I am a certified nutritionist at Upward Human Performance in Milford CT and I surveyed our clientele to see what restaurants in the area they liked best. Based on their feedback I chose the top 3 healthiest options from each of the 10 most popular restaurants menu’s. To get a free copy of the guide, email dan@performupward.com
Before looking at the guide, I want to explain exactly how to eat healthy at a restaurant no matter what restaurant you go to.
What to look for: When being health conscious at a restaurant no matter your goal, you should always be looking for a meal high in protein. Protein is what helps the body rebuild muscle back bigger and stronger. It keeps you full, is low in calorie, and improves your metabolism. Another thing to look for would be ordering from the dinner menu. The dinner menu typically has more options like meat, fish, and chicken, with vegetables rather than sandwiches with fries. Even though sandwiches with fries will have may have decent protein content, they are still typically much higher in calorie due to more carbohydrates and fats (bun and fries/chips).
What to avoid: Empty calories. Empty calories are things such as soda, alcohol, and appetizers that are fried or low in protein. Eating a bowl of chips with queso and having a soda before your meal comes out is setting yourself up for failure. We want to make sure that every choice is paired with a protein in order to make the calories count. Consider having an appetizer like buffalo wings-instead of a bread or potato based appetizer. When it comes to the entres, eliminating some carbohydrates from your meals will help your fat loss goals. This can be done by ordering double vegetables, instead of having a potato, rice, or another carbohydrate as your side. An example of this would be ordering a steak with two sides of broccoli instead of broccoli and mashed potatoes. To better understand the difference between carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, email dan@performupward.com for a free macronutrient guide.
Going out to eat is tough to begin with because restaurants typically cook with a lot of oils and butters that may not always be used in homemade meals. So it is essential you make every bite count. That is why filling up on fried foods that have fats and carbohydrates and no protein is detrimental to your calorie count. The other thing to avoid which is a no brainer is dessert. Dessert has really no nutritional value and should only be consumed on special occasions that are worth celebrating.
Have a strong support system: Having a strong support system is essential when you are trying to accomplish a fitness goal especially when going out to eat. You need people to surround you who are going to support your goals, not try to guilt trip you into partaking in unhealthy behavior. Surrounding yourself with people who are like minded and supportive will go along way in life no matter what the area is.
In summary, it is pretty simple, but not very easy. It is simple to eat high in protein and eliminate empty calories, but it is definitely not easy to say no to them. Especially when those around you are consuming them. That is why self discipline and accountability are key. If nutrition coaching is something you are interested in, book a free consultation here.
Top 10 Restaurants in Milford CT that made my list in no particular order:
The Plate
Dockside
The Founders
Plan B Burger
Bonfire Grille
Pops family restaurant
Fratelli’s
Stonebridge Restaurant
SBC
Flipside Burger
Daniel Labbadia, Nutrition coach
dan@performupward.com