By: Jon Collette Prototype Nutrition Coach

We are continuing with our #Nutrition blog series and today we are talking about EATING OUT!
We hear very often about the struggles with being able to eat out and continue to lose weight. Well, we are here to tell you that it is definitely possible! Like anything that is important, it just requires a bit more focus, attention, and most important, PLANNING.
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If you are someone that is trying to lose weight (body fat) you may feel that you need to make a lot of sacrifices; “no dining out, no carbs, no alcohol, and no dessert!” Now that sounds absolutely terrible and I would never wish that upon my worst enemy ?
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So how do we eat out and still lose weight? There are several different approaches but overall it comes down to thinking ahead and being a bit more mindful about your choices.
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  1. Plan Ahead: Before you dine out, go to the restaurant’s website and look at the menu. Figure out what you want to eat and what you CAN eat as it relates to fitting into your plan. If you go to a chain restaurant (Applebees, Chilis, Uno’s… they even have the macros on MyFitnessPal!).
  2. Choose a Meal that is High in Protein: If you look at the menu ahead of time (#1)  you can try to find an option you’ll enjoy and then plan around it. For example, maybe you want a ?, no problem! Get the burger but maybe request for steamed veggies to make it a lower calorie more nutritious meal. Don’t be afraid to request for them cooked without butter and you’ll save a ton of extra calories (Fat calories specifically).
  3. Eat more nutritious meals earlier in the day: This goes back to planning, however, if you know you are going out to dinner you want to have foods that a nutrient-dense (lean protein and veggies for example). Save calories but eat enough to avoid really overeating.

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So what about Alcohol and Dessert?!
More often than not, if we are going out to eat we may be inclined to drink alcohol & eat a dessert. A strategy we have implemented is to choose lower-calorie drinks or split a dessert vs having your own. Again, this is where having a plan ahead of time can make it easier to manage how much you consume. It seems simple but this can save you anywhere between 500-1000 calories alone!
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The important takeaway from this message is that we don’t need to sacrifice our social life to lose a few pounds but we also don’t need to use dining out as an excuse to get out of our healthy habits.
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Enjoy time with your friends, destress and don’t worry about losing your progress because you can always get back on track the next day!
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If you’re looking for further guidance and accountability reach out for a personalized nutrition plan.
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?Follow @Crossfitprototype for more!