If you're dieting, you can go out to eat and still lose weight if you follow a few easy menu tips. Choosing restaurant food wisely is an important skill that will help you maintain your weight long-term, too. Many chain restaurants provide nutrition information online or in-house that can help you make better choices.
Control Portion Size
No matter what you order, control the portion size. Restaurants typically serve huge portions of food and even healthy foods can cause weight gain if there's too much of it. Split your entree with a friend, or ask that half your meal be placed in a take-home box before being brought to your table. Consider ordering an appetizer or child's meal as a main dish. Avoid buffets and all-you-can-eat specials--they can weaken the strongest willpower.
Order Soup First
If there's a broth-based soup on the menu--such as minestrone, Chinese won-ton or tortilla--have a bowl before your meal. Soup curbs your appetite so you'll eat less. Avoid creamy soups, which are typically high in fat and calories.
Choose How Your Food is Prepared
How restaurant food is prepared makes a big difference in how healthy or high-calorie it is. Avoid all deep fried and pan-fried foods, and items described as au gratin, crispy, stuffed, scalloped, batter-dipped, breaded and tempura. Instead, look for items that are broiled, steamed, poached, baked, roasted or grilled.
Watch Dressings and Sauces
Watch out for dressings and sauces -- they can pack a surprising amount of fat and calories. Avoid mayonnaise, full-fat salad dressings, "special sauce," sour cream, butter sauce, Bearnaise sauce, Mornay sauce and any type of creamy sauce. Just one ladle of creamy salad dressing can add 300 calories to your meal. Ask for fat-free dressing instead.
Consider Your Drink
Sugary soft drinks can add many calories to your meal. Twelve oz. of regular soda contains 10 tsp. of sugar. Instead, drink water, sparkling water with a lemon wedge or unsweetened ice tea. Limit alcoholic beverages--they're high in calories, stimulate the appetite and make it easier to give in to tempting foods.
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