Eating Out on The Whole 30 (Guest Post)

Kelli has some awesome tips for eating out while completing the Whole 30 challenge! You can check out her blog here and read about her Whole 30 story here! Now for her great tips...

________________

First things first, congrats on starting this awesome journey for your health!  You will not regret it!  The Whole 30 program opened my eyes to addictions I had with food, helped me experiment with new flavors and foods, and set me on the right path for the future.  But, the struggle is real!  You have to think about every meal and whether you'll be at home, out or away for the weekend.  It's so hard to stick with it away from home, but it is possible!  Here's a few tips for eating out while on The Whole 30!

1.  Choose the restaurant - if you have the choice, you can look over their menu and decide what you can request to be "Whole 30" friendly 

2. Plan your meal choice beforehand - go for lean meats (without the bun) and raw or steamed veggies without butter or cheese!

3.  Tell your friends - If people think you're just ordering like a snob, you'll probably get "that look" and then feel weird the whole meal.  Tell them before you order that you're on an awesome health program and don't want to waiver.  

4.  Stay the course - just because your spouse orders a bacon cheeseburger and you can smell the french fries and oh, they smell so good, remember how success feels.  And you won't miss it...as much ;)

5.  Have fun - Don't forget that this program is changing your life, so make accommodations with the food that you can and enjoy the company you have!  Life is too short!

A few words on eating out where you can prepare the meal:

Let's say you are going to a birthday party or the zoo and you have the opportunity to pack your Whole 30 lunch.  Here are my top 5 go-to tips:

1.  Again, tell your family/friends - We had a birthday party to attend while on the Whole 30 where the food was pizza and ice cream.  I called and explained what we were doing so as not to offend the hosts and they were totally cool with it.
2.Prepare and package - salads and chicken breasts with raw veggies packs well in a cooler.

3. Don't forget a snack - if you're gone more than just 1 meal, pack a container of almond butter and some apples for a quick boost

4.  Make the most of it - let's say you hadn't planned on being out during a meal but you're out and you're starving.  Pick someplace you know you can get something small and healthy to tide you over before returning home.  Maybe some raw almonds at a gas station?

5.  Be prepared - don't let #4 happen!  The Whole 30 is all about preparing and setting yourself up for success.  Have the almonds in your car during the month....ALWAYS.  No exceptions.  If you fail to plan, then you can plan to fail.

Good luck and go get it.  You are changing your life, one meal at a time!