American Idol winner-turned-country-crooner-superstar Carrie Underwood recently got some flak for an interview in which she said that, to stay thin: "I don't eat out ever."
The US Weekly headline of course emphasized that quote but not the quote that followed: "Every once in a while I have a day off and I might go to a restaurant -- but no aftershow food and I keep my fridge stocked."
This Badass CEO loves that Carrie avoids fatty, late-night post-show food and keeps her fridge full of healthy options. But she's cheating herself out of some great memories and culinary experiences by avoiding restaurants.
First of all, it's important in the balance of a clean eating plan to let ourselves "cheat" now and then. A Badass Fitness reader wrote me this past week lamenting that he'd hit a wall with his clean eating, with every bowl of oatmeal and every chicken breast and protein shake just tasting like cardboard. I told him to give himself one day on the weekend when he doesn't all-out binge, yet lets himself eat the pizza or the ice cream or the fried chicken or whatever it is he craves. If he gives himself that reprieve, the healthy stuff won't seem like such self-deprivation.
We are Badass, yes. But we are also human. That means it's OK to indulge, as long as we are for the majority of the time practicing healthy moderation.
Secondly, there is no reason to avoid eating out. Hate to break it to ya, Carrie! We are Badass, right? And that means we have the smarts (especially after reading this blog!) to make smart choices as we peruse any menu.
Still, it can seem daunting at times as we're trying to lose those pounds or build muscle. Which is better? Chicken Caesar Salad or a steak? Today, I give you a few tips on Badass-Approved Eating Out! Keep the list in your wallet or your car if need be. Or memorize it! Your Badass will look better for it...
Badass-Approved Eating Out 101
1. Ban the Bread Basket: If your server tries to leave bread on the table, just say "No thanks." Would you rather spend those calories on bread, or on your actual meal? Life is all about choices and priorities. Bread before the meal can be sacrificed. Let it go.
2. Appetizer as Entree: Most restaurants' appetizers are ideal as an entree serving for one, while their entrees are big enough to feed China. So consider ordering an appetizer (preferably not fried) with a dinner salad, and call it a meal. At Kool Beanz, one of my favorite restaurants here in Tallahassee, I often order a salad with their spicy black bean cakes appetizer. And I never leave hungry.
3. Divide and Conquer: If you do order an entree, box up half of it before you even dig in. Odds are, half is plenty filling. Plus you get a bonus meal for the next day. Cha-ching!
4. Know the Landmines: The menu descriptions of entrees often say a lot about the likely fat and calorie content. So choose things described as "grilled," "blackened," "sauteed," and "wine sauce" over items with buzz words like fried, battered, creamy sauce, glaze, pesto, etc. The creamier and more breaded it is, the higher it is in fat and calories, as a general rule.
5. Not all Salads are Created Equal: Caesar Salad. It sounds so light and refreshing, right? Except that the Caesar dressing adds hundreds of calories and umpteen grams of fat, making the salad a far worse choice than something like a 6-ounce filet mignon with baked potato. And that taco salad? Well, it's less salad than it is fried tortilla with sour cream, cheese and fatty ground beef. So look for salads that have grilled meat or fish, and consider opting out of the cheese or fried wontons or whatever else the chef gets creative with. And always, always, remember the sixth Badass Commandment: Thou shall order the dressing on the side.
6. Bank on It: If you know you're eating out that afternoon or evening, plot the rest of the day's eating accordingly. That means you DON'T order the trucker's breakfast at Cracker Barrel. And you skip the cookies in the office break room. Choices, Badasses! Sacrifices! If you want a nice dinner out on the town, you don't need the cookie at 4 p.m. Period. End of discussion.
7. Dessert is OK: Don't deny yourself the "happy ending," so to speak! Just know that you want to leave room - in your stomach and in your day's calorie bank - for a sweet finale to the meal. Maybe that means you skip not just the bread basket but also the appetizer you might normally order. Maybe it means you choose grilled fish instead of the pasta bowl, because you'd rather your carbs be of the chocolate cake sort. Whatever works.
8. Sometimes, a Badass just needs to just go all out!: There are occasions when we want the whole shebang - bread, appetizer, hearty entree, rich dessert, and wine throughout. Hell, I call that living! So live a little when the time calls for it. Just don't make it a nightly, or even a weekly thing. When you go full throttle, make it special.
Coming tomorrow: The Badass CEO, sidelined and learning to 'actively recover'...
