Deft Dieting: How to Stay Healthy Even When Eating Out

There are so many cheap options for eating out these days that we’re venturing out more and more, but at what cost to our wellness? Eating out more often has been linked to obesity, so how do you guard your wellbeing against weight gain while still enjoying being wined and dined?

 

1. Do your research: Most restaurants, at least the chains, will have their menus available to view on their websites, so get in-the-know before you go! Work out the healthy dishes and pick your favourite before you even leave the house – and stick to your decision once you’re in the restaurant. If there are establishments you visit often, collect their menus so that you have them to refer to.

 

2. Choose the right table: While sitting by the window or near a TV in a restaurant can be a fun distraction, this actually causes you to eat more. In all the commotion, it’s easy to lose track of how much you’re eating, and you end up shovelling it in. Whether you’re making a reservation or just walking in, as for a quiet spot so that you can enjoy your food more mindfully.

 

3. Order first: Even if you have the best of intentions, you know you’re going to buckle the minute your friend orders something temptingly decadent. Place your order first before you start doubting your healthy choice.

 

4. Get the details: Menus don’t always include every single detail about every single dish – they’d be 20 pages long if they did! Therefore, it’s important to ask the waiter about these details before you commit. How is the dish prepared and with what ingredients? Can the dish be modified or changed to a low-fat or low-calorie option? What comes with this meal and can you make substitutions? How large are the portions? You can request that the food be made with minimal salt, butter and oil, for two portions of veggies instead of chips, and if a particular dish can be broiled or baked rather than fried. You might have to choose something else, but it doesn’t hurt to ask.

 

5. Stop snacking…: The appetiser menu always looks so appealing, but giving in to temptation causes to do real damage to your waistline before the actual meal begins. Not only are appetisers loaded with fat; they also take your appetite away from the healthier main meal to come. Either push the free basket of bread to the other end of the table, or ask the waiter to remove it.

 

6. …Or only snack: While munching before a meal is a big diet no-no, certain appetisers can be excellent choices for an entree. Normally, you’re not hungry enough for anything more than a starter-sized meal anyway, so why bother ordering a big, chunky main meal. If one appetiser is just shy of enough to satisfy you, order a side salad to bulk up the meal – just make sure you don’t order anything fried or covered in cheeses, oils and cream sauces.

 

7. Be savvy with your salad: A salad is often the healthiest thing on the menu, but additional ingredients can turn your salad from your best friend into your worst enemy. Plenty of fresh greens, beans and veggies are good, but limit your use of high-fat dressings or toppings like cheese, eggs, bacon or croutons. The best dressings include vinaigrettes or a generous squeeze of fresh lemon, and you can control how much you use by ordering dressing on the side, and drizzling it on yourself. Alternately, dip in your fork before using it on the leaves, and you’ll have a little dressing with every bite.

Categories: Appetisers, dish, main meal, meal, nbsp, order, order first, salad, salad dressing

Top Tricks for Eating a Better Diet

Experts are always expressing the importance of a healthy and balanced diet in order to maintain good health. It doesn’t have to be as difficult as it first appears, either. It simply boils down to making better choices and relying less on processed foods – here are some basic tips that could help you to forge a beneficial diet easily and effectively. The first step is to eat the right amount of calories for your lifestyle – if you’re more active, the more calories your body needs. You’ll be able to judge by how much weight you lose or gain – if you’re losing weight, you need to up your calorie intake. Likewise, if you’re gaining weight, you need to drop your calorie intake or up the amount of exercise you’re doing. You should try to eat a range of fruits, vegetables, meat and legumes too. This will ensure that you get a range of nutrients.

 

You need to base your meals on a starchy food, such as pasta or potatoes. If you choose wholegrain varieties then this will be better for your body and will keep you feeling fuller for longer. Try to include a portion of starch with every main meal, as this will keep your appetite suppressed and will give you energy. Alongside this you need to aim for a minimum of five portions of fruit and vegetables every day – these are loaded with nutrients If you think it’s too difficult to eat that many portions every day, try being more creative with how you eat. For example, chop up a banana or throw a handful of berries onto your cereal, or you could include two or three portions in a smoothie. Eat a portion of carrot or celery sticks with some humus for your afternoon snack, then have a glass of juice and side dish of veg with your main meal. Remember that dried fruit and legumes count towards this as well.

Fish is really good for your health, being low in fat and high in omega-3 fatty acids. Try to include two portions into your weekly diet for better health, protection from heart disease and improved joint function. Oily fish such as salmon, tuna and mackerel are the best varieties, as these have the highest levels of omega-3s, but keep your options varied for the best array of nutrients. Be careful how you cook them in order to retain the levels of goodness – steaming or grilling the fish is the best way. You also, naturally, need to cut back on the fat, salt and sugar. These dangerous additives are found in processed foods, junk food and ready meals. By cooking your own meals and relying less on processed foods, you’ll naturally lower your intake of these things – many health conditions have been linked to high intakes of fat and salt, such as diabetes and stroke, so your health will thank you for it. You should also keep your body hydrated – this means drinking between six to eight glasses of water every day. Our body relies heavily on water in order to function properly, so you need to replace what you use so that your bodily functions can work efficiently. It doesn’t need to be plain water though – cups of tea and coffee all count towards as well. Lastly, don’t skip your breakfast in the morning – you may think that you’re saving your calorie intake each day, but in actual fact you’re making your metabolism struggle and you may gain weight as a result. Keep your metabolism working by having a healthy and filling breakfast, to stop you snacking on unhealthy snacks mid-morning.

Categories: body, calorie intake, diet, health, Healthy Eating, Intake, main meal, nutrients, processed foods, weight

The Best Sources of Folic Acid for Elderly People

A vital B vitamin which is essential for your DNS synthesis and numerous bodily functions, folic acid is necessary for everyone’s development – not just pregnant women as you may once have thought. Experts advise a 400 microgram serving for elderly people which can be sourced from a number of natural ingredients, from broccoli to legumes. Just adding some more of these ingredients into your diet can really help you feel better in yourself. Here are a few of the top ingredients you should start adding to your diet for your daily dose of this essential nutrient.

 

Broccoli

Broccoli is great for adding a moderate amount of folic acid, with 51 micrograms found in every ½ cup of this delicious vegetable. Of course, there are many other nutrients besides that you can also benefit from – iron, fibre and vitamin C are just a few. It’s easy to add broccoli to your diet, from just having it has a boiled or steamed side dish to adding to to soups, pasta dishes and stir fries.

Squash

A great winter vegetable, squash plays host to around 15 percent of the daily requirement for elderly people in just one cup. Not only that but it also offers vitamin B1, C, B6, niacin, potassium and fibre. There are plenty of options in the squash family, such as acorn, butternut, turban and pumpkins. Try having it mashed as a side dish to your main meal, blending it in soups for added thickness or roasting it with other vegetables for a delicious addition to your daily diet.

Mushroom

Mushrooms may look unassuming but they are a fantastic source of so many vitamins, minerals, antioxidants, proteins, amino acids and antibiotics. These tasty fungi provide calcium, iron, vitamin D, copper, selenium and potassium, as well as providing folic acid. Because they are so low in fat and cholesterol, they’re great for maintaining a healthy diet. Studies suggest that they can help you to prevent breast and prostate cancers, as well as lowering your cholesterol. They can also boost your immune system so they are perfect for elderly people who may be more at risk of a lowered immune system.

Bell peppers

Bell peppers provide 92 grams of folic acid in every cup, so you can get over 10 percent of your daily intake from this one vegetable. They are also a source of vitamin A, C, B6, B2, E, K and a host of antioxidants. If you need to increase your fibre intake, they can help with that too! There are various colours which each provide different antioxidants – they can be eaten raw or cooked.

Legumes

Beans and lentils are rich sources of fibre and fantastic for upping your protein intake. For elderly people looking to increase their folic acid, beans and pulses are an easy way to do it – a cup of canned baked beans can provide up to eight percent of your daily intake. They’re brilliant as a store cupboard essential that you can call upon at any meal time for a boost to your diet.

Parsley

Not just a garnish to your main meal, parsley provides many nutrients of its own. Not just a great source of folic acid, it can also boost your levels of vitamin C, A, K and luteolin. There are anti-cancer benefits to it too, as well as anti-inflammatory properties. It can be a great addition to your food as a tasty flavour booster, as well as added raw to salads for boosting your intake of folic acid.

Categories: acid, Bell Peppers, daily intake, diet, elderly people, folic, folic acid, main meal, vitamin