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Editor Soundoff: Carrie Underwood Doesn't Eat Out, Ever?
Posted on Apr 23rd 2010 1:00PM by That's Fit EditorsFiled Under: Diet & Weight Loss, Celebs & Entertainment
Famously slim and in-shape singer Carrie Underwood told US Weekly at American Idol's Idol Gives Back event Wednesday night that she "doesn't eat out ever." While on the road, Carrie is faced with post-concert temptations from craft services (that's show business for catering). We've faced the dreaded craft services table a few times. It's often piled high with sandwiches, pasta, pizza and brownies. Lots of travel often comes with trips to fast food restaurants which aren't usually diet or health friendly. We totally get it. Staying healthy on the road, eating out and not being able to have an accurate idea of calories and fat is hard. But it can be done. Or can it? Our editors Tanya Edwards and Kimberly Papa take two different sides.Tanya: Carrie has this all wrong. It's not easy to eat out and maintain or lose weight, but it is doable if you're smart about your choices. I've been on about every diet under the sun, and with the exception of food delivery diets, you can eat out on all of them. Almost every chain restaurant in the country has nutrition information online, and with a little calculating, you can guesstimate most of your favorite dishes.
Kimberly: I love going out to eat, but when I'm on a diet I find it nearly impossible to stick with it while I'm at a restaurant. Forget about being tempted to eat what I'd really like to order (a generous glass of Cabernet, bowl of pasta and something that involves chocolate), making even seemingly healthy choices while eating out can be dieting disaster. Studies have shown that nutritional information provided on menus and Web sites are often inaccurate, so you could easily be consuming more calories than you thought. And when dining at a restaurant that doesn't list nutritional information, you never can be sure what's going on in the kitchen. Fat and salt make food taste better. It's just a fact. And restaurants are in the business of making food taste good so people will come back -- meaning that even that grilled chicken with a side of veggies could be messing with your healthy-eating efforts.
Tanya: Kimberly, I agree that there is so much more temptation when you're eating out. But, I still argue it is something that you can manage with a little knowledge and planning. I know that food in restaurants is more heavily salted than anything I would make at home, which is why I always eat less of it. There are simple tricks: start with a house salad (greens, veggies, dressing on the side -- no croutons, easy on the cheese) and then order an appetizer as your entree. Like shrimp cocktail or tuna tartare. You can indulge with this method also, instead of a pasta dish off the entree menu, have a side of mac and cheese as your entree. We've also all been force fed (pun intended) that every meal needs to include appetizers, soda and dessert. I treat these items as "special occasion only" and order a simple entree and a glass (okay, two) of wine. Also, have the server wrap half your entree in a to-go box before it even hits the table.
Kimberly: I do think it is possible to make smarter choices, better choices and healthier choices while you're dining out, but I still think it's very difficult to make the best choice. When it comes to weight loss, nothing beats knowing exactly what you're eating. Now, if you're just maintaining your weight or aren't in a mad dash to fit into your skinny jeans, then eating out and making smart choices won't put a hitch in your diet plan, but if you're trying to be strict, or have a tight weight-loss deadline, your best bet is to make meals at home. Carrie Underwood is under intense pressure to maintain a slim figure (just like everyone else in Hollywood), so I completely understand why skipping a night out helps her keep her eating in check. Luckily, I don't have the paparazzi chasing down my every move so I can hit up my favorite sushi place without having to worry about landing on the cover of Us for having a "baby bump."
So the answer is, like everything else with weight-loss, there is no one-size-fits-all solution for everyone. A safe rule of thumb is: know yourself. Can you resist temptation? Eating out now and then is probably fine for you. But if you're looking to fit into a wedding dress (congrats Carrie!) soon, or just your skinny jeans, try to socialize outside of restaurants for at least a little while.
