Dine out on Mother’s day – and still lose weight!

Nutrition Team

Are you taking your mum out for dinner this Sunday? Or maybe you’re the mum being pampered for a change! Either way, with summer just around the corner, you won’t want one meal out to take you a step further away from those short shorts or summer dresses.

While we all go out for dinner with the best of intentions, one look at the menu might demolish your willpower. You give in to temptation, order a high cal, or if you’re on Low-Carb diet a high carb, option and regret it deeply the next day.

On these special occasions, it’s very easy to think, ‘just this once’. 'It’s a special day, I’ll have the creamy soup and bread basket.' 'I’m not going out for dinner again for ages – I’ll have the tiramisu.' Okay, so it is a special occasion. But there are lots of special occasions throughout the year – birthdays, anniversaries, weddings, christenings, Christmas – and you can’t let these occasions push you too far from your goals and your weight loss plans. Eating out needn’t mean missing out. Choose wisely and you can have a fantastic meal without feeling an ounce of regret or guilt the next day, the next week or the next month.

If you’re following a low-fat, cal-controlled plan, use these pointers to help you make the right decisions for that special evening:

1. Don't skip meals during the day. You will be too hungry to make the right decisions. Have a light breakfast and have a small snack, such as a piece of fruit, 1-2 hours before going out.

2. Before ordering, ask how the food is prepared and served. Guesswork can result in extra calories if foods are fried or served with rich sauces or dressings. Request substitutions if necessary, for example, meat to be grilled instead of fried. Ask for sauces and dressings to be served separately.

3. If you order a higher calorie starter, balance it with a low cal main course. Fill up by eating your lower calorie foods first.

4. Eat only what you order. Do not fill up on bread, tortilla chips, crisps, olives or anything else that is placed on the table before the meal.

5. Ask for vegetables to be served without butter or oil. You will easily save yourself 100 calories per serving.

6. Watch out for calorie and fat-laden salad dressings. Avoid salads containing high fat ingredients like bacon, cheese, avocado or sliced meats. Order a reduced calorie salad dressing on the side or try Balsamic vinegar or lemon juice instead.

7. Keep an eye on your alcohol intake. Have a glass of water beside your wine to sip throughout your meal. Try adding soda water to white wine to make a light and refreshing spritzer.

8. Wait until you have finished your meal before ordering dessert. Most restaurants have some type of low cal, low fat offering such as fruit salad. Ask for your dessert to be served without extra cream or ice-cream.

For those of you following a Low Carb plan, here are some dining out tips for you to stay on the low-carb wagon:

1. Ask for your dishes to be served without the extras – potatoes, rice, bread, pasta or beans. Most restaurants will also accommodate requests for a portion of vegetables in lieu of such high-carb offerings.

2. Don’t be afraid to ask how things are prepared. If you think a particular dish or sauce is going to contain carbs, check with your waiter, or ask for sauces on the side so you can decide whether and how much to consume.

3. Soup is a great way to curb the appetite. Miso soup, many cream soups and clear broth with meat or vegetables are all satisfying and delicious ways to jump-start a controlled carb meal.

4. Eat your veggies. Enjoy a variety of nutrient-dense vegetables - but watch out for carb-laden dressings and sauces. Instead, drizzle olive oil and vinegar with a splash of fresh herbs for a tasty dressing. For added flavour request bacon, cheese, olives and seeds on salads.

5. Never save room for dessert! Go ahead and fill up on everything else so that you will feel satiated by the end of the meal and not prone to temptation.

6. Don't give in to the "I deserve it" mode. What you deserve is to be healthy while still enjoying the foods you love, not succumbing to unhealthy indulgences.

7. Don't torture yourself. If you accidentally consume something that's been battered or breaded, it’s not the end of the world. Remember that it's only one meal.

8. Take home the recipe! If there's a low carb dish you particularly enjoy at a restaurant, ask if you can find out how to make it at home. That way you can add to your repertoire of favourites and enjoy it as often as you like.

And remember everyone, you don’t have to eat everything on your plate. If you’re not hungry, don’t eat it!

Enjoy your meal and don’t forget, it’s not just the food that makes a day special!