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Restaurants are more accommodating than you might think - a 1988National Restaurant Association survey found that nearly 90% ofall table service restaurants will alter food preparations onrequest. Here's how to design delicious, low-risk meals with achef's help.
- GAIN THE EDGE ON HUNGER by starting with a broth-based soup,fruit, raw vegetables, unbuttered bread, or a light seafoodappetizer.
- CHOOSE ENTREES that are steamed, poached, broiled,roasted, baked, or cooked in their own juices. Fish is almostalways the best choice. Pass up anything fried or sautied.
- CUT THE FAT off red meats and remove the skin from your chickenbefore eating it.
- STAY AWAY FROM THICK, RICH SAUCES and stick to ones that arethin and stock-based. Avoid hollandaise, bearnaise, beurre blanc,or anything that sounds like gravy. Choose red pasta sauces overwhite.
- ASK FOR YOUR VEGETABLES STEAMED.- ORDER SALAD DRESSINGS ON THESIDE and then use them sparingly. Try lemon juice, plain vinegar,or buttermilk dressing as low-fat alternatives.
- EAT SMALL PORTIONS or order half-portions at a reduced rate
- and never stuff yourself. As your stomach expands, so doesyour appetite.
THE RIGHT DIET
The best commercial diet programs focus on smart food choices.No plan is perfect, but the good ones all have the followingfeatures in common:
- Recommend food that is low in fat and sugar, and high incomplex carbohydrates, such as breads and vegetables.
- Teach you how to cook delicious low-fat meals that arequick and easy to prepare.
- Include an adequate supply of vitamins and minerals.
- Ask you to eat at least 1,100 calories a day.
- Allow you to eat a variety of foods you like in moderation.
- Let you go out to restaurants.
- Encourage new eating habits and exercise.
CAUTION
AVOID CRASHING AND POPPING. Studies show that people whorepeatedly go on and off crash diets actually gain weight overtime. The sad fact is that the only thing crash dieters everlearn is how to starve. Suppressing your appetite with mot dietpills only risks a number of nasty side effects, such asirritability, insomnia, high blood pressure, and dependency.Plus, once you stop taking them, any weight you've lost willprobably sneak right back on. Weight control is learnedbehavior.
There is more flexibility with diets and weight lossprograms now, and there are even prepared foods especiallyrecommended for the weight conscious person. The low fat and lowsodium foods are especially recommended on almost every diet andall supermarkets now have a section devoted to these specialfoods.
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