• Call: (914) 294-5533

Welcome to the Restaurant Suite

 

Eating at restaurants can be difficult when trying to watch your waistline. But with these simple tricks, you can still enjoy yourself without falling off track. We also encourage our clients to text or email us the names of restaurants they frequently dine at or where they plan on eating that day. This way, we can browse the menus and provide them with some “rd approved” options.

 The Restaurant Suite:

  • Avoid arriving to a restaurant very hungry, as this will ultimately cause you to overdo the bread basket; have a small, protein-rich snack about 30 minutes before going out to eat such as a string cheese, a few slices of deli turkey or Greek yogurt
  • Avoid wearing loose comfortable clothing, as it will be harder to detect when you are getting full
  • As for the bread basket, this is a tough one. If out to eat with people you feel very comfortable with, simply ask if they would mind if the whole table skipped the bread basket; make light of the situation saying something such as “I’m trying to be good!”
  • If at a more formal meal, where it is not necessarily appropriate to ask the whole table to pass on the bread, try to purposely put the basket far away from you at the table to avoid temptation. If all else fails, take a small piece and chew it very slowly, drinking sips of water in between.
  • Drink a glass of water right when you sit down at the table to help control your appetite
  • Drink your wine or cocktail slowly so it lasts throughout the meal
  • If you are able to, try to check the menu ahead of time in preparation with a mental list of a few healthy options
  • Start the meal with a green salad to help fill you up; ask for dressing on the side (preferably olive oil and balsamic vinegar), avoid creamy dressings such as blue cheese and ranch
  • On that note, request sauces and condiments on the side, as these can really add up in calories
  • Avoid ordering a carbohydrate as the “main attraction” on your plate; order a protein and non-starchy vegetable and ask for a side portion of whatever healthy carbohydrate you choose
  • Split an entrée with someone else at the table; sometimes the kitchen will even split the dish before bringing it out
  • Ask for foods to be grilled, baked, roasted, steamed instead of fried and to be cooked with light olive oil instead of butter
  • Try to engage in conversation with everyone at the table to help slow down your eating; also put your utensils down a few times during the meal to slow yourself down as well
  • Finish your meal with a cup decaf tea, skim latte or cappuccino; ask if the restaurant has fresh berries you could get a small bowl of to help satisfy your sweet tooth

 

xo, Juliana