Today’s Daily Beast features an interesting article penned by Susan B. Roberts that addresses the (obvious) correlation between restaurants and weight gain. After she covers the familiar territory of how it’s more a matter of environment than willpower, she launches into some totally absurd tips for avoiding weight gain when restaurants are part of your life. (The silliest: dump water on your french fries to prevent you from eating them.)
Now, I know Ms. Roberts is professor of nutrition and everything, but I am a not-so-fat restaurant critic. I doubt very much that she keeps anything close to my restaurant reservation schedule. Her piece inspired me to offer my own field-tested tips on managing your weight when restaurants are a staple of your life. I would never suggest you order sauce on the side.
1) To quote Anton Ego, the skinny food critic in Ratatouille, “If I don’t love it, I don’t swallow.” Whenever I am served something less than delicious at a restaurant, I don’t eat it. If I’m working, I’ll take three bites of a non-delicious item and move on. Don’t waste calories on blah tasting food.
2) Take it slow. This advice is well-worn but valuable. Put your fork down. Chew each bite completely. Close your eyes. Breathe. Not only does this prevent gorging, you get a much clearer sense of the food. You don’t have to be a restaurant critic to cultivate your palate. Ask yourself what you are eating, what’s in the sauce? Where does that aroma come from? Are the flavors balanced? If you focus on the sensual experience of your meal, you will eat less but enjoy it more. Really.
3) Restaurant portions are ridiculous. Decide when the plate is put before you how much you will eat. Mentally divide your plate and mark the portions “today” and “tomorrow.” Think of the terrific lunch you’ll have.
4) Don’t deny yourself. If you want the fried chicken but instead order the steamed bass, you will eat bread and butter, the stupid steamed fish, an extra glass of wine, and probably dessert because you will subconsciously be trying to satisfy a thwarted craving. A moderate portion of something you really wanted consciously savored is the best defense against overeating.
5) Don’t overeat. Easier said than done, right? Are you one of those people who eats till it hurts? Have you ever stopped to think about how just plain crazy that is? I am an overeater in recovery. In my family, it is the absolute norm to eat until you cry mercy, groan in discomfort, and generally need to change your pants. Psychologically, I have no idea what this is all about, but when you think it over, it makes no sense. It ruins the enjoyment of food–it doesn’t provide more. It’s making the meal about suffering. I had a moment of clarity a few years back when I just decided once and for all that I would never, never eat until it hurts again. And for the most part, I’ve been successful. I hate pain. If you enjoy pain, keep overeating. If you want to enjoy food more, quit.
6) Share dessert. Most are large enough to split three ways.
7) Walk to the restaurant. In our car-crazy culture, this seems like weird advice. But I know all the walking to restaurants I do offsets a lot of the calories.
8 ) Don’t worrying about wasting food. The whole restaurant industry is a waste factory. If you are concerned about wasted food or wasted money, cook and eat at home. At a restaurant, waste is part of the package. (You’d never consider eating the whole ramekin of butter that comes with the bread, would you? ) Besides, just because you eat the excess food doesn’t mean it isn’t wasted. It’s just wasted on your tush and not in a dumpster.
