Weight control – 7 tips on how to eat out on a diet

Let’s face it, one of the biggest challenges when dieting is going to a restaurant. You’ve worked so hard all week to stay on track, so the thought of eating out probably terrifies your heart. How can you avoid messing it up in a meal?

1) Have a snack before you head out. A piece of fresh fruit or some vegetable, to calm the hunger. Never arrive hungry at a restaurant, you will be tempted to make some bad decisions when placing your order, or even worse, you will eat that bread in the basket on the table.

2) Do not drink alcohol. Grab a glass of water instead and keep filling it to drink during your meal.

3) You don’t have to eat everything on your plate. If there’s something you don’t like on the plate, leave it. Try to save at least half of your food to take home. Restaurant portions are notoriously large, and you’ll most likely get twice the calories you should in a single sitting in any case.

4) Start with a garden salad or clear broth soup. The soup takes a long time to eat and it is filling when you eat it slowly. It helps curb your appetite so you’re less likely to overdo it when your food arrives. If you have a salad, choose a vinaigrette dressing instead of a creamy one. Ask for your dressing on the side and dip your fork into it instead of pouring the dressing over the salad. Salads like Caesar salad are very high in calories. A Greek salad with feta and dressing is around 1,000 calories, so keep in mind that just because it’s a salad doesn’t mean it’s low-calorie. Do not add extras to your salad, such as cheese and bacon bits. Those just add extra calories and fat.

5) When perusing the menu, avoid fried or creamy dishes. Stick with the tomato based sauces. If you have a sandwich, withhold the mayonnaise and butter, and ask for mustard instead.

6) If ordering a burger, remove the top half of the bun, cut it in half, and use the bottom half of the bun as the top.

7) Avoid pasta when possible. There are way too many carbs in the dish and the pasta is usually covered in a fattening creamy sauce.