5 Tips for Eating Better at Restaurants

Looking at the menu online is a great tip. We usually go with friends and everybody is talking. That's a bad time to try to pick out a healthy meal.

I agree with the tips. One of my suggestions is not to eat courses (such as many pieces of bread) that you would not eat at home. Also, try to be discreet about what saving half. Some people around you may be on a splurge and it hurts their feelings to have someone make a big production about not eating. Just quietly order what you like, save half for a normal portion, and enjoy yourself. Or, just join friends afterwards for "coffee and"!

I often avoid going out to dinner with friends becuase of the issues with ordering healthy. Meeting afterwards for "coffee" is so much easier. Nobody knows what you ate for dinner so there is no pressure to have anything other than a low/no calorie drink. The focus can then be on visiting, not ordering and potentially offending anyone.

I know it is said slightly tongue in cheek, but most eating establishments are not waiting for you, the innocent calorie counter, to walk in so they can throw butter and fats in your food. Usually the best things that make food taste really good are expensive! (Yes, and bad for you...Fat is Flavor after all) These pricey items are parsed out...not used liberally. But moderation is the key for any eating lifestyle.....If you eat out every night or even 2 or 3 nights a week...then first I thank you for my restaurant brethren, but second.....how about taking care of yourself? Putting someone else in charge of what you eat more than 2 nights a week is not moderation. Even when you are out for a treat, moderation is the key. You can share a Caesar salad instead of getting your own. Share Dessert....ask for smaller portions. No one is making you eat that stick of butter..........

Sounds like good advice! I try to avoid menu items that are labeled "fried" or "crispy". They tend to be soaked in oil (and not usually the 'good' kind). I also always ask for my salad dressing on the side since I only really need a little bit to get the flavor and restaurants tend to pit a ton of dressing on. I like the idea of putting half, or at least part of the meal away before eating. Portions have gotten so large and I tend to eat whatever's on my plate, even if I feel totally stuffed afterwards. Would much rather eat just enough and feel good.

Great suggestions, Lela. I've been looking at the published nutrition information from popular restaurants, and what you say is incredibly true. It is astonishing how many calories and grams of fat there are in some of the appetizers! I ate at PF Changs the other evening, and looked up the crispy green bean appetizer -- it had 958 calories and 76 grams of fat!
I ended up ordering the steamed shrimp dumpling appetizer with 289 calories and 8 grams of fat... It pays to look at the nutrition information before ordering!!!!

My dad had food allergies, so he always called ahead and personally talked to the chef about his food requirements. The chefs always appreciated it, were very willing to make him something special, and made a point to come out and greet him.

Another tip is to share a plate with another person in your party. The portions at most restaurants are so huge that you'll both have plenty to eat.

Eating out doesn't have to be that much different from eating in, 'cept someone else takes care of the cleaning up!

As Lela mentioned, it's not a problem to special order. Unless you're in some backwoods town where there's only one restaraunt, most places are happy to make your meal the way YOU want it. (presumably because they'd like you to come back again & again)

I'm a big fan of Dr. John Beradi's nutrition program (found at www.PrecisionNutritionPlan.com) for many reasons, the main one being that his program isn't a pile of disconnected "tips" such as "green tea is good for THIS" and "dark chocolate is good for THAT". (It's the same program I use with my private coaching clients.)

JB's system is based on 10 nutritional habits; one of the biggies being that you only consume starchy carbs during the post workout period.

So if you're planning on going out for pasta (or want to have some bread/chips), just be sure to get a workout in BEFORE you head out. You'll be better able to tolerate those carbs without the tendency to store 'em as fat.

The great thing about having a system based on good HABITS is that once you develop those habits, you won't be as tempted to eat the kinds (or amounts) of foods that'll keep you from achieving your health/fitness goals.

Hopefully I don't come across as an "infomercial" for Dr. Berardi's program, but the point I really want to get across is that it's important to have a SYSTEMATIC approach to training AND nutrition - and stick to it!

I feel there are a few ways to be sane when eating out.

1. Make a decision before going in to choose lean proteins as opposed to fried or greasy options. If you are afraid you will overindulge, then simply order a large salad with light dressing and fill up on greens before your meal.

2. Do a Semi-Fast throughout the day, eating only lean protein sources and allow yourself to get most of your calories for the day from dinner at your favorite restaurant. It's simple, just save the majority of your calories for your last meal. Sometimes you want to have the pizza, and cheesesticks with your friends/family. what is it really going to hurt in the long run? If you only eat these foods every once in a while, its not going to make that big of a dent in your long term physique and or fitness goals.

I usually will not even consider eating at a restaurant that doesn't feature a spectacular choice in salads.

Greens and live, raw foods are natural appetite suppressants.

They'll literally stop hunger immediately. And I make sure that salad or raw veggies are consumed first and foremost, only using balsamic vinegar and a bit of olive oil for dressing.

Order a large water right away, and guzzle as much as you can get down BEFORE eating anything.

By the time I've eaten even a moderate amount of salad or the like, the main course comes and I'm satisfied and not likely to eat much at all. I can enjoy sharing an entree with someone...or getting a few tastes of what the rest of my family is eating. Then I don't feel like I've overdone it and enjoy the experience of dining out so much more.

It's easier to eat healthy if you eat at home so I don't eat out that often (maybe once a month or so). That way when you do eat out you can have whatever you like from the menu, eat all 4 courses, empty the bread basket and enjoy it without thinking twice.

No point in eating out if you're going to eat plain grilled fish and a salad unless you have to go to a restaurant for some reason. And only then use all the tips here to make better choices.

If eating out is your social life then why not suggest some other kinds of fun - dancing, skating, movies, hill walking - where the focus is more on activity and less on eating.

Or invite your friends home where you control the menu.

I avoid eating out as much as possible. If I am forced to do it then I make the best of it, choosing items that are closest as possible to what I would eat at home (but I never compromise about eating meat, fish, eggs, and a few other items that are prohbited for yogis)

These are all great tips, Lela! I also encourage people to focus on plant-based entrees, and don't be afraid to ask how items are prepared! If you are fortunate enough to live in an area with great, local restaurants- go there! Chains tend to (in my opinion) use way too many processed ingredients and items that may not be as fresh or as healthy as I like.

I really like what Chef Jeff said about moderation and eating out- I completely agree! Balancing pleasure and moderation is a great skill!

Hey Gang, I actually interviewed Mike Roussell for my newsletter a while back and he provided some great tips (#3) on keeping things healthy when eating out: http://www.ericcressey.com/newsletter76.html

Mike's really good at keeping things simple when teaching good nutritional habits. Have a look!

DAMAGE CONTROL, DAMAGE CONTROL! That's the name of the game when you eat out. The best way to avoid making bad food choices in a restaurant is to avoid eating in a restaurant. The Chef posted earlier not to eat out more than 2 times a week. That goes for takeout too. Control what you eat and pack your lunches for work, so you don't put yourself in a situation where you are tempted to make bad choices. But you gotta live life, and that means eating out with friends and family. I'll be honest with you, I don't put any restrictions on myself when I eat out. The whole point of eating out with friends and family should be to enjoy yourselves. Just make the experience a little more special by eating out only twice a week instead of everyday. You can still exercise damage control when you eat out though: 1) No drinks other than water. 2) When given this choice, choose salads over soups. 3) Never order an individual dessert. However, your friends will sabotage you by saying, "Hey you want to split a dessert?" That's OK, but never intitiate the dessert ordering.

Two more tips:

1) Step away from the all you can eat buffet
"All You Can Eat" buffets promote overeating. Not a good idea if you are unable to avoid the temptation to eat until you need to loosen your belt. However, if you do find yourself in one of these establishments, make good decisions (steamed rice instead of fried) and leave the elastic waistband pants at home.

2) Split an entree with a friend
"Portion Control" is a buzz word in healthy eating but most restaurants haven't caught on and will serve you enough food for at least two people. Next time you eat out with a friend, order one entree and ask for two plates. If you eat alone, or your friend won't share, ask for a 1/2 sized portion and then smile as your friend shovels 3 servings of cheese raviolis down his or her throat.

Bon Appetit.

Cord Courrege - On The Run Blog
http://ontherunblog.blogspot.com

Get the broiled salmon.

My only real suggestion for watching what you eat when you eat out, besides the above, is just don't do it. My wife and I go out to eat maybe once a month and we always get whatever sounds good on the menu. Personally, I like good pastas, or nicely done up liver and onions, or spicey curries, or smothered burritos. How do I avoid an over flowing waste?

Eat slowly and talk with others at the table, give each bit a bit of time to settle. Make generous use of taken home boxes, if it was good for dinner it'll be good for lunch tomorrow! Avoid desert like the plague but if you simply MUST have that slice of cheese cake, order just one and share it.

Hehe...usually I know how to spell waist.

For those of you who don't know me, I have a pretty blunt writing style. Here are my tips below.

1. Salad instead of starches, espically french fries people! Dressing on the side if any. I roll Balsamic.

2. Chicken, beef or fish as the entre. No pasta or other fattening fillers that are empty calories.

3. No booze, mineral water will do, thank you. Squeeze a lemon wedge in there and it tastes great!

4. Appetizer, umm, are you trying to get fat? They are always deep fried. Bust out a salad as one if you want.

5. Dessert, oh yeah, you deserve it, sure you do. Why can't you lose weight?