The holiday season is coming up, and along with it comes the scrumptious restaurant dinners to celebrate with friends and family. But what about those who are keeping watch of their diet?

Thankfully, Sarah Di Lorenzo, food expert and resident Nutritionist at Weekend Sunrise, has shared her guide to eating out without ruining your diet plans!

Sarah Di Lorenzo is a fully qualified Clinical Nutritionist and aims to help clients be their best selves. Photo from Facebook / Sarah Di Lorenzo - Clinic.
​

Google the menu first

The first step to enjoying your freedom without going overboard on calories is searching up the place’s menu before going there or booking a table. Make sure that there is something suitable for you to eat.

Never enter a restaurant ravenous

Ms Di Lorenzo recommends bringing small portions of protein such as a hard-boiled egg or a handful of nuts to ‘take the sting out of hunger’. Snacking on small nutritious treats at least half an hour before a meal could help you avoid binge eating.

Drink two glasses of water before your meal

Another way to satisfy massive hunger is to drink two glasses of water before meals. This will also help you appreciate the food more.

Practice mindfulness

Christmas dinner also means buffet, which is associated with eating as much as you want. She calls it the buffet mentality.

Ms Di Lorenzo wants you to restrict yourself to only having one trip to the food table. Look out for the food best for your health goal and get only the amount you need.

Add protein to side salads

The food expert recommends that instead of ordering a more decadent main course, you can opt to order a side salad with an additional serving of lean protein like chicken.

Don’t hold back – disclose dietary requirements

Ms Di Lorenzo advises you to contact the restaurant prior to your appointment and disclose your dietary requirements. In her experience, they will happily accommodate customers.

Decipher the ingredients

She also recommends picking out restaurants where you can see the list of ingredients per meal. Cuisines (especially those with heavy creams and sauces) may contain unwanted calories, and nobody wants that.

Bring healthy options to dinner parties

When getting invited over (or inviting people over to your place), it’s always nice to tell your friends beforehand that you are on a meal program. They can accommodate you by making a dish that suits your dietary guidelines, or you can bring one yourself!

Prioritise balance

Sometimes, initial plans don’t work out, and we may have over-indulged ourselves with our food intake. Ms Di Lorenzo wants you to know that it’s completely okay and normal. Food is meant to be enjoyed guilt-free.

When the celebration’s over, just make sure that you balance it out by eating lightly the next day.

Put food second

In celebrations and dinners like this, our primary goal isn’t prioritising our diet. The most important objective is to enjoy and catch up with friends and family over shared meals. Food is always only complementary to the event.

 

[lucia]

Sensible advise for not overeating