Clean Eating in......VEGAS?!?

Smoke

-

filled casinos, street performers and shows, cocktails, sleepless nights, bright lights, pastries and desserts...this is what Vegas is all about, right?  Well, maybe everything except for the junk food...even when you're on a trip to Sin City,

you still have to exercise moderation

(and maybe mix in some moderate exercise too, if you can).  We'll be honest...

we indulged a bit

, but we

wanted to keep our diet on track so that we didn't feel miserable when we got home

.  We hiked 30 miles in beautiful southern Utah for 2 days after Vegas, so we were okay with having a treat.

Vegas is the perfect place to get your diet off track but there are plenty of healthy options in and around the strip and we've done the leg work for you...here is a brief list of restaurants that we found to have plenty of healthy options (we've thrown in a couple examples for each):

Note - cost of entrees rated at $ for $5-$15; $$ for $15-$20; $$$ for $20 to $25; and $$$$ for $25+

Canyon Ranch Grill (The Palazzo Hotel)

Breakfast and Lunch (open 7 AM to 4 PM)

Cost - $ (some lunch options are $$)

See 

Menu

Examples:

Breakfast

-

egg white omelettes with very clean "toppings" like veggies, chicken sausage, organic cheese; organic steel-cut oatmeal; homemade granola, fresh fruit; vegan option

-

tofu scramble

Lunch

-

Mongolian BBQ salmon; vegetable stir-fry with choice of protein (chicken, grass-fed beef, organic shrimp, organic salmon, tofu); southwest chipotle chicken sandwich; spinach arugula fig salad (choice of protein)

Note: Most dishes are gluten-free and most ingredients are organic.  You can order accompaniments like organic peanut or cashew butter and low-fat organic cottage cheese.

Review (pic below): We ate breakfast and both ordered the egg white omelette with fresh fruit and a side of organic cashew butter.  Our meals were delicious...very fresh and great service!

Grand Lux Cafe (The Venetian - located right beside the casino floor)

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (open 24 hours - get there early for breakfast...there was a wait at 7:30 AM)

Cost - $$

See

Menu

 (this menu is HUGE, so you should be able to find something here)

Examples:

Breakfast

-

protein breakfast (scrambled egg whites, chicken breast, asparagus, tomatoes, and mushrooms); steel-cut oatmeal (be careful with the brown sugar!); express breakfast (buffet options like omelettes, steel-cut oats, fresh fruit, eggs, and other breakfast foods that aren't so clean)

Lunch/Dinner

-

chopped salad with chicken, Sonoma salad (with chicken), seared Ahi tuna, grilled chicken and avocado salad, cedar plank salmon, pan roasted chicken breast, ground chicken breast burger

Note: Check your receipt, it may come with a survey!  We got a $10 gift card (for completing the survey) from dinner that we used on lunch the next day!

Review: We ate lunch and dinner here.  The first night we ordered the protein breakfast and it was quite tasty...the asparagus was a little heavy on the olive oil, but still tasted great!  When we ate lunch we had grilled chicken salads and both were very good.  Decent service...a little slow on food prep, but nothing unusual.

Chipotle (located between Casino Royale and Harrah's, across from the Mirage)

Lunch and Dinner (open 11 AM to 12 AM)

Cost - $

See 

Menu

...in case you've been living under a rock for the last 5 years!

Examples:

Lunch/Dinner

-

burrito bowl, burritos, tacos

Note: We like to order the burrito bowl with black beans and chicken...we usually add lettuce, salsa and cilantro. 

Jimmy Buffet's Margaritaville (located inside Flamingo Hotel & Casino, on east side of strip)

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner (open 8 AM to 2 AM)

Cost - $$

See 

Menu

Examples:

Lunch/Dinner

- 

Caribbean chicken salad (no ranch, ask for oil & vinegar), house sirloin (no butter, ask for double veggies instead of mashed potatoes), jerk salmon (not the cleanest option in this post, but it's Vegas, right?)

Review: We both ordered the Caribbean chicken salad and it was pretty good.  Fun atmosphere and good service...plus, there are a TONS of options that should satisfy the pickiest of eaters.

Peppermill Restaurant and Cafe (south of Circus Circus, on east side of strip)

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Cost - $$$

See 

Menu

Examples:

Lunch/Dinner

-

gourmet chicken salad, southwest chicken salad (hold the tortilla strips), southwestern beef kabobs, salmon filet

Note: We did not eat here...we liked the restaurants in our hotel too much!

This is just a brief list of options, but almost every single restaurant will be able to serve you a salad and a chicken breast.  Don't worry about sounding picky...it's your body and you've worked very hard to get the results you've been looking for...why sacrifice it because you're worried about someone judging how you order?  As we said above, it's easy to fall for the lures of all the treats and indulgences in Vegas, but

you have to consume those treats in moderation

.  Maybe that means one dessert per day, a pastry for breakfast or a couple of drinks each night (just don't binge drink

-

you're not in college anymore!)...chances are you'll be doing plenty of walking up and down the strip, so you'll need the energy.

Our recommendation?

 Bring a bag of almonds or walnuts and maybe a couple protein bars with you to keep you satisfied.  Also, drink plenty of water (shoot for at least 70 ounces per day or 4 regular size bottles of water), especially if you're drinking.

Remember

- WHAT YOU EAT IN VEGAS, DOESN'T STAY IN VEGAS!

Read more about our trip to Vegas & the Olympia Expo

here

!

Have a safe trip and keep it clean!

-

Scott & Whitney

Dining Out 101

At times it can be very overwhelming and complicated to choose the cleanest, healthiest option when dining out at major restaurants chains or local establishments.  This article will provide you with important tips and thoughts to consider when ordering your meals.

1.  Do your homework!

This one is simple – before you arrive at the restaurant, check the menu and nutritional information on their website.  Most major chains will have very thorough nutritional information that you should review in order to determine the best meal option that meets your dietary requirements. Avoid the usual suspects - deep fried, creamy, et cetera.  At the restaurant, don’t be afraid to ask your server questions like how certain dishes are prepared, what toppings come on it, or if you can substitute certain unhealthy sides for steamed vegetables, a side salad with olive oil and vinegar or a plain sweet potato.  You should also be aware that restaurants always use way too much salt to enhance the flavor of their dishes, so ask your server to limit the salt or hold the salt…that way you control the amount of salt used.  I like to pour a small amount in my palm and sprinkle it over the dish (there are about 500mg of sodium in ¼ teaspoon of salt – you shouldn’t be consuming more than 2,000mg per day and most dishes already have that much out of the kitchen).  

Tip - There are plenty of apps for smart phones that have consolidated nutritional information for several chain restaurants.  One that I have and really like is simply called "Fast Food".

2.  Order water.

Another simple one – get rid of the empty calories found in sodas, beers, and sweetened beverages.  Free refills and sitting around a table chatting with friends for nearly an hour is an easy way to consume ridiculous levels of sugar (or even worse, chemically altered products that are turned into sugar).  If you need some flavor in your water, squeeze a lime or lemon into it.  As an added bonus, you will save $2.00 for every meal you dine out…you’d be surprised at how quickly that adds up!

3.  Don’t be afraid to be that guy (or girl)!

There will be times where you are with a new crowd, whether it be certain co-workers or acquaintances, and you may feel like it would just be easier to not look picky and order a standard dish without “cleaning it up”.  Sure, we’ve all been in this position before, but you just have to hold the perspective that what is truly important and gratifying to you, may not be to other individuals, but they aren’t going to think anything less of you just because you altered your order at dinner; most of the time, they probably don’t even notice.  And if you’re worried about what the server thinks of you then you haven’t fully committed yourself to the clean eating lifestyle.

4.  Skip the appetizers.

We all know most appetizers are not healthy, so don’t even order them.  If someone else at your table does order them, resist the temptation...there is absolutely no nutritional value in 99% of the appetizers found in restaurants.

5.  Ask for a box as soon as you get your meal.

For those needing to practice portion control and limiting calories, ask for a box when you get your food and immediately put half of your meal in the box, close it, and put it somewhere where you will not have the urge to go in for seconds.  Not only does this save on calories, but it spreads your meal cost over two meals (clearly, frugality is something we cherish at heandsheeatclean.com).

6.  Execute your order based on your homework.

Now that you’ve reviewed the menu and you know what to ask for (or what not to ask for), it is time to execute your order and make sure you always tell your server two things – no (or light) salt and no butter.  Many restaurants actually have a section that you can order from where no butter is used and salt is left out of the seasonings; Outback Steakhouse is one of them.

Remember rule number 3 when you’re ordering – nobody really cares what you ordered and you may actually get asked why you ordered that way.  If so, you can impart your wisdom on them and hopefully inspire them to do so the next time they dine out.

7.  Skip the dessert!

What did we say about sugar in number 2?

8.  Enjoy your meal and revel in your success!

It’s always important to remember that the satisfaction you get from eating tasty but unhealthy foods is fleeting, but the satisfaction that you will receive from building that body that you’ve always dreamed of is much more enduring.  Not only will you love the way you look, but you will have more energy and more self-confidence that will go a long way in your professional and personal life.  The journey you will take to get there will open new doors and give you a new-found perspective on life, which will make you happier.

“Happiness is the meaning and the purpose of life, the whole aim and end of human existence” - Aristotle

Here is a small list of the restaurants we recommend for clean eating:

• Ted’s Montana Grill
• Outback Steakhouse
• Chipotle
• Barberito’s
• Jason’s Deli
• PF Changs
• Panera Bread
• Atlanta Bread Company

Here are some final thoughts to consider:

• Avoid butter and salt.
• Try to order veggies or salads as your side dish, if you have to order carbohydrates, make sure you order complex carbohydrates such as sweet potatoes, brown rice, whole wheat bread, couscous, etc.
• Avoid sodas, alcohol, and sweetened beverages.
• Get dressings or sauces on the side.
• Ask your server if you can create your own order…most places have plain and simple grilled chicken and you can simply add steamed veggies and a sweet potato as your two sides.
• Tip well!  If your server fulfills your order as you requested, you should show your appreciation for their efforts.  This will reinforce their work ethic and motivate them the next time they have to serve a clean eater.

Your questions and comments are always welcome.

Keep it clean!

- Scott

He Travels :: Clean Eating From 30,000 feet

Seeing how I travel about 80% of the time for business with most of my time spent rushing from one meeting to the next, then back to the airport to catch another flight, it is challenging at times to find good clean meals on the run.  That's why I was pleasantly surprise on a recent flight from Atlanta to San Francisco when given the choice for my meal 

(luckily I was upgraded to first class...one of the few perks of being a road warrior) 

between a nasty precooked cheeseburger 

(really...a cheeseburger at 30K in the air...clean eating or not, that just doesn't sound appetizing at all) 

and a crisp looking grilled chicken salad with a side of fruit.

I must say, if you are an avid traveler or road warrior like myself and do not find much time before your next flight, well, you just might be surprised how clean you can eat...even on an airplane!

Happy Travels!

Jim