Tips For Eating Out 24/7

Nutritional therapist Susie Rucker says how you can keep your diet in check when you’re chope-ing a table every night

DON’T SKIP ON PROTEIN
Always eat protein – this is absolutely key whether you’re out eating breakfast lunch or supper. Protein is not only important for healthy muscle mass, but it balances your blood sugar and stops the hormone insulin from rising and making your body store fat.
ORDER: Choose grilled meats and fish or in soups such as Vietnamese Pho. And order oily fish (salmon, sardines, trout and mackerel) to boost your mood, maintain healthy weight and concentration. Japanese sashimi makes a great choice.

EAT YOUR GREENS
Choose dark green leafy vegetables or salad, and fill at least half your plate. This way you fill yourself up on real nutrition and take less of the carbohydrate in the form of grains.
ORDER: Whether eating out in a hawker centre or restaurant order an extra side salad, a portion of stir fried kalian, bok choy or mixed steam vegetables.

REDUCE YOUR CARBS
Reduce your refined carbohydrate load. It is often easy to arrive in a restaurant and be so hungry you end up grazing on the bread rolls put in front of you. The trouble with white refined carbohydrate found in bread, rice and pasta is that it causes the blood sugar to rise. In effect it acts like a sugar shot and the body then stores the empty carbohydrate away as fat.
ORDER: Saying no to the bread rolls before they’re even put down helps temptation. Ask for brown rice instead of white, and eat French fries as a treat. So if you’re eating out regularly aim to have French fries only once a week. Refined carbohydrates are found in bread, pastries, pastas, puddings and deserts. So during the week choose fruit instead of pastries and deserts.

HYDRATE NATURALLY
Think before you drink! Diet sodas and colas are all extremely high in sugar, caffeine and many other chemicals.
ORDER: The best way to rehydrate is with water. If you need to add flavour to your H2O place lime or lemon wedges in your drink. If you like lime soda, you should say no to added sugar, or get your fruity fix from the juice menu. Vegetable juices not only nourish the body with vital minerals and vitamins, but also support a healthy digestion. Coconut water is the closest liquid to the body’s plasma so one of the greatest ways to rehydrate.

SKIP THE ALCOHOL
Alcohol increases the body’s acidity and can affect sleep patterns too. Due to the high sugar content it effects weight and also stimulates the adrenal glands to store weight around the middle. Although initially it induces the feel good factor, alcohol also drains the feel good hormones too, so if relied on it becomes a viscous circle and also negates good sleep.
Order: Ensure for each glass of wine taken you drink a glass of water as well to prevent dehydration. The liver loves to regenerate so aim to have at least two nights a week without alcohol. Choosing Sunday and Monday nights is a good way to start the week, then and see if you can maintain another booze-free night so you have a proper night’s sleep.

Susie Rucker is a qualified nutritional therapist with over five years experience working both in Singapore and Tokyo. Susie is currently working at Body With Soul (www.bodywithsoul.com). To find out more about Susie visit www.ruckernutrition.com