Attention New Year’s Diet resolutionists! Just when you thought the only way to lose weight was to steer clear of restaurant menus and eat steamed vegetables at home, a new study proclaims that eating out is figure friendly.
Researchers at the University of Texas at Austin recruited 35 healthy women between the ages of 40 and 59 who frequently dine out. After participating in a six-week program to learn strategies to eat more slowly and to choose menu items which are lower in fat and calories, the women lost nearly four pounds on average.
What surprised researchers, who published their findings in the January issue of The Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior, is that they didn’t expect the weight loss success.
“Previous research revealed that 50 percent of binges when women over eat occurred in restaurants,” Dr. Gayle Timmerman says. “So we wanted to develop intervention strategies to prevent weight gain.”
In fact, women who participated in the Mindful Restaurant Eating program reduced their intake by almost 300 calories a day, which explains the weight loss.
Timmerman summarizes the good news for folks who like to dine out: "Based on what we learned from this study, for those individuals who eat out frequently, developing the skills needed to eat out without gaining weight from the excess calories typically consumed at restaurants may be essential to long-term health."
First Step, Slow Down
Rather than calling a ban on eating out during a weight loss diet, Texas researchers suggest addressing barriers. “What I found is that folks are so rushed and pay very little attention when they're eating,” Timmerman says. She suggests diners slow down, enjoy their food and listen more carefully to hunger and fullness cues.
Atlanta registered dietitian Page Love, who counsels weight-loss clients says, “When we tune in by eating slowly, pausing during meals, you will get appropriate and accurate measures of when to stop. Maximize your enjoyment mindfully which will, in the end, help you decide how much you need of yummy food without overdoing it!”
Mindful Restaurant Eating
1. Know where the calories are coming from -- study participants learned how to identify menu items high in calories and fat.
2. Know your food favorites -- gain skills for navigating specific menus such as Mexican and Italian.
3. Slow down – mindful eating, even meditation before a meal, helps you listen to hunger and fullness cues.
4. Plan ahead – participants learned to think about what and where they were going to eat.
Men vs. Women Diners
While this study involved only women volunteers, Timmerman shares in a podcast interview on the Journal’s website that men have a different attitude about dining out, “For men, it’s more of a manly thing to have a hearty appetite. Women are more likely to share an appetizer, have an appetizer for a entree or to take half their meal home.”
About the Author
