Tips on Watching Calories When Dining Out

The good news on watching your calories when you eat out is that the restaurants offer lots of options on there menu's.

Tips on calories while enjoying a night on the town:

• Order salad dressings and sauces on the side. This way you can keep track of how much you are adding to your desired foods.
• If ordering grilled fish or veggies, as that the food is grilled with little or no butter or oil.
• Order tomato pasta dishes rather than the cream sauce dishes. Pasta made with a tomato sauce is much lower in fat and calories than cream sauces.
• Drink water, diet soda or unsweetened tea or coffee rather than a regular soda or alcohol. Water is actually the best to have.
• If you want an appetizer or a dessert than share it with a friend so the friend can share half the calories!
• Choose a soup that isn't cream based. Cream based soups have more calories and are higher in fat.
• Order steamed veggies as a side dish instead of a starch like french fries.

• When having a baked potato add salsa instead of butter, sour cream, bacon bits and cheese. Think of the calories you would save and the flavor you can add to a baked potato.
• Stop eating when you are full even if you still have food on your plate.
• Order a sandwich with mustard on it rather than mayonnaise. It is delicious and mustard adds basically no calories.
• When you order, immediately ask for a take home box. When your food arrives, instantly split it in half and put half in the box and eat the other half. You have gotten a great deal: 2 meals for the price of 1!
• Eat an appetizer and a salad if you are trying to eat less.
• When choosing side dishes, choose a baked potato or steamed veggies over french fries. Even is there are no choices listed ask for server for healthier substitutes.
• Order baked, grilled, dry sautéed, broiled, poached or steamed because this usually means that the item it lower in fat and generally lower in calories.
• Plain bread or yeast rolls are lower in fat and calories. It is the butter and oil that you add that increases your fat and caloric intake.
• Choose meals that come with fruits and vegetables as the key ingredients. The  add an exciting flavor to any meal. They are also a good source of fiber as well as tons of vitamins and nutrients.
• Don't be afraid to ask your server for special requests. You are the customer and the restaurants goal is to make your eating experience satisfying.
• Choose food with whole grains like whole wheat bread and brown rice.
• Order foods that are flavored with fresh herbs rather than with butter, fats or oils.
• If you want a dessert than order sorbet or fresh berries or fruit.

Don't deprive yourself of the foods you love. All foods can fit into a well balanced diet. Depriving yourself leads to overeating.

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