FOOD/ HEALTH SPECIAL .....................10 eating out habits that keep you slim

10 eating out habits that keep you slim

Here is everything you always wanted to learn about cheating your appetite when dining at your favourite joint.

1 Order with care: Ask for dishes that are steamed, grilled, or broiled instead of the deep fried or ­ sautéed ones. “Skip foods with creamy sauces and gravy. You can also ask the chef for customisation. Ask for pizza without cheese, baked instead of fried vegetables, a yogurt or any other low calorie topping,” says chef Rajesh Wadhwa, Taj Palace.

2 Go for appetizers: Go for an appetizer instead of the main course. That way, the serving size would be ­smaller. When ordering from the mains, if you find the portion still big, cut the portion in two, and get it packed to take home.

3 Pick low-cal salad: It’s not as if everything listed in the salad section would be healthy. While ordering a salad, skip the ones that have cheese and cream. Also, ask for lighter dressings such as vinegar, lemon, olive oil etc and plenty of green leaves and fruits. When at the salad bar, pick up healthy greens, edamame, olives, fish and ­chicken. Cut down on bacon, beef, cheese, croutons and pasta.

 4 Skip high-cal cocktails: Cocktails such as daiquiris and margaritas are quite high on calories (around 300-350 calories). It’s a better idea to stick to beer or wine, which are low cal.

5 Mind your portions: Do not overload your plate with food, no matter how tempted you are. For a more satisfying and interesting meal, have smaller portions of a variety of dishes rather than sticking to a few and having one large meal. Tapas selections are always good in this regard.

6 Have healthy protein: If you can’t do without red meat, go for leaner cuts, such as tenderloin, flank steak, or strip. Avoid organs such as liver which is high in calories, and meat dishes that come with fatty bits, such as nihari or tabak maaz. It’s always better to stick to leaner white meat, such as chicken or fish, and resist mutton, beef and pork.

7 Have a soup first:  Trick your appetite as you start your meal. Always begin your meal with a bowl of soup. That way, you will feel fuller and will eat less when the main course is served.

8 Stick to sorbet:  Sorbet or frozen desserts are lower in calories. So go for ­refreshing, sugar free and naturally flavoured sorbets such as a blueberry or ­pineapple, instead of cream loaded desserts.

9 Don’t overdo wines: Wines are healthy, doesn’t mean that you can keep having glass after another. Mind your wine intake, and stick to one glass of wine if you are thinking healthy.

10 Quit the soda: Nothing ruins a healthy meal like pairing it up with a glass of soda. The sugar content and ­high-fructose corn syrup sends the calorie meter shooting up. So, instead of soda, ask for fresh fruit juice or pick from smoothies of your choice.

HTBR 140129