Choose chicken or fish over beef. Skip the alfredo sauce and go with marinara. Top your pizza with veggies or plain cheese instead of pepperoni and sausage, and order thin crust. Have sorbet or frozen yogurt rather than ice cream.
Scan the menu. Many restaurants now have sections on their menus devoted to lean or “heart healthy” dishes. These dishes are directed at the health-conscious and the dieters, detail how the entrée is prepared and usually even have the fat and calorie content listed. Know which restaurants in your town offer such specialized dishes, and frequent those.
Remember why you’re out to eat in the first place.
Chances are, you’re in a restaurant eating with friends or family, not alone. Your pleasure should come primarily from their company and not from the food. Focus on your dining companions. A lot of talking and laughing will slow down your eating, giving your brain plenty of time to send the signal to your stomach that you’re full.
You don’t have to sacrifice dining out just because you’re dieting. Eating at a restaurant with friends and family can be one of life’s great pleasures, and you shouldn’t have to feel guilty about partaking. It’s just a matter of making better choices about what you’re eating, and consciously enjoying your food rather than mindlessly shoveling it in while you’re talking to fellow diners. Bon appetit!