Health: Fitness first

Eating out and staying fit Restaurants need not be the end of a healthy diet You can eat out at restaurants and stay healthy. And you don’t even have to stick to salad to do it. This week’s column contains a few suggestions for eating out and maintaining a healthy diet—though admittedly I do not always take my own advice. The main theme is this; all things in moderation. Maybe you don’t have to have the ravioli with mushroom cream sauce every day, but once every week or two isn’t going to kill you. Instead of chips with that brochette, try the rice. If you’re desperate for a pizza, order it and a salad and split the pizza with a friend. Alternate the fish brochette with the beef or goat, as fish is a healthier option to red meat. Only eat until you are full and ask for the rest to take away; stuffing yourself because it’s restaurant food adds calories that you won’t enjoy anyway. Alternate your beer, wine or soda with vitalo or water to cut down on the liquid calories you’re consuming without even noticing it. Ask for the sauce or dressing on the side so that you can determine how much you put on your food. If you order a dessert or a starter and you don’t like it, don’t eat it. I recently splurged on buttercream cake with a friend and when it arrived it tasted terrible. We sent it back. I think you get the idea. But, most importantly, enjoy yourself. Mental health is as important as physical health and going out to have a good time with friends or family is a great way to reduce stress and gain the comfort we all need to get by. Over the past months, I’ve regaled you with information on working out. This week, I’m going to provide you with a basic checklist to follow to get in shape and stay that way. You can take or leave the items you like or don’t like to develop your own shapely strategy. Amity Weiss is a professional personal trainer from America living in Kigali. Contact: Amity_weiss@yahoo.com