Cleaning Up a Diet Without Restrictions

I catch myself saying the words: “new year, new me” every single January for years, and I get a little annoyed halfway through the month. It’s not that I feel there is anything wrong with the saying—I just think I don’t give myself credit for how good I actually am with most aspects of my life, particularly my health. I run six days a week, lift weights, eat pretty healthy, drink lots of water, stay away from smoking and heavy alcohol, and I wear sunscreen everyday. Besides working on time management this year, which has been a true failure for me since I became self-employed (this will be a separate blog post very soon!), I’ve been wanting to focus on specific aspects of my diet that I have been ignoring for years. I say out loud it is mostly about my acne-prone skin issues, but there are so many other symptoms that I feel are linked to annoying food sensitivities that I have been refusing to address.

As For These “Symptoms”…

I don’t feel I have experienced many symptoms that affect my function on a daily basis, which is the reason why I’ve just ignored them for so long. The only thing that’s really bothered me during my adult life is my acne and melasma, which I feel and have been told is primarily hormone-related. I also regularly get bloating and less than regular digestive issues. Increasing fatigue over the last couple of years has more recently been my main concern, since that specifically has been affecting my strength, running, and daily concentration on my work. Just a few months ago I was diagnosed with borderline hypothyroidism, which is definitely related to these symptoms, but diet can play a large role in managing the condition and keeping my symptoms at bay. My goal is to try and delay the need for long term hormone replacement for this health problem.

Restrictive is NOT the Way to Go…

At least not for me. Last year I went ahead and took advantage of a big discount that was going on for Everlywell—the at-home lab test. I was interested in seeing what food sensitivities I actually have based off of their kit. I know I shouldn’t take this as 100% accurate, especially after doing my own research and reading reviews about the discrepancies between these" “at-home” tests and real allergy testing. I kept in mind that this option was not testing allergies at all—just sensitivities I may have when consuming certain foods. I honestly thought my results would come out to maybe a couple at the most and it was a list of 22 foods! Now, one of the reviews I received from a handful of Instagram followers is that the case for some of these is that the test picks up foods I regularly eat, rather than something in my blood telling me I’m actually sensitive. Therefore I took the results with a grain of salt.

This long list of foods includes almond, wheat, chicken, eggs, garlic, potato, and oats, among others. Surprisingly the only dairy foods that were on the list were mozzarella and yogurt. For a few years now I have tried to stay away from dairy products after the recommendation from a dermatologist, and it made a big difference in my skin and digestive issues. I totally thought this would be number 1 on the list of food sensitivities! Regardless, the list was overwhelming for me so I did not do what was suggested which is an elimination diet. With that many foods on the list, it felt restrictive to me, and when I’ve restricted food groups in the past, it only caused me to have intense cravings and then binge eat. I feel I never minded restricting dairy all this time because I really didn’t care for it to begin with. I don’t like cheese at all, can live without yogurt, have never really been an ice cream fan, and with any recipe that called for milk I was perfectly fine using the alternatives.

Ticking Off New Year’s Resolutions

Okay, so one priority for me as far as goals go for this year is to learn something new every day. So far, I’ve been successful, and one thing I’ve learned this year is about what in milk is really the culprit of digestive issues. It’s the protein! I thought it was the added hormones some farmers use on cows or the lactose, but it’s actually specifically the A1 protein. My parents are very obsessed with A2 milk, which is made from cows that only produce the A2 protein. Once I learned all about this I decided to give this brand a try. As many of you saw on my Instagram feed, I jumped on board and took a challenge this month to switch out my milk, and I’ve been so happy about the results. No bloating, no stomach aches, and NO ACNE! I highly recommend this switch if you are sensitive to regular milk! Oh yea—and right now you can enter to win free a2 Milk for a year and a Peloton Bike + 1 year membership. Click here!

What About the Rest of My Diet?

Well, this post is the start of my goal—attempting to dial in to my current way of eating and pinpoint what is playing a role in my fatigue. I know I can be better about limiting my frozen food lunches and packaged snacks I have been eating regularly for the sake of saving time, so this will be the first thing I tackle (as I write this, I am eating plant-based air-fried chicken tenders). I also need to get back to a regular eating schedule—this will help with energy levels. I tend to get bogged down by projects and forget to eat. This will require me to make time for meal planning and being more creative with quick snack options for my work day.

Tackling this goal in 3, 2, 1… I’ll keep you all posted! Make sure to follow along on Instagram for the latest updates.

My End-of-Summer Training Update

How is the summer almost over?! Kids are going back to school, we are hearing about Halloween already, and pretty soon it will be cold and flu season (so guess what that means?!). I know I’m not the only one who feels a little lost with my training plan right now, so I’m going to write about it today. Of course I’ve had seasons where I don’t have races for 6 to 8 months so I get on a base building program and I’m just fine with that! This time around, though, with races NOT around the corner, base building feels a little different. I’m less motivated and, to be honest, find myself following a random style of training that has me feeling frustrated most of the time.

A couple of months ago I got into the attitude of believing there won’t even be racing next year, which was the wrong way to think because it only left me dragging every morning when it was time to run. I saw so many runners on Instagram keeping up with their Chicago, NYC and other marathon plans even though the races got canceled, so I felt I should have done the same. More recently I’ve switched my mindset into preparing for January’s Miami Marathon no matter what. If the race doesn’t happen, then oh well, at least I got into really good shape anyway!

What I’m Doing Now

I know I said my training style is “random” right now, but since I’m strict about having a schedule with everything I do, I still have a certain structure I follow. Months back I made it my goal to focus on my tempo runs, since it’s my biggest weakness, so I make sure that workout is on the schedule every week. I was running every day during the beginning of the pandemic, but then truly missed my Sundays of sleeping in and getting to do other things without having my run fall in the middle of the day. I call Sunday my lazy day! I now take Sundays off for the time being. Once I start increasing mileage closer to my race I may add a few miles on Sundays rather then adding them to other longer runs during the week.

Speed

Other than my tempo run, my running schedule is full of easy runs every day and an optional speed workout on Fridays. Lately I’ve been trying to focus on hill work, since it’s also a weakness of mine. For several weeks now, it gets put on the schedule on Fridays, and if I feel good and not too sore from previous workouts, then I go for it! I’ll be happy if I can get two hill workouts per month right now, so I’ll keep you all posted! I encourage runners to keep some sort of speed session on their plans even when they are just base building and are not necessarily training for a race. You don’t want your body to forget what fast running feels like! It not only will help maintain your current race paces, but it also burns more calories than steady miles, so it’s a great way to combat any weight gain you may experience in the off season.

Strength

If you have been following along through my running journey, you know I’m not the type of runner that JUST runs. My fitness-focused lifestyle started out way back in high school with weight lifting, so I have always been a fan of it. Even deep into marathon training, when most runners are barely doing much strength work, I still get my sessions in every week some way or another. I’m taking advantage whenever I can to get to the gym and lift heavy, which is what I love, but it’s been limited this year due to the pandemic and awful gym reservation systems I’ve had to deal with. I was really focused on my home workouts with very little equipment and learned how I am still able to stay in great shape, challenge my body, and get even stronger just with one medicine ball and some resistance bands! I aim for at least three strength sessions per week right now.

Marathon Training

Since I like to do a long(ish) training block for races, I will start my formal training on September 14th, to give myself a good 18 weeks of hard training and a two-week taper. Until then, which is only another three weeks, I’ll stick to my current mileage, around 60-65 miles per week, and keep practicing my tempo runs. I have a strong goal for myself to get to 60-minute tempo runs and actually feel somewhat comfortable with them. I’m at 30 minutes now and not feeling that great with it, so I have lots of work to do! Once my formal marathon training starts, I will go back to a more structured plan of one short, VO2 max speed session and one tempo session. The rest of my runs, as usual, will be easy and mileage will start increasing every week by 5 to 10%. I always take a “down” week every 4th or 5th week, where I cut my mileage by around 20% and prioritize recovery and sleep as much as I can. This is one reason why I like to plan a long training cycle for my races—I enjoy the high mileage but I increase gradually and schedule in those recovery weeks.

There’s no doubt 2020 has been stressful for most of us. Our work schedules have been all over the place, our travels and races have been canceled, and we feel limited with everything we do. As anxiety-driven these months have been, I’ve tried my best to remind myself that it is still possible to enjoy my days! I believe this time has taught us to be more grateful for everything outside of events and our nightlife—our health, planet, and boredom (something we forget to take advantage of this sometimes!). Since I can’t do anything about the situation right now, I’ve learned to enjoy what I AM ABLE to do, which is run, write, and inspire. Hopefully I can motivate you all to get up and MOVE as much as possible, so we can enter a brand new year feeling healthy and more energized for the better things to come once this situation is all under control!

A Runner's Guide to a Healthy Immune System: COVID-19 Edition

The truth about the coronavirus pandemic is one that’s hard to believe. While this disease continues to spread, people all around the world are wondering how the massive changes are going to affect their lives. We are already getting a glimpse of the effects on society—closed restaurants, bars, and venues, canceled events, and limited interaction with friends and family. The effects on the economy don’t seem so big now, but as the pandemic continues to spread, the shut down of everything around the globe, including our very own jobs, is going to have a major impact on our individual incomes and economics as a whole. I mean, have you seen the stock market recently?!

As athletes, we should already treat our immune system as a priority to our health for two reasons: 1) We enter an immunocompromised state every time we train intensely, and 2) Getting sick keeps us from our regular training schedules. Most people don’t realize that it takes more than popping a vitamin C supplement every day to keep our immune systems healthy. Our sleep patterns, diet, training regimen, stress levels, and hygiene all play a big role in immune health. During a crisis such as what the world is going through now with COVID-19, we have to pay even more attention to each factor.

Diet

We all know how important a healthy diet is in general but it’s actually specifically linked to our immune function. Our immune system relies on white blood cells to create the antibodies that fight off bacteria and viruses and, believe it or not, certain foods can impair this white blood cell function. Studies have shown that a high fat diet can weaken the immune system. You may have read that a full-on plant-based diet is the way to go, but this is mainly due to the fact that plant-based diets generally have less dietary fat and more fiber—two factors that help improve immunity. You can still eat a high fiber, low fat diet and not specifically be plant-based. Loading up on fruits and veggies is also key to protecting immune health, since they are full of vitamins and minerals.

Sleep

The immune system is pretty complex, and so is the link between its health and our sleep patterns. The basic premise is that with sleep deprivation, our T-cell development is diminished. T-cells are the soldiers of the immune system that attack bacteria and viruses, and help keep us from getting sick. On top of limiting T-cell growth, sleep deprivation increases inflammatory cytokines in the immune system, leading to the development of colds and flus from the viruses that could not be fought off by the T-cells. Sleep is also when we experience our highest fever during illness. We tend to think fevers are a bad part of being sick, but it’s actually our bodies way of fighting off infection. If we don’t get good quality sleep, we can end up with a longer dose of the flu or seasonal cold. Aim for 7-9 hours each night for a stronger immune system.

Supplements

It is not absolutely necessary to take vitamins and other supplements every day in order to be healthy. If you regularly eat a wholesome diet—the right amount from each food group, then you most likely get all of the nutrients your body needs. The problem is the majority of people do not eat a wholesome diet, so taking a daily dose of the right vitamins is essential to good health and organ function. For immune function in particular, a good starting point is adding in vitamin C, zinc, and magnesium. One nutrient that is often overlooked by athletes is glutamine. This vital amino acid works directly with immune cells to fight off infection. Our body naturally produces it already, except that during times of stress, less glutamine is produced. This happens during both physical and emotional stress—intense training, sickness, cancer treatment, or even simply just being mentally stressed on a daily basis from work and family obligations. It can be helpful to add in a glutamine supplement after hard training sessions, especially during cold and flu season.

Training During the Outbreak

How many of us have had to change our training plans because either our local running routes have closed or our cities have gone on lockdown at this time? If the case is that you cannot run outside, then there are other options to get in your endurance training. Of course if you have an at-home treadmill, you are saved—you can keep your same training plan as if there was no crazy outbreak. Most of us, though, don’t have this luxury so we need to find another way. If you live in an apartment building, run laps through the parking garage. It’s not only a way to keep up your training program, but you get the added bonus of working on a hilly route!

If you are heading outdoors for your run, do your part and practice social distancing (6 feet apart from anyone!) and good hygiene. Here are some tips to follow to help keep you at low risk of catching and/or spreading any viruses:

✖️RUN SOLO - stay away from group runs, even if you think you are all healthy. Remember you can be carrying the virus around without knowing (zero symptoms!).
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✖️Don’t drink from water fountains - they are rarely cleaned and you can’t count on absolutely no one having put their mouth on the spout, and some people even spit in the fountains too! Just deal with carrying your own bottle for now.
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✖️Keep social distance - 6 feet away from every person! If you have to pass someone, try to hold your breath for a few seconds and look the other way.
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✖️Wash your hands immediately when you get home and get out of your run clothes—you don’t know what has dropped onto you while running.
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✖️Stay hydrated ALL DAY & keep a healthy diet—As stated above, this helps keep a strong immune system!

At-Home Workouts

If you can’t run outside, lack a parking garage, and don’t have enough space to jog around your home, it’s okay ! Don’t worry about losing fitness or getting out of running shape! There are plenty of exercises you can incorporate every day that will keep you in good form. You can make it a goal to maintain your endurance and strength as much as possible by combining a mix of moves. Thankfully you can still place orders online for workout equipment. My go-to tools are resistance bands and medicine balls. Click here to shop these and so many other options! To get the best out of your workouts, make sure to incorporate short rest breaks and keep your heart rate up as if you were running. Explosive moves such as plyometrics are extremely useful for runners and torch more calories than static moves. Try to keep your body moving for the same amount of time you usually run every day.

We are all hoping this virus will get under control within a matter or weeks, so it won’t be long before you can get out for a run again! The positive side of switching up your program for the time being is that you can give your body a break from the constant pounding of running and work different muscle groups. You’ll be surprised how much it will help with your form, strength, and pacing once you’re back out on the road! Endurance may lack bit when getting back into it, but it’s a part of fitness that quickly returns after just a few weeks off. The key is to keep your body moving!

Sources

1. Berenbaum, F.; van den Berg,W.B. Inflammation in osteoarthritis: Changing views. Osteoarthritis Cartilage 2015, 23, 1823–1824. 

2. Rinninella E, Cintoni M, Raoul P, et al. Food Components and Dietary Habits: Keys for a Healthy Gut Microbiota Composition. Nutrients. Published online October 7, 2019

VO2 Max: The What, Why, and How of the Misunderstood Fitness Score

When you are eager to enhance your training, skimming through online articles is the easiest way to get the most updated information for training plans, proper nutrition, and methods for coping with injuries. Once you start your research, you will not go too long without coming across the term “VO2 max”. There are several running-related terms that are learned that may seem foreign to us initially, but are pretty straight forward once explained. VO2 max is most definitely not one of them. It is a widely popular term used to measure how fit you are aerobically and most coaches and experienced runners will emphasize its importance. You may soon find yourself ecstatic when you see your VO2 max increase as per your Garmin watch, but not have a clue as to what it means.

 What is VO2 Max?

Specifically, VO2 max is the maximum rate of oxygen consumption measured during exercise of increasing intensity. It is measured in milliliters of oxygen used per kilogram of bodyweight. At first it may be simple to understand just by reading its definition, but when trying to apply the term to your running routine or fitness, it all gets a bit foggy. Basically it is the amount of oxygen we can use during intense exercise. In general you want to be able to utilize the most oxygen you can during any workout, because oxygen is what allows you to continue exercising at a higher intensity level, such as while running a marathon at your goal pace. 

 With proper and consistent training, VO2 max should increase. Good training practices improve several physiological factors that play a role in the oxygen transport throughout the body. Stroke volume of the heart increases, which means more blood is pumped out with each heart beat, as is the size of mitochondria and capillaries, which are the transporters of the oxygen throughout the body and to the working muscles. These improvements in oxygenation in the body lead to increases in the VO2 max value. Essentially, if you are looking to get faster and last longer during running, your goal should be to improve these physiological mechanisms.

 What is a Normal Value?

A typical value for a sedentary adult ranges from 25 to 35 ml/kg/min, between 35 to 55 ml/kg/min for an active adult, and over 60 ml/kg/min for an elite athlete. All of these values can vary from workout to workout depending on the intensity of the training run. If you are trying out a harder than usual speed session, you may see your value drop, but as you continue performing that training run, it will eventually assist in increasing your VO2 max. Usually long distance runners such as marathoners will have a lower VO2 max than short distance runners. This is because the VO2 max testing, as well as the training to improve it, is done at a distance and speed that is much closer to a 5K intensity.

Improving VO2 Max

Beginner runners have it the easiest when it comes to improving their VO2 max, since simply logging more miles on a consistent basis will naturally raise their oxygen consumption ability. For more advanced runners, the process will require including speed work to your training plan. The key is to reach 95% of your VO2 max level for intervals of 2 to 6 minutes. Aiming for 4 to 8 intervals of 400 meters to 1200 meters works best, with a walk or jog recovery in between each. Faster runners can even use mile repeats, but anything more than 6-minute intervals will require too much time for recovery. Your VO2 max level is considered to be your threshold pace so it should feel significantly hard. 

 A Good Indicator of Health

Studies have shown that higher VO2 max values are favorable if you are looking for overall health benefits. It is a true indicator of fitness, which is solely based on cardiovascular functioning, versus physical looks—what most people will believe “being fit” consists of. Several research studies indicate that individuals with a higher VO2 max generally have lower blood pressure, less risk of stroke, obesity, cardiovascular and pulmonary disease, and a longer life span. Of course, this all has to do with the fact that those who have a higher VO2 max partake in the required physical activity needed in order to reap overall health benefits. 

 It is beneficial to not base the entirety of your fitness gains on what your VO2 max value is, since it can be affected by several factors such as age, genetics, gender, temperature, body size, and altitude. Males will generally have higher values than females. A person with a larger body type will also have a higher VO2 max given that their heart and lungs are larger in size. Studies have shown that oxygen is more easily transported while exercising in warmer temperatures. It is important to note that the value given on the training devices is an estimate based on the heart rate and intensity of each workout. A true value can only be calculated while performing an activity such as running on a treadmill at maximal intensity with a mask on the face that measures the actual oxygen consumption.

The Role of Glutamine in Recovery

Whether you are an elite athlete or a recreational runner training for long distances, you are at risk for developing overtraining syndrome and other ailments. Marathon training requires us to engage in multiple strenuous training sessions several days out of the week. More advanced runners train somewhat intensely every day! Prolonged and intense exercise can increase the risk of muscle tissue damage, inflammation, cardiac dysfunction, decreased immune function, and overuse injuries. PHEW! That’s quite a list of negatives, but don’t be fooled—there is a way to avoid all of these!

When deciding what type of marathon training plan is right for you, it is important to know that all plans can be modified based on your needs. Some athletes require more rest and recovery days than others. There is a reason that these easy days are scattered throughout the training weeks in every plan. It is meant to decrease the risk of developing the negative side effects of too much running.

There are important vitamins and nutrients athletes specifically need in order to stay healthy. Although a good balanced diet, preferably higher in quality calories, may be enough to obtain all of these essential nutrients, sometimes supplementation is necessary. Getting in everything we need for a balanced diet is difficult to do day in and day out, especially if you have a busy schedule to begin with. Many athletes supplement their diets with extra protein, usually in the form of powder. The reason for this is that protein is crucially important for the health of muscles, bones, skin, cartilage, and blood in the body. When deciding which protein powder to use, it is best to choose one that includes the important amino acids, which are the building blocks of the protein we need in order to function.

Glutamine

One extremely essential amino acid that gets depleted with hard training is glutamine. The depletion is said to likely be from the demand for glutamine from different organs exceeding the supply in the body after exercise. The role of this essential amino acid in the body is to assist with protein synthesis to build stronger muscles, support the immune system, and for the enhancement of hydration in the body. After strenuous exercise, the depletion of glutamine can last up to six days, which can greatly affect the recovery process of muscle damage. The low state of this essential amino acid is also what causes athletes to be more susceptible to illness, such as colds and the flu, following hard training. Glutamine may also be depleted with other conditions such as trauma, burns, muscular dystrophy, and any other conditions causing stress in the body.

Muscle Repair

Muscle tissue damage is almost inevitable in athletes. The breakdown of muscle, causing tiny tears, is what builds strength. But this strength is only built during the recovery and healing process. This means that your muscles aren’t actually getting bigger and stronger while you are weight lifting—it all happens when you begin your rest period. Of course, nutrition will also play an important role in these strength gains. It is always a good idea to eat after a workout, especially after a strenuous run. A carbohydrate and protein-rich meal or snack is ideal, since this will help speed up the recovery process. As mentioned above, choosing a protein powder that includes the essential amino acids as part of a recovery shake is a good option to replenish the possibly lost glutamine. Glutamine alone also comes in the form of capsules, so this may be a quicker option for some athletes.

Immune Function

Glutamine is essential to immune function as it assists with lymphocyte proliferation and the production of cytokines. What does this mean? Well, lymphocyte proliferation is basically cell production and cytokines are molecules the immune system needs in order to communicate when there is infection, inflammation, or trauma. Without these processes, immunity is weak and cannot properly fight against bacteria. Studies have shown that the inclusion of glutamine following surgery, medical procedures, and trauma, especially in patients with a compromised immune system, resulted in lower levels of infection and shorter hospital stays. In the case of endurance athletes, studies have concluded that there have been less episodes of illness following strenuous training or races with the intake of a glutamine supplement.

Muscle Hydration

Glutamine assists in the absorption of water and other nutrients to keep our muscle tissues hydrated properly. Prolonged and intense exercise causes extreme stress and dehydration throughout the body. Glutamine supplementation has been shown to improve the hydration process by way of enhancing electrolyte and fluid absorption in the muscles. It may be beneficial to opt for electrolyte drinks that contain this nutrient and other branched-chain amino acids, usually labeled “BCAAs”.

If you are a runner looking to increase your training time and improve your performance, it is extremely important to pay attention to your diet. Many people have the thought that since they are exercising so much they can eat whatever they want and not worry about nutrition. Yes, the body will burn a load of calories with the hard workouts, but it will only impede strength gains and performance improvements if the body is not taking in the nutrients and vitamins it needs to repair and build. With all of the calories burned, essential nutrition gets depleted as well. This will only lead to fatigue, illness, and/or injury. The best way to get as many of these important nutrients from your diet is to make sure you are getting in enough quality carbs, protein, and fats from nutrient-rich foods such as veggies, fruits, and whole grains.

Sources

Vinicius Fernandes Cruzat, Maurício Krause and Philip Newsholme, Amino Acid Supplementation and Impact on Immune Function in the Context of Exercise, Journal, Oct 28, 2019

Rohde T, MacLean DA, Pedersen BK., Effect of Glutamine Supplementation on Changes in the Immune System Induced by Repeated Exercise., Journal, Oct 28, 2019

Boelens PG, Nijveldt RJ, Houdijk AP, Meijer S, van Leeuwen PA., Glutamine Alimentation in Catabolic State, Journal, Oct 28, 2019

Tips for Eating Out at Restaurants

If only we all were gourmet chefs or at least have the time to create amazing dishes for every single meal of the day, we would probably always eat at home. The eating culture has shifted tremendously over the past few decades, with dining out increasing from 18% of daily intake to 33%. Most of us know how unhealthy many restaurant choices are, especially in the fast food world, but we continue to consume it more than we should. Even the “healthier” items on the menu such as salads and vegetable dishes are loaded with calories from the extra fat and sugar added to the cooking process to make them taste much better than home-cooked meals. The highly processed and fat or sugar-laden foods are what cause eating addiction, which is a reason why more people continue to crave restaurant meals.

Studies have indicated that increased intake of foods eaten away from home is linked to a higher body mass index and poorer diet quality. Diet quality in these cases was described as the amount of fruit, vegetable, and processed food consumption. Most studies showed that women tend to make healthier foods choices at restaurants than men by choosing more fruits and vegetables with their meals. Unfortunately, even choosing these healthy foods does not equate to overall fewer calories and fat. By no means should these facts about restaurants keep you from going out for date night or an enjoyable evening with friends. There are several ways to stick with your diet while eating out without too much sacrifice.

Prepare

If you are truly trying to stick to your healthy diet and have the opportunity to choose the restaurant when going out for a social occasion, it is best to take some time to research a few different places with a wide range of menu items. If the restaurant is already chosen, you can still look up the menu ahead of time and select a few dish options that fall into the healthy category. If the choices still seem high in calories, you can plan to eat much lighter meals throughout the day leading up to your outing to compensate. If you are willing to forgo an entree at the restaurant and instead order an appetizer as your main dish, then you will most likely save about half of the calories as long as you carefully choose a healthier option. To make sure that you are satisfied come meal’s end, have a small snack at home beforehand such as a few crackers and cheese, yogurt with nuts, or a protein shake.

Control Portions

This is probably the most difficult task for most people, yet the lack of this task is the reason why most Americans are overweight. At restaurants it is very easy to consume too many calories even with their smallest available portions, so the easiest way to downsize those calories is to choose low calorie foods to begin with. Unfortunately, side dishes such as potatoes, rice, and pasta do not fall into this category, unless you can be satisfied with only a couple of forkfuls worth. Vegetables and salads are the best choices, but it is important to keep in mind that most restaurants will cook the veggies in oil and butter to enhance the taste so they are not as low-calorie as you would think.

Eating out will usually include many more courses than you would typically have at home. Bread will be served, followed by an appetizer, entrée, and dessert. If you choose to have the bread, simply pick just one piece out of the basket and limit the amount of butter or oil you use. Share an appetizer and dessert with your party rather than trying to portion out an entire one on your own. The highest calorie items that are best to stay away from are fried foods, fatty meats, cream-based soups and pastas, and those delicious-looking baked desserts. Opt for small portions of lean meats and fish, vegetable side dishes, and fruit for dessert.

Choose Intuitively

The best advice is to always think before you eat anything. If you truly do not care for something, do not waste your calorie bank on it. Most people end up eating whatever food is on their plate. If you crave meat more than the carb-loaded side dishes, then make sure to order your steak with green vegetables as a side so that you are not tempted to eat potatoes or rice. For those who have an extreme sweet tooth and look forward to dessert more than anything, it’s best to skip the bread, have a small appetizer as your main dish, and indulge in the dessert that you truly enjoy most.

Eat Slowly

You may have read before that eating alone without any distractions such as company, the computer, or television is a smarter way to keep track of portions and eat less overall. Conversing over meals causes us to not pay attention to how much we are eating or drinking. Teaching ourselves to eat our meals as slowly as possible takes some training. Some steps to practice are cutting food into smaller bite-sized pieces, savor the flavors of your food by chewing more times, putting down utensils in between bites, and eating with your non-dominant hand.

Beverages Count

Whether you are into alcoholic beverages or sodas, calories can add up tremendously. A glass of wine equates to around 130 calories, so if you share a bottle with your significant other, you are adding about 300 to 350 calories to your meal. Light beer and hard liquor are lower calorie choices with about 100 and 70 calories per serving respectively. The drinks to watch out for are mixed cocktails and specialty beverage items. Some are mixed with soda adding double the calories, while others can get into the 700-calorie range if you choose a cream-based or sweetened one such as a margarita, pina colada, or a long island iced tea. If possible, stick to just one serving of your favorite lower-calorie drink and have two sips of water for every sip of other beverage you have.

When on a diet, going out to eat should not be eliminated. There are ways to be able to enjoy your time out with family or friends while sticking with your healthy meal plan. If you go off a bit more than you would have liked, do not be hard on yourself. One night of “bad” eating will not ruin all of the progress you have made. What is an issue with most people’s diets is dining out several times a week. Unfortunately, as much as we try to make the healthiest choices at restaurants, it is important to remember that we truly do not know exactly how the food is cooked, and most are cooked with butter, oil, extra sugar and salt to create those delicious flavors. Enjoy yourself as you dine, keeping these simple tips in mind, so that you can guarantee you will not undo all of that hard work you have put into getting and staying healthy.

Sources

Rebecca A. Seguin, Anju Aggarwal, Francoise Vermeylen, and Adam Drewnowski, Consumption Frequency of Foods Away from Home Linked with Higher Body Mass Index and Lower Fruit and Vegetable Intake Among Adults: A Cross-Sectional Study, Journal, Sept 2019