Newswise — Eating out can be a treat. But on vacation, you'll likely find yourself eating out three times a day for a week or more—so you need to find ways to work healthy choices into your trip. Elizabeth Schaub, R.D., dietitian at Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, offers these ideas:
- Order from the appetizer menu, where portions are the right size.- Limit the amount of bread and chips you eat before the meal.- Look at the menu online before you go out and decide ahead of time what you want. You're more likely to make healthy choices if you make a decision before you're hungry.- Choose baked, broiled or grilled options instead of fried or breaded.- Estimate your portions to track how much you are eating—an ounce is about the size of four dice and 3 ounces of meat is similar to the size of a deck of cards.- Ask for dressings, toppings and sauces on the side.- On your salad, choose vinaigrette-based salad dressings over creamy.- Drink low- or no-calorie water, iced tea or black coffee rather than soft drinks. It's easy to drink a lot of calories without realizing it.- Avoid the high-carbohydrate continental breakfast. Pack nuts, fruits and yogurt for breakfast instead. - Be realistic—don't plan to lose weight on vacation. Maintaining your weight is a better goal. - Don't give up. If you have an unhealthy breakfast, you can still make healthier choices at lunch and dinner. - If you want a treat, go for it. Share it with one or more people if possible. Often, how much you're eating is a bigger problem than what you're eating.
For more information about Baylor Regional Medical Center at Plano, visit http://www.BaylorHealth.com.
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