Craving Some Take Out?

So are you craving your favorite take out/ restaurant but you're afraid of breaking your diet?

Don't worry there's still ways to eat your favorite foods and not completely destroy your diet. We all face those cravings! Trust me I know, in my case they never went away. I learned not to give into a lot of my cravings, but sometimes I just indulge. The trick is moderation and making the right choices! There's no way I could have been successful with my weight loss if I ate burritos, pizza, Indian food and Chinese every other day....every other week or maybe once a month is OK though!

Even if you do fall into that trap of eating your favorite bad-for-you foods one or two nights a week, jump back on the healthy wagon and make sure you exercise and eat right for the rest of the week!

Just to prove that I'm not some patty perfect and trying to rub unrealistic eating habits in your face... I'll admit I had Indian food, a burrito and Chinese food last week! Yikes!! I'm human after all and there's so much delicious food out there! This is definitely NOT the norm for me, but when the weather gets cold I tend to turn to warm filling comfort foods. Needless to say the scale didn't go down this week (and hasn't been for a while because boot camp has had me toning a lot of muscle which weighs more than fat).

But my clothes are still losey goosey on me and I kept exercising and made sure I ate better meals the rest of the week and the rest of those days. I make sure the bad does not outweigh the good when it comes to my eating habits.

As if they were clued in to my bad eating habits, Sparkpeople.com sent me an email this morning about one of my cravings, Chinese food! So it made me think up this post. And also reminded me how to make sure I don't fall into the comfort food trap!

Sometimes WE ALL need reminders of good eating habits to make sure we keep ourselves in check!

So are you craving Chinese like I did??

Here's an email from Spark People about which Chinese food you should order and which ones to avoid. I think when you read the calorie totals you might be a little shocked!

Which Chinese takeout dinner is healthier?

Lemon Chicken v. Chicken Chop Suey

What's better than getting some Chinese take-out on a busy weeknight? The Americanized Chinese cuisines reflect many cooking styles from different regions of China. Many of these dishes are steamed or stir-fried and feature grilled meats and lots of veggies. Chicken is a lean protein source, but which Chinese chicken dish will keep your waistline in check?

The Low-Cal Winner Chicken Chop Suey

One restaurant portion of lemon chicken packs 1,350 calories and a heart-stopping 88 grams of fat! Clearly, the chop suey is a healthier bet, containing 600 calories and 20 grams of fat. Make your next Chinese meal healthier by sharing entrees to cut down on portion sizes, and opting for steamed dishes over fried.

If Chinese food isn't your thing here are some tips below from Sparkpeople.com to avoid over eating, or ordering a calorie laden dish at any restaurant! Remember there is always a healthy option!

Beat the Restaurants at Their Own Game!

• Never go out while hungry. You’ll find yourself nibbling on everything that comes your way.
  
• Foods that are grilled, baked, steamed or broiled provide healthy, flavorful alternatives. Ask how an entrée is prepared to ensure that your selection is not swimming in butter or other fattening sauce.
  
• For pasta selections, choose a marinara sauce instead of a white cream sauce.
  
• Order a healthy appetizer, salad, or small-sized entrée for your meal.
  
• Select white chicken or turkey meat rather than dark meat, and have the skin removed.
  
• Avoid the "all you can eat" and buffet-style restaurants.
  
• Split a meal with a friend.
  
• Get a doggie bag before the meal and put in a portion of the food when it is first served.
  
• Avoid foods that have been prepared in heavy cream.
  
• Eat slowly! Put your fork down between bites. It takes the stomach about 20 minutes to realize that it is full.
  
• Order your salad or potato with the dressing, butter, sour cream, gravy and other extras on the side.
  
• Trim all visible fat from meat.
  
• Select fresh fruit, sorbet or frozen yogurt for dessert.
  
• Watch the alcohol… it is loaded with calories and can lower your defenses against food, causing you to eat more.
  
• Beware of the breadbasket. It comes early and can be refilled several times. Ask that it be brought with the meal and limit yourself to one serving.
  
• Water is your best beverage choice. Order diet pop, tea, and coffee with artificial sweetener. (I don't do fake sugar, I'll make a post about that some other time) Go light on the sugar and cream.
  
• Don’t be afraid to special order menu items.

So there you have it! And now I am reminded what I need to do next time I fall into that comfort food trap!