The Glycemic Index Diet for Dummies (56 page)
Some menu options are prepared in advance, meaning they're already mixed together.
Again, asking is okay so long as you realize that the restaurant may have certain limitations. For instance, it may not be able to replace white rice with brown in your chicken gumbo.
Being extrafriendly goes a long way.
Complimenting the chef and getting to know the servers means they may be more willing to go the extra mile for you the next time you come in.
For the most part, making simple substitutions isn't a big deal. The low-glycemic diet allows you a lot more flexibility than other diet protocols.
Tricks o' the trade: Calling ahead and making friends
You've probably asked for simple substitutions with your restaurant meals in the past, but how far can you go? If you have a friendly rather than demanding approach, a restaurant's staff is often willing to go the extra mile for you. One of my good friends follows a fairly low-glycemic diet; she also has many food intolerances and allergies. I've seen firsthand (in amazement, I might add) the creative and wonderful foods that she gets when we go out to eat. Her trick? She calls ahead to talk to the manager or chef about the menu options.
She starts the conversation by letting the manager or chef know all the wonderful things she's heard about his restaurant and how she's looking forward to trying it out. Then she lets him know that she has some diet limitations and asks whether there's anything he can do for her. Most of the time the manager or chef comes up with a variation of a menu item that works for her. Sometimes she even receives something completely special — almost like a challenge for the chef. My friend lets the restaurant staff know the time and date she'll be dining there and then wow! I've seen her receive amazing entrees that the chefs cook up special just for her.
You're welcome to try this tactic, which is especially handy if you live in a small area with a limited number of restaurants. I can't guarantee every restaurant manager and chef will be receptive, but more often than not, you'll find some winners. If the manager or chef does make an exception for you, do like my friend does and always make sure to thank him, either in person or through your server.
Watching your portion sizes
Restaurant portion sizes are growing and growing and growing. So much so that you can't even recognize normal portion sizes anymore! They look tiny compared to what your eyes are used to seeing. A normal portion of pasta is 1/2 cup, or enough pasta to fit in the palm of your hand (a small-sized hand, that is). Seeing this size portion served in a restaurant would seem almost shocking. Even bagels have grown in size over the last 20 years. A regular ol' 3-inch bagel has about 150 calories, but modern jumbo bagels measure about 4 1/2 inches across for a total of 300 to 400 calories.
Portion sizes in today's restaurants have become almost comical. Case in point: I recently went out to eat with a group of friends. One of the men with us ordered a plate of ribs. When it came to the table, all eight of us looked at it in astonishment and then began laughing. The server had brought out an entire half of a cow's rib cage in a trough. It looked like something you'd see on
The Flintstones.
This particular meal was big enough to serve all eight of us!
The average restaurant portion size is large enough to feed three adults. Furthermore, studies have found a direct association between eating out, higher caloric intakes, and higher body weights. (These are important facts to know because obesity rates have doubled in the past 20 years.) Although getting a lot of food for your money is great, science tells us that the more you see, the more you eat (and consequently the more you'll eventually see on your thighs!).
Here are some tips to keep your restaurant portion sizes at bay so you can have better control over your caloie intake and glycemic load:
Don't clean your plate.
Your mom may have made you practice this tactic growing up, but routinely cleaning your plate in restaurants will inevitably lead you to gain weight rather than lose it.
Eat half or even a quarter of the regular entree or split the meal with a friend.
You can eat the smaller amount and take the rest home for another meal. And if you're dining alone, ask for a to-go box at the beginning of your meal. Then you won't be tempted to eat more than you intended.
Stay hydrated.
Many times people feel overly hungry because they're dehydrated. Try drinking a couple glasses of water while you wait for your meal to help you avoid overeating.
Opt for a half deli sandwich with vegetable soup or a side salad rather than a burger and fries at lunch.
You can find these items in your local deli or supermarket, as well as at most sit-down restaurants.