They are not 'CHEAT' meals

Ok, so let us look at some ways that when we want to eat out, we do it intelligently.

Plan ahead – You are going out for a meal and you want to enjoy it. It may be on a date night, or out with friends. If you know where you are, going ahead of time you can use that knowledge to check out the online menu, give yourself an idea what is available, even seeing if they have the KJ included. This may be able to assist you in planning your day beforehand, which may mean a little bit of extra cardio that day in preparation, or a lighter breakfast or lunch to allow for the added calories.

Let the meal defeat you – when you are eating out it is ok to be defeated by the meal. Leaving food on your plate is not a sign that you have failed or wasted your money, but a sign that you have acknowledged you have eaten enough that you are satisfied, but not so much that you are forcing down maybe those few extra fries just for the sake of it. Be smart about it, maybe ask yourself if eating those extra fries aligns with your goals? Do I need to eat them? Am I just eating for the sake of eating?

Prepare – before heading out to your meal, some strategies you could incorporate to help with the hunger and the appetite could be, having a snack (of a satiating type of food) beforehand, so when you arrive for your meal you are not starving and ready to devour whatever is on your plate. Having a glass of water before your meal can also help with the feeling of hunger and reach the point of satiety sooner. This can help manage what you eat and allow you to feel fuller quicker.

Do not rush - Eat slowly and enjoy your food. We have previously spoken about mindful eating, and just because we are treating ourselves to a meal out, does not mean we cannot do it mindfully. Put your knife and fork down between each bite (or put the burger down between each bite), chew thoroughly, savour the flavours, and truly experience all that the meal has to offer.

Workout – Usually for a few hours, after you have worked out your metabolism is higher, and your muscles are replenishing the glucose used up during the workout. Consuming a meal during this time can aid in the replenishment of these nutrients and refuel.