How to feel just as good after the meal, and for the rest of night

With food obviously recognized as an integral part of love and romance, it has become quite the norm for couples to go out for romantic meals to celebrate love’s favourite day.

The goal of today’s article is to help steer you towards smart, healthy restaurant choices to ensure you don’t feel weighed down for any romantic activities that may or may not be taking place later in the evening.

So, let’s go through the meal step by step.

Appetizers

It may or may not come as a shock that your friendly neighbourhood dietitian is going to recommend you go with a salad to start.

Starting with plenty of veggies will help contribute to an overall feeling of fullness and satisfaction at the end of the meal, without making you feel bloated or gassy like a high fat, fried appetizer might.

Starting with a salad also allows you to not have to worry about choosing a main course with veggies, although that would win you bonus points.

I highly recommend asking for the dressing on the side or skipping it all together and adding a modest amount of olive oil and vinegar yourself.

If a salad sounds completely unappetizing to you as an appetizer, I’m going to recommend steering clear of anything that is fried or contains heavy amounts of cheese.

For example, if you are eating Italian, it would make a lot more sense to go for grilled rather than fried calamari or choose bruschetta rather than pizza.

Mains

When it comes to main dishes, there will obviously be a great deal of diversity in choice, depending on the type of restaurant you happen to be at.

With that in mind, I will offer up some general guidance that will help you make the best possible choices, regardless of the type of restaurant you choose to visit.

1. Try to get foods in their “original” form:  The less processed a food is, the less calories it will tend to have, and the better you will feel later in the evening after eating it. Let’s use potatoes as an example. Both French fries and mashed potatoes have added calories from either oil, milk or butter and will weigh you down much more than a simply prepared baked potato.

2. Go for dishes that are steamed, baked or grilled (don’t be afraid to ask):  Avoiding fried or sautéed dishes is a decent idea as those cooking methods tend to involve a lot of oil. The fat from the oil will slow down the digestion process and may leave you feeling less comfortable than usual.

3. Avoid dishes with heavy cream-based sauces: Whether you are looking at a meat dish, pasta dish or even a soup, you would be wise to steer clear of heavy cream-based sauces or dishes that contain a significant amount of cheese. If you aren’t sure what a sauce is made of, don’t hesitate to ask your server.

4. Order a meal that you wouldn’t eat or make at home: This is me speaking from a nutritional perspective, but I highly support the idea of choosing foods out at restaurants that you would not normally cook at home. If you never got around to cooking that salmon, or those brussel sprouts or even trying that lentil recipe you didn’t put together yet, use your Valentine’s Day dinner to try something new!

Alcohol

Obviously a personal choice as whether or not you are having it all, but I’d recommend going for one 5 oz glass of red wine each, rather than sharing a bottle, which contains a total of five 5 oz glasses.

Desserts

Given how rich the vast majority of dessert offerings are, I’m going to propose a compromise.

Purchase whatever dessert you want from your local bakery or grocery store but save it for later in the evening.

If you are feeling compelled to have something at the restaurant itself, I’d recommend sharing a sorbet.

Sorbets are generally lighter than standard ice cream and will cure your post dinner sweet tooth.

Final Thoughts

Eating out in a savvy way while still  enjoying a romantic meal is exactly what the Sexercise lifestyle is all about.

You want to feel just as good after your meal, and for the rest of the night, as you do when you first sit down across from your partner. I hope everyone has a truly happy Valentine’s Day full of love and affection.