Socialise and Stay Slim

© Margaret Ambrose

Why is it that some women are able to waltz into any restaurant, five nights a week, wolf down a huge meal and still look great?

These women rise to any occasion involving dining out - compared to the rest of us, who feel like we have to diet for a week before we can consume a forkful of that prawn risotto. And, of course men love these women: we all know how much men hate it when their dates order only a salad (even though they love the body that comes with ordering only the salad).

If you tremble when an Italian restaurant is suggested, feel like throwing out the scales when someone mentions traditional French, and decide that in order to stay slim and healthy you'll need to sacrifice your social life - think again. Dieticians and nutritionalists are now saying you can dine out and stay trim. It's not where you eat, it's what you eat.

French
Ah, the pastries, the crepes, the rich casseroles and creamy sauces. Think that all French cuisine is a heart attack on a plate? Think again. The killers in French cuisine are the rich and creamy sauces - hollandaise, béchamel and béarnaise sauces are all very high in salt and fat. If you must have that sauce, ask to have it served on the side so you can add it to your meal sparingly.

Try ordering: bouillabaise - shell fish soup, salad nicoise - lettuce, potatoes, string beans, anchovies (dressing on the side), coq au vin - chicken in white wine, and grilled fish.
Avoid at all costs: pate de fois gras, French onion soup (because of the high oil and sugar content), quiche and beef bearnaise.

Chinese/Asian
If you think that Asian food is a low fat option, you're right - kind of. Authentic Chinese food is extremely low in fat and cholesterol. A recent study showed that the Chinese population living in China had around half the cholesterol level of people in the western world.

There are plenty of low fat Asian dishes to order and the best advice is to use common sense. The two main culprits in Chinese are the sauces - most Asian sauces are oil based and this accounts for much of the fat content - and the method of cooking, which is often deep-frying.

However, stir-fried vegetables are on almost every menu, and combined with steamed rice can make quite a low fat meal. Asian cooking can also include high levels of salt, especially in soups and soy sauce. A lot of dishes are deep fried so steer clear of those and opt for dishes that are grilled or steamed.

Try Ordering: Steamed fish, steamed vegetable dumplings, won ton soup, and steamed vegetables and noodles.
Avoid at All Costs: Peking duck, sweet and sour pork, fried dumplings and fried banana.

Japanese

Japanese restaurants can be great for the diet conscious, offering a wide range of healthy meals. In addition, raw fish and miso soup are excellent sources of protein. Just remember to steer clear from raw fish if you're pregnant.

Try ordering: sashimi - mixed raw tuna, salmon, whitefish, mackerel, sushi - sliced raw fish and/or vegetables with rice, miso soup and tofu.
Avoid at all costs: katsu - deep fried pork with egg and onion, gyoza - fried dumplings, and tonkatsu - fried pork cutlet.

Try Ordering: Pasta with marinara sauce, pasta with white wine sauce, minestrone soup, and pasta with tomato and basil sauce.
Avoid at all costs: Eggplant/ veal/ anything parmesan, lasagna, Caesar salad and pasta with meatballs.

Every Restaurant
No matter what cuisine you choose, there are certain words that sound panic alarms to the diet conscious, and others that are music to their ears.

Good Menu Words: in its own juice, garden fresh, broiled, poached and steamed.
Bad Menu words: buttery, sautéed, fried, pan-fried, crispy, braised, creamy sauce, marinated in oil or basted.

"Another thing people who eat out regularly should be aware of is alcohol," says Catus, who believes moderation is the key to having a social life and good health. "Reduce your alcohol intake and make the greatest portion of your meal fruit or vegetables, and you can enjoy restaurant socialising."