I love to eat. Always have and probably always will. Unfortunately as I aged, my body produced less of the HGH that was keeping me skinny and I got fat. It took until I was waddling around at 300 lbs that I realized that this was where I'd stay as long as my lunch consisted or a Whopper (usually double with cheese), Large Fries, and a Big Fish sandwich - usually with a piece of pie...and a diet soda. The health consequences are known to most obese men - high blood pressure requiring medication, low testosterone production (due to high body fat to muscle ratio), ED (not that you have the energy for it anyway). The list goes on and on. The list is similar for women.
Here are some quick facts:
-- Between 1962 and the year 2000, the number of obese Americans grew
from 13% to an alarming 31% of the population.
-- 63% of Americans are overweight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) in excess
of 25.0.
-- 31% are obese with a BMI in excess of 30.0.
-- Childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled in the
past two decades.
-- According to the U.S. Surgeon General report obesity is responsible
for 300,000 deaths every year.
Thus began a journey to drop the fat. I don't refer to it as weight loss since I want to minimize lean tissue loss and maximize fat loss. Not always easy. But thats another post entirely - this is about being able to eat at a good restaurant and still stay on track.
When you go to a restaurant, NEVER go on an empty stomach. This isn't as hard as it sounds. You're (I hope) eating six small meals every day, right? So you're about 3 hours since eating. Now eat an apple right before you go in. This starts sending signals to the brain that you're getting some food. Ask the server to NOT bring bread to the table (super high glycemic and processed...and 300+ calories each). Make intelligent choices - baked, grilled, poached - more toward bison, turkey, chicken and fish. Less toward beef and pork. Ask the server to please only bring half of your order to the table and put other half in a to go box. Next have a salad, preferably with a low fat vinagrette on it. If the bring the sald to the table for you ask for the dressing on the side and use only what you want on there. I prefer just balsamic vinegar - but that's just me.
What about buffets? I love the Golden Corral just down the road from us. So how do I manage to eat there at least twice a week at lunch? Easy.
I start with a salad and fruit. Next i go to the carving station for some turkey breast, get some collard greans, brocolli, maybe some pinto beans and 2 sweet potatoe halves. Plate 2 is steamed cabbage, brussel sprouts and maybe green beans. Desert is fruit. I do this on workout days about 3 hours before I go to the gym. Lots of protien and complex carbs.
Last type of restaurant is fast food. Yep, I had lunch at Truett's (Chik-Fil-A) today. Had the grilled chicken sandwich on the whole grain bread they use for the chicken salad sandwich (around 300 cals with 28 g of protien). The McD Asian Salad with the Grilled Chicken is tasty and low cal(aprox 300 cal) as well. Don't be fooled though. Some of the new 'healthy' or 'deli' choices at some fast food places are no bargain. They may be way high in fat, sugar and calories. Cheese is a big culprit and can add 100 or more calories to the item right away. Avoid the fries, fried stuff and the cheese. Look at the menu items nutritional value online before you go and don't hesitate to ask for a change in bread type, cheese on the sideand other choices - its your money they want after all.
Eat healthy, exercise and move around, drink water more and watch the fat decide its time to go elsewhere.
Here are some quick facts:
-- Between 1962 and the year 2000, the number of obese Americans grew
from 13% to an alarming 31% of the population.
-- 63% of Americans are overweight with a Body Mass Index (BMI) in excess
of 25.0.
-- 31% are obese with a BMI in excess of 30.0.
-- Childhood obesity in the United States has more than tripled in the
past two decades.
-- According to the U.S. Surgeon General report obesity is responsible
for 300,000 deaths every year.
Thus began a journey to drop the fat. I don't refer to it as weight loss since I want to minimize lean tissue loss and maximize fat loss. Not always easy. But thats another post entirely - this is about being able to eat at a good restaurant and still stay on track.
When you go to a restaurant, NEVER go on an empty stomach. This isn't as hard as it sounds. You're (I hope) eating six small meals every day, right? So you're about 3 hours since eating. Now eat an apple right before you go in. This starts sending signals to the brain that you're getting some food. Ask the server to NOT bring bread to the table (super high glycemic and processed...and 300+ calories each). Make intelligent choices - baked, grilled, poached - more toward bison, turkey, chicken and fish. Less toward beef and pork. Ask the server to please only bring half of your order to the table and put other half in a to go box. Next have a salad, preferably with a low fat vinagrette on it. If the bring the sald to the table for you ask for the dressing on the side and use only what you want on there. I prefer just balsamic vinegar - but that's just me.
What about buffets? I love the Golden Corral just down the road from us. So how do I manage to eat there at least twice a week at lunch? Easy.
I start with a salad and fruit. Next i go to the carving station for some turkey breast, get some collard greans, brocolli, maybe some pinto beans and 2 sweet potatoe halves. Plate 2 is steamed cabbage, brussel sprouts and maybe green beans. Desert is fruit. I do this on workout days about 3 hours before I go to the gym. Lots of protien and complex carbs.
Last type of restaurant is fast food. Yep, I had lunch at Truett's (Chik-Fil-A) today. Had the grilled chicken sandwich on the whole grain bread they use for the chicken salad sandwich (around 300 cals with 28 g of protien). The McD Asian Salad with the Grilled Chicken is tasty and low cal(aprox 300 cal) as well. Don't be fooled though. Some of the new 'healthy' or 'deli' choices at some fast food places are no bargain. They may be way high in fat, sugar and calories. Cheese is a big culprit and can add 100 or more calories to the item right away. Avoid the fries, fried stuff and the cheese. Look at the menu items nutritional value online before you go and don't hesitate to ask for a change in bread type, cheese on the sideand other choices - its your money they want after all.
Eat healthy, exercise and move around, drink water more and watch the fat decide its time to go elsewhere.
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