Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Do you talk skinny and order fat?

The drive thru, can't really be good, can it?
Yesterday, I taped a segment for CBS (I am providing the link even though I look line a senior citizen). There are times I’m asked to do something in media and I pass either because of scheduling or if I feel it’s not in my area of expertise. Other times, the subject of a piece isn’t necessarily exciting but I agree to participate. My clients in PR remind me it’s good for the “brand” (which seems to be the business word of the moment). And then there are times a story is right in my nutrition strike zone.  Yesterday was a “strike zone” subject for me. The segment was based on an article entitled “Customers think about healthy food but order the opposite” The concept was that Americans say they want healthier menu items but continue to “double down” and order the artery cloggers.

One of the people points raised was that some people view eating out as a treat. “If I wanted to eat healthy I’s stay home” said one person interviewed clearly with no Foodtraining under her belt. While I understand (and help clients plan for) birthday dinners and special events, not every meal out can be “special”. The National Restaurant Association reported  “an average of one of five meals consumed by Americans-4.2 per week- is prepared in a commercial setting.” That figure sounds a little low to me but we still cannot have four treat meals a week and expect to maintain our weight. Most treat foods or temptations aren’t going anywhere. My suggestion is to keep treats to once a week.

The reporter then presented me with this scenario “sometimes you plan to have the salad but it comes time to order and the burger or the fries just sound so much better.” First, the restaurant is well aware of how scents and visuals can sway purchasing. Impulse decisions have derailed many determined salad scoffers. From fast food to fine dining all menus are available online.  Study before selecting. As I said on camera, you want to make your food decisions before you’re actually ordering.

In the original article, someone else said “I wouldn’t go to a fast food place if I wanted something healthy.” This was a good point. For one thing, fast food “heathly” items can sometimes seem like an afterthought. The brown lettuce or the icky packet of dressing isn’t all that appealing. Then the establishments say, “we tried healthy menus and they don’t sell.” Wendy’s is mentioned later in the article as one of the first to try to “go healthy” in the 80s “with a short-lived effort to sell tomato halves filled with cottage cheese and pineapple chunks on lettuce leaves.” The thought of eating that nauseates me.  The food has to taste good and I have to think if the R and D went into the healthy menu selections that goes into the fries, offerings would be different. I think Starbucks has done a great job with healthful items. They have their plain oatmeal and also an egg and spinach wrap. I’d have to check this but I believe they are both good sellers. As hokey as it sounds it’s important to order the healthy items. Restaurants listen to sales to drive decisions. You can vote for fresh food or you can vote for French fries.  What’s it going to be?
Do you order “skinny” or “fat” when you’re out to eat? Why do you think only 23% of Americans order healthier items? What do you think can change this?
Congratulations to Gina, Lisa, Kristin and Julie, the winners of our Tata Harper and Odacite' giveaway.



28 comments:

  1. First of all, you do not look like a senior citizen (although I know what you mean because I Always think I look like crap on camera, and I know it's probably in my head, we are out worst critics).

    I HATED the comment the one guy made; "If you workout, you can eat whatever you want..." or something along those lines. UGH!

    I read the article and I agree, the halved tomatoes with cottage cheese? Umm, gross. Do you remember when Wendy's sold pita wraps? They had a veggie option, a chicken salad option and a Greek option. They were SO GOOD! When they were gone I Was so sad. Actually yesterday I had a consult with a couple who both work two jobs, so they eat fast food quite often. Buy the end of the consult I had them turned onto the idea of getting chili and a potato from Wendy's, and only eating at fast food if they are able to include a fruit or vegetable brought from home (or order a side salad) :) Baby steps!

    ReplyDelete
  2. love the early gina comment. I'm totally my worst critic but can admit if I look good (or rested as is more often the case) too. The workout comment reminded me of your recent post (knucklehead). I think the Wendy's baked potato is probably the best fast food item I know of.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I can't wait to see the segment!

    Somehow I missed the cottage cheese and tomatoes at Wendy's. That sounds beyond disgusting.

    I generally eat healthy when eating out. However, I somehow almost always have one adult beverage. I think that's my way of splurging when going out. Also, I eat out less often than the average New Yorker.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I don't generally eat at fast food restaurants, because their vegetarian options are either painful or non-existent. We used to eat out a lot, and I made an effort to choose healthier dishes (I say "healthier" because - to be honest - I can't be sure of anything I didn't cook myself). Now, we only eat out about twice a month...and because it happens so rarely, I order whatever I want.

    ReplyDelete
  5. I don't eat out much because I'm gluten-free (Celiac Disease) but when I do have the option I choose the healthiest items I can find on the menu - gluten free first, heart healthy second, diabetes friendly third. Doesn't usually leave much which gets back to my opening statement. I don't eat out much.

    ReplyDelete
  6. I hear you guys about eating out and I'm a big lunch packer myself. Problem is, most people do eat out and the "ordering" thing complicates good intentions. Once we realize what influences these decisions, we can hopefully make better decisions.

    ReplyDelete
  7. You didn't look like a senior citizen...

    I'm one of those people who usually thinks of each meal out as a special occasion, despite eating out quite often. When I'm more mindful about food, I hear your voice in my head saying, "One treat a week." I'm a week into my Foodtrainers detox, and going away for 3 days this weekend. I've already checked the menus of each place we're eating out to make choices ahead of time. I'm even going to keep the menu closed since I know already what I am going to order. Any "treat" will be ordered by someone else and I may take a taste, but I won't order a dessert for myself.

    ReplyDelete
  8. What do you mean you look like a senior citizen? you look great!

    I'm with you, if you eat one meal a week, then it's fine to have a 'treat.' But since most people eat more than that--what was the latest number? 1/3 of our meals, then that's just way too many treat meals. Same for kids meals, people say they want healthier, but end up ordering fries and fried chicken for their kids. Please parents! Give your kids a chance to taste something healthy!

    And you're braver then me... I did one media piece and I looked terrible, plus they cut my part too much that my message came the wrong, so I didn't even both to share!

    ReplyDelete
  9. I rarely eat out and when I do I eat as healthy as possible. Even when I worked full-time I didn't eat out (aka lunch packer). I figure that if I'm cautious of what I eat at home why should I let my guard down when I'm out and someone else is making my food and I have no ideas how much butter or salt they are adding to it???

    ReplyDelete
  10. Marie, how is the detox going? Nour- it's a mixed bag with media a lot of time for sometimes not so much. Lisa-I'm with you, my food thoughts are same whether home or out, unless I'm in Paris.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I don't know what will make people change. I suppose none of us do. What people know about nutrition (generally speaking) is really pretty slim. Also, I don't believe our food is what it once was - so many additives, antibiotics, manufactured fats and sugars. That has to muddy the metabolic waters.

    I discovered Dottie's Weight Loss Zone on the internet when I needed to lose 20 pounds. I still use it along with restaurant menus to plan ahead when I go out to eat. But a lot of the info on DWLZ has details that help me make decisions in advance. I also will not open a menu if I know I will be tempted. Also, I eat in pieces. For instance, if I order a hamburger, I toss the top half of the bun. If it comes with lettuce, I use the lettuce as a wrap and toss the whole bun (or use a fork). Also, I just came from McDonald's where I ordered scrambled eggs. No sausage, no pancakes, just the eggs. So there's an option people may not know about.

    ReplyDelete
  12. You look great, silly...

    I ALWAYS look at the menu before I go anywhere. I am a crazy planner in that regard. I normally have a healthy choice (normally salad) and a back-up plan in case I don't want to eat a salad. This way I am armed with 2 options.

    In NYC we order/go out to eat quite frequently and it's really important to not let every meal feel like a treat. I acted that way my first year out of college and gained a lot of weight!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm solidly in the "eat what you want when eating out" camp. But, unlike the stats mentioned, I usually only eat outside the home once a week.

    I think there's little way of getting around the "eating out is a treat" feeling most people express.

    Which is why I think the focus should be more on building practices of eating healthy at home (or brown bagging it) rather pushing folks to choose healthy items while dining out.

    After all, most dining out healthy choices still aren't as good for you as the from-your-own-kitchen variety.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Detox is going great. It's easy to follow -- lots of choices, yummy food, flexible -- and I don't feel like I'm making a sacrifice. I'm just making better choices. Frankly, my lunches that I pack and dinners I make have been better than I can get at school and what I usually cook. Admittedly, I miss grains more than anything else I'm eschewing right now. But I'd happily recommend the Foodtrainers detox to anyone.

    ReplyDelete
  15. Marie- so glad to hear! I value your opinion, people are loving detox with carolyn. from someone wheat free, you crave grains less when not eating them. Dan- seems like a great system if you eat out 1x but I think we can do better than "Eat well at home, you're off the hook when out" b/c people, for the most part are out a lot. Trust me though, I'm with you when it comes to urging people to brown bag more. Einat- love the back up plan idea, good one. Caron- I brought up that concept with CBS. Why are we placing people in double down OR salad categories. How about a burger with a vegetable or a side salad? Baby steps may be easier to take.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Lauren -- this article came at a perfect time -- my husband and I go out to eat rarely, only for special dates such as birthdays or anniversaries...6 times a year seems about right. Andrew's birthday was this past Sunday, and we celebrated by going out to a really great Mediterranean restaurant -- and I realized I was ordering the same things I would make at home, which made me feel bad for spending so much on a meal out when I'm not eating something unusual...the thing is, I only crave healthy foods -- the unhealthy stuff makes my body feel bad, so I can't touch it. I do think that it would be easier for us to eat out if we weren't gluten and soy intolerant, and agree that tomatoes stuff with cottage cheese sounds gross. Wendy's used to have a salad bar that was pretty decent...I have found that restaurants are usually pretty great about altering a dish to meet my needs...for example,steaming veggies and having the sauce served on the side, or replacing tons of rice with a side salad. I feel like I'm rambling, but also like I have too much to say on this subject! I'll definitely keep it in mind as I'm traveling to Montreal soon -- I've already scoped out all the menus, looked at chowhound.com, and done my research...but will probably still keep things healthy, because that's what I like!

    ReplyDelete
  17. We don't have any fast food options where we live so we rarely eat out. When we do, I usually order healthy because that is what appeals to me now. I will sneak a fry or two from the husband if he orders them :) Now that we have a two-year-old I have noticed that the fast food options are usually our choice because of the speediness. Choosing a sit down option means a longer wait and by the time our food arrives he is usually ready to leave. But I have learned to navigate the menus :)

    ReplyDelete
  18. Good post! I like to order things that I have difficulty making at home or a hard time finding ingredients... and i always eyeball the dish that has the most variety of veg in it. but sometimes.... i order nachos =) and its ok! <3 mwah!

    ReplyDelete
  19. I used to eat out so much more but unless I'm on vacation I find it easier to just eat at home. I'm tired of my food dripping in grease and full of salt. I guess my taste buds are used to my bland food?

    I think most of the public is in denial as to what really goes into restaurant food and that's why they don't bother to order the "skinny" stuff.

    You look fabulous and sound so eloquent Lauren! Great job.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Yay! I can comment again! Go figure?

    ReplyDelete
  21. Ameena is back, Ameena is back, blogger let you in, yes! Oh and you're a liar with the eloquent comment but I still like you. Jen- I learned what MWAH stands for, it only took me a year. We all "nacho" every so often. I totally get mexican and cheese cravings (what's better?). Lauren, I agree with so much of what you said I feel better when I eat better. For me, healthy foods prepared by a great chef is a treat. An interesting salad, a simply grilled piece of fish, makes me happy. Jen, I remember those "quickie" meals with young kids, it gets better/easier.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Great segment Lauren, and you definitely don't look like a senior citizen! I agree, that it's ok to splurge once, or maybe twice/week, but not more than that. I have my splurge meals at restaurants, but I try and balance that out with healthier sides/no dessert/split the entree in half and get a doggy bag. I think it all comes back to moderation which, unfortunately, so many people seems to have trouble with.

    ReplyDelete
  23. EA- I was asked if I felt "spltting" was a good strategy for treats. I'm all for portion control as you mentioned but sometimes "splitting dessert" encourages people eating foods they wouldn't get for themselves.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Great post as always!

    My short, "I'm typing on my phone" response:

    I must be the only person who likes cottage cheese and tomatoes! Haha! :)

    ReplyDelete
  25. I thunk you look'd purty.

    I am definitely in the minority of people who order healthy at a restaurant 99% of the time. I like to taste quality and feel nourished after my meal. When I am not at a "healthy" establishment I tend to go for broth based soups, salads + protein or eggwhite scrambles.

    I eat out a lot not only entertaining clients but also as a side-effect of being a rep and not having a place to put a packed lunch in my 40lb bag of samples, computer, catalogs, etc. Thus I tend to either a. Eat at places I trust (favorites include Le Pain, Whole Foods buffet and Souen) or, if I must take someone to a restaurant that doesn't offer lots of green, legumes or organic stuff, I split the difference. I'll order something that is relatively healthy and just eat less of it OR, I have actually learned, for myself, that often times at a nice restaurant that the filet mignon ends up being the best choice for me. Why? Because it's something I NEVER cook nor really even love, thus I am full before I get even half-way through and all that protein and fat keeps me from nibbling on the extra shared sides or dessert. In the end I probably take in fewer calories than I would have had I ordered the salmon and ate it plus the sides.

    You are so right, it really does require forethought. If I am trying hard to shed a few LBS or if I feel like I have been eating out more than not, I just try harder to schedule meetings that are not at a restaurant and bring nuts to hold me over during the day.

    Balance requires planning. And there are a lot of stupid people out there. Most of which were interviewed for the segment! haha.

    ReplyDelete
  26. I like your point of keeping treats to no more than one per week. Unfortunately, it's very easy to fall into the "I deserve a treat" trap and make poor choices way too often. I also like your suggestion to plan what to eat before you go to the restaurant. That one is really key for me. If I've made up my mind, I order healthy. If I'm impulsive, things tend to go not so well...

    ReplyDelete
  27. Cameo, I don't choose who gets interview and though I don't agree with them, I think they represent a lot of people or a lot of our excuses. I'm so with out about making choices that leave you feeling good. I like your "safe" places also would add Organic Avenue outposts/candle/abc kitchen. Andrea, it really is amazing that a couple minutes of "how will I order when I get there" can really change the outcome.

    ReplyDelete
  28. Fast food restaurants seem willing to offer healthier choices, and they have honored the mandate to post calorie counts. So, it seems that it’s the average customer who is in denial, mostly still choosing high fat, high sodium, high calorie meals.

    ReplyDelete