Watch Out and Don’t Over-eat when Dining Out

On the occasions of dining out with friends and families, many of us order much more food than we actually need. Some of us would attempt to finish up all the food and end up carrying a big belly out of the restaurant. Does this scenario sound familiar?

As we 'feast' more often, our waistline gets bigger, and with it, comes the increased risks of developing chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes and cardiovascular diseases. For the sake of our health, we should avoid over-eating. Below are some 'Portion Control Tips for Dining Out' that will help you enjoy meals with friends and family members without "compromising" your health:

Be smart when ordering dishes, for health and to save money!
- Based on individual needs, estimate the number and type of dishes to be ordered.
- Remember the principle of a balanced diet (grains & cereals should be eaten most, eat more vegetables and eat meat in least amounts), choose more dishes with vegetables and meat combination, such as, stir-fried broccoli and scallops.
- We tend to eat more when we order more. Order moderately and you will also save money.
Eat slowly and don't rush
- As it takes around 20 minutes for the satiety signal to reach our brains, eat slowly and stop once you are about 70% to 80% full.
Refuse other's requests politely
- When someone encourages you to eat more when you already feel full, or offers you food high in fat, salt or sugar, just refuse politely by saying "No, thank you."
Safely store the leftovers
- Don't force yourself to finish up leftover food.
- Store the leftovers safely and finish them at a later time.

In addition to controlling the amount of food you eat when dining out, don't forget to watch out for the 'quality' of food as well. Remember the '3 Low, 1 High' dietary principle (i.e. Low fat, low salt, low sugar and high fibre).

To know more about…