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\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMckenzie Dryden, RD\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tSubmitted photo\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
By Mckenzie Dryden, RD | HonorHealth<\/p>\n
Arizona Restaurant Week is basically the Super Bowl of dining \u2014 if the Super Bowl came with locally sourced appetizers and prix-fixe menus. It\u2019s exciting, delicious and honestly a little overwhelming if you\u2019re trying to stay on track with your health goals.<\/p>\n
But there\u2019s good news. You don\u2019t have to pick between flavor and feeling good. Eating well while dining out isn\u2019t about skipping the fun \u2014 it\u2019s about showing up with a game plan.<\/p>\n
The fall event runs Sept. 19-28 this year, but restaurants will drop their menus by Sept. 1, giving foodies plenty to time to plan. Here\u2019s how I navigate it without missing out on the moments that matter, or the food that tastes amazing.<\/p>\n
Plan before you fork<\/strong><\/p>\n Scrolling through the menu ahead of time isn\u2019t just smart \u2014 it\u2019s empowering. I always pick out my dish before I even set foot in the restaurant. That way, I\u2019m making decisions based on my goals, not my hunger pangs.<\/p>\n Build a better plate<\/strong><\/p>\n Think of your plate like a puzzle: lean protein, whole grains and colorful veggies. When those pieces come together, not only do you get balanced nutrition \u2014 you also feel satisfied and less likely to overeat.<\/p>\n Don\u2019t fear the ask<\/strong><\/p>\n There\u2019s no shame in requesting a grilled option instead of fried, or asking for sauces on the side. It\u2019s your meal. Own it. Most chefs are totally cool with making small changes, and your body will thank you later.<\/p>\n Portions are a power move<\/strong><\/p>\n Restaurant servings tend to be \u2026 generous. I usually split an entr\u00e9e with a friend, or ask for a to-go box right off the bat. Half now, half later \u2014 and suddenly I\u2019ve got a great meal, and lunch for tomorrow, too.<\/p>\n Hydrate! Hydrate! Hydrate!<\/strong><\/p>\n Sipping water between bites slows things down and helps keep hunger cues in check. I steer clear of sugary cocktails and soft drinks. Instead, I go for sparkling water with lime, unsweetened tea or a light, simple cocktail if I\u2019m feeling festive.<\/p>\n Skip the all-day fast<\/strong><\/p>\n One of the biggest traps people fall into? Skipping meals earlier in the day to \u201csave room\u201d for a big dinner. That almost always backfires. I follow my normal routine \u2014 balanced meals, light snacks and hydration throughout the day \u2014 and show up ready to enjoy dinner, not inhale it.<\/p>\n Savor everything<\/strong><\/p>\n If I\u2019m treating myself to something decadent (hello, tres leches cake), I slow. it. down. I take a bite, actually taste it, and let that be part of the experience \u2014 not a guilty secret. Guilt has no place at the table.<\/p>\n Mindful, not miserable<\/strong><\/p>\n \n Eating out should be joyful \u2014 not stressful. I don\u2019t count every calorie or obsess over every bite. Instead, I pay attention to how I feel. Am I full? Am I enjoying this? Am I making choices that line up with how I want to feel tomorrow? That\u2019s the kind of check-in that matters most.<\/p>\n And yes \u2014 I eat the pasta. Sometimes I order dessert. But I do it intentionally, with balance and joy, not from a place of restriction.<\/p>\n Remember, this week is not a make or break. What you do most of the time is going to make the biggest difference!<\/p>\n Editor\u2019s note: Tucson native Mckenzie Dryden, RD is a registered dietitian at HonorHealth Integrative Medicine<\/a> in Scottsdale. Please submit comments at\u00a0yourvalley.net\/letters<\/a> or email them to AzOpinions@inusua.org.\u00a0We are committed to publishing a wide variety of reader opinions, as long as they meet our\u00a0Civility Guidelines<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Mckenzie Dryden, RD Submitted photo By Mckenzie Dryden, RD | HonorHealth Arizona Restaurant Week is basically the Super…\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":182083,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[5131],"tags":[5229,5643,1587,1589,67,586,132,5230,68,2969],"class_list":{"0":"post-182082","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-phoenix","8":"tag-america","9":"tag-arizona","10":"tag-az","11":"tag-phoenix","12":"tag-united-states","13":"tag-united-states-of-america","14":"tag-unitedstates","15":"tag-unitedstatesofamerica","16":"tag-us","17":"tag-usa"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/pubeurope.com\/@us\/115105707156757715","error":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=182082"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/182082\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/182083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=182082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=182082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=182082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}