NYC Healthy Restaurant Reviews- Alma
Cuisine of the week: Mexican Food
One of the first misconceptions about staying in great shape is that you have to sacrifice any semblance of a normal family or social life. That simply isn’t the case and with this restaurant series review I would like to help people realize two things: firstly that food is not the enemy and secondly, that there are almost always great choices that you can make while dining out. I maintain a bodyfat level of 5% at or less at a weight of just about 220 lbs all year round, but not from killing myself following a restrictive diet, or from any genetic gift that allows me to eat whatever I want (I had my time doing that and I blew up to 252 lbs just like everyone else!). The way I do it is by training the way I train, (using the brief high intensity workouts of the Naturally Intense System of Diet & Exercise- which by the way also allow me to have a life outside of the gym since I am only training for about an hour or less a week in total) and by eating in a manner that my body actually wants to eat. To me being healthy has to combine the physical, mental and social aspects and anything less is just a temporary fix. So read on for some great tips on eating out in this week’s review:
My mother-in-law’s boss, was coming into town from France, so my better half and I decided to use the opportunity to meet up with him and his girlfriend for dinner. He was passionate about eating as the French say, ‘en plein air’- in the open, and so we did a search for a good New York restaurant that had great views and great food. The choice was Alma, located in the Cobble Hill section of Brooklyn. (187 Columbia Street-corner of Columbia & Degraw Streets). It looked like a great choice and so, my fourteen year old and 4 month old in tow, we set out to meet them there. From the outside it may not look like much, but after a steep stair climb three flights up you are greeted with a magnificent view of downtown Manhattan.
Alma is a Mexican restaurant, and the food was second to none. After greeting our guests, the menus came and there were many selections for those of the health conscious ilk. I chose to skip the appetizer, (cardinal rule- smaller meals throughout the day, so for dinner I will usually forgo an appetizer and stick with a main course- for lunch, if I am going to be active later in the day or workout, I certainly go for it.) That evening I had a the Steak Fajitas- an Angus skirt steak fresh from the grill and served with an avocado sauce and fresh corn tortillas. I asked for the sauce on the side, as it was late in the day, but I had no problem with the fresh corn tortillas. As a rule I avoid commercial wheat products, but traditionally made corn tortillas are very much on my menu. Beef, by the way, is not a dietary no-no if you are active enough and eat in moderation. A steak won’t make you fat either, and you can almost always fine a selection of steak on any menu and as long as it is not burdened with high sodium sauces, it is always a great choice!
My West Indian nature always calls for my steaks to be well done (there is no medium or rare option in the islands) and I can say that the selection was delicious. The steak was done just right and the corn tortillas were truly right out of the oven. Stephanie, who is just as Naturally Intense as I am, had the steak as well, but from the looks of it the Mahi Mahi, with the rice cake on the side would have been excellent as well. There were many other great choices on the menu:
Pollo Asada- a grilled chicken breast with chipotle mayonnaise, guacamole, lettuce and roasted tomatoes, served on a freshly baked roll. Ask for the mayo on the side and depending on how strict you want to be, you can skip the roll and voila- a perfectly diet friendly meal!
Ensalada Verde- A green salad with your choice of grilled shrimp or chicken- a wonderful choice. It comes with vinaigrette- which you can always pass on to keep your sodium levels on the lower side and ask for some lemon to squeeze over your salad.
There are many other choices and I invite everyone to check out the menus on their website- the rules according to my way of eating would be to simply skip the cheese and bread additions, have the sauces on the side- so if you do have them you only have a little bit and presto- you can eat out, have a great time and without any guilt! The evening was really one well spent, with great service and they were kind enough to accommodate our little one. It was also great to spend an evening speaking French as well, and I always welcome the opportunity. I hope this review and diet column helps you in your eating out choices as well. See you next week for our next review!
Overview: Alma
Food Type: Mexican
Price: Not too pricey, and the value is worth it.
Rating: I give the food 4 and stars out of 5 and the décor and ambiance 4 stars.
Health Rating: Ask for the sauces on the side, mind the rolls and the cheese and you have enough selections to have a healthy and hearty meal! 3 stars and Naturally Intense Approved!
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Mexican Food Rules For Staying In Shape:
- Ask for sauces on the side, freshly made salsa is okay in moderation if it isn’t too salty, as is guacamole. Guacamole is a bit high calorie, but not a problem if you don’t overindulge
- Pass on the cheeses. ‘Nuff said!
- Choose grilled foods over fried ones. Chicken, fish, shrimp, and even beef and pork are fine as long as it isn’t fried. Keep in mind that ’Crispy’, is code for fried!
- Have the corn tortillas- it has a higher fiber content than wheat products.
- Keep in mind the time of the day- feel free to have an appetizer if it is in the middle of the day, but load up more on salads and vegetables if it is later in the day or on days when you will be inactive.
- Have water as your drink- you’ll save money and your waistline.
- Always leave feeling like you could still eat a little more. Never leave a restaurant feeling stuffed!
- Enjoy yourself!
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