Good habits result from resisting temptation.
                                                                     -Ancient Proverb

Do You Expect the Best When You Dine Out?

     It’s often the subject when I dine out with friends. “Let’s see what he orders this time,” they say as they add a fourth or fifth packet of NutraSweet to their iced tea.

     There was a time, not too long ago, when we didn’t need to drink bottled water because our reservoirs weren’t filled with industrial waste; when it wasn’t necessary to look for organic or hormone-free foods because factory farming didn’t exist; and when diet, low-fat, or cholesterol-free labels were of no necessity. There was also a time when we weren’t overweight as we are today, and when our health care crisis was not the result, in part, of our poor diet and lifestyle choices.

     No where are our waistlines more vulnerable to expansion than when we’re dining out. Now let’s first distinguish between eating on the run, say hitting a drive-through, and sitting down to enjoy a relaxed, healthy meal with good company.  If you’re in the first group, I can’t help you much, though I’m sure you could make better health choices if you really try. But when you take the time for a pleasant dining experience, consider the following suggestions:

·        Drink a big glass of purified water, preferably with lemon. It will help level off your appetite and the lemon will help your digestion.

·        Skip the bread basket. Your meal will arrive soon enough and you’ll enjoy it more if you are less full.

·        Try to make your dine-out meal a vegetarian one. Most restaurants don’t serve organic/hormone-free meat, so it’s better you prepare your meat dishes at home.

·        Watch the wine and beer. Alcohol packs a mean number of calories and is easily stored as fat rather than burned for energy.

·        Watch the sweeteners. They’re bad for your heart, your brain, and your whole body. Ask that the white, pink, blue, and yellow packets be removed from the table where they won’t tempt you.

·        If you’re a dessert eater, try a fruit-based sorbet or fruit tart instead of a heavier, cream-based choice that’ll leave you feeling stuffed and heavy long after you leave the place.

     I’m not suggesting you be perfect when you go out. But why not well informed and making healthier choices as you enjoy time out with friends and family? To me life is not so much about sacrifice as it is about compromise and balance. Perfection is only an illusion. Optimal wellness is a formula for life.

Healthiest regards,

Dr. Carlos