Marie Spano

Nutrition on the Run

A Plan to Help Keep You on Track No Matter How Far You Are from Your Own Kitchen

Marie Spano, MS, RD, FISSN, CSCS

Eating out can be a challenge—especially if you dine out often. But, in my opinion, the real challenge stems from being enticed by what the restaurant offers or what your co-diners are eating as opposed to a lack of healthy choices. Give up wine at dinner? Not a chance, it would look "odd" to those you are wining and dining in an effort to build a better business relationship. Forgo dessert when everyone else is digging in? As if... Ask for a healthy modification in front of the date you are trying to impress? Please.

I've heard every excuse in the book regarding why a person can't stick to healthy eating while on the road. Yet, in reality, it comes down to personal choice. We live in the land of over-abundant food choices. What other country has food literally everywhere from athletic events to zoos and every place in between? So, don't count on me to be sympathetic to anyone who blames restaurants for their weight problems or sports bars for their beer gut.

Choose Your Dining Establishment Wisely

"I've heard every excuse in the book regarding why a person can't stick to healthy eating while on the road. Yet, in reality, it comes down to personal choice."

The first and most important step to dining out is choosing a restaurant that has something on the menu that is healthy and tasty. If you are easily tempted, a bar specializing in wings probably shouldn't be your first bet, and I guarantee you can find coffee at places other than Dunkin' Donuts.

If dining with others, give them several suggestions to choose from. If a restaurant with few options is mentioned, indicate that there isn't much on the menu you would choose to eat and you would prefer to eat somewhere else, and make a suggestion. Most people will kindly oblige. If they start whining, you may want to ask yourself why you want to dine in their company to begin with.

If you're in an unfamiliar city or neighborhood, several restaurants post their menus online. Some even post their nutrition information (more likely for chain restaurants). In addition, you can search for restaurants on the following websites:

• www.citysearch.com. You can browse by area and cuisine.
  
  
• www.restaurants.com, which again allows you to browse by area and cuisine.
  
  
• www.restaurantrow.com.
  
  
• www.restaurants.com, which not only allows you to browse by area and cuisine but also gives Weight Watchers points for entrees.
  
  
• www.zagat.com.

How to Order

Even if you are going to a restaurant that doesn't post its information online or on the menu, my guess is you can spot most of the unhealthy choices. Though fat can lurk in many places it wouldn't be normally if you were preparing a dish for yourself. If you are wondering, don't be shy. Ask how something is prepared. If the server does not know, simply state how you want it prepared: without butter, broiled or grilled, sauce on the side, without salt or seasonings with added sodium.

You can also order the lunch portion at dinner for the dinner price and ask for substitutions for most side items. Or order your to-go box with your meal, and immediately when the food arrives, save half (or even more) for later. Split your dinner with a friend. Or, try ordering an appetizer as your meal. (As a bonus, you'll save a few bucks.)

Additionally, if you tend to overindulge in tortilla chips or the basket of bread put on your table, kindly ask not to be served this or just place it out of your own reach.

"When need be, you can always order a grilled chicken sandwich, ask them to load up on the veggies and hold the sauce, and then toss half the white bun before you even open your mouth."

If ordering a salad, many restaurants offer low-fat, reduced-calorie, and fat-free salad dressings, though some do not. If this is the case, the most healthy choice is balsamic vinaigrette or oil, vinegar, and lemon on the side. Otherwise, ask for your favorite dressing on the side and dip your fork into it and then into your salad—you'll use less this way.

It is also wise to load up on soup (if you aren't watching your sodium intake), vegetables, and fruit before your entrée comes. Research shows that people actually eat less overall when they fill up first on these foods.

And a word to the wise: never go to a restaurant when you are famished because you will be more likely to throw out every suggestion in this article and eat whatever makes your taste buds salivate the most. (Of course, you should never be famished anyway if you're fueling your muscles every few hours.)

Healthier Choices

If you're fairly new to ordering healthier, here are a few key terms that will help you navigate the menu:

Items with less fat: baked, braised, boiled, grilled, marinara, poached, roasted, steamed, stir-fried, loin and round cuts of meat.

Items with more fat: au gratin, alfredo, béchamel, Bolognese, béarnaise, batter fried, breaded, beurre blanc, buttered, creamed, crispy, deep fried, double crust, en croute, hollandaise, pan fried, pastry, prime, rich, sautéed, scalloped (escalloped), croissants, biscuits.

Items with more sodium: barbecued, cured, in broth, marinated, pickled, smoked, teriyaki, with creole sauce, with cocktail sauce, soy sauce.

SuperSize Me!

Emulating Morgan Spurlock's 30 days of gluttony would be a big blow to anyone's diet. However, fast food can offer healthier options, if you order right. Many popular fast food and chain restaurants offer healthier items or you can strip some of them down and make them healthier. In addition, most, if not all, fast food chains have their nutrition information posted or in pamphlets for their clients. This information can typically be found on their website as well.

Even healthier options can be found at the new "casual dining" restaurants. "Naked" burritos (without the tortilla) at places like Chipolte and Qdoba make it easy to eat healthy. And you'll also find abundant healthier choices at places like Panda Express, Tuk Tuk, Tokyo Joes (watch the sauces), and other similar venues.

Of course, if you are lucky enough to live in CA or another "health-conscious" state, fast food to you probably means steamed brown rice and veggies. For the rest of us, consider this: it's better to eat fast food than go hungry only to gorge later. When need be, you can always order a grilled chicken sandwich, ask them to load up on the veggies and hold the sauce, and then toss half the white bun before you even open your mouth.

"Eating out is about more than just food—it's a social pastime. So enjoy it, make good choices, eat a variety of foods—especially lean meats and veggies, and always be prepared, especially when traveling."

In Flight

Let's face it, most airlines don't offer meals unless you are flying overseas (and depending on the country you are flying to, you might not even recognize the food they are serving you). And don't count on the small bag of pretzels from Airtran airways. I'm a fan of the airline itself, but I can do without the pretzels made from partially hydrogenated oils.

So your best bet is to plan ahead and buy something before going on the plane. That requires knowing your airport. Not all have food in a location convenient to your gate! As a backup, I always recommend carrying a shaker bottle with a your favorite meal replacement; low-sodium, low-sugar jerky; a quality protein bar; a bag of high-protein cereal; fruit and nuts; or other healthy snacks with you. You never know when that 80-minute flight you are scheduled for will turn into a few hours after you spend quality time sitting on the tarmac. Or, you could be stuck on a delayed flight in an airport that shuts down its food establishments at 8:00 p.m. (This happened to me in Dallas.) And if you fly through Chicago, well, you are more than aware of weather delays.

Conclusion

Eating out is about more than just food—it's a social pastime. So enjoy it, make good choices, eat a variety of foods—especially lean meats and veggies, and always be prepared, especially when traveling. Most of the time we are around food 24/7, and it can be difficult to avoid temptation. But it is possible to navigate past the bad choices and find foods that will fuel your energy and keep your body healthy, lean, and strong.

• Traveling Fit
• Back to Issue 72 Table of Contents

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