By Sean Barker
Author
of The Dad Fitness System
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If you are heading
out for a nice meal with your family this Father's Day be
sure to check out these 5 tips so you can be the fittest dad
on the block this summer.
...because an extra 10lbs of
belly bursting fat is a gift you definitely don't want to
have when Father's Day rolls around next year.
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1. Never go to a restaurant starving!
You are setting yourself up for failure
right from the start. Have a quick snack before you go if at all
possible. A piece of fruit, some mixed nuts or a protein shake will
help satisfy you without filling you up so you can enjoy your meal.
If you are really stuck, just grab a bottle of water on the way
and drink it before you arrive. This alone will help you avoid ordering
the entire menu. If you are visiting a spot that you are familiar
with and you are really hungry and in a rush, avoid looking at the
menu all together and tell the waiter what you want as soon as they
come to your table. This way you won't cave in to all the gut busting
choices on the menu while you try to ignore your growling stomach.
2. Once you arrive and sit down at your table,
skip the bread and alcohol.
There is a reason they serve you this
before your meal. It's because it has been proven in studies bread
and alcohol stimulate your appetite. The biological reason behind
this is your body needs food to absorb the alcohol so you don't
get alcohol poisoning. But if you're anything like me you still
enjoy an ice cold beer or a vintage wine so if you really want a
drink, stick to one glass of wine or one light beer without the
bread and have it in place of an appetizer.
3. When looking at the menu, remember that you don't have to order
something exactly as its shown.
You are paying for the food, so don't
be afraid to ask for certain dishes with or without certain ingredients.
Even if you do opt for the carb laden pasta ask for whole wheat
pasta to sneak in a little extra fiber and avoid the blood sugar
crash of refined flour. Always remember to ask how large the servings
sizes are because most times the "single" portions these
days are enough for two or more!
4. You don't have to be a nutritionist to know
you should stay away from the obvious food choices that are breaded,
battered or deep fried.
Trans-Fats are not the new villains
in this summers new Transformers movie, they are deadly lab created
forms of fats that is foreign to your bodies natural chemistry and
wreck havoc on your heart and health. Also be wary of any dishes
smothered and baked in creamy sauces. Just remember to ask how the
dish is prepared.
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5.
Go for any lean protein source such as beef, chicken, pork
or fish.
Nothing beats lean
cuts of muscle building meat seared over a hot flame. Pair
it with any side dish like a green salad or fresh grilled
veggies. Think protein and fats for your meal and avoid the
processed carbs unless you are running a marathon the next
day.
Take the time to
relax and eat slow, have some good conversation with others
and learn to enjoy the whole dining out experience instead
of just focusing on filling your gut.
...and if it's
a special occasion like Father's Day and you do want to treat
yourself, go ahead and enjoy it and get back to your healthy
habits the very next meal.
Because the stress
from "food guilt" just might be worse than the food
itself...
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CLICK HERE to learn more about Sean's
book "Dad Fitness". You can also
read our review of the book by clicking
here.
About
The Author
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Sean Barker is a nationally
certified personal trainer. C.P.T., a worldwide award winning
bodybuilding competitor and most importantly, a proud dad.
He has been involved in the health and fitness industry for
over 15 years and have appeared in High Performance Muscle
Magazine, been on health and fitness radio shows and was selected
as a sponsored athlete by one of the top supplement nutrition
companies in the world. He is affiliated with the top trainers
in the industry and has provided fitness consulting to numerous
people over the years helping them get real-world results
in the shortest amount of time.
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