We all know the thrill of eating out - the tantalizing aromas, the explosive flavors, and the sweet rest from kitchen duty. But for us dedicated to gains and muscle, dining out can pose a dilemma. Fear not, fellow fitness enthusiasts, for it's entirely possible to indulge in restaurant fare while sticking to your nutritional goals. In this blog post, we'll share the keys to maintaining a gainz conducive diet when you're eating out, so you can feast without compromising weeks of progress.
1. Pre-Game Planning: Before hitting the restaurant scene, take a moment to scope out the menu online. Most joints now drop the nutritional 411. Hunt for meals that align with your muscle-building mission, whether that means high protein, low-calorie, gluten-free, or plant-powered options. A little pre-game prep sets you up for victory.
in addition to this, remember your caloric and macro intake is more important over the long term than short. If you want to indulge in one night of calorically dense fatty goodness, feel free as long as you balance it out over the day and week. This may mean having less calories in other meals throughout the day or eating less and doing extra cardio the following day to make up for the surplus. Remember, your body's energy balance is a long term equilibrium. One big meal won't destroy you as long as its balanced out.
2. Portion Control:
Watch out for the serving sizes - restaurants can go big. Ask for that takeaway box as soon as your meal arrives and split it in two. That way, you crush the deliciousness in the moment and have another muscle-fueling meal for tomorrow's gains. You can also even split components of meals or ask them to hold components. For example, if you know you're trying to take it easy on the carbs, you can ask them to hold the side of fries or swap it with a salad.
3. Hydration:
Stay hydrated like a champ. Start your meal with H2O - it could be thirst, not hunger, hitting you. Staying hydrated will also get you satiated faster and keep you there for longer, avoiding you from going overboard on the calories while still enjoying the flavourful food. This will also help a tonne with digestion and avoiding or a least minimizing that post fatty food itis
4. Avoid it:
Last but definitely not least is try avoiding eating out. Okay, we get it, eating out every now and then won't kill you and we're not saying don't have a social life. But, often times our dietary excursions are due to a lack of planning and convenience. It's much easier to rationalize stopping by a fast food place when you have no healthy convenient options on ou or at home. keeping your fridge stocked with healthy foods, your pantry stocked with fruits and even using meal prep services like BergFit or other services can save you from those spur of the moment poor decisions that end up costing you cslories and gainz!
Eating out can be a muscle-building adventure without sacrificing your fitness goals. Prep like a pro, control those portions, choose meals wisely, hydrate like a beast, and don't be afraid to sprinkle in a cheat meal here and there. Bon appétit, gym bros - here's to maintaining those muscle gains while savoring the flavors of restaurant indulgence!