Hispanic Business Owners Beware of Executive Business Lunches

Five ways to control your net weight “gain” while increasing your net “income”

“The choices that we make aren’t always perfect but it’s ok…it’s part of the journey.”

—Hayley Williams

Business meetings, networking, and building new relationships are part of the job description for executives and small business owners.  Many executives are out on the run and are frequently eating in restaurants because of time restraint and/or for net revenue opportunities.

These outings can take place multiple times in a workday, let’s review:

• Breakfast:

Breakfast meetings are essential for many executive management committees where it becomes necessary to engage in private conversations with attorneys , clients or managers.

• Lunch:

On the other hand, the “three-martini” lunches are often leisurely and indulgent where dining options are rich and savory.

• Business dinners:

Dinner events for executives and Hispanic business owners seem to integrate both business and leisure and many times are unavoidable and require attendance.  Engaging in “eating out” excursions provides an upside where the ultimate goal is increasing productivity resulting in positive net worth and net income.  However, it also provides a downside where increased caloric intake from food and drinks leads to possible net weight “gain.”

Correlation highlights

This correlation highlights how simple it is for our daily healthy regimen to easily become sabotaged by the stresses of everyday work life.  Eating and dining out continues to be an important factor impacting our health.  We are faced with a large variety of food options and establishments when choosing to eat out.  In addition, dining out tends to pack on the pounds because portion sizes are larger and restaurant foods tend to be calorically higher and those calories tend to be the kind that promote obesity.

The major detriments

The major detriment to our waistline from dining out is the added sugar, fat and salt that many restaurants slather on foods to make them more appealing.  A study published in the International Journal of Obesity concluded that among men in particular, eating at restaurants and similar establishments was associated with a higher BMI and possible weight gain.  Then why are we not making healthier choices?

Part of the challenge of making healthy choices is that consumers are unaware of the nutrition content of the foods that are offered since few restaurants produce nutrition facts for every meal. 

Yes, we can all agree that our palates enjoy those restaurant meals which taste simply delicious.  However, what we don’t realize is that the preparation method was skillfully enhanced to entrap our tastebuds to wanting more of the foods which are probably nutrient inefficient.  Perhaps this is a possible reason why our society is currently experiencing an obesity epidemic.

Obesity carries emotional and physiological challenges some which are prevalently seen in today’s chronic conditions such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer.

Therefore, how can executives produce bottom line efficiency and still be able to maintain health at their usual reserved dining table? 

For starters, awareness and mindfulness play important roles when deciding to make optimal choices.  For the busy executive, this concept may be a bit challenging initially.  However, being aware of the downside of unhealthy choices and being mindful of the upside of optimal choices will help to instill consistent regimens.

Lunch meetings with Hispanic business owners and their clients can stay in control and feel empowered at maintaining both health while producing wealth.

Here are five ways to accomplish a healthful goal:

1. Light Is Just Right:  Heading into the summer months is a good reason to choose salads, cold soups, side orders as the main meal which may prevent excessive caloric intake.
2. Always Portion Control:  As certain restaurants are known for increased portion size, this may also contribute to increase waist size.  Choose appetizers as your main entree as a tip for portion control.
3. Rethink Desserts:  The Mediterranean Diet ( the most extensive studied diet contributing to health) emphasizes daily consumption of fresh fruit and consuming sweets as “rarely and occasionally.”  Incorporate the Mediterranean lifestyle and replace calorie dense desserts with fresh fruit.
4. Maneuver the Menu:  Don’t settle with just what is on the menu.  Ask for healthier alternatives, most restaurants accommodate customer’s requests.
5. Hydration:  Soft-drinks and alcohol containing beverages can quickly add calories to any restaurant experience.  Focus on no or low calorie drink options.

Eating out is sometimes essential for small business owners and executives.  The downside is the association with weight gain.  You just need to be menu-savvy about making choices and decisions.  Also, being mindful of dining out challenges such as the urge to order more food than needed and portion control is crucial to the maintenance of weight control.  Therefore, the next time you attend a business lunch, start by ordering sparkling water with lime and try to modify food choices to fit your health conscious mind, body and bottom line.

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