It is inevitable that your best-laid nutrition plans will go awry at some point. Social gatherings, eating out, and dinners at friends’ houses all make it harder to stick to what you would normally do. Since these situations are going to come up, it helps to have a plan for how you will handle them. Is it something you expected and can account for ahead of time? Or is it unplanned, where you need to make a good decision in the moment? Even when you aren’t fully in control of what’s being served, you are still in control of how you approach it. And you can make choices that line up with your goals.
The following are some practical ways to stay on track and avoid the kind of meal you end up second-guessing later.
Start with Protein
Protein helps you stay full and supports muscle maintenance, which makes it easier to avoid overeating high-calorie foods. Start by identifying the protein source in your meal.
If you’re at a restaurant, look for dishes that feature grilled chicken, steak, fish, shrimp, bison, beef, eggs, and high-protein plant-based options like beans, legumes, and tofu. In most cases, maximizing protein usually means trying to minimize extra fat. So, grilled is better than fried, and leaner cuts are better than the ground beef used in most restaurant burgers. If you’re building your own plate, aim for one to two palm-sized servings of protein, then add vegetables and carbs around it.
Be Selective About Sides and Appetizers
Most restaurants have vegetable-based sides, which helps to skip the fried options. Watch out, though, appetizers can be sneaky. It doesn’t take much for those to add a significant number of calories even before your meal arrives. (I’m looking at you, 1600-calorie Bloomin’ Onion!)
Salads can be a great side swap in some cases, but it’s worth paying attention to the dressing. Creamy or oil-heavy dressings that are high in fat can pack calories into an otherwise well-intentioned meal.
Let’s look at some common examples to help put the sides in perspective:
- A side of Outback’s Aussie Fries has 500 calories (not including dipping sauce), while their fresh mixed vegetables have more like 150.
- At Red Robin, a side of onion rings clock in around 550 calories (before dunking them in the 320-calorie BBQ mayo), while a side of steamed broccoli is about 30 calories.
You will see the same with appetizers:
A typical order of spinach artichoke dip with chips can reach 1,150 calories, while shrimp cocktail (8 shrimp with cocktail sauce) is closer to 240 calories.
Outback’s Aussie Cheese Fries carry a whopping 3030 calories, compared to about 440 for the Seared Peppered Ahi.
Chili’s Chicken Bacon Ranch Nachos can exceed an eye-watering 2200 calories. But thankfully, their 6-ounce sirloin rocks the house with 300 protein-packed calories, and pairing it with asparagus adds only 35 more.
Even something as simple as skipping the breadbasket can save about 300 to 400 calories.
Pay Attention to Fullness and Stop Around 80 percent
When we can’t control “what,” we can still control “how much.” Tuning in to our fullness signals is often the best strategy when dining at someone else’s home. Fullness signals begin when you are almost, but not quite, full—about 80 % of the way there.
At eighty percent full, you are no longer hungry. You feel content. Not stuffed or tired. A good rule of thumb is that you feel like you could go for a walk after the meal. Recognizing this point can take a little practice.
And remember, there’s often a delay of up to 20 minutes before the brain registers this fullness. So, it helps to eat a little slower.
Many clients find that once they slow down and tune in to their fullness signals, they enjoy meals more. Mindful eating has its perks, and there’s a payoff to paying attention!
Don’t Show Up Hungry
Showing up extremely hungry often leads to overeating, no matter what is in front of you. A small pre-event snack can help regulate appetite. Have a protein shake, some Greek yogurt, string cheese, cottage cheese, or a small amount of fruit and nuts before you go. This can help keep your decision-making more rational. It can also help you keep things in check if you plan to consume alcohol.
Account for Liquid Calories
Drinks can quietly add hundreds of calories to any evening. For example, one 16-ounce draft beer can add anywhere from 130 to 250 calories. You can opt for lower-calorie options, such as water or sparkling water, diet soda, light or non-alcoholic beer, or spirits with zero-calorie mixers (like a tall vodka + soda with just one shot).
I’m a big fan of mixing a half-glass of white wine with club soda and serving it over ice. It cuts the calories roughly in half, and in a social setting, you’re usually not noticing the difference.
Alternating alcoholic drinks with water can significantly reduce overall intake and makes the next day a lot better!
Eating outside your own kitchen doesn’t have to throw everything off. Have a plan and apply a few consistent principles: start with protein, pay attention to portions, and stay aware of where extra calories tend to sneak in. Over time, these small decisions start to feel automatic and add up to sustained and sustainable progress.
