Did you take advantage of Montgomery Restaurant Week earlier this month? There were some great deals on local food throughout the city! If you’re not careful, however, a great restaurant deal can turn out to be a bum deal for your overall health. Extra weight can pile on easily if you eat out often.
Keeping yourself at a healthy weight is a gift to your feet. It might surprise you to know that many foot issues, including flat feet, arch problems, and heel pain, are often directly related to the stress of overweight and obesity. But there are some great strategies you can use to prevent the scale from climbing. The next time you’re dining in one of Montgomery County’s many wonderful restaurants, follow these tips from Dr. Heidi M. Christie and Dr. Chanda L. Day-Houts of Montgomery Foot Care Specialists:
- Drink water. Sip water throughout your meal. This tactic helps fill your stomach. According to researchers at Appalachian State University, sipping water while eating also improves the way your body processes the water.
- Don’t go when you’re starving. Saving up calories during the day so you can splurge at dinner usually results in overeating.
- Eat only half. Restaurant portions can be huge. Package up a portion of your meal as soon as you get it and take part of it home.
- Refuse the bread. Unless it’s an especially delicious or unique kind of bread, skip those calories and save them for the main course.
- Share your meal. Splitting one meal and/or dessert with a friend saves you calories and money.
- Limit the booze. Or skip the booze altogether. Those calories add up fast.
- Eat slowly to give your brain a chance to catch up with a full stomach.
- Hold the salt. The American Heart Association says that excess salt in your diet can lead to puffiness, bloating, high blood pressure, and weight gain.
Help keep your feet in tip-top shape by making healthy choices when you eat out. For more information about healthy feet or an expert evaluation of your foot pain, make an appointment with our expert podiatrists. Call our office in Montgomery, Alabama at (334) 396-3668 or contact us online.