Everyone knows that eating out can take a toll on your waistline, so here are some tips to help you.
Being aware of how the environment impacts your eating habits can help you eat better, reports Yahoo.com.
1. Order First
The sequence of who orders first can affect your meal choice.
“Order first to prevent being influenced by your friends,” said Kristin Kirkpatrick, R.D., M.S., Wellness Manager for Cleveland Clinic's Lifestyle 180 program, and YouBeauty Nutrition Advisor.
If your friend orders an unhealthy meal first you may be inclined to give into a craving.
2. Create A Meal
If there doesn’t seem to be a healthy option on the menu, create your own meal.
“See the entrees as a suggestion,” said Kirkpatrick. “If they have brown rice in one entree and black beans in another, ask if they can put them together for a healthy meal.”
3. Be Aware of Mood Lighting
Research proves that soft lighting can make one feel less self-conscious, encouraging one to eat more. Bright lights -- often found in many fast-food restaurants – tend to make us to eat more food, faster.
Studies show that the later it is in the day -- and the dimmer the restaurant – the easier it is for people to eat and drink more alcohol.
4. Eat on a Small Plate
The shapes and sizes of the dishes we eat our food in can create optical illusions, which skews our estimates of how much we’ve eaten.
Large plates make a serving of food look small while smaller plates make the same portion appear larger.
Brian Wansink, Ph.D., director of Cornell University’s Food and Brand Lab found that people ate 22 percent less by switching from a12-inch to a 10-inch dinner plate.
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