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Tips for Eating at a Steakhouse While on a Keto Diet
Eating at a restaurant while you're following any diet can be challenging. Not having easy access to nutrition facts and serving sizes, worrying about hidden calories and sugar, and not wanting to give into temptation are all genuine concerns. When the diet is one that limits how many carbohydrates you can eat, like the keto diet, it can seem especially overwhelming. Believe it or not, the keto diet is actually one of the easiest to stick to when eating out. Some types of restaurants are better suited to it than others, and one of the best options for keto followers is a steakhouse. With a little bit of planning and commitment, you'll find it easy to eat at restaurants, especially steakhouses, without breaking your diet. Plus, integrating activities you love, like dining out, into your lifestyle can help ensure your diet is sustainable long term.
What is the keto diet?
The popular keto diet is a very low-carb, high-fat way of eating. While it has many similarities to other low-carb diets, keto is unique because eating high-fat foods such as cheese and butter is actually encouraged. Replacing sugar and other carbohydrates with fat puts the body into ketosis, a metabolic state in which the body burns fat at a highly efficient rate, dramatically lowering blood sugar levels.
Eating at a steakhouse while on a keto diet
If you have the right mindset, sticking to a keto diet while eating out is not only simple but enjoyable as well. Mentally prepare to be tempted at the steakhouse, but remind yourself that your commitment to your health and happiness takes priority. Most importantly, though, enjoy your meal and the company you're sharing it with. Eating out at a restaurant should never be stressful!
Look up the menu ahead of time
As soon as you've decided on a steakhouse, take a look at its menu online. This allows you to have a rough idea of what keto-friendly options there are, which will help fend off temptation in the moment. If there are one or two dishes that stand out to you right away, you can also look up their carb counts to calculate those into your daily allowance and plan your other meals accordingly.
Have a pre-dinner snack
This may sound counterintuitive, but it's a highly effective tip for sticking to your diet. Hunger has a tremendous effect on the brain's reasoning and decision-making capabilities. If your stomach is growling as you're trying to decide what to order, it's far more likely that you won't make the best choices. Have a big glass of water and a small snack, such as string cheese, before going to the restaurant. This way, you won't be tempted to order an appetizer or snack on bread when you sit down, and you won't be famished waiting for your meal to arrive.
Learn the art of substitution
One of the reasons it's so easy to eat at a steakhouse while following a keto diet is that the food is pretty straightforward. Although traditional steakhouse fare often includes carb-loaded side dishes like baked potatoes and rice pilaf, it's easy to swap those out for vegetables or a salad.
Beware of hidden sugars
Healthy-seeming options like salad, lean meats, and even steamed vegetables are often prepared with sauces and dressings that are loaded with sugar. You can ask about the ingredients of anything you're unsure of, or you can request that your foods be prepared with no sauce or dressing.
Know steakhouse terminology
This may sound counterintuitive, but it's a highly effective tip for sticking to your diet. Hunger has a tremendous effect on the brain's reasoning and decision-making capabilities. If your stomach is growling as you're trying to decide what to order, it's far more likely that you won't make the best choices.
Have a pre-dinner snack
Some terms, like "fried," may be obvious no-nos, but some are less straightforward. Pan-seared, roasted, and grilled are all generally safe, but remember to ask about the ingredients in sauces or other accompaniments. These items could still potentially be grilled in a light breading or come with a sugary glaze, which might blow your diet.
Use an app to stay on track
There are several excellent free fitness and food tracking apps available today, including MyFitnessPal and Lose It! Their databases have a lot of common restaurant foods and brands, so you can quickly access nutrition information for fat, sugar, carbs, and more.
Ordering keto at Cattlemen's Steakhouse
At Cattlemen's Steakhouse in Oklahoma City, we believe that less is more. We focus on sourcing the finest-quality Midwestern meat available, cutting it by hand, and letting it be the star of the show. That means that if you're following a keto diet, you'll have no problem ordering from our menu. Try our signature T-bone steak, bacon-wrapped filet mignon, or broiled salmon, and simply ask to substitute steamed broccoli or sauteed mushrooms as your side. Yum! And for your non-keto friends, Cattlemen's also has an extensive wine selection, kiddie menu, and delectable desserts. We're open seven days a week for dining in and to-go. See you soon!
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