front with your companions. Tell them you're eating healthy, and don't listen to anyone who tries to sway you to the high-fat, high-calorie side.
- Skip the menu. If you know what you want, ask your server what they can do to accommodate your meal plan -- simply order a grilled chicken breast, soup, or salad.
- Ask questions. Your server can tell you exactly what's in a dish, so you'll know just what to order and what to expect.
- Tailor your meal. Don't be afraid to ask for sauces on the side, an entree to be baked or grilled instead of fried, or to keep butter, grated cheese, or fries off your plate.
- Take it off the table. If you're tempted by the bread basket or tortilla chips, send it away. If it's not there, you won't eat it.
- Order smaller. Have an appetizer and salad, or share an entree with a friend.
- Splurge, in moderation. Everyone indulges now and then. Just make sure it's really worth it. And keep in mind that you don't have to finish every bite that's put in front of you.
Types of Restaurants
Just about every restaurant and fast food chain has gotten the message that people want healthier choices available. So look closely at the menu. Avoid the words jumbo, grande, or super-sized. Then, consider...
Fast Food
Consider the choices: If you must have a burger, order a small one and add lettuce, tomato, and ketchup. Skip the fries or have just a few. Be careful with baked potatoes, they and rice are at the top of the glycemic scale. Try chili, grilled chicken, garden salads with low-fat dressing.
Steer clear of: Cheese, bacon, ham, and special sauces. Avoid fried chicken and chicken wings, as well as chef salads and taco salads, which can be high in fat.
Pizza
If not great choices the better choices are: Thin crust with vegetables, grilled or spicy chicken, shrimp, tomatoes, and part-skim cheese.
Steer clear of: Extra cheese, pepperoni and sausage, anchovies, bacon, meatballs, and prosciutto. Try not to eat more than one or two pieces.
Chinese
Good for you: vegetables, fish, shrimp and scallops, chicken, and roast pork, hot-and-sour soup, teriyaki chicken. Duck sauce and Chinese mustard are okay. Soy sauce and plum sauce are not fattening, but they are very high in sodium. The biggest draw back on Chinese food is the high sodium content not just from salt but also MSG
Steer clear of: Fried appetizers and fried rice. Whatever you get, be careful about portion size. Save some for lunch tomorrow.
Mexican
Good for you: Salsa, guacamole, soft tortillas, cheese, black beans, and shredded spicy chicken, beef, or ground beef. Try fajitas, enchiladas, and burritos.
Steer clear of: Tortilla chips, sour cream, and refried beans. Also, deep-fried chimichangas and hard tacos.
Italian
Good for you: Tomato-based sauces. Red or white clam sauces. Pastas -- if you watch the portion sizes-- Simply grilled chicken, fish, or seafood.
Steer clear of: Breaded and fried veggies, pancetta, sausage, cheese, and Italian cold cuts, as well as cream or egg
sauces.
Breakfast
Good for you: Fresh fruit, oatmeal. Eggs are high in cholesterol -- try ordering a veggie-stuffed omelet or scramble made from egg whites or egg substitute.
Steer clear of: Donuts, biscuits, cold cereal, and croissants. Ham, bacon, sausage, home fries and hash browns.
Travel and on the Run
These days, we're all on the go so often that we're as likely to be eating in our cars as at a table. But if you plan ahead, even the most jam-packed day can be a healthy one.
- Keep grab-and-go foods on hand. Fresh or dried fruit, baby carrots, and some snack bars (be careful when selecting they are often misleading in their labeling) are great options.
- Stock up on packaged snacks. Try low-fat cereal, granola, or sport bars -- but check the nutrition labels before you buy. Keep them in your desk drawer, briefcase, or purse. These are especially handy if you're flying or driving and aren't sure when your next meal will be.
- Pack a bag. Make your own healthy lunches and snacks -- try putting them together the night before so they're ready to go. In addition to sandwiches and wraps, you can whip up tuna or chicken salad, homemade soups or chili, healthy trail mix. If you prepare large recipes that can be frozen in individual serving plastic containers, these make great carry along meals.
Parties
Overeating isn't a necessary part of socializing. You can go to any party or event you want and have a wonderful time without sending your blood sugar skyward.
Try these strategies the next time you go out:
- Make a plan. Know how much you're going to eat before you even leave your own home. Eat a light, healthy meal before you go, so you won't be too tempted to stray.
- Bring a dish. Your own favorite low-fat bean dip and raw vegetables will be a big hit, and you know you'll have something to munch on.
- Circulate. Meet someone new and let the conversation be your focus, not the food. Try standing as far from the food tables as possible -- preferably in another room.
- Is it a 10? Rate everything you taste on a scale from one to ten. If it isn't a ten, don't bother finishing it.
- Host it yourself. If you're throwing the party, make sure the menu is bright, colorful, and fresh. Include lots of vegetable dishes, fruits, and whole-grain crackers and breads.
- Limit alcohol. Drinking too much can impair your judgment, causing you to make unhealthy food choices. And the effects of alcohol on your blood glucose levels can be unpredictable.
Losing Weight Safely
Taking off those extra pounds is a challenge for anyone. Still, if you have diabetes, it can be one of the best things you can do for yourself. If you're overweight, even a small loss can make a significant contribution to your overall health.
You may be tempted to go it alone, but it's important to involve your healthcare team in your weight loss efforts. By working with your doctor and a registered dietitian, you'll be able to:
- Restrict calories while still eating foods you really like.
- Alter insulin or medications appropriately.
- Take on goals you can achieve.
If you have type 1 diabetes, this is especially important, because losing weight involves virtually every aspect of your self-care program, from your meal plan and activity level to your insulin.
Setting and Achieving Goals
Knowing what you want to achieve is the first step in the process. Many people establish unreachable goals and set themselves up for failure. Don't fall into that trap. Start small, and build upon your successes. Consider trying to lose:
- 10 to 15 pounds over a few months
- 5% or 10% of your total body weight
Try to lose one or two pounds a week -- any more can be hard on your body (and your psyche), and difficult to sustain.
Now, how are you going to reach that goal? Don't just think in terms of "eating less" or "exercising more." Set specific objectives for yourself, such as:
- Exercise X times a week for X minutes
- Eat X more fresh vegetables each day
- Cut back to X servings of red meat each week
- Switch to skim milk, or (your substitution here)
- Buy only high-fiber, whole grain breads and cereals
Many people say, “Don't try to make a lot of changes at once -- losing weight will feel like a lot more work than it should. Incorporate one change at a time and when you've got that down, add another.” If you want small successes, small changes will work. If you want big changes in health, a total dietary makeover may be in order. Replace all the unhealthy foods with new healthy foods you enjoy and the sudden health benefits can be the motivation to continue with new healthy habits.
Weight Loss Tips
Lots of successful losers (of pounds, that is) have given us insight into what works. See if any of these tips might help you.
Some important DOs:
- Put yourself in charge.
Remember that, for the most part, you decide when and what to eat. Even if you wind up with something in front of you that isn't healthy, you don't have to finish it. (or even start it) Don’t feel embarrassed to refuse a bad food choice offered by a host or hostess. Their intentions are usually good they are just misguided. - Increase your fiber.
Thanks to the low-carb craze and new labeling rules for whole-grain products, there are more options than ever before. Try to get at least a few grams of fiber into every serving of breads and cereals. Eat only whole grain and multi grain breads and cereals. High fiber vegetables will increase the essential natural nutrients and fill you up with fewer calories. You'll feel full longer. - Drink your water.
Keep a full glass on-hand at all times. It can quell your appetite, and help keep you healthy in a hundred other ways. Drink at least 8-10 8oz glasses of non-caffeinated, un-sugared liquids per day. Most of us are chronically dehydrated. The liquids will help in digestion, elimination of waste (toxins), and aid in maintaining proper systemic functions of many types. Low-level thirst may often be mistaken for hunger. When you are feeling just a little hungry take a drink instead of a bite. - Weigh and measure.
An inexpensive food scale and measuring cups will help you keep portions in line. If you don’t have one there are many good choices at amazon.com - Don't let it in the house.
Make your home a healthy-eating zone. If temptations aren't there, you're less likely to cave into them. - Stay at the table.
Don't eat at your desk, in front of the television, or standing up at the counter. It's too easy to rush or get too distracted to know when you're full. - Wait ten minutes.
Tempted by a high-fat, high-calorie snack? Table the idea for 10 minutes to see if you really need it.
Forgive yourself.
If you eat something you regret, don't dwell on it. Simply try to do better next time.
And three key DON'Ts:
- Don't skip meals.
Always start your day with breakfast. You can confuse your metabolism and actually wind up putting on weight if you skip meals. Let your body know that you aren't planning to deprive it by feeding it at regular intervals. - Don't deprive yourself of foods you enjoy.
Trying to eat just one type of food will be boring and unsustainable. Making some foods "off limits" may be necessary. Teach yourself to eat things you like in moderation. You need carbohydrates, you need protein, and you need fat. And occasionally, you need to indulge a bit, too. With this said there are some changes that are reasonable and necessary. If your diet is so unhealthy that it is causing health concerns you may need to rethink those things you “can’t do without” There are often substitutes that are much healthier and just as enjoyable. - Don't make excuses to justify bad choices.
We are all good at rationalizing bad choices. How often have we heard (or said), “I really can’t control my ______________? (Fill in the blank) It is because of_______________. “ We can’t take control of a health or weight issue until we take ownership of it. Taking ownership means taking responsibility. When we blame the issue of something outside our control we give up control and surrender to the condition. If you want to gain the best control possible you will have to take responsibility and make the best choices that will get you the best results.
Weight Loss and Insulin
It's true that many people put on a few pounds when they begin using insulin. Part of this is because your body may be trying to restore itself to a healthy weight.
But that doesn't mean you can't take steps to drop a few pounds if you need to. Just make sure your healthcare team is involved in the process. Whatever you do, don't cut back on your insulin to lose weight. This can lead to high blood sugar and put you at risk for severe complications.
Talk to your doctor about how to reduce calories and increase activity for a healthy, sustainable loss you can feel good about. The NutriCoach web site is here to help you understand the problem and find solutions that will work for you.