Robert Santana -- Starting Strength Coach, Registered Dietitian, and Head Nutrition Coach for Barbell Logic Online Coaching -- returns to the podcast to talk about the "restaurant trap" and how to avoid going off the rails next time you dine out.
Let's face it, eating out is a big part of American culture. Restaurants serve as social hubs on the weekends and offer a bit of reprieve from the daily work grind. Even supposedly "healthy" restaurants are fraught with traps that can wreck your macros. With a little planning and some basic strategies, however, you can navigate any restaurant without letting it derail your nutrition.
Below are some highlights from our conversation with Robert.
Restaurants are a trap
Let's not beat around the bush. Restaurant food has higher levels of salt, fat, sugar compared to home cooked meals. These exaggerated flavors override our natural satiety signals, making it easy to overeat. Fat is hidden in unexpected places: butter, oils, creams, dressings all contain lots of fat. We tend to desire sweet flavors after savory/salty, and vice versa, leading to overeating. Meals are often structured accordingly: appetizer, bread/chips, main course, dessert.
Plan Your Menu Options
Identify “safe” restaurant choices with reasonable menu options — that way when you’re tired and decide to eat out, you don’t have to think about what to order. Ask for steamed vegetables and sauces on the side. Double the vegetables on the side instead of ordering a starch. LPT: more vegetables makes you have a fuller plate, so your dietary choices seem less weird to your friend group who may not understand or support your diet. Example of a tough restaurant, Texas Roadhouse: 6oz filet, one roll with no extra butter, side salad dipping fork in dressing, steamed vegetables
Over-estimate Your Calories
Use the 50% Rule: assume you are getting double the calories you need, so only eat 50% of the portions you order. Maybe even less for high fat, high carb foods like pasta and desserts. Dip the butter and dressings, don’t slather it on. Dip your fork in dressings, don’t pour the dressing on your salad. Simple ingredients — salmon, vegetables, rice — are easier to estimate than complex dishes.
Know Some Common Food References
Fist = 3oz portion protein If it’s shiny, don’t eat the whole thing. Probably oily, i.e. high in fat.
Routine vs Special Occasion
For most people, dining out should be a special occasion not an everyday event Don’t try to balance your macros at a restaurant — just follow the basic strategies and stick to your routines and good eating habits at home. If you know you are eating out, plan your meals accordingly. Eat less during the day in anticipation of the big work dinner, for instance.
Work on Your Food Prep Skills
Trent's 5min food bowl: rice, big handful of chopped cabbage, top with ground beef, and drizzle with a savory/spicy sauce like soy sauce, sriracha, or chili sauce. Santana’s slow cooked oatmeal: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eR5jV1-ijik
You can follow Robert Santana and his excellent nutrition tips and diet hacks @the_robert_santana. He also has a new gym that just opened in the Phoenix area! He offers barbell training and nutrition coaching services: https://www.weightsandplates.com
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