A Simple Guide to Eating Out Without Putting On Weight

Today I had a date with a nice girl. It's been a while since I actually went on a date (about 3 months!) so I was admittedly excited. After talking to her for a while, it became apparent that she was trying though to maintain her weight. As we talked, it also became clear that others could use similar advice.

So, let's talk about eating out without putting on a ton of weight. If you are like most people, lunchtime begs for McDonald's and other junk food joints. This post will help you navigate through the trans fat and artery cloggers.

Business lunch, candlelight dinner with your lover, parties... There are many occasions to eat in a restaurant and no matter how keen you are on losing weight, you will eventually be forced to eat out. You will more often than not be faced with a variety of dishes, all loaded with nasty calories. So why not combine your goal with leisure. Here are a few tips to avoid excess when eating out:

Beware of the sauce!
Every meal comes with a plethora of sauces. Samurai sauce, American sauce, ketchup, mayonnaise; you spell it, they have it.

    * Appetizers: as tough as it is, avoid appetizers that come with a sauce. This could be mayonnaise or one which is laden with meat. Choose a meal with vegetables or better a slightly seasoned salad. In many cases, appatizers with a light breading are better for you than those with think sauces.

    * Main Dish: Choose baked or roasted meat or fish instead of a dish which is seasoned with sauce or deep fried. For the vegetables, avoid fried potatoes and instead choose green vegetables. If not, go for a slight portion of rice, pasta or baked potatoes.

    * Desserts: Never let yourself be tempted by chocolate ice-cream or chocolate cake. Choose a fruit or a fruit salad instead. After dinner, your body is asking for sweets. A fruit sweet will satisfy just as much as the caramel, pecan cake. Avoid all desserts with creme chantilly.

    * Alcohol: If you are taking a toast, avoid or limit the alcohol. A glass of wine or champagne may be okay. But banish alcohol like whiskey or gin. And if you have the possibility, opt for a glass of juice or simply water. During the meal, limit yourself to a glass of wine only.

In most cases, do not hesitate to ask for special services like separating the sauce from the dish, replacing the chips with green peas. Most restaurants will accept your wishes without any questions asked and if they do ask question about your culinary taste, then I highly doubt this restaurant warrants a second visit from you. You can also try two small appetizers as opposed to ordering an appetizer and a main dish.

Specialized Restaurants and Fast foods
You want to change from traditional meals. Here's how to cut down calories in fast foods and specialized restaurants:

    * Pizzeria
      At most parties and outings with friends, you are bound to see a huge a pizza sooner or later. Although a few pizzas are better than traditional dishes served in restaurants, you must be wary of them. For the toppings, choose a variety of foods like tomatoes or mushrooms instead of plain, old cheese.

    * Burgers
      Contrary to popular beliefs, you can eat healthy at a fast food restaurant. The combination of hamburger, chips, soda and ice cream is not the healthiest combination though. On the other hand, a dish composed of a simple hamburger accompanied by a salad and a glass of water is acceptable. And if you desperately need a soda to wash down the hamburger, opt for a light one although this is no guarantee that it has less calories than its normal counterpart. The best solution for you is to simply drink the glass of water.

    * Chinese Restaurant
      In a Chinese restaurant, you have a variety of dishes to choose from, thus decreasing the risk of excess calories. In a general manner, avoid fried foods and select foods which have been cooked by passing them over boiling water. You can also choose chicken or prawn salads. Choose white rice to Cantonese rice. For the dessert, a fruit is the best choice for you. I would avoid Chinese buffets because the overall atmosphere of a buffet is to overeat.

    * Indian Restaurant
      If you like spicy foods, you most certainly have visited an Indian restaurant at least once in your life. Even here, you must be careful of what you eat if you are really determined not to gain weight. Prefer Tikkas based dish to grilled foods or chicken tandooris (chicken cooked in a spicy yogurt sauce). Beware of curry dishes which are full of calories. Indian vegetarian dishes are awesome and you must go for them first.

On a final note, whatever restaurant you choose to eat, never eat giant portions. Eating modest portions will do both your health and your wallet good. And never forget that you are here to have a good time, so just relax and take all this easy! :)