It has happened to all of us. You start on a healthy eating plan, you get yourself through the hiccups and the bumps of the first few weeks and finally you are in a place where you are starting to see those numbers on the scale tipping in your favor.
And then it happens….someone asks you to go out to eat and it seems like a huge wrench has just been thrown into your dieting success. It isn’t that you didn’t know this was a possibility, you aren’t living in a bubble after all and at some point someone is going to want you to grace them with your presence for a night on the town. Still though, you have just worked your buns off to get to a good place with your dieting and the last thing you want to do is take a step backwards.
What Do You Do?
- Tell them you are washing your hair?
- Tell them you have to go out of town?
- Panic and tell them that you have suddenly gotten sick?
You could do these things, but sooner or later these excuses will run out and then you will be right back in this spot again. You could also just bite the bullet and go out with them, but if you aren’t able to eat anything then there is always that fear that your friends will think you are being rude or they will curiously ask you about your diet so that they can dissect every part of it and tell you why they don’t think it will work.
Neither of those situations will work out well for you. Luckily for you, you are eating Paleo and for Paleo dieters eating healthy is simple and easy.
So What are These Simple Strategies for Eating Out While on Paleo?
Well for starters, you want to check the menu out ahead of time whenever you can so that you can go into the restaurant with a “plan of attack”. You want to make sure your main meal has three things:
- Meat or Fish (nothing processed in them so getting something that is smothered in breadcrumbs or swimming in sauce is cheating.
- Vegetables (your good carb)
- A good Fat
For example you could have some grilled salmon, a side of asparagus, and a plain sweet potato. Or if you are looking for something a little meatier you could take advantage of a steak with a sweet potato and broccoli.
It is also a good idea to have a salad before your meal. This will help you to fill up on vegetables before your main course gets there. Some Paleo dieters like to bring their own dressing to the restaurant.
What About Dessert?
Dessert can be as simple as a bowl of fruit. Many restaurants will have pound cake with fruit or some other fruity concoction as dessert. You can just ask for the fruit only, without the rest of the dish. Another easy dessert option is to make your own delicious dessert before you go out. This way while your friends are busy chowing down on those sugary desserts you can be thinking of those yummy Paleo brownies that are calling your name.
Eating out while you are on a diet is hard, but when you are doing Paleo, it doesn’t have to be. Just a few small strategies before you go out can get you ready for restaurant success.
