After months of staying home, Michigan residents have begun to venture out more often. For those who’ve been working diligently to lose or maintain a healthy weight, the temptation of a return of restaurants could pose a new challenge. But it’s not something Jennifer Sodini, consultant at Medical Weight Loss Clinic in Warren, is too concerned about for her patients.
If you missed dining out, there’s a way to do so and stay on track with your weight loss goals. Let the pros at Medical Weight Loss Clinic help guide you.
“I don’t feel that patients are having any additional concerns about going to a restaurant to eat now that they have reopened,” Jennifer says. “The concern has been the same. They want to make sure they make the right choice, don’t give into temptation and they’re able to stay on their plan.”
Medical Weight Loss Clinic locations reopened in June and staff are available to help patients make those smart choices so they can attain the results they are working toward.
“I feel that for a lot of patients, the stress of being at home and what was going on in the world was a lot to handle,” Jennifer says. “And those good habits they had started building became difficult to maintain.
“Comfort foods and what the family was eating was a more appealing choice. For those patients that were already accustomed to cooking and preparing food, it wasn’t as much of a struggle. We do try to encourage patients to eat at home as much as possible when they’re on the program - that way they have control over their intake. But we don’t want to discourage anyone from eating out if it is a part of their life that they enjoy. It is our job to help them to learn to make a good choice when they go out and start making that lifestyle change.”
For those patients who plan on dining out, and may have been looking forward to having that option again, Jennifer shares some useful reminders.
Plan ahead - Look at the restaurant menu ahead of time to plan what you are going to order. Be sure to make a backup plan just in case what you choose is not available. “We encourage our patients to bring a menu into the clinic if they aren’t sure what to pick so we can help them to make a good choice,” she says.
Don’t leave the house hungry – Jennifer suggests that patients have a nutritional supplement before going out to eat. “That way you won’t be hungry when you get to the restaurant and tempted if there is an appetizer or bread on the table,” she says.
Pick protein and vegetables – When dining out these protein and vegetables are the best options. “Nine times out of 10, a restaurant won’t have a starch option that fits into your plan or it will be a very large portion,” Jennifer says. “It’s best just to take it out of the equation.”
Avoid fast food and beware of ‘low-cal’ options – Fast food, fried foods, buffets or starch-heavy cuisine can be tempting, but it’s certainly not a healthy option for dining out. Often the low calorie items on a menu are also higher in sodium or not a fit on the program. Still, carefully dining out or carry-out is possible on the program. Jennifer says Coney Island restaurants can be a great alternative for a quick meal where you can order grilled chicken and salad. Steak houses are also good choices for dining out because it’s possible to enjoy steak and fresh steamed vegetables – and stay on your program.
No matter what, Medical Weight Loss Clinic’s staff is here to assist patients in achieving success.
“Ask your MWLC consultant for help if needed,” says Jennifer. “This way you not only minimize the damage of the meal but you also walk away with a success. That is how you start making permanent changes to your eating habits. If things don’t go quite to plan, it’s O.K. Get right back on track for the next meal. Take a look at what went wrong and ask yourself ‘what can I do differently next time?’”
Cooking at home is still and has always been a key part of the program. The website, www.mwlc.com, is stocked with recipes to inspire anyone. And staff are always ready to talk through ways to prepare foods that patients may be craving in a way that also fits their program.
If you’d like to learn more about the ways to prepare healthier foods, or order restaurant food with a healthy diet in mind, contact Medical Weight Loss Clinic to book your free consultation online or call 1-800-GET-SLIM.
