Eating Healthy In Restaurants

How To Eat Healthily In Restaurants

When the waiters bring the bread basket, tell them you don't need it. If it sits on the table, it will sit in your belly!

Dining out is fun and convenient, but it can also be expensive, both in terms of your savings but also for your calories. The three questions you should always ask when eating out are: “What is in the dish?” “How is it prepared?” and “What is in the sauce?” In terms of the first question, you need to know what you are eating, as lighter-coloured proteins like chicken, turkey, tilapia, halibut and tofu are lower in calories than their darker counterparts like beef, lamb, tuna and salmon.
Second, knowing how the dish is prepared can save you many calories, as dishes that are fried, glazed, battered or sautéed are laden with higher calorie oils and sugars. Stick with dishes that are steamed, broiled, baked, rubbed or poached. These dishes are also lower in salt, which can cause water retention.
Third, ask about the sauces. Many of the "hidden" calories are in the sauces due to the butters, oils and sugars they are made with. Make sure you find out what's in them and order them on the side. A few of my favorite go-to dishes are chicken, halibut and starter salads; I just make sure they are prepared the right way. I get the white meats over the dark meats, order the sauces on the side and always take the fatty skin off my poultry or fish.
Here are some other good tricks of the trade when eating out:
Have a snack  before you go out. If your blood sugar crashes because you've gone too long between meals, you will over-order and over-eat.
Pass on the bread. When the waiters bring the bread basket, tell them you don't need it. If it sits on the table, it will sit in your belly!
Take it to go. You don't have to finish everything on your plate, so take it to go and enjoy it later.
Look online before you dine. Most restaurants have their menus online. This helps you know what to order ahead of time or change restaurants if they don't have what you need.
Call ahead for substitutions. Some restaurants do not allow substitutions, so it's always good to know ahead of time.
Substitute greens for heavier sides. I like to substitute a side salad or steamed greens for heavier sides like potatoes or fries.
Don't be afraid to be picky. It's your body, and if you settle with your food, you will probably settle in life.