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Eating On the Run
These days, with our 24-7 lifestyle, many of us are dining out and eating on the run more than ever before. While the food industry caters to our fast paced lifestyle with a plethora of grab-and-go items, the selections are often highly processed, caloric, and void of vitamins and minerals. That's the bad news. The good news is there are many ways to feed our body with good nutrition while on the go. (Here are some quick and easy tips to help you choose wisely when faced with many options):
Tip #1. Plan ahead and brown bag it! Whether you're off to work or run errands, or about to embark on a long commute, try not to leave the house without snacks or meals on hand. Dining out usually means extra calories, fat and salt. Pack a sandwich, some fruit, nuts, veggies, or a yogurt. To ensure that these grab and go items are available at home, aim to stock your fridge at least once per week. If need be, replenish during the week.
Tip #2. Travel tricks: Airports are filled with tempting options, most of which are highly processed, and loaded with sodium, saturated fat and calories. This coupled with perhaps a few hours of inactivity is a set up for unnecessary weight gain. First, ask yourself if you are eating because you are bored and have time to kill. As with any trip away from home, aim to plan ahead. Bring your own snack/meal to avoid impulsive, less healthful snack/meal choices. It will not only save you money, but will also save you unnecessary weight gain. If you are going to eat at the airport, be a smart consumer. Rather than opting for the cookie, muffin, smoothie or candy, aim for water and whole fruit or a granola bar. If you do order a sandwich, aim for whole grain bread, lean protein sources (turkey or grilled chicken instead of roast beef) and mustard instead of mayo or cheese. Instead of pizza and cheeseburgers, choose wraps, salads, and small burritos. Beverages can be deceiving as they are usually packed with empty calories that fill our waistline, not our appetite. Instead of reaching for a glass of juice, soda or fancy double frap mocha whip coffee, have water! You'll save 260 calories, and if you do this for seven days, can lose 1/2 pound.
Tip #3: Convenience or confusion? Healthy convenience foods can sometimes be a challenge to find because of the highly processed selections out there. You don't have to analyze every label, but it is important to understand what your about to consume. If you have a bag of chips, it is not necessarily one serving, but rather one portion that may contain several servings. Try to avoid high-fructose corn syrup, partially hydrogenated oils (trans fats) and fractionated palm kernel oil.
Tip #4 Be restaurant savvy! Try not to enter your meal starving as this could lead to polishing off the bread basket even before your menu comes. If necessary, ask for the bread to be taken away if it's too tempting. Start with a broth based soup or salad with dressing on the side. Since portions are so big these days, (and we're all guilty of portion distortion), aim to share your meal or order an appetizer instead of a full entree. Ordering a la carte, although a bit more expensive, will help control portions. When ordering, opt for steamed, grilled, or broiled dishes instead of those that are fried, crispy or creamy. Eat slowly and taste your food, two behaviors we are not too accustomed to these days. Try to avoid the tempting all-you-can-eat buffets. Although they may seem economical on your wallet, they are not efficient for your waistline. Aim for fruit and tea at end of meal. Remember we may not be hungry after our meal, but we may still have an 'appetite' for the deep dish brownie.
Tip #5 Fast food frenzy- These days, fast food eateries are catching on to the increased desire for healthier fare. Places like Chipotle's, Panera Bread bakery-café, Au Bon Pain café, Applebee's are a few of the leaders in the move to healthier food. Aim for salads with grilled chicken or fish and dressing on the side, veggie burgers or regular burgers without all the heavy condiments like cheese, bacon and mayonnaise. Skip fries and opt for baked potato, green vegetable, salad or fruit. Many restaurants are now listing nutritional information for consumers. Take advantage of this to make smart choices!
Tip #6 The infamous 3pm slump: Our usual remedy: Coffee houses: A frappuccino can add up both in calories and fat - aim for a nonfat coffee and if you like sweet, go for sugar free syrups. Muffins, even bran muffin, may sound healthy, but can actually pack in an unwanted 300-500 calories and an unwanted weight gain of 1 pound. Aim for getting your nonfat coffee at the coffee house and bring your snack from home.
—Article by Nicole Britvan, RD
