I have had many clients and friends over the years ask me what they should order when they go out to eat. I’m fairly confident that everyone pretty much knows what’s healthy and what’s not healthy. In most cases though, unless someone is advised what the better choice is, they are going to order what they want—which usually isn’t that healthy.  Therefore I have decided to take it upon myself to take on the arduous, burdensome task of dining at Miami’s finest restaurants to provide you with the healthier selections on their respective menus. This is the sacrifice I am making so that you don’t have to be left with daunting decision of having to make a healthier decision on your own.

“Take’s Take: Healthier Fine Dining” is for the hardcore foodies and seasoned dining veterans. This is not for the serious health fanatics who prefer their food steamed, and bereft of fat or flavor. I am not one of them—otherwise I would not be writing this blog (please note that I say healthier throughout the blogs not healthy). Although I eat healthy on a daily basis and working out twice a day is the core of my healthy lifestyle, I do believe that life—and food—should be enjoyed.

Here are a few guidelines to my blog to take into consideration:

• Making healthier selections will not necessarily make you lose weight so if you weight goes up after choosing my recommendations that’s your own damn fault!

• Dining out in Miami is very much a social affair and an experience that’s generally shared with others. Unless you name is Boo Radley, staying in every night so you can eat healthy is not a realistic option for most of us. My goal with this blog is to show you how you can still enjoy going to your favorite restaurants and have a great doing so while still staying health conscious.

• This is nothing like Jared’s Subway diet or similar to Applebees’ “under 550 calories” menu. This is more along the lines of keeping your calories closer to 1000 then being over 2000—which is not hard to do at many high-end restaurants. Making smarter, healthier selections can easily cut out over 1000 calories a meal.

• One pound of body fat is approximately 3500 calories. In other words, if you consume 3500 calories more than you burn you will gain one pound of fat. If you dine out 3 times a week, choosing healthier appetizers, entrees and even deserts can prevent you from gaining as much as 1 pound of fat per week if not more. Combine that with regular exercise and healthier eating throughout the day and guess what you have? A healthy lifestyle! Or at least the foundation of one…

Please visit www.shuichitakefitness.com for more information on health and fitness.