One of the toughest parts of dieting is all of the great food we have here in the Bay Area. There is such a great mix of nationalities and cultures and with that comes a great variety of food. Choose any city and you are sure to find a great mix of Indian, Caribbean, Chinese, Thai, Ethiopian or American food - and let's not even get into the great fusion options. With the informative list below Hercules personal trainer Christian Aguirre helps guide us through the tempting and sometimes confusing menu choices.
American Foods: When we think about classic American cuisine items that come to mind are burgers, hot dogs, great barbeque, fried chicken. Also plenty of comfort foods like mashed potatoes or macaroni and cheese. We also know there are a variety of salads on most American menus and these are great lower calorie options. As long as you avoid salads with ingredients described as crispy and crunchy, this usually means fried. Also pay attention to the amount of certain toppings such as cheeses, tortilla strips, wontons, nuts and dressing. Eliminate these items or ask for them on the side. A great feature on most menus at chain family style restaurants is the nutritional information or the lighter fair menu.
Mexican: Oh the cheese, crispy chips and guacamole are enough to make any dieter weak. Luckily there are some great options at most Mexican food restaurants. A great thing about this south of the border cuisine is that most meats are grilled and made fresh so you can ask for light or no oil. Order a single chicken or fish taco and choose whole pinto beans and a salad for your sides. Traditional tacos will have meat, onions and cilantro. Some come with two tortillas so take one off. Taco salads can also be a great choice as long as that towering crispy shell is left in the kitchen and never makes it to your plate. Opt for sliced avocado instead of guacamole and salsa fresca or pico de gallo instead of salsa especial. Any roasted or special salsa will often contain fats and oils that we don't need.
Japanese: This may be one of the easiest menus to navigate and a personal favorite. First off there is a bevy of healthy low fat or healthy fat sashimi. Feel free to dine on tuna, salmon or hamachi with seaweed salad or a green salad. Miso soup is also a lower calorie item though many varieties may have a high sodium content. Avoid crispy rolls and rolls with tempura. Ask your server if they offer brown rice or or low carb soy or cucumber wraps for your sushi. The grilled mackrel or saba shioyaki as it will appear on most menus is full of healthy fats and minerals but be sure to tell the chef to go easy on the oil and salt used to grill this dish.
Italian: Ah the tantalizing pasta dish can be very hard to resist. If you must have pasta remember your portion sizes, these restaurants are known for big family style dishes. Look for words like fresco (fresh), pomodoro (simple blend of tomatoes, onions, olive oil and basil) or primavera (this means spring but think fresh veggies). Italian restaurants usually have a few delicious fish or poultry choices as well.
There are many options and no excuses when eating out. It's okay to splurge every once in a while, personal trainer Christian Aguirre knows you deserve a treat here and there. But don't skip out on a new eatery or fun night with friends because of a diet. Be a smart diner with these tips.
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