Flexible Dieting Quick Tips

Apr 27, 2020

 by Sunny S.

EATING OUT

Eating out can be very tricky because you never know the exact amounts each cook/chef is putting into the foods you are eating. Even if there is macro breakdown for each meal, it may not be anywhere near accurate unless the chef is measuring everything exactly every time. To combat this limit eating out as much as possible.

When you do eat at a restaurant, try to estimate everything as closely as you can. Once you begin to track your food and get more comfortable with it you will start to have a better understanding of portion sizes and how much a certain amount of food really is. Always err on the side of caution and guess slightly higher for carbohydrates and fats to ensure you aren’t going over.

Ask for vegetables to be cooked without oil/butter, dressings and sauces on the side, and pick the healthiest options that will compliment your nutrition plan the closet. Choose meal options such as Lean Protein, Green Veggie, & Side of Carbohydrate (rice/potato) OR Salads with lean protein (make sure to pay attention to nuts, dressings, cheese, etc. that may be on top)

ORDERING COFFEE

Pay attention to what you are ordering here - coffee drinks can be deceptively full of carbs, fats, and sugars. Most tasty coffee beverages have upwards of 300 calories & 40g of sugar in them! Stick with simple things, choose an Americano instead of a Latte (water instead of 2% milk), OR always choose nonfat milk to make it a little bit more macro-friendly. Instead of getting sugary syrups, opt for sugar free syrups or splenda (stevia is a great option if you are trying to watch the chemicals). Simple brewed coffee is also a great choice as long as you aren’t adding a lot of sugars and cream/milks to it.

DON’T DRINK YOUR CALORIES!

This goes along with the above section about ordering coffee. Don’t drink your calories. Tons of different beverages out there are loaded with sugars and many people don’t even realize it. Be aware of this and check nutrition labels. A 32oz Dr. Pepper contains 108 carbs, and it’s not uncommon to see people drinking a couple of these a day. Cutting this out will have a huge impact on your body composition. Always opt for a 0 calorie choice and save your calories for actual food which will keep you full longer and give you more sustenance.

LOW CARB/SUGAR SAUCES TO ADD VARIETY

Use some creativity in the kitchen to add some variety into your meal choices. Adding in lower sugar/carb sauces can be a great way to mix up your meals so they don’t all taste the same. Things like teriyaki sauce, barbeque sauce, or marinara can be great additions to your meals. Make sure to shop around and find the lowest sugar, most macro-friendly option you can and track what you are using in your meals.

SPICES

Spices are a great way to add flavor to your dishes. Some spice blends contain sugar. That is really the only thing you need to look out for. Other than that, add whatever spices you want to your food.