Valentine’s meals for slimmers

It's only a matter of weeks since the many New Year's resolutions to trim down and tone up were made. However, for many, February 14 means a candlelight dinner in their favourite restaurant with the respective other. These romantic meals can be a nightmare for anyone watching their waistline when faced with menus of delicious offerings. Fiona Gratzer of Unislim says: “With a little forward planning you can enjoy a fabulous meal without ruining all your hard work. Our recently launched Food Maximising Plan has some great tips for eating out and also includes the great new addition of yums. Yums are little treats that make this plan a realistic way of approaching how you eat.†Thankfully Unislim is always at hand to give out its top tips. There are lots of simple ways to enjoy your dining experience without overdoing the calories: - Get ahead and get online. Many restaurants offer their menu on their website, so you can choose before dining and thereby reduce the risk of an unwise selection. - Be the first to order - that way you won't be swayed by friends' unhealthy choices. - Don't skip meals earlier in the day in anticipation of your meal out. This could lead to overeating in the restaurant. - Ask questions. A good waiter will be happy to advise on the menu's healthiest choices. Similarly, if you don't want tempting bread on the table, ask your server to simply remove it! - Two courses should be enough to fill even a hungry tum. Opt for a starter and main, or a main and dessert; not all three. - Always ask for a large jug of water to be placed on the table. - Mingle! Chatting and socialising will increase the fun factor and reduce the chance of eating too much. - Choose salad rather than fries and avoid sides like onion rings - Down size rather than supersize - Choose ketchup or mustard rather than mayo and opt for fat free dressing on your salad - If you can't resist fries or a dessert why not share a portion? - If drinking white wine, ask for some soda or sparkling water to make a spritzer - Remember this handy graph when reading the menu Words to love 'Steamed' 'Poached' 'Grilled' 'Boiled' 'Stir-fried' Words to avoid 'Au gratin' 'Fried' 'Crispy' 'Stuffed' 'Pan-fried' You can find out more on www.unislimonline.ie. Alternatively, please contact us directly via info@unislim.com, or ring 1850 60 30 20 for more information.