My philosophy on eating out is that since I eat healthy 90% of the time, it's okay to have a restaurant meal every once in awhile. I have a few rules that I usually follow when eating out, I have developed these through trial & error based on what typically gives me a stomachache or not.
- Watch the portions- most restaurant meals are way too big. Eat slowly and start by having half the food. Only eat the rest if you're still truly hungry.
- Don't judge your food intake based on the other people you're eating with. I often need to take a step back, stop keeping score, and realize it's okay if I only have a bite or two of the appetizer. There's no point in getting my "fair share" if it's just going to make me sick.
- Only have one or two drinks. Sadly, I know that having more than this causes serious tummy troubles for me. I make sure to order something I really like- a dark beer, a bloody mary, a good glass of wine- because I know I'm only having a little bit.
- Drink lots of water. Most restaurant food is a sodium bomb, so I try to start hydrating during the meal to lessen the inevitable dehydration that will take place.