Making Healthy Options: Take-Out Chinese Food

 Hi friends,

Food – it has been around since the beginning of man! We love it and enjoy it, but we don’t always enjoy gaining weight from it! At least, I don’t. Who agrees? Well, since I have been married maintaining my weight has been even more challenging. My husband likes to eat out often and he doesn’t like to eat the same thing two days in a row or eating left overs. I can eat the same thing everyday and be ok with it. I am a pretty simple eater and as long as I have healthy options around, that is what I will eat. Even with snacks, if I am craving something sweet and have some frozen mango in the freezer, I’ll eat that and bam, my craving is gone nan junk food, ha!

It is challenging for me to make healthy choices when we eat out! It takes will power! When I am sitting there, looking through the menu, going straight to the salads, then my eyes wander to the fries or onion rings! Yikes!

We order take out Chinese food about two times a month. It is hard to not go for the sweet and sour chicken, or the fried rice! And, who doesn’t love fried egg rolls? I love these! Yum! But, I am really trying to keep it healthy and low on calories, so lately I’ve been opting for steamed vegetables and brown rice. It is a healthier option. Just be cautious of heavy sauces that may be added to the vegetables. This way, when my husband is enjoying his mongolian beef, fried rice, and other heavier options from the menu….I am still enjoying the Chinese food experience, just the low calorie and less fat, and low sodium version. I still can’t resist the egg rolls and usually have one! But, eating one is better than eating three egg rolls, and this way I don’t feel deprived.

Instead of a soft drink or sweetened iced tea, I’ll drink water or a sparkling water, or green tea. For utensils, I’ll use chop sticks, we have some plastic one’s at home and it really adds to the experience of eating Chinese food (at least for me). It takes me longer to eat with chop sticks, so my brain gets the signal that my stomach is full before I end up overeating. Another trick I use, is that I serve myself on a medium size plate, not the large dinner plate, hence eating a smaller portion overall. After I serve the portion I plan to eat, I put away the leftovers right away….saving them for lunch the next day. If I leave the containers out, it is just too easy to go back to the kitchen counter and serve myself some more!

Ah, I know, the tricks we use to maintain our weight. I never deprive myself of any type of food…especially not chocolate or foods I love, ha! I just try to eat in moderation and keep it healthy as often as possible. I figure, it all balances out.

Remember, the most important thing is that you are happy with your life and yourself, at any size we may be….to enjoy life and that includes the joy of food!

Do you have any suggestions of healthy take-out dinners you buy? Do you use any techniques or tricks to eat smaller portions or healthier meals? I’d love to hear them!

Hugs,

Paola

PS – Healthy breakfast I eat everyday, how I stopped eating chips, and easy way to remember to take your vitamins DSCN8892 DSCN8884

I order steamed vegetables and brown rice. Instead of a heavier main entree and fried rice.DSCN8893

I serve myself on a medium size plate, not a large dinner plate, and use chopsticks.

DSCN8894I enjoy the Chinese food experience….just a lower calorie, less fat, and low sodium option.

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