Fitness with Felix: Getting into Summer Shape While Eating Out

By Felix Corona Jr.

With summer approaching many of us are going to have trouble fitting into our summer clothes. This is because, unlike people living in the sunbelt states, we usually pack on the extra weight during the winter months with our sedentary lifestyles. We tend to gain an average of 5 to 15 pounds during the winter season.

Most people will start dieting in the summer and by the time they reach their desired weight, the summer is over. I always enjoy eating in restaurants and will not give that up. You don’t have to either. To help you, I’ve compiled a list of tips on eating out and staying on your diet.

1. Do not skip meals. This will slow down your metabolism.
2. Eat slowly. It takes our brains about 15 to 20 minutes to register that we’re full.
3. At fast food restaurants, choose salads with a low calorie dressing or grilled chicken with no added sauces.
4. At a buffet, fill your plate first with salads and low calorie foods. It will be much easier to resist high fat foods on a full stomach.
5. Look for low calorie meals. Most restaurants make it very easy to diet with a low calorie section on their menus.
6. Select roasted, baked, broiled or grilled meats and trim any visible fat.
7. Ask for your vegetables to be served without butter, cheese or cream sauce.
8. For breakfast, ask for butter or margarine to be served on the side.
9. To flavor coffee, use milk instead of cream.
10. The best choice for an appetizer is a salad with a low cal dressing on the side. The best dessert choice is fruit.

Bonus Tip: “Exercise” I always compare food consumption to a checkbook: To get a zero balance you must spend every calorie that you deposit.

Felix Corona Jr. is a certified personal trainer and holds many natural bodybuilding titles. He is available for personal training and private consultation. You can reach him at: bodybyflex.com or P.O. Box 8415  Sleepy Hollow, NY 10591