Thighs of Thunder - 1. Going Out to Eat.

Hey gang, hope you're all good.

First off let me just apologise for the most hideous crime, there won't be any pictures in this blog post. Mostly because I've only just thought about what to write about. Sorry.

I just got back from having lunch with my Dad, one of THREE meals I've arranged to have out this week. When you're trying to shift some exccess timber off your tree trunks, that many meals out can be stressful. Firstly because there's so much temptation but also because it's hard to know what's in the food - which makes calorie counting a nightmare.

We had lunch in Pizza Express and they have 'Leggera' pizza's on their menu, which they claim are all 500 calories or less. Perfect if you need a specific number and an ideal amount of calories for a main meal. I don't want to keep babbling on about calories, but for the purpose of eating out they're quite useful. A lot of larger restaurant chains now have a healthy option meal, where they indicate how many calories are in it. I know Prezzo do this and I noticed at Frankie and Benny's they have some lower calorie deserts. Although my local Frankie+Benny's is notorious for having sod all of what's actually on the menu, so you might want to have them check if your pudding is available while you're eating your main.

Salads of course are the obvious option. However be careful if you are adding a side to your meal. For example fries are a big no, and even something like garlic bread is usually drenched in the delicious saturated fat known as butter. Also, the sauces on salad's are like little hidden fat pouches in your food. I try to go for something like a balsamic dressing which is usually the lightest option, and have it on the side so it's not swimming around in it.

If you're not trying to shift the pounds, but rather trying to be healthy, just make a few simple changes. Maybe have a water instead of a coke, or don't have a starter if you're having a pudding. To drag it back to the calories, they do all add up. There's like 100 calories in one of those little glass bottles of coke. It's a pretty horrendous way to pack in energy as you'll get a sugar low and crave more sugar afterwards, plus you're effectively using food allowance for a drink. Pretty pointless.

These are just a couple of tips I've been noticing/living by recently. I've said it before I'm not a professional, these are just my opinions and experiences.

What healthy tips do you have for eating out? Let me know in the comments below :)

Livvy xo