Top 20 Dining Out Diet Tips
By Melissa Sperl 28/09/2004
Special occasions, road trips, nights when you get home late and dread the thought of cooking — sometimes restaurants are simply the only option. Eating out may seem like a dicey proposition when you're trying to lose weight, but a night out doesn't have to mean a night off your diet. It is possible to eat out, guilt-free, with good health in mind.
We asked real, health-conscious people just like you to share their personal dining tips — from how to make wise choices when ordering to managing restaurant-size portions. The response was overwhelming. Here's what they said:
Be Prepared
1. Bring pre-packaged fat-free dressing with you, so you're not at the mercy of the restaurant's selection.
2. If you're not familiar with the restaurant, try to call ahead or look up their menu online before going out.
3. Keep a bag of small apples or some other healthy snack in your car at all times, and eat one before you go into a restaurant with friends. This will not only satisfy your hunger, but will remind you to eat wisely.
4. Bring a small container of low-fat sour cream.
5. Before you leave home, make an educated choice about which dishes fit best within your "budget" for the day. Then, at the restaurant, if the daily special sounds just too good to miss, do some last-minute computations to be sure you really want to change your choice.
Start Out Right
6. Order a bowl of soup before your meal — not a creamy soup, but a broth-based vegetable or French onion. It's very satisfying and can keep you from overeating.
7. Start with a side salad (minus bacon, cheese and croutons). Ask for fat-free dressing on the side; and be sure to dip your fork into the dressing, then into the salad.
8. Be sure to drink your water. If you decide to order unsweetened iced tea or diet soda, always order water with it, too. If you want a second beverage, ask for a refill of the water.
Choose Wisely
9. Don't even open the menu! Simply know what you want to eat before you get there.
10. Avoid anything fried.
11. Ask for dressings, sauces, butter and sour cream on the side, instead of on the dish itself.
12. Choose lighter fare like marinara sauce rather than Alfredo. Keep it simple.
13. Whatever you order, make sure that it has loads of vegetables. "Even if it's pizza, make it a slice loaded up with veggies," says one dieter. "Or a Portobello mushroom sandwich instead of a mile-high deli sandwich, or a vegetable omelet instead of a cheese one, or fruit salad instead of pastry."
14. Don't be afraid to ask for substitutions. Most restaurants will accommodate your requests. "My favourite salad at Applebee's, Oriental Chicken Salad, comes with fried chicken," says another dieter. "But I always request it with grilled chicken. I think it tastes better and it cuts out fat and calories."
Manage Your Portions
15. When eating at a buffet, survey the food items before you put anything on your plate. The key is to remind yourself that you're eating to be satisfied, not to get your money's worth.
16. Always ask if you can get a smaller portion of the item you order. If not, have the waiter bring a to-go box with the meal. Before you start to eat, put half the item in the box.
17. Split your entrée with the person you're with. If you have the impulse to finish everything on your plate, it's better to not have all that food in front of you.
Have a Good Attitude
18. Do your best and practice the art of B.A.M.: Breathe, Accept, Move on.
19. The celebration is about being out with your family and friends, not about food being served. Enjoy yourself and remember that the meal does not need to be your enemy.
20. Definitely go out! As one dieter puts it, "When I [go out] I feel like I'm a normal person, and like I'm not losing out on anything."
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