Eating Out on a Diet | Healthy Tips

Eating out can be a big challenge for people who arre trying to be healthy. It’s hard not to give in to temptation when you look at the menu and see all your favorite high-cal meals, or when you see your tablemates chowing down on crispy, cheesy appetizers and huge entrées. Adding insult to injury, there’s the sight and smell of meals being brought to other tables to contend with. Dining out while dieting is tough, but it’ll be a lot easier if you follow these simple rules.

• Ask your waiter not to bring a bread basket to the table. A typical slice of bread contains about 75 calories, and most of us eat more than a slice (with butter) when we’re out.
• Consider ordering two appetizers instead of an entrée. As long as your choices aren’t too rich (veto anything deep-fried or full of cheese), you’re almost guaranteed to save on calories.
• Don’t be afraid to make special requests — such as ordering steamed instead of sautéed vegetables, asking for salad dressings and sauces to be served on the side, ordering an extra portion of veggies with your entrée instead of a starch, and asking for half-portions and doggie bags.
• Enjoy the company as much as the food; your relationship with people should be more important than your relationship with what’s on your plate.