Summer is clearly in the air.

The sun is getting hotter, the skies are getting bluer and everything’s getting friskier.

And for most of us here that means more sun, more sand, more sea, and more beautiful nights out.

And…more alcohol, more partying and more restaurant food.

And that’s where it all starts to go to hell in a wicker basket.

As we all know, most restaurants aren’t the best places in the world to get healthy food.

Yes, even the ones that offer “healthy” food.

They want their foods to taste delicious so you’ll come back for more – and this is accomplished by putting some loaded calorie bombs inside that mouth-watering Pasta Alfredo and that Filet au Poivre.

That said, even if you are careful and think you are making “healthy” choices, it’s really pretty easy to slip up and take in hundreds of calories more than you think you are per meal.

 

LIES, DAMNED LIES AND NUTRITIONAL ADVERTISING

Yes, thanks to all the misinformation floating around, eating healthy is anything but straightforward.

Let’s take a few quick examples.

Numero uno – all fruits and vegetables are healthy, right?

WRONG!

Despite everything you have read and heard, not everything from the garden is benign.

There are some fruits and veggies you need to be really wary of – like non-organic potatoes and conventional apples (which are loaded to the brim with pesticides and herbicides) and macadamia nuts and avocadoes (which pack a surprising amount of calories per serving).

Second example – low fat and non fat foods.

So, in an attempt to jump on the “eat less fat – get less fat” bandwagon, just about all food manufacturers and their pet hamsters started making low fat/non fat products.

The problem with this is that food that has been stripped of fat tastes pretty damn horrible.

So, to compensate for that, sugar or sugar substitutes have to be added in by the shovelful – ending up with a far more dangerous product than the original, full fat version is in the first place.

So, next time you see something labelled low-fat or fat free…give it a wide berth.

Third pitfall – fruit juices.

Hey, what could be wrong with fruit juices?

They are healthy, they are bright, and they all come from Mother Nature’s delights…right?

Again, not so fast, Pancho.

Most industrial fruit juices are not even made from fruit – they are basically heavily sugared water doused with chemicals that give the taste of fruit. Just chemistry at work. Blagh!!

And, just in case you were going to tell me you squeeze your own juice from real fruits…back off a little bit.

Once the fruits are squeezed, you end up with a liquid that has none of the fiber of the original fruit.

This means that there is no fiber left to slow down the digestion process and you are drinking something that has the same amount of sugar in it as a sugar-sweetened beverage at about the same absorption rate.

There are plenty more examples but as you can see, “healthy” is NOT straightforward at all.

So, as a pre-summer tip you will find priceless, here are our best guidelines to eat out and still keep that six-pack project going this summer.

 

HOW TO STUFF YOURSELF (AND KEEP YOUR JEANS BUTTONS FASTENED)

Contrary to what you may think, there are ways of dining at a restaurant safely.

Here are 10 great life-savers to avoid the bloat when eating out.

 

#10 – CHOOSE THE RIGHT PLACE

When it comes to healthier choices, it’s best to choose Japanese, Thai, Greek and Indian restaurants over Italian, American or Mexican style ones. Go for the grilled meats, and the non-fried options – however tempting the smell of those crispy golden delicacies may be.

 

#9 – UP THE PROTEIN

Eating a higher amount of protein in your daily meals will help keep you full up for longer, and thus prevent premature feelings of hunger and subsequent over-eating late in the afternoon and evening. The hungrier you feel, the more likely you are to go for the fattier, high carb choices on the menu and larger servings on your plate.

 

#8 – BEHAVE AT HOME

When you are in direct control of your culinary plan, stay focused and stick to well-designed, healthy meals. It’s easier to make better choices when at home. This way, even if you screw up when out dining, the damage will be minimal.

 

#7 – PLAN IT OUT

If possible, make your restaurant visits part of your timetable instead of a random, spur of the moment thing. This will help you plan your food intake better and reduce the odds of chowing down any extra, unwanted calories.

 

#6 – SPEAKA DA LINGO

A little knowledge of restaurant lexicon can go a long way in saving your belly in the battle of the bulge. Those scrumptious sounding terms like “alfredo”, “gratin”, “scalloped”, “pan-fried” and “crispy-golden” can pack a serious punch in terms of fried fat, sodium and overall calorie levels. Stick to safer options like “flame-grilled”, “steamed” and “oven-baked”.

 

#5 – KNOW YOUR MOUTHFUL

If you want anything to taste delicious, you pile on the oil, butter and salt. You know what they say, “even **** tastes amazing deep-fried”! Restaurant chefs know this and use these ingredients with calculated wild abandon. And while this will make your food taste heavenly, it’s not doing your arteries any favors. Ask your server how the food you’d like to order is prepared. Make sure you know what goes in your mouth – and always choose the lighter option.

 

#4 – MAKE MEATY DECISIONS

Not all meats are the same. Juicer meats are fattier meats. Go for the leaner cuts like filet mignon (oh I love this) or flank steak over that marbled rib-eye hunk. Chicken breast is pretty much fat free (skinless is best), whereas chicken legs have much higher fat levels.

 

#3 – CAREFUL ON THE CONDIMENTS

It’s pretty useless ordering rice thinking you are being health-conscious, then eating it doused with oil, butter or cream. Those extra ingredients can hide a lot of evil. Again, make sure you know exactly what’s being included in your meal. Ditch that risotto and go for the steamed white rice or rice pilaf instead. Or, if you must have a potato, sprinkle it with green onion and a dollop of Greek yoghurt instead of that butter and cheese.

 

#2 – DESERT THAT DESSERT

This part of the meal is probably the biggest landmine of them all. If you have a sweet tooth, this veritable test of will-power is where you need to tread with caution. Run away from those chocolate éclairs and those delectable ice-creams – or else, if you absolutely…can’t…resist…order one serving and share around. If you are more of the Ebenezer type, go for sorbets or their close cousin (once removed), the non-dairy gelato.

 

#1 – PICK YOUR POISON

Right, so you’re feeling extra naughty and you absolutely have to have something wicked in your plate. Gotta kill those cravings right? Solution – you get to pick JUST ONE nefarious thing during your entire meal. It could be 2-3 slices of bread for your entree, one serving of a decadent dessert or one glass of an alcoholic beverage. Keep in mind it’s just ONE of those. So choose your poison wisely.

 

THE PERFECT SUMMER FORMULA

So there you have it – 10 great ways of still enjoying your summer restaurant dining, while making sure your abs stay safe and polished.

It’s also a great way to keep your friends on the straight and narrow when eating out too.

Adding a regular, effective workout scheme to the above (such as our Pump XT or Re-Invention programs) is basically a guarantee that you will actually burn more fat off this summer than all your other summers put together.

I dare you to give these a try.

Eat clean, get lean and look mean.

PS: Do you need a complete overhaul to look and feel your best? We currently have very limited openings for our world-renowned Re-Invention program. Fill in this form and get in touch NOW!

 

 

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