Eating out is inevitable, even while on a health and wellness journey. So let me teach you how to spot the calorie bombs you should avoid when dining out.
Swap them with these high-protein, macro-friendly options that will keep you on track on your health goals!
Ditch the Dips
Let’s start at the top of the menu. Appetizers can throw you off course before you can say “queso.”
Here’s a tip: ditch the dip. Most appetizers with the word “dip” are packed with seed oils, excess, unhealthy fat, cheese, and simple carbs. These tend to be pitifully low on protein too.
Let’s look at two popular appetizers as an example:
1. Crab Dip
The classic recipe mixes lump crab with pimento cheddar, cream cheese, oils, and butter. It’s a big bomb of fat in a bowl with little to no fiber and protein to balance everything out.
2. Spinach & Artichoke Dip
There was a time when this dip soared in popularity among dieters. Sneaking the word “spinach” into the name changed this dips game. Spinach! That’s healthy, right?
Not when it’s topped with mayo! Besides a bit of frozen spinach and canned artichokes, this dip is made of mayonnaise, and cupfuls of cream cheese, Parmesan, Romano, and mozzarella.
With a pile of chips, it’s easy to down the whole bowl. But one batch of spinach artichoke dip can contain 75 grams of fat and 1600 calories! That’s not counting the chips or buttered bread it’s served with.
Order This Instead: The Shrimp Cocktail
Are you a sucker for the classic shrimp cocktail? Shrimp cocktails are delicious. The salty seafood flavor pairs perfectly with the sweet and zingy red dipping sauce. There’s a reason why this appetizer has been a party staple for almost 100 years!
Besides flavor, this appetizer packs in protein. 6 jumbo shrimp contain only 83 calories, almost no carbs or fat, and 16 grams of protein!
It’s so hard to hit your protein goals and avoid going over in carbs and fat while eating out. But a shrimp cocktail appetizer will set you up for success.
If I’m out at a steakhouse or Peruvian restaurant, I love snagging a Shrimp Ceviche appetizer instead. This delicious dish is loaded with lime-marinated shrimp and tossed with fresh veggies and cilantro. It’s protein-heavy and won’t leave you bloated or tired like the high-fat appetizers on the menu.
Skip Sushi
Before you curse me and click the back button, hear me out. Sushi is delicious, and it can be made with clean ingredients. If, however, your goal is to cut weight, skip sushi when you eat out. Here’s why:
Macro-balance is really hard when we eat at a restaurant. One small sushi roll (think the little California Rolls) is made with one cup of white rice. That’s almost 40 grams of simple carbs.
Tuna rolls contain the highest protein (around 15 grams compared to a measly 7 in a California Roll). Even so, that’s not nearly enough protein compared to carbs. Packing in simple carbs and skimping on protein will not help you lose or maintain your weight.
Order This Instead: The Tuna Power Bowl
If you’re craving sushi while trying to lose weight, this bowl will be your friend. It’s full of filling protein, complex carbs, and fiber-rich veggies! Your taste buds will think they’re indulging in a huge serving of sushi goodness, but you’ll feel amazing afterward.
Listen to these ingredients:
- Sashimi ahi tuna poke
- Spicy green cabbage and snow pea slaw
- Quinoa
- Carrot
- Red bell pepper
- Cucumber
- Avocado
- Crispy exploded noodles
- Roasted peanuts
- Sesame seeds
- Cilantro peanut vinaigrette
- Thai peanut sauce
Doesn’t that make your mouth water? To really safeguard from going too low on protein, I ask for extra tuna.
Steer Clear of Sweet Salads
Salads are tricky. They seem healthy, but some are full of unhealthy ingredients, skimpy on the nutrients, and leave you feeling hungry and unsatisfied. That’s why I usually steer clear of the sweeter salads, like Blue Cheese & Apple. Here’s why — sweeter salads tend to be loaded with sugar. They include dried and sweetened fruits, like cranberries. They often include a generous sprinkling of candied nuts. They’re typically topped with a sugary dressing, like poppy seed dressing or raspberry vinaigrette.
Unhealthy salads are maddening. We’re trying to pick the healthy option, and even the salad sabotages our efforts! Select the right salad next time—one full of fiber, and packed with protein that makes it worth skipping the burger.
Order This Instead: The Savory Steak Salad
There’s always a version of this savory salad at every steakhouse. One of my favorites is the Malone’s Steakhouse Salad. They top a large bed of organic arugula with sliced filet mignon, roasted peppers, grilled asparagus, smoked tomatoes, blue cheese, and an herb vinaigrette. If eating cold salad makes you feel like a rabbit, you’ll love this warm and meaty option.
Do you see the pattern? Sweet salads contain a lot of added sugar. Savory salads offer more substance. Kale & Quinoa salads can be a great, hearty pick as well. Quinoa is a god-send to salads, making them more satiating and macro-friendly.
Still, you’ll want to watch out for unhealthy fats and carbs that can creep their way onto your plate. If your salad is topped with shredded cheese and comes in a bowl-shaped fried tortilla, for example, just order a burrito—it’s not much different.
Whatever you do, make sure your salad comes with a protein—when the menu has an option for added chicken breast, take the hint and order it.
Your Restaurant Guide to Tracking Macros
Losing weight while eating out is hard. That’s why many of us dread date night. We want to feel free to have fun with friends and family, but the scale has us shackled. We feel lost looking at the menu.
The tips you learned today will help! They’re the steps I personally take when I go out with my girlfriends, kids, and husband.
But our job isn’t done when we say “Check please!” Logging what we eat out will help us balance the rest of our week.
Not sure how to track macros after eating out? Check out my free guide on how to track your macros and calories for weight loss.
