Eating out is no longer an exception; for many, it's the norm. The problem isn't eating out per se, but how and what you eat when you're away. In the medium term, repeatedly unbalanced food choices can lead to digestive difficulties, bloating and bowel changes, poor weight control, and a decline in energy and mental well-being.
If your goal is to maintain your well-being, a mindful approach is needed. Not perfect, but strategic; simple rules to follow can help ensure your well-being and fitness.
What does the gastrointestinal system really need to ensure its well-being?
The stomach and intestines don't require strict diets, but rather balance and regularity. To function optimally, the gastrointestinal system requires: regularity of meals, quality of nutrients, control of fats, salt and condiments, dietary fiber.
- Eating at completely random times alters digestive secretions, intestinal motility, and hunger and satiety signals, resulting in slower digestion and uncontrolled hunger.
- A quality meal should consist of a mix of nutrients: protein for satiety and structure, complex carbohydrates for stable energy, quality fats for metabolic function and satiety, and fiber for the microbiota and regularity. The problem with eating out is that one or more of these elements is often missing or unbalanced.
- Many seemingly “simple” dishes eaten away from home contain more fat than expected, have a high salt content, use oils of uncertain quality, and even “plain” rice or simple pasta is often not as healthy as homemade.
- Fiber is often absent in meals outside the home, but it is very important as it regulates digestion, nourishes the microbiota and improves satiety.
What happens when you eat out often?
Those who eat out frequently tend to develop a typical eating pattern: high-calorie but not very filling meals, an excess of refined carbohydrates, a lack of fiber, and poor quality protein intake. Over time, this leads to abdominal bloating, slow digestion, alternating hunger/satiety, increased fat mass, and a decline in mental performance.
The problem is obviously not the single occasional meal but the daily repetition.
REAL-WORLD SCENARIOS: HOW TO MANAGE THEM INTELLIGENTLY
- Eating a “quick sandwich”, fast food or pizza
This is the most common scenario. And it's also the most overlooked and the most common mistake made when choosing food: it usually consists of refined bread, excessive sauces, low-quality proteins, and a complete lack of vegetables.
To do less harm, it is recommended to favor a filling of simple proteins such as bresaola, turkey or chicken, avoid sauces (they are invisible calories), choose wholemeal bread if available, if you order pizza maybe without mozzarella, wholemeal dough and with vegetables and/or a protein component on top. Always order a vegetable separately or bring your own (raw carrots, fennel, or cucumbers)
- Go to the canteen
On paper, it seems like the best solution, but often it isn't. You might be fooled by "false light dishes," such as plain rice, which is often seasoned with fat to prevent it from thickening. Or simple pasta, which can be higher in calories than expected even if it only contains tomato. Second courses are almost always cooked with plenty of oil.
We recommend choosing 1 first course + vegetables or 1 second course + vegetables, avoiding a full tray.
In general, it is recommended to focus on the vegetable buffet as it increases satiety, improves digestion and compensates for errors in the main course
- Quick meals (bar, snacks, sandwiches)
This is the most dangerous option. The main problems are refined carbohydrates, high sugars, no fiber, and insufficient protein, resulting in a glycemic spike, hunger after a few hours, and a drop in energy. Fortunately, cafes often offer salad options, but even here, you need to know what to choose. The ideal combination is vegetables with a hard-boiled egg and tuna, paired with bread, preferably whole wheat. Avoid salads loaded with cheese and other fats.
THE HEALTHIEST SOLUTION
Bring a home-cooked meal (when possible) is undoubtedly the most effective and healthy choice for ensuring your well-being. Preparing a dish of rice + tuna + vegetables and seasoning oil, or rice + legumes + vegetables and seasoning oil, or chicken + vegetables + grains and seasoning oil (also chicken salad) are nutritionally balanced single-dish meals. It's important not to forget the easy-to-eat vegetables, such as the aforementioned fennel, carrots, and cucumbers.
Even the “local” sandwich Wholemeal bread or sourdough starter with quality proteins (turkey, bresaola, eggs) and the addition of vegetables can be a valid solution
Protein bars are a good solution when you don't have time to prepare a meal, but we must remember that not all bars are created equal.
Many bars are just carbohydrates (i.e., sugars) and made with puffed rice, honey, etc. These are only good if you need energy during exercise. Technical "fit" bars contain real protein, often low carb. Opt for bars that provide at least 25-30g of protein and are low in sugar. The carbohydrate portion can be brought along in the form of fruit, and the best thing would always be to have the famous take-away vegetables on hand. By following this solution, you've had a quick, filling, nutritious, and easily digestible meal, but using bars should be an exceptional option.
HOW TO PROTECT YOUR STOMACH AND INTESTINES
Eating out often impacts the stomach and intestines and specifically the microbiota, digestion and intestinal regularity, which is why it is essential to: increase fibre when possible, maintain hydration and therefore drink a lot, avoid repeated excesses
TARGETED NUTRITIONAL SUPPORT
If you often eat out, specific support may be useful such as COLOBUTIR by NUTRIFARMA, which acts on:
- intestinal function
- microbiota balance
- digestive well-being
it is particularly suitable for:
- swelling
- disordered eating
- frequent meals out
SUMMARY OF THE MISTAKES TO AVOID
- improvise every meal
- eat only carbohydrates
- ignore the fibers
- use sugary snacks as meals
- thinking “a lot of recovery later”
the body does not think in terms of weekly compensations, but in terms of daily stimuli
CONCLUSIONS
Eating out isn't a problem, unfortunately eating out without any sense of direction is.
The difference is not made by the restaurant, the canteen or the bar, what matters most is the ability to:
- choose
- organize yourself
- compensate
You don't need to be a maniacal or a nutrition professional, you just need to inform yourself, organize yourself and make sure that a slip-up doesn't become a habit.
It is necessary to maintain:
- nutritional balance
- presence of proteins
- fiber intake
- condiment control
You can eat out many days of the week without compromising your health and fitness.
