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Hi!  My name is Joanna Dolgoff, M.D. and I am a pediatrician and child obesity specialist.  I first met Jared a few months ago because of his relationship with Subway.  In general, I try to get my patients to stay away from fast food.  Subway, however, is an exception.  It is one of the few places where a child can get a healthy meal quickly and cheaply!  

At our first visit, Jared shared his weight loss journey and I was inspired by his story.  He fell into the same food trap that so many children still fall into today.  His home was filled with junk food, he didn't exercise, and many of his dinners consisted of fast food or processed foods with few nutrients and lots of calories and fat!  Jared was able to make over his body and his life by making a few key changes - and so can you!  Read on to learn some easy tips to make eating out easy, quick, and healthy!

Easy Tips to Making Healthy Choices When Eating Out

It's time for school once again!  For many parents school time brings busy schedules including sports, dance lessons, religious studies and of course homework.  Many schedules do not leave much time to prepare healthy delicious meals so many choose fast food restaurants as their go-to option.  Unfortunately eating out often can lead to extra weight gain and learning unhealthy eating habits for you and your family.  Here are some ways to make eating out healthy and part of your back-to-school routine without sacrificing good nutrition.

1. DO YOUR RESEARCH

Many fast food and restaurant chains post nutritional information on their websites. If you frequent a favorite chain and often choose certain menu items, be sure you look up the nutritional data online.  You may be amazed by the calories, saturated fat and sodium in your favorite dish.  Fortunately, some fast food restaurants, like Subway, offer many healthy options.  Start by visiting Subway's website to view their nutritional information http://www.subway.com/applications/NutritionInfo/.

Going to a restaurant that doesn't post their nutrition information online?  You can still learn a lot from a simple web search.  Go to www.calorie-count.com or www.calorieking.com and type in the name of the dish you usually order.  These websites have average nutritional information for thousands of foods.  Chances are you will find what you are looking for.

2. READ THE MENU CAREFULLY

Make sure you know what you are ordering.  Pay attention to the descriptions on the menu.  Dishes labeled deep-fried, pan-fried, basted, batter-dipped, breaded, creamy, crispy are usually high in calories.  Choose restaurants (like Subway) that allow you to pick exactly what you do (and don't!) want to eat.

3. DON'T BE AFRAID TO SPECIAL ORDER

Many menu items would be healthy if they were prepared differently. Small substitutions often lead to major calorie savings.  Be sure to tell your waiter that you are trying to eat healthy.  Most restaurants are happy to prepare your food the way you would like it.

Ask for your vegetables and main dishes to be served with the sauce on the side. If your food is fried or cooked in oil or butter, ask to have it broiled or steamed.  Some restaurants even have non-fat cooking spray in the kitchen!  When I go to a restaurant, I always ask for "no butter, no oil, no mayo".  These ingredients are often stuck into dishes where you least expect them.

4. CAUTION WITH THE KIDS MENU

Unless you are at Subway, the kid's menu is usually the least healthy section of the menu.  I like to avoid it altogether.  Many restaurants will allow you to choose 'half-orders' of dishes on the adult menu.  If the restaurant doesn't do half-orders, consider splitting a dish with your child.  Which brings us to our next tip...

5. WATCH YOUR PORTIONS SIZES!

Watch portion size; share or bring leftovers home. At a typical restaurant, a single serving provides enough for at least two meals. Even children's menu portions are overblown!  To overcome this obstacle, take half of your meal home or divide the portion with a dining partner.

It is best to decide how much your child should eat as soon as the dish is served.  How many times have you told yourself you would only eat half your dish and then sat at the table picking at the plate until it was finished?  Kids do the same thing.  When your child's meal is served and is overflowing, ask the waiter for an extra plate.  Place an appropriate portion on your child's plate and hand the rest to the waiter to wrap up.  When you eat at Subway, take advantage of their smaller, more appropriately-sized options, such as the 4-inch or 6-inch sub choices that are low in calories and fat!

6. AVOID BUFFETS

Avoid buffets, even seemingly healthy ones like salad bars. You'll likely overeat to get your money's worth. If you do choose buffet dining, opt for fresh fruits, salads with low-fat or fat-free dressings, broiled entrees and steamed vegetables. Resist the temptation to go for seconds or wait at least 20 minutes after eating to make sure you're still hungry before going back up to the buffet.

7. CHOOSE CALORIE-FREE BEVERAGES

Remember that soda and juice are both huge sources of hidden calories. Try switching to water with lemon or unsweetened iced tea.  My kids love the sugar-free lemonade at Subway!

8. EAT MINDFULLY

Encourage your kids to eat mindfully. Mindful eating means paying attention to what you eat and savoring each bite. Being mindful also means noticing when you are almost full and laying down your fork. Mindful eating relaxes you so you digest better and makes you feel more satisfied. Teach your children to really taste their food and pay attention to what they are eating.

9. SLOW DOWN!

If your children are shoveling their food into their mouths, they won't be able to tell that they are full.  It takes twenty minutes for your body to realize it is satisfied.  Have them put their forks down between bites or take a sip of water between mouthfuls.  If your kids finish their meals in less time and still feel hungry, ask them to wait.  Once the full twenty minutes has passed, they will probably no longer feel hungry.

10.  REMEMBER THE BIG PICTURE

Think of eating out in the context of your whole diet. If it is a special occasion or you know you want to order your favorite meal at a nice restaurant, cut back on your other meals that day. Moderation is always key, but planning ahead can help you relax and enjoy your dining out experience without sacrificing good nutrition or diet control.

About Dr. Dolgoff

Dr. Dolgoff runs child and adolescent weight loss programs online (http://www.DrWeigh.com), on Long Island, and in Manhattan.  Her program has a 96% weight loss success rate and is followed by children in 41 states!  She often blogs on child weight loss topics (http://www.DrWeigh.com/blog) and is active on Twitter (http://www.twitter.com/JoannaDolgoffMD) and Facebook (http://www.facebook.com/DrDolgoffsWeigh). 

Top 8 Tips for Eating Healthy on the Run
by Martha McKittrick, R.D., C.D.E.
Registered Dietitian, Certified Diabetes Educator

"I am too busy to eat right." "I end up eating most of my meals on the run." As a nutritionist at the New York Presbyterian Hospital and in private practice in NYC, I hear this all the time from my clients. Trying to fit in work, family, exercise, spending time with friends, etc., can be a daunting task. When we eat on the run, we end up consuming too many processed foods, too much fat and sodium and not enough fruits, veggies, calcium rich foods or whole grains. Our poor diets are causing us to gain weight and increase our risk of many diseases. While a hectic schedule can make eating healthy more difficult, it can be done with a little know how and planning.
        

Here are my Top 8 Tips for Healthy Eating on the Run

1. Start your day off with a good breakfast. It may be the one meal of the day that you have total control over. The ideal breakfast is one that contains protein and fiber rich carbs. This will provide your body with the nutrients it needs.
Examples of quick healthy breakfasts:
-Whole grain cereal with nonfat or 1% milk
-Oatmeal (instant is ok) with fruit
-Cottage cheese and fruit
-Yogurt, fresh fruit and ½ cup whole grain cereal  (better to make your own than buy the pre-made parfaits)
-Peanut butter on whole wheat toast
-Deli: egg whites or an egg on whole wheat bread

2. Keep your environment stocked with easy to prepare meals and snacks.
Suggestions: nuts, nut butter, whole grain crackers and bread, whole grain cold cereal and packs of instant oatmeal, dried and fresh fruit, yogurt, string cheese, laughing cow cheese, cottage cheese. You may also be less likely to grab a chocolate from your co-workers desk if you know you have a healthy snack waiting for you!

3. Increase your of fruits and vegetables. They contain many vitamins, minerals and other natural substances that may help protect you from chronic diseases. Add fruit to cereal, snack on fruit and veggies during the day, add veggies to salads and soups. For more info on the nutritional benefits of fruits and veggies, check out this link: <http://www.fruitsandveggiesmatter.gov/benefits/nutrient_guide.html>

4. Do not go too long without eating. This will lead to low blood sugar, decreased energy levels, cravings and decreased motivation to watch what you eat. When you are REALLY hungry, what do you crave - the apple sitting on your desk or junk from the vending machine? Most of us crave junk when we get low blood sugar. Keep healthy snacks on hand. Try not to let more than 4 hours go by without a small healthy snack.

5. Cut back on high calorie beverages and drink more plain water.  We consume too many of our calories from high calories beverages including: soda, juices, sports beverages, fancy coffee drinks and other sweetened drinks such as ice teas and vitamin type waters. Try to increase your intake of water. Having a hectic schedule makes it even harder to remember to drink. Being dehydrated can lead to headaches, low energy levels, "false hunger" (we think we are hungry but we are really dehydrated) and poor energy levels for our workouts. Cutting back on high calorie beverages can also help to promote weight loss.

6. Find healthy take-out or restaurant choices
Many times we don't have time to cook and end up grabbing take-out food. Foods such as pizza, Chinese food and fast food are all loaded with fat and calories.
Here are some suggestions for healthy meals on the run (note: these portions are for weight control. If you aren't trying to watch your weight, you can increase your portions):
- Subway:  6" sandwich on whole grain bread (best choices are the "6 grams of fat or less" sandwiches). Get the sides of fat free yogurt and apples for a snack.
-Chinese: steamed chicken, shrimp, tofu or scallops and veggies with sauce on the side and brown rice
-Rotisserie chicken, ½ baked potato or piece of pita bread and steamed veggies
-Middle Eastern: chicken kabobs and salad, piece of pita bread
-Frozen dinner under 350 calories and salad
-Fast food:  salad with grilled chicken and low fat dressing or grilled chicken on a roll

7. Increase your intake of whole grains and consume fewer refined carbohydrates. Whole grains contain vitamins, minerals, fiber and other components that can help you reduce your risk of diseases. Unfortunately, most of us consume too many refined grains (i.e. white pasta, white rice, white bread) and not enough whole grains. Examples of whole grains include: whole wheat, whole oats/oatmeal, whole grain cornmeal, popcorn, brown rice, whole rye, whole-grain barley, wild rice, buckwheat, bulgur (cracked wheat), millet, quinoa. We should aim for at least 3 servings a day of whole grains.

8. Keep a food record to become aware of your eating habits. Record what you eat and drink as well as the time you eat. This will help to identify culprits in your eating habits. You may be shocked at what you see as many of us underestimate what we eat by 50%. Maybe you are going too long without eating (that's why you crave sweets), or you have gone days without a vegetable or fruit (try adding a fruit or baby carrots as a snack). Once you have identified your problem areas, select 1-2 goals you want to work on each week. Soon you will be on the road to a healthier you

For more info on healthy eating on the run, check out my website and blog:

www.martha-nutritionist.com
citygirlbites.com/blog

It was exciting to get a chance to talk to Martha McKittrick (City Girl Bites) on the phone.  We had a chance to talk and swap a few stories.  I read her blog post this week and it had an interesting story about a low carb diet that didn't quite work - I can definitely relate to that in my own past as well.

I try to watch my carbs...I try to watch everything. I specifically don't eliminate carbs, because I love bread and I love bread products.  I think for me it's trying to find that proper balance of what is the correct amount of bread, and I'm the kind of person that if I didn't watch it I could easily eat the entire bread basket on the table.  In fact, one of the things I judge when I go to a sit down restaurant is how good their bread is.  To me, that's a very important part of the meal.  It also translates to why I have stuck with Subway as long as I have.  The Subway bread was a huge part of me losing the weight.  It gave me something to look forward to, and it tasted really good.  I don't think I could ever technically do the low carb thing, cause I like my carbs.  It's all about trying to find the proper balance. 

Do you limit your carbs?

I saw an article that recently appeared where they reported on healthy fast food chains...I was shocked not to see Subway at the top. That's *!##***!

When I first started losing weight ten years ago, Subway didn't have the choices they have now....variety of breads, coupled with more low fat meat choices and improved products that are low fat and taste even better. With their healthy menu selections, apples vs. chips choices, healthier meats...

I think it's ridiculous....