Dos and Don’ts of Eating Out

When dining out, it’s oftentimes inevitable to overeat. Aside from having a lot of delicious foods to choose from, it’s difficult not to finish everything at the table. Also, there’s no exact way of telling what you’ll get after placing your order. But there are dos and don’ts that you can follow to moderate your food intake when eating out.

Fit Bottomed Girls believe that with a little restaurant know-how, you can lighten up any restaurant order and have a strategy for eating a healthy portion when you’re out on the town.

Watch out the bread. Do not risk consuming hundreds of calories before your meal even arrives. You have two options: ask the waiter to keep it in the kitchen altogether or make an agreement with your dining companions that each should eat only a piece of bread.

Soup or Salad. Minimize your hunger before the main course arrives at your table. Either a soup or a salad will do. Choose broth-based soups and avoid cream-based soups, which are high in calories and fat. Get some greens into your meal by ordering a side salad and remember to order the dressing on the side so you have control over how much you’re getting.

Light items on the side. Healthier options are steamed veggies or a side salad. Make sure your veggies are not smothered with oil or butter. A simple “please” when placing your order will definitely make a difference.

The Main Dish. Plan ahead how much you’re going to eat. You can eat half of the main dish and keep the other half in a to-go box to save yourself the calories and have lunch for the next day ready to go. Or you can split the meal if you and your companion have similar food tastes.

Dessert Don’ts. Sweets make a good treat on special occasions but not every time. A lighter option would be fresh fruits and do not forget to ask for a spare fork or two for sharing.

Words on the menu. They are guaranteed to mean delicious, but those same words typically spell danger for your waistline. When you read smothered, stuffed or loaded, it probably is. If it’s battered, crispy or crunchy, it must be fried. Moreover, anything creamy, cheesy or buttery is probably loaded with fat. Don’t be trapped by “bottomless” or “all you can eat.” Look for words such as broiled, baked, grilled and fresh. If you’re ordering pasta, go for red sauces over whites.

Just because you’re on a diet doesn’t mean you have to refrain from dining out and run away from restaurants all the time. If you follow these tips, you can still enjoy good food out on the town without wrecking your diet. So go out and follow your hunger with these tips in mind.

Image by Annie in Beziers.

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